# Link gap

Link gap means the sites that link to competing pages but not to you. For a small site, this is the shortest qualified list of link prospects. You can find them fast and pitch with context.

Updated 2026-09-13 · Source: https://porteur.ai/glossary/link-gap

## What link gap means for a small site

You are not trying to win the web. You are trying to win the few sites that already link to pages like yours. Those domains have proven they will link to this topic. That is why the list is small and qualified.

Example: three guides rank for "API rate limits". Two have links from apiblog.example and devnotes.example. Your /guides/api-rate-limits has none. The gap is those two domains and the exact pages they used as sources.

## How to find the link gap

1. **Pick the pages to compare** Choose one target page of yours, like /guides/getting-started, and a few rival pages that rank for the same query.
2. **Get referring domains for each page** Use any backlink index that shows referring domains and linking URLs for a given URL. Export or copy the lists. Include the anchor and the linking page title if available.
3. **Subtract your set from theirs** Find domains and URLs that link to at least one rival page but not to yours. Keep it at the page level first. Then repeat at the domain level for your whole site.
4. **Score and sort** Score each prospect by topical fit, anchor relevance and the authority you observe in that index. Sort by fit first, then by observed authority.

> Backlink indexes never see everything and often lag real time. Treat the gap list as directional, then verify each prospect manually.

## How to read the numbers

- Referring domains to rivals but not to you: the size of your opportunity list.
- Linking page type: resource page, roundup, forum thread, changelog, documentation. Page type tells you the pitch and link format to expect.
- Anchor and surrounding text: shows the angle that earned the link. Match that angle in your pitch or content.
- Target depth: links to the rival home page, /pricing or a deep guide. If most links are deep, fix your equivalent deep page.

A healthy gap list is specific. It names apiblog.example/post-123 with anchor "API rate limit examples" rather than a vague domain note.

## What to do with a link gap list

1. **Tighten your target page** Check on-page basics: title near 60 characters, clear h1, descriptive meta, fast LCP under 2.5 seconds, internal links from relevant pages. Make it the best answer.
2. **Map pitch to page type** For a resource page, offer your guide and why it helps their readers. For a roundup, suggest inclusion and provide a one line summary. For a documentation page, offer a clearer example or correction.
3. **Close content gaps that block links** If rivals earn links for a comparison or a checklist you do not have, ship your /guides/api-rate-limit-checklist or /compare/tool-a-vs-tool-b page first.
4. **Send small, specific pitches** Write to the editor of that one page. Reference the exact sentence that links to a rival. Offer your page as a better or complementary source. Keep it short and specific.
5. **Pick up easy wins** Find broken links among the gap set. If a linking URL 404s or points to a dead resource, offer your equivalent. Fix your own broken backlinks as well.

A fixed case looks like this: your /guides/getting-started gains links from a tools roundup, a university resource page and a dev forum thread soon after targeted outreach.

## Traps to avoid

- Comparing home pages only when the query is page level. Always compare like with like.
- Chasing every domain. Start with high fit pages, not just high authority domains.
- Pitching without a content fit. If your page does not answer the cited need, update it before you ask.
- Copying rival anchor text blindly. Match search intent, not just words.
- Relying on one index. Spot check with a second source or manual searches like "site:example.com your topic".

## Questions

### What is a backlink gap?

A backlink gap is the set of sites that link to your rivals but not to you. It is built by comparing referring domains or linking URLs for the same topic. For a small site, it is the fastest qualified prospect list because those sites already link to similar pages.

### What is a backlink in simple terms?

A backlink is a link on another site that points to your page. It acts like a citation. Good backlinks help discovery and can improve your chances to rank when the content matches the search.

### How do I check backlinks to my website for free?

Use a backlink index that offers a limited free view and enter your URL. You can also run search operators, for example your brand name in quotes, to spot unlinked mentions. Any single source will be incomplete, so combine methods.

### How is a link gap different from a keyword gap?

A link gap compares who links to rivals, not what queries they rank for. Use a link gap list to plan outreach and content that earns links. Use a keyword gap to plan pages to write and internal links to add.

### What is an example of a link gap pitch?

If devnotes.example links to a rival’s rate limit guide, email the editor of that page. Reference the sentence that links out, explain how your guide adds a clearer example, and ask for inclusion. Keep it short and specific.

## Read next

- [Backlink gap: the sites that link to your rivals and not to you](https://porteur.ai/guides/backlink-gap): Find the sites that link to rivals and not to you. Read the page, make the ask, and track new links. A practical backlink gap workflow.
- [How to get backlinks for a small product site](https://porteur.ai/guides/how-to-get-backlinks-for-a-small-site): What to build, who to ask and how to measure. A founder’s plan to earn backlinks without spam or spend, with examples and a checklist.
- [Referring domains: what the count means and what moves it](https://porteur.ai/guides/referring-domains): Learn what referring domains are, how they differ from backlinks, why breadth beats volume, how tools count them, and what actually moves the number.
- [Broken backlinks: the links you are losing to pages that are gone](https://porteur.ai/guides/broken-backlinks): Links point to deleted pages, wasting authority. Learn how to find broken backlinks, map redirects, when to restore pages, and what not to redirect.
- [Broken link checker](https://porteur.ai/tools/broken-link-checker): Every link on one page, up to 150, fetched eight at a time: the ones that 404 with the words they carry, the ones that redirect and where to, as a list.
- [Backlink](https://porteur.ai/glossary/backlink): A backlink is a link from another site to yours. See what counts, how to check links, dofollow vs nofollow, and what a small site can expect.
- [Outbound link](https://porteur.ai/glossary/outbound-link): An outbound link points from your page to another site. Linking out does not hurt a page. The rules that do matter: sources, rel values and dead links.
- [Sitewide link](https://porteur.ai/glossary/sitewide-link): A sitewide link appears on every page of a site, usually in the footer or the navigation. How Google treats it, when it is a risk, and what it is worth.

Run the free check on your URL and it will read your site, the searches around it and the rivals on them in about thirty seconds, and show three findings whole. Free check: https://porteur.ai/