Backlink Analyzer
This skill helps you analyze, monitor, and optimize your backlink profile. It identifies link quality, discovers opportunities, and tracks competitor link building activities.
When to Use This Skill
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Auditing your current backlink profile
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Identifying toxic or harmful links
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Discovering link building opportunities
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Analyzing competitor backlink strategies
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Monitoring new and lost links
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Evaluating link quality for outreach
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Preparing for link disavow
What This Skill Does
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Profile Analysis: Comprehensive backlink profile overview
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Quality Assessment: Evaluates link authority and relevance
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Toxic Link Detection: Identifies harmful links
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Competitor Analysis: Compares link profiles across competitors
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Opportunity Discovery: Finds link building prospects
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Trend Monitoring: Tracks link acquisition over time
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Disavow Guidance: Helps create disavow files
How to Use
Analyze Your Profile
Analyze backlink profile for [domain]
Find Opportunities
Find link building opportunities by analyzing [competitor domains]
Detect Issues
Check for toxic backlinks on [domain]
Compare Profiles
Compare backlink profiles: [your domain] vs [competitor domains]
Data Sources
See CONNECTORS.md for tool category placeholders.
With ~~link database + ~~SEO tool connected: Automatically pull comprehensive backlink profiles including referring domains, anchor text distribution, link quality metrics (DA/DR), link velocity, and toxic link detection from ~~link database. Competitor backlink data from ~~SEO tool for gap analysis.
With manual data only: Ask the user to provide:
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Backlink export CSV (with source domains, anchor text, link type)
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Referring domains list with authority metrics
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Competitor domains for comparison
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Recent link gains/losses if tracking changes
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Any known toxic or spammy links
Proceed with the full analysis using provided data. Note in the output which metrics are from automated collection vs. user-provided data.
Instructions
When a user requests backlink analysis:
Generate Profile Overview
Backlink Profile Overview
Domain: [domain] Analysis Date: [date]
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value | Industry Avg | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Backlinks | [X] | [Y] | [Above/Below avg] |
| Referring Domains | [X] | [Y] | [status] |
| Domain Authority | [X] | [Y] | [status] |
| Domain Rating | [X] | [Y] | [status] |
| Dofollow Links | [X] ([Y]%) | [Z]% | [status] |
| Nofollow Links | [X] ([Y]%) | [Z]% | [status] |
Link Velocity
| Period | New Links | Lost Links | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last 30 days | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
| Last 90 days | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
| Last year | [X] | [Y] | [+/-Z] |
Authority Distribution
DA 80-100: ████ [X]% DA 60-79: ██████ [X]% DA 40-59: ████████████ [X]% DA 20-39: ████████████████ [X]% DA 0-19: ██████████ [X]%
Profile Health Score: [X]/100
Analyze Link Quality
Link Quality Analysis
Top Quality Backlinks
| Source Domain | DA | Link Type | Anchor | Target Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [domain 1] | [DA] | Editorial | [anchor] | [page] |
| [domain 2] | [DA] | Guest Post | [anchor] | [page] |
| [domain 3] | [DA] | Resource | [anchor] | [page] |
Link Type Distribution
| Type | Count | Percentage | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editorial | [X] | [Y]% | ✅ High quality |
| Guest posts | [X] | [Y]% | ✅ Good |
| Resource pages | [X] | [Y]% | ✅ Good |
| Directory | [X] | [Y]% | ⚠️ Moderate |
| Forum/Comments | [X] | [Y]% | ⚠️ Low quality |
| Sponsored/Paid | [X] | [Y]% | ⚠️ Risky |
Anchor Text Analysis
| Anchor Type | Count | Percentage | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand name | [X] | [Y]% | ✅ Natural |
| Exact match | [X] | [Y]% | ⚠️ [Warning if >30%] |
| Partial match | [X] | [Y]% | ✅ Natural |
| URL/Naked | [X] | [Y]% | ✅ Natural |
| Generic | [X] | [Y]% | ✅ Natural |
Top Anchor Texts:
- "[anchor 1]" - [X] links
- "[anchor 2]" - [X] links
- "[anchor 3]" - [X] links
Geographic Distribution
| Country | Links | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| [Country 1] | [X] | [Y]% |
| [Country 2] | [X] | [Y]% |
| [Country 3] | [X] | [Y]% |
Identify Toxic Links
