Introduction: Why Backlinks Still Matter in 2025

In the world of SEO, backlinks remain one of the strongest ranking signals Google uses to determine website authority and trust. But not all backlinks are created equal, and some can actually do more harm than good.

Many website owners believe that having hundreds of backlinks guarantees better visibility. In reality, a single toxic or irrelevant link can drag down your entire domain authority. That’s why regular backlink audits are critical for maintaining healthy SEO.

In this post, we’ll break down what backlinks are, the different types, how to audit them using tools like SEMrush, and when — or if — you should use Google’s Disavow Tool.

1. What Are Backlinks, and Why Are They Important?

A backlink is simply a hyperlink from one website to another. Google interprets backlinks as “votes of confidence”, when another website links to you, it’s signaling that your content is credible and valuable.

In theory, the more quality links you have, the higher your authority and visibility in search results. But in practice, things are more complex.

Search engines have evolved. They now evaluate where those links come from, whether they’re relevant, and how natural they appear.
A backlink from a reputable design magazine is gold.
A backlink from a random gambling or spam blog? That’s poison.

2. The Different Types of Backlinks

Not all backlinks are the same, and knowing the difference helps you understand which ones to keep and which to remove.

The key takeaway: quality always outweighs quantity.

3. Why Bad Backlinks Can Hurt Your SEO

Low-quality or “toxic” backlinks can be devastating for your SEO performance.

Here’s why:

• Irrelevant sources — Links from unrelated sites confuse search engines.

• Low authority domains — Spammy websites lower your site’s trustworthiness.

• Over-optimized anchors — Repeated keyword-stuffed link texts trigger spam filters.

• Link farms — Networks of fake sites created solely for link building can get you penalized.

The result?

• Declining keyword rankings

• Reduced domain authority

• Possible manual penalties in Google Search Console

In short, bad backlinks can make your site look manipulative, even if it’s unintentional.

4. How to Perform a Backlink Audit (Using SEMrush)

One of the best tools for analyzing your backlinks is SEMrush.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

1. Login to SEMrush and open the Backlink Audit Tool.

2. Connect your domain to Google Search Console for accurate data.

3. SEMrush will scan all your backlinks and assign each a Toxic Score (0–100).

4. Review links by:

   • Referring domain authority

   • Anchor text

   • Country/IP origin

   • Relevance to your niche

5. Export toxic or suspicious links for further action.

✅ Tip: Pay attention to patterns — if several spammy sites link to you with the same anchor, it’s often an automated network.

5. The Google Disavow Tool: What It Is and How It Works

The Google Disavow Tool allows you to tell Google to ignore specific backlinks when evaluating your site.

It’s meant for situations where:

• You’ve received a manual penalty due to unnatural links.

• You’ve already tried removing bad links manually without success.

• You suspect negative SEO attacks (competitors pointing spammy links at your site).

How to Use It Safely

1. Collect the list of spammy or toxic domains.

2. Create a .txt file listing them (one per line).

3. Upload it via Google’s official Disavow Tool.

4. Wait for Google to process — it can take several weeks.

🧩 Important:
Only disavow if you’re sure the links are harmful and impossible to remove. Otherwise, you risk disavowing neutral or even beneficial backlinks.

6. When Not to Use the Disavow Tool

Google’s algorithms have improved tremendously — they now ignore most low-quality links automatically.

Overusing the Disavow Tool can backfire. If you disavow too aggressively, you might accidentally remove valuable or contextually relevant backlinks, which could lower your rankings.

When you shouldn’t disavow:

• If the links are from harmless low-authority sites

• If they are nofollow links (they don’t affect SEO)

• If Google hasn’t issued a manual action

In most cases, monitoring and letting Google handle it is safer than mass disavowing.

7. Building and Maintaining Healthy Backlinks

A strong backlink profile comes from trustworthy, relevant connections.

Best practices:

• Create valuable content that others want to link to naturally.

• Collaborate with respected brands or agencies in your industry.

• Publish guest articles on related, high-quality websites.

• Engage with communities (forums, LinkedIn, Behance, etc.) authentically.

• Use internal linking to connect your own pages logically — this strengthens your topical authority.

Remember, the goal isn’t just to build backlinks — it’s to build reputation.

8. How Bad Traffic Sources Affect Link Value

Search engines not only analyze where your links come from but also how those linking sites perform.

If a site linking to you has:

• High bounce rate

• Little organic traffic

• Suspicious or mixed content topics
  …it can negatively influence your backlink value.

Think of it like being endorsed by a shady contact — their credibility reflects on yours.

That’s why SEMrush’s Toxic Score and Traffic metrics are so useful — they help you identify links that come from poor-quality or irrelevant traffic sources.

9. The Role of Backlink Audits in Long-Term SEO Strategy

Just as you update content and monitor analytics, backlink audits should be part of your regular SEO maintenance.

How often?

• Every 3–6 months for active sites.

• After any major SEO drop or algorithm update.

These audits help you stay ahead of problems before they affect your rankings — and ensure that your SEO strategy remains clean, natural, and sustainable.

10. Final Thoughts: Link Smart, Not Hard

Backlinks remain a cornerstone of search engine optimization — but only when managed carefully.

Don’t chase volume; chase relevance and trust.
A single backlink from a respected industry site is worth more than 500 from low-quality sources.

At Creativa Forge, we believe in building websites that perform — from design to SEO health.
If you’d like help analyzing your backlinks, cleaning your profile, or improving your site’s authority, we’re here to help.

👉 Contact us for a personalized SEO and design strategy.