HTTP 200 ≠ listed
A directory homepage can load fine while your product page was never accepted or published.
Verification methodology
Submitted vs Live: two facts teams often merge
Submitted means your team completed an action. Live means a public page is reachable and contains the intended link or listing. Collapsing the two turns activity into false confidence.
Last updated: 2026-09-15
Definitions
| Status | What it means | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Submitted | A form was sent, listing drafted, pitch emailed, or account action completed. | A crawlable link exists on the destination. |
| Live | A public page contains a link or listing pointing at the intended target URL. | Guaranteed rankings, permanent placement, or a followed link attribute. |
Why the split matters
Volume ≠ outcomes
“We submitted 50 places” is not the same as “we earned 50 public links.”
Links disappear
Honest systems move a win back to needs review when verification fails later.
How to verify a backlink is live
- Record the submission with date, destination, and owner.
- Save the exact public page URL where the link should appear.
- Fetch the page and confirm the target URL and anchor context.
- Mark Live only after verification—not when the form was sent.
- Recheck on a schedule; move broken links to Lost or needs review.