Toxic Link Analysis
Risk Summary
Toxic Score: [X]/100 High Risk Links: [X] Medium Risk Links: [X] Action Required: [Yes/No]
Toxic Link Indicators
| Risk Type | Count | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Spammy domains | [X] | [domains] |
| Link farms | [X] | [domains] |
| PBN suspected | [X] | [domains] |
| Irrelevant sites | [X] | [domains] |
| Foreign language spam | [X] | [domains] |
| Penalized domains | [X] | [domains] |
High-Risk Links to Review
| Source Domain | Risk Score | Issue | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| [domain 1] | 95/100 | Link farm | Disavow |
| [domain 2] | 85/100 | Spam site | Disavow |
| [domain 3] | 72/100 | PBN | Investigate |
Disavow Recommendations
Domains to disavow ([X] total):
domain:[spam-site-1.com] domain:[spam-site-2.com] domain:[link-farm.com]
Individual URLs to disavow ([X] total):
[specific-url-1] [specific-url-2]
Compare Against Competitors
Competitive Backlink Analysis
Profile Comparison
| Metric | You | Competitor 1 | Competitor 2 | Competitor 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referring Domains | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| Domain Authority | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| Domain Rating | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| Link Velocity (30d) | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
| Avg Link DA | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
Unique Referring Domains
Links only you have: [X] domains
Links competitors share: [X] domains
Links competitors have, you don't: [X] domains ⬅️ Opportunity
Link Intersection Analysis
Sites linking to competitors but not you:
| Domain | DA | Links to Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Comp 3 | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [domain 1] | [DA] | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | High - All competitors |
| [domain 2] | [DA] | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | High - 2 competitors |
| [domain 3] | [DA] | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | Medium - 1 competitor |
Content Getting Most Links (Competitor Analysis)
| Competitor | Content | Backlinks | Content Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| [Comp 1] | [Title/URL] | [X] | [Type] |
| [Comp 2] | [Title/URL] | [X] | [Type] |
| [Comp 3] | [Title/URL] | [X] | [Type] |
Insight: [What content types attract most links in this niche]
Find Link Building Opportunities
Link Building Opportunities
High-Priority Opportunities
1. Link Intersection Prospects
Sites linking to multiple competitors but not you:
| Domain | DA | Why Link | Contact Approach |
|---|---|---|---|
| [domain 1] | [DA] | [resource page about X] | Suggest your resource |
| [domain 2] | [DA] | [links to similar tools] | Pitch your tool |
| [domain 3] | [DA] | [industry roundup] | Request inclusion |
2. Broken Link Opportunities
| Source Page | Broken Link | Suggested Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| [URL] | [broken URL] | [your relevant page] |
| [URL] | [broken URL] | [your relevant page] |
3. Unlinked Mentions
| Site | Mention | Your Page to Link |
|---|---|---|
| [domain] | Mentioned your brand | [homepage] |
| [domain] | Referenced your data | [research page] |
4. Resource Page Opportunities
| Resource Page | Topic | Your Relevant Content |
|---|---|---|
| [URL] | [topic] | [your content] |
| [URL] | [topic] | [your content] |
5. Guest Post Prospects
| Site | DA | Topic Fit | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| [domain] | [DA] | [relevance] | [contact info/page] |
| [domain] | [DA] | [relevance] | [contact info/page] |
Link Building Priority Matrix
| Opportunity Type | Effort | Impact | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link intersection | Medium | High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Broken links | Low | Medium | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Unlinked mentions | Low | Medium | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Resource pages | Medium | High | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Guest posts | High | High | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Track Link Changes
Link Change Tracking
New Links (Last 30 Days)
| Source | DA | Type | Anchor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [domain 1] | [DA] | [type] | [anchor] | [date] |
| [domain 2] | [DA] | [type] | [anchor] | [date] |
| [domain 3] | [DA] | [type] | [anchor] | [date] |
Total new links: [X] Average DA of new links: [X] Best new link: [domain] (DA [X])
Lost Links (Last 30 Days)
| Source | DA | Reason | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| [domain 1] | [DA] | Page removed | Reach out |
| [domain 2] | [DA] | Link removed | Investigate |
| [domain 3] | [DA] | Site down | Monitor |
Total lost links: [X] Net change: [+/-X]
Links to Recover
| Lost Link | Value | Recovery Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| [domain 1] | High | Contact webmaster |
| [domain 2] | High | Update content they linked to |
Generate Backlink Report
Backlink Analysis Report
Domain: [domain] Report Date: [date] Period Analyzed: [period]
Executive Summary
Your backlink profile is [healthy/needs attention/concerning].
