Last Updated on June 17, 2025 by Becky Halls
If you’ve landed here after questioning whether your social links add to your site’s SEO value then you’re in the right place! Social media isn’t just for likes and shares anymore – it’s actually a key part of your SEO strategy that many people overlook. So whilst most marketers obsess over Google rankings and domain authority, many are missing one huge piece of the puzzle: social backlinks.
And a social backlinks checker is a way of tracking the process.
In this guide, we’ll look at exactly what a social backlinks checker is, why it matters more than ever in 2025 (with the ever increasing Google updates and AI modes shifting things around!), and how you can use one to really boost your traffic, engagement, and SEO performance.
What Is a Social Backlink?
Let’s start with the basics: A social backlink is a link to your website that’s shared on a social media platform – think Facebook posts, tweets, LinkedIn articles, Pinterest pins, Reddit threads, and more.
While not all social backlinks are dofollow (many are nofollow by default), they can still:
- Drive referral traffic
- Influence content visibility
- Signal popularity and relevance to search engines
- Help new pages get discovered and indexed faster (we tested a shared post vs a non-shared post that were both published on the same day, at the same time, and true enough, the shared post was indexed two days before the other)
Monitoring these links gives you a better understanding of how your content performs across the web – and that’s where a social backlinks checker becomes a game-changer.
What Is a Social Backlinks Checker?
Now we know what a social backlink is we can move on to the ‘social backlinks checker’! A social backlinks checker is a tool that tracks and analyzes all the social media mentions and links pointing to your website – I guess that was easy to figure out when you think about it. It shows you:
- Which platforms are driving the most traffic – important to know so you can focus on the right platform
- What content is being shared (and by whom) – this will help you tweak your content in the right direction
- How often your links are being reposted or mentioned – tip: look for patterns or trends
- Whether any of those links have been removed or broken
This combination of insights helps marketers refine their content, improve outreach, and spot new backlink opportunities.
Why You Need a Social Backlinks Checker in 2025
1. Social SEO Is a Real Thing
Search engines have evolved to consider content engagement across platforms. If your blog post goes viral on LinkedIn, Google is likely to take notice.
A social backlinks checker helps you track which social posts are helping your rankings – so you can double down on what works.
2. Track Campaign Performance
Whether you’re running influencer campaigns, partnerships, or content promos, a social backlinks checker lets you see who’s linking to you and how often. It’s perfect for validating your ROI.
3. Identify Link Opportunities
If someone shared your blog post without linking back to your main domain, you can reach out and request a proper backlink. This turns mentions into measurable SEO wins, and shows the customer that you appreciate them.
4. Stay Ahead of Content Trends
See which content formats, headlines, or topics are most link-worthy on social. Then replicate that success in future posts.
What to Look for in a Social Backlinks Checker
So you might be thinking ‘great – sign me up for the social backlinks checker’ but there are many options and they all offer something different… Here’s our list of things to look for when choosing a social backlinks checker:
- Multi-platform tracking (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, Pinterest, Instagram)
- Real-time alerts for new mentions and links
- Traffic data for each social backlink
- Engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments)
- Exportable reports for easy analysis
Platforms like BuzzSumo, Brand24, and Mention offer solid functionality, but newer solutions are emerging that focus more specifically on backlink tracking and performance.
How to Use a Social Backlinks Checker Effectively
Here’s how to get the most out of your social backlinks checker in 2025:
1. Monitor New Mentions
Set up alerts for your brand, domain, or specific URLs. This helps you catch every new backlink as it happens.
2. Analyze the Source
Is it from a high-authority account? Niche group? Influencer? Use this data to guide future outreach and partnerships.
3. Identify Broken or Missing Links
If a post mentions you but doesn’t include a working backlink, that’s a lost opportunity. Reach out and request they add or fix the link.
4. Track Competitor Mentions
Some social backlinks checkers let you monitor competitors’ backlinks too. Use this for intel on where they’re getting traction – and how you can compete.
5. Integrate with Your SEO Tools
Connect your social backlink data with platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush or Google Analytics to get a full picture of how your backlinks influence rankings and traffic.
Bonus Tip: Combine Social Backlinks with Traditional Link Building
If you’re already building links via guest posts, directories, or partner sites, layering in social backlinks gives your strategy a serious boost.
Using a platform like 3Way.Social, you can find white-hat backlink opportunities from relevant websites, and then use your social backlinks checker to promote and track their performance on social media too – a win win strategy that we love!
It makes for a smart, scalable combo in our eyes!
Final Thoughts: Don’t Sleep on Social Links
In 2025, SEO is no longer confined to blogs, directories, and landing pages. Social platforms play a huge role in how content spreads, gains authority, and ultimately ranks in search engines.
A social backlinks checker isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a must-have for anyone who wants to:
- Stay competitive
- Optimize campaigns
- Build brand awareness
- And track link-building performance in real time
So if you’re still guessing which social channels are driving value (or worse, ignoring them altogether) it’s time to upgrade your strategy.
Use a social backlinks checker to connect the dots between your content, your audience, and your SEO goals.
