Yesterday, when I logged into GWT account, there was a link to the new "beta" version of GWT with a new site design. On the "old" version: 2,650 links On the "new" version 1,838 links I'm wondering, "How is this an improvement?" when there are less links being shown? Other design changes include quicker loading time & information being displayed differently.
Huh, that's the question which is persistently bothering me. There's definitely something going on with google data, and I just can't put my finger on it yet. Is it a significant algo change? Are they just changing the types and the amount of data available to outsiders?
The improvement is purely for Google's benefit probably based around the fact that they have made their criteria for backlinks more specific meaning that there are now less. I still think that GWT offer some of the best free tools available for webmasters but to be honest, I think that Google consistently change the goal posts making it difficult for website and blog owners to promote their sites appropriately and without resorting to spam.
that makes sense, because (in the past) a lot of No Follow links were being shown in GWT (about 15% of the displayed links)
I wouldn't recommend you worry about how many are shown rather than how many truly exist and are counted if the newer version is saying less then probably more accurate which should be helpful in your campaign giving accurate results when you compare your website to your competitors.
I'm hoping its just a pre-opening-day glitch, and when they have the official changeover to the new design, it will go back to the old numbers. Why, just yesterday I had my Yahoo Site Explorer link count go in 1/2....then today they are about 100 higher than before the glitch, to 8,291