Key Stats:
- Referring domains: [X] ([+/-Y] vs last month)
- Average link authority: [X] DA
- Link velocity: [X] new links/month
- Toxic link percentage: [X]%
Profile Strengths
- ✅ [Strength 1]
- ✅ [Strength 2]
- ✅ [Strength 3]
Areas of Concern
- ⚠️ [Concern 1]
- ⚠️ [Concern 2]
Opportunities Identified
| Opportunity | Potential Links | Effort | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Link intersection | [X] sites | Medium | High |
| Broken links | [X] sites | Low | High |
| Resource pages | [X] sites | Medium | Medium |
Competitive Position
Your referring domains rank #[X] among [Y] competitors.
| Rank | Domain | Referring Domains |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | [domain] | [X] |
| 2 | [domain] | [X] |
| 3 | [domain] | [X] |
Recommended Actions
Immediate (This Week)
- Disavow [X] toxic links identified
- Reach out to [X] unlinked mentions
Short-term (This Month)
- Pursue [X] link intersection opportunities
- Fix [X] broken link opportunities
- Recover [X] recently lost links
Long-term (This Quarter)
- Create linkable asset targeting [topic]
- Launch guest posting campaign
- Build [X] resource page links
KPIs to Track
| Metric | Current | 3-Month Target |
|---|---|---|
| Referring domains | [X] | [Y] |
| Average DA of new links | [X] | [Y] |
| Link velocity | [X]/mo | [Y]/mo |
| Toxic link % | [X]% | <5% |
CITE Item Mapping
When running domain-authority-auditor after this analysis, the following data feeds directly into CITE scoring:
Backlink Metric CITE Item Dimension
Referring domains count C01 (Referring Domain Volume) Citation
Authority distribution (DA breakdown) C02 (Authority Distribution) Citation
Link velocity C04 (Link Velocity) Citation
Geographic distribution C10 (Geographic Distribution) Citation
Dofollow/Nofollow ratio T02 (Protocol Compliance) Trust
Toxic link analysis T01 (HTTPS + Technical Security), T03 (Link-Traffic Coherence) Trust
Competitive link intersection T05 (Profile Uniqueness) Trust
Validation Checkpoints
Input Validation
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Target domain backlink data is complete and current
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Competitor domains specified for comparison analysis
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Backlink data includes necessary fields (source domain, anchor text, link type)
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Authority metrics available (DA/DR or equivalent)
Output Validation
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Every metric cites its data source and collection date
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Toxic link assessments include risk justification
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Link opportunity recommendations are specific and actionable
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Source of each data point clearly stated (~~link database data, ~~SEO tool data, user-provided, or estimated)
Example
User: "Find link building opportunities by analyzing HubSpot, Salesforce, and Mailchimp"
Output:
Link Intersection Analysis
Sites linking to 2+ competitors (not you)
| Domain | DA | HubSpot | Salesforce | Mailchimp | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| g2.com | 91 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Get listed/reviewed |
| capterra.com | 89 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Submit for review |
| entrepreneur.com | 92 | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | Pitch guest post |
| techcrunch.com | 94 | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | PR/news pitch |
Top 5 Immediate Opportunities
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G2.com (DA 91) - All competitors listed
- Action: Create detailed G2 profile
- Effort: Low
- Impact: High authority + referral traffic
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Entrepreneur.com (DA 92) - 2 competitors have links
- Action: Pitch contributed article
- Effort: High
- Impact: High authority + brand exposure
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MarketingProfs (DA 75) - All competitors featured
- Action: Apply for expert contribution
- Effort: Medium
- Impact: Relevant audience + quality link
Estimated Impact
If you acquire links from top 10 opportunities:
- New referring domains: +10
- Average DA of new links: 82
- Estimated ranking impact: +2-5 positions for competitive keywords
Tips for Success
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Quality over quantity - One DA 80 link beats ten DA 20 links
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Monitor regularly - Catch lost links and toxic links early
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Study competitors - Learn from their link building success
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Diversify your profile - Mix of link types and anchors
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Disavow carefully - Only disavow clearly toxic links
Related Skills
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domain-authority-auditor — Backlink data feeds directly into CITE C dimension; run after this analysis for full domain scoring
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competitor-analysis — Full competitor analysis
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content-gap-analysis — Create linkable content
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alert-manager — Set up link alerts
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performance-reporter — Include in reports