linksto

Linksto is a term used in web analytics and linked-data modeling to denote a directional relationship in which one resource contains a hyperlink to another resource. In practice, linksto describes the set of pages that link to a given target page, commonly referred to as backlinks or incoming links. The concept helps explain a site’s authority, discoverability, and referral pathways on the web.

Data about linksto relationships are gathered from multiple sources. Web crawlers and search engines record hyperlinks during indexing; third-party backlink databases compile inbound-link data from crawl and submission data; server logs may reveal referrer information when users navigate between pages. Privacy and robots.txt constraints limit completeness, and changes in pages can rapidly alter link profiles, so data is typically timestamped.

Modeling linksto as a graph is common: nodes are URLs or documents, and edges represent a link from a source to a target. Each edge may carry attributes such as anchor text, link type (dofollow or nofollow), discovery date, and the source’s domain authority. Groupings by domain or topic are used to assess overall link quality and reach.

Applications include search engine optimization (SEO) analysis, influence and trust assessment, and content discovery. Analysts query the linksto graph to answer questions like which pages link to a target, which domains contribute most to a page’s inbound links, or how link profiles evolve over time.

Limitations and considerations: linksto data is incomplete and may be biased toward well-indexed regions; not all links are visible due to robots rules or paywalled content; nofollow links may be excluded from some datasets. Privacy and consent considerations also apply in certain contexts.

See also: backlinks, inbound links, link graph, anchor text, domain authority, Common Crawl.