"Hello, I have a question about SEO. I recently started a personal blog and added some backlinks in forums and Facebook groups relevant to my blog's topic. However, when I checked my website using Ahrefs' backlink checker, it didn't pick up any backlinks. Do you know why this might be happening? Also, I'm wondering if backlinks are still tracked even if they are not "dofollow". Thank you for your help!"
There are a few reasons why Ahrefs might not be picking up your backlinks:
- Crawl Delay: Search engines, including Ahrefs, take time to crawl and index new websites and backlinks. It’s possible your backlinks are still being processed. Give it some time, and Ahrefs should eventually pick them up.
- NoFollow Links: While “nofollow” backlinks don’t directly pass link juice, they still have value. They can help improve your website’s visibility and referral traffic. However, Ahrefs and other SEO tools may not track them as prominently as “dofollow” backlinks.
- Link Quality: Ahrefs prioritizes high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites. Backlinks from low-quality or spammy forums and Facebook groups might not be considered valuable enough for Ahrefs to track.
- Hidden Links: Some platforms or forums may hide links, making them difficult for crawlers to discover.
- Technical Issues: There could be technical issues with your website or the way the backlinks are implemented that are preventing Ahrefs from finding them.
It’s also important to note that different tools have different crawling capabilities and indexing algorithms. Try using other backlink checkers like SEMrush, Moz, or Google Search Console to see if they can detect your backlinks.
If you’re still having trouble after a few days, consider reviewing the following:
- Link Placement: Make sure your backlinks are placed naturally and relevantly within the content. Avoid spamming or using excessive backlinks.
- Anchor Text: Use descriptive and relevant anchor text for your backlinks. Avoid using generic keywords or overly promotional language.
- Website Authority: Building backlinks from higher authority websites will generally get more recognition and improve your search engine rankings.