backlink-analyzer by aaron-he-zhu
Use when the user asks to "analyze backlinks", "check link profile", "find toxic links", "link building opportunities", "off-page SEO", "who links to me", "I have spammy links", "how do I get more backlinks", or "disavow links". Analyzes backlink profiles to understand link authority, identify toxic links, discover link building opportunities, and monitor competitor link acquisition. Essential for off-page SEO strategy. For internal link analysis, see internal-linking-optimizer. For competitor link profiles, see competitor-analysis.
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Updated Dec 18, 2025, 04:11 AM
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License Apache-2.0
---
name: backlink-analyzer
description: 'Use when the user asks to "analyze backlinks", "check link profile", "find toxic links", "link building opportunities", "off-page SEO", "who links to me", "I have spammy links", "how do I get more backlinks", or "disavow links". Analyzes backlink profiles to understand link authority, identify toxic links