Before partnering with another website for guest posts, link exchanges, or co-marketing, it’s crucial to vet their credibility, security, and SEO health. This validation process is a critical step in any link-building campaign—here’s our complete validation framework. A poorly maintained site can harm your rankings (since external links are so valuable for SEO), expose you to security risks, or damage your brand’s reputation. Fortunately, you don’t need a big budget to conduct a thorough audit. Here are the top 5 free tools to evaluate a website’s health and ensure safe, fruitful collaborations.
1. Google PageSpeed Insights
What It Does: Analyzes website speed and performance across mobile and desktop.
Why It Matters: Slow sites frustrate users, hurt SEO rankings, and signal poor technical maintenance.
How to Use It:
- Enter the website’s URL.
- Review the performance score (0–100) and Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS).
- Check recommendations like optimizing images or reducing JavaScript.
Red Flags:
- Scores below 50 (needs improvement).
- “Poor” ratings in Core Web Vitals.
2. SSL Checker by SSL Labs
What It Does: Tests SSL/TLS certificate validity, encryption strength, and vulnerabilities.
Why It Matters: SSL ensures data security. Outdated certificates or weak encryption can expose user data.
How to Use It:
- Visit SSL Labs’ SSL Test.
- Enter the domain.
- Review the grade (A+ to F) and warnings (e.g., expired certificates).
Red Flags:
- Grades below A.
- Expired certificates or insecure protocols (SSLv3, TLS 1.0).
3. Ahrefs Backlink Checker
What It Does: Reveals a site’s backlink profile, including spammy or toxic links.
These toxic links often come from black hat techniques—here’s what to watch for. If you spot them in a potential partner’s profile, that’s a major red flag, and you should learn how to disavow toxic backlinks to protect your own site.
Why It Matters: Collaborating with sites linked to spam can harm your SEO via “guilt by association.”
How to Use It:
- Go to Ahrefs Backlink Checker.
- Enter the domain.
- Check the “Referring Domains” list for suspicious sites (casinos, adult content).
Red Flags:
- High percentage of links from unrelated niches.
- Toxic Backlinks score above 10% in Ahrefs’ report.
4. Ubersuggest
What It Does: Provides SEO metrics like domain score, organic traffic estimates, and keyword rankings.
Why It Matters: Gauges a site’s SEO authority and potential traffic value.
How to Use It:
- Visit Ubersuggest.
- Enter the domain.
- Review Domain Score (0–100), top keywords, and traffic trends.
Domain Score is similar to Domain Authority—learn how link exchanges can boost it legitimately. A score below 30 suggests the site may not be a worthwhile partner.
Red Flags:
- Domain Score below 30.
- Plummeting organic traffic or keyword rankings.
5. BuiltWith
What It Does: Identifies the technology stack, CMS, and plugins used by a website.
Why It Matters: Outdated software (e.g., WordPress 4.0) can indicate security risks.
How to Use It:
- Visit BuiltWith.
- Enter the domain.
- Check the CMS, hosting provider, and plugins (e.g., abandoned jQuery libraries).
Red Flags:
- Unsupported CMS versions.
- Reliance on deprecated plugins or frameworks.
Bonus: Google Safe Browsing
What It Does: Checks if a site is flagged for malware, phishing, or harmful content.
How to Use It: Visit Google Safe Browsing, enter the URL, and confirm it’s marked “No unsafe content found.”
How to Use These Tools Together
- Start with Security: Use SSL Checker and Google Safe Browsing to rule out risks.
- Evaluate SEO Health: Check Ahrefs for toxic links and Ubersuggest for domain authority.
- Assess Technical Quality: Run Google PageSpeed Insights and BuiltWith to spot speed or tech issues.
Real-World Example
A marketer considering a guest post partnership used these tools to uncover:
- SSL Checker: The site had an expired SSL certificate (Grade F).
- Ahrefs: 40% of its backlinks came from spammy directories.
- PageSpeed Insights: Mobile speed score of 32.
Result: They avoided a risky collaboration and found a better partner through Link Rhinos. If you prefer to find partners on your own rather than using a platform, here’s a complete guide to finding the right partners for link exchanges.
Conclusion
Spending 10 minutes with these free tools can save you from SEO penalties, security breaches, or wasted efforts. Whether you’re vetting a link exchange partner or a co-marketing ally, prioritize sites that are fast, secure, and ethically optimized.
Even with these tools and careful vetting, it’s easy to make mistakes in link exchanges. Familiarize yourself with common pitfalls—and follow guest posting best practices—to ensure every collaboration boosts your SEO instead of harming it.
Ready to Find Vetted Partners?
Platforms like Link Rhinos pre-screen collaborators, but pairing them with these audits ensures bulletproof partnerships.
About Link Rhinos: A secure platform for ethical link-building. Connect with verified websites, automate audits, and grow your SEO with confidence.
