Backlink and referring domain audits are two of the quickest ways to check how your website is doing behind the scenes. If your site is getting links from other websites, that is usually a good sign. But not all links are helpful. Some can actually hurt how search engines see your site. Doing a backlink audit is like looking over your connections and asking, “Is this helping or holding me back?”
We do not need to make this feel complicated. We will go over what backlinks and referring domains are and show you what to look for when reviewing them. You will see how fixing link issues and focusing on the good ones can gently improve your search visibility over time. Connecting this to our main goal, smart local link building helps us stay focused and steady as we grow.
What Are Backlinks and Referring Domains?
A backlink is any link that points to your website from another one. Think of it like a thumbs-up someone gives you in public. When it comes from a credible source, it looks great. But when it is from somewhere out of place or low-quality, it can look a bit off.
On the other hand, a referring domain is simply the website that link came from. If you get five links from the same website, those are five backlinks but just one referring domain. That is an important detail, especially if most of your links are coming from only a handful of places.
Search engines do not just count how many links you have. They look at where those links are coming from. If your site is getting attention from trusted, respected websites, search engines may see your content as useful and well-liked. That helps build a good reputation online.
Local SEO is all about getting attention from sites and sources that matter most to your community. Earning links from respected Jacksonville, Florida, businesses, media outlets, or local organizations can have a bigger impact on your website’s visibility than dozens of links from out-of-state or unrelated sources.
Why a Backlink Audit Makes a Big Difference
Not all backlinks are helpful. Some may come from spam sites, broken pages, or sources that do not feel trustworthy. When search engines pick up on those, they sometimes lower your site’s visibility in results. This is why looking over your backlink setup becomes so important.
Here are a few things we keep an eye on during a backlink audit:
• Broken links or pages that no longer exist
• Spammy domains that were never a good match
• Outdated or irrelevant sites from old campaigns
These kinds of backlinks can drag down your performance. Getting too many of them gives search engines the wrong signal. Cleaning up bad links helps protect your standing and, more importantly, gives us a better picture of what is working and what needs to change.
In fact, as part of its local SEO services, Yes! Local Marketing reviews your business citations and backlink profile to help spot risky or outdated links that may keep you from ranking well on Google.
What to Watch for in a Referring Domain Report
Digging into the referring domains helps you go one step deeper. One solid link from a trusted domain can matter more than ten weak ones from low-grade sources. That is why we want to focus on three key markers:
• Relevance: Is the site related to your industry or audience?
• Quality: Does it look like a real business or publisher people trust?
• Patterns: Are there too many links from one place or from random sites that do not fit your focus?
If you start noticing that most of your links are from outdated blogs, unrelated directories, or sites loaded with ads, that is a red flag. For local businesses, this part matters even more. Think about how important it is to get referrals from nearby groups, community sites, or industry peers in your area. That kind of local connection adds both trust and context for search engines, especially if you are working in a competitive space like Jacksonville, Florida.
According to Yes! Local Marketing’s service information, keeping your business information accurate and synced across listings can strengthen the trustworthiness of links coming to your site from these local directories and community sites.
How to Take Action After the Audit
Once we have gathered enough insight, it is time to act. That does not mean rushing to delete every less-than-perfect link. But we do take a few smart steps that move us forward without guesswork.
1. If a link is clearly spammy or harmful, we request its removal.
2. If the link cannot be removed, it may be added to a disavow file to tell search engines to ignore it.
3. We look for outdated details (wrong name, broken page) and ask for an update.
4. If links are missing altogether from strong relationships, we look for reasonable opportunities to add one.
But building forward matters just as much. So we take the time to improve connections by sharing helpful blog content, updating outdated resources, or connecting with trusted local groups who might be willing to share our content naturally. Watching those new connections grow slowly and steadily is key. It is not about getting a bunch of links quickly; it is about building long-term paths that help people and search engines find you two months, six months, or even a year from now.
Keep Your Local Presence Strong
Doing regular backlink and referring domain audits shines a light on your online reputation and helps guide next steps, especially for businesses competing in local markets like Jacksonville, Florida. With expert help, you can correct mistakes, shed risky connections, and build a link profile that supports your goals in the long run.
At Yes! Local Marketing, we treat every website review like a chance to improve where it counts. When we clean up old links and look for fresh connections that make sense, we build a stronger base for future search growth. Taking time for a regular local link building review can help your site feel more trustworthy to both search engines and the people you want to reach. Whether your business is brand new or well-established, it always helps to know which connections are lifting you up. If you are ready to start the process, contact us today.
