Webmaster Tools Offers Up Better Backlink Data; SEOs Rejoice!

Google gave webmasters an early (very early) holiday present - announcing that it is expanding the data it provides about a websites links within its Webmaster Tools platform.

Webmasters previously had access to upward of 100,000 backlinks when selecting the “download more sample links” button, but that approach provided an incomplete picture as the link data was skewed toward the beginning of the alphabet as the links were selected by “lexicographical order.”

Google has now improved how it selects those links which will provide webmasters a more uniform sample from the “full spectrum of backlinks” pointing to their websites. Webmasters and SEOs will also receive example links from different top-level domains as well as different domain names.

It’s a welcome improvement to Webmaster Tools on the whole, ideal for those seeking a better understanding of their link profile, and useful for SEOs charged with cleaning up bad linking practices.