A backlink audit helps brokers clean up harmful links, protect their SEO, and rank better on Google. Here’s how to do it right, without hurting your site or wasting time.

If your brokerage wants to appear higher in Google search results, backlinks matter—a lot. But not all backlinks help you. Some might even be dragging your site down.

That’s where a backlink audit comes in.

A backlink audit is basically a health check for your website’s link profile. It helps you figure out which sites are linking to you, whether those links are helping or hurting, and what to do next. In the long run, this process can make your SEO stronger, your search rankings higher, and your traffic more consistent.

Let’s walk through how brokers—whether you’re in forex, crypto, or multi-asset markets—can do a backlink audit the right way.

What Is a Backlink Audit?

A backlink audit is when you review all the websites that link back to your own. The goal is to:

• Find good backlinks that support your SEO.

• Spot bad or spammy links that could be hurting your rankings.

• Clean up the mess, if there is one, and create a plan for better links moving forward.

Think of it like managing your reputation. You want to be associated with trusted names—not shady ones.

Why It Matters for Brokers

In the world of finance, trust is everything. And Google works the same way. When trustworthy websites link to your brokerage, it helps prove your credibility—not just to users, but to search engines too.

But if too many questionable or irrelevant websites link to you, Google may start to question your reputation. That could mean lower rankings, less traffic, and fewer leads.

How to Start a Backlink Audit

You’ll need some tools. Google Search Console gives you a free starting point, but you might also want to use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz. These offer deeper insights and make the process easier.

Here’s what to do:

1. Pull a Full List of Your Backlinks

First, download your backlink data. These tools will show which websites are linking to you, how often, what the anchor text says (the clickable words), and where those links live.

2. Review Link Quality

Ask yourself:

• Is this site relevant to finance, trading, or investing?

• Is the domain trustworthy or spammy?

• Does the link look natural—or forced?

• Is it embedded in good content—or buried in a weird footer or sketchy blog?

The better the site and the more relevant the content, the more helpful the link is.

3. Spot and Flag Problem Links

If you notice a link coming from a site that looks suspicious, low-quality, or has nothing to do with finance—it might be toxic. These types of links can hurt your SEO.

You don’t need to panic—but you should keep track of them.

4. Use Google’s Disavow Tool (Carefully)

If there are links you truly believe are harmful, you can tell Google to ignore them using the Disavow Tool. But be careful—don’t disavow good links by mistake. If you’re unsure, get help before submitting anything.

5. Build a Better Link Profile

Once you clean up bad links, it’s time to replace them with better ones. Create content worth linking to—like market reports, comparison guides, or educational posts. Reach out to industry blogs, financial news platforms, or partners. Start building relationships that lead to high-quality, relevant backlinks over time.

Keep an Eye on Your Backlinks

Backlink audits aren’t something you do once and forget. Like brushing your teeth or checking your financials, it should be part of your regular SEO routine.

Use a backlink monitoring tool, check monthly, and act quickly if spammy links show up again.

Common Challenges (and How to Beat Them)

• It takes time: Reviewing every link isn’t fun—but it’s worth it.

• It can be confusing: If you’re not sure what counts as a “bad” link, you’re not alone. Some tools offer scoring systems, or you can consult an SEO expert.

• Over-disavowing: Don’t go wild removing everything. Some links that look odd might still be helping your rankings.

The Future of Backlink Audits

As Google’s algorithm becomes more advanced, quality matters more than ever. In the future, expect SEO tools to use AI to help analyze intent, context, and even predict which links will perform best.

What won’t change is this: links from trusted, relevant, and well-maintained sites will always be good for your brokerage.

Final Thoughts

If you care about your brokerage’s visibility, leads, and long-term growth, you can’t ignore backlinks. A smart backlink audit helps you clean up your link profile, improve your rankings, and build a stronger foundation for future growth.

At GrowYourBroker, we help brokers manage their SEO from start to finish—including backlink audits that actually move the needle. Whether you need a full cleanup or just want a second opinion on your link profile, we’re here to help.