A backlink points from another website to a page on your site. Google Search Console’s Links report shows examples of external links, but it is a sample rather than a complete inventory. The report can also include links that have since been removed. Source: Google Search Console: Links report

Inspect the actual mention

Open the referring page and check its wording, context and destination. For a supplier or industry directory, confirm that the business description is accurate. This tells the team more about the usefulness of the mention than the link count alone.

Keep outreach specific

Where a partner would find a resource useful, explain what it helps their readers do and let them decide whether to reference it. Keep a record of the page and contact. This gives relationship work a clear purpose without promising a search ranking result.

Written and updated by Travelgenix. Sources checked on 19 October 2026. Practical advice and examples are Travelgenix editorial guidance.