A new data provider can change reported link counts even if the web has not changed. Diagnose measurement differences before declaring gained or lost authority.
Document dataset definitions
Compare referring domains, individual URLs, active links and historical links separately. Record crawl dates and filters. Providers discover different parts of the web and refresh at different intervals; neither dataset is a complete census.
Build an overlap sample
Export both sources for the same domain and period. Classify shared links, unique discoveries and unreachable pages. Manually inspect commercially relevant discrepancies before assigning outreach or recovery work.
Annotate the reporting break
Mark the provider-switch date in dashboards. Do not join incompatible totals into an uninterrupted growth curve. Continue tracking relevant referral visits and qualified enquiries while the new baseline develops.
Preserve the original evidence
Retain a dated export and its definition when switching sources, subject to the provider’s terms and your retention rules. Document any transformation applied during migration. A future reviewer should be able to distinguish the source observation from your derived classification.
Put the method to work
Illustrative transition: a dashboard shows fewer referring domains after switching providers. A sample reveals historical pages that no longer exist. The team annotates the measurement change instead of reporting sudden loss of earned coverage.
Your next steps
- Record provider, date and filter definitions.
- Inspect representative discrepancies manually.
- Mark the source-change date in reports.
Questions & answers
Does a lower count prove links were lost?
No. Discovery, refresh schedules and definitions can differ. Verify the underlying pages.
Does Gavek supply a backlink database?
No. This workflow uses data obtained from an appropriate external source.
Documentation & further reading
- support.google.com · › webmasters › answer › 9049606
- developers.google.com · › search › docs › essentials › spam-policies
- developers.google.com · › search › docs › crawling-indexing › qualify-outbound-links
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