By Hridoy Ahmed | Last updated: October 2026 | 7 min read
Short answer: A backlink is worth getting when the site is relevant to your topic, has real readers, publishes quality content, links to you naturally inside useful text, and looks clean and trustworthy. Do not decide by a metric like DA or DR alone. Those are third-party scores, not Google metrics.
Why check before you get a link?
One good link from a relevant site can help. Many weak links from random sites can waste your money, and some can put your site at risk. A quick check before you ask for a link saves you from both.
If you are new to this, start with my guide on what makes a backlink high quality.
The 6-point check
- Is it relevant? The site should cover your topic or a close one. A link from a cooking blog does little for a WordPress security page.
- Does it have real readers? Look for real comments, shares, a visible audience and traffic that is steady, not a sudden spike. SEO tools give traffic estimates. Use them as a rough guide.
- Is the content good? Read three or four articles. Are they written by real people, with useful details? Or are they thin, copied or full of ads?
- Is the link natural? The best links sit inside a useful sentence or article, because the writer thinks the page helps the reader. Links in footers, sidebars or lists of random links are weaker.
- Is the site indexed and healthy? Search Google for the site name. If it does not show up, that is a bad sign. Also check that it is not covered with spam or hacked content.
- Does the site sell links to anyone? If every post links out to unrelated sites with pushy anchor text, or a “write for us, pay to publish” page is everywhere, be careful. Google is strict about paid links that pass ranking signals.
About DA, DR and other scores
Domain Authority, Domain Rating and similar numbers come from SEO tool companies. Google does not use them. They are useful for a quick comparison, but they can be pushed up in ways that do not mean real quality. Use them as one hint, never as the only reason.
Red flags
- The site accepts any topic and any author
- Hundreds of outbound links to unrelated sites
- Fake-looking pages, copied text or broken design
- No contact or about page, no real author names
- Traffic that falls sharply or never existed
- Someone guarantees a certain number of links or a certain DA
A simple rule I use
I ask one question: “If search engines did not exist, would a real reader still click this link?” If the answer is yes, the link is likely worth it. This is also why I do manual outreach and do not use link farms. If you want that kind of work, see my link building and guest posting service.
Common mistakes
- Buying links because the DA looks high
- Choosing a site only because it is cheap
- Ignoring relevance
- Using the exact same anchor text every time
- Never checking the site after the link goes live
Already have bad links? Read when and when not to use the disavow tool.
FAQ
Is a high DA or DR link always good?
No. A high score does not guarantee a relevant, clean site. Check relevance, content and traffic as well.
Are nofollow links worth getting?
They can still send real visitors and help people find your brand. Do not ignore a good link only because of the nofollow tag.
How do I check if a site has real traffic?
Use an SEO tool for an estimate, then look at real signs: active comments, social shares and fresh content.
Should I worry about a link from a spammy site?
One random spammy link is common and Google usually ignores it. Many paid or manipulated links are a bigger risk.
Want quality links, built by hand? See my link building and guest posting service.
About the author: Hridoy Ahmed is an SEO specialist and WordPress security expert based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has 8+ years of experience and works with clients worldwide.