Backlinks - Some explanation needed

[Kirtan]

To check backlinks in google i used to enter "link:www.mydomain.com"
and it list on 7 and if i enter "link : www.mydomain.com" it list about 37.
what is the correct way to check backlinks with different search engines.
Ofcourse i know several link_popularity_check tools. All display results according to their data centers. :confused:

[MrX]

The correct way is "link:www.xyz.com"

When you do "link : www.xyz.com", Google searches for a page that has the words "link" and "www.xyz.com". Same as typing in "link www.xyz.com" or "monkeyballs www.xyz.com".

[Kirtan]

well. i don't think so. when i do "link : www.mydomain.com" all the result pages are the pages which i have link in them.
you can check it "link : www.gx-affordable-web-design-and-hosting-services.com" Thanks for your feedback.

[MrX]

Think about it. When you do the "link : xxx" all of the results have the word "link" and "xxx" highlighted. When you do "link:xxx", those words aren't highlighted, which means Google was doing a literal keyword search for the other one. Got it? Good.

[kuyaedz]

I've been wondering the same thing. I notice I get different results using some of the other tools as well (ie; allintitle: allinurl: allinanchor:, etc). Is the proper useage tool:<term> with no spacing for all of these options?

[MrX]

I've been wondering the same thing. I notice I get different results using some of the other tools as well (ie; allintitle: allinurl: allinanchor:, etc). Is the proper useage tool:<term> with no spacing for all of these options?

Yup, no spacing. Otherwise it just becomes a regular search term.

[Annie7]

Try other tools to check backlinks in Google and compare which is more correct:
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=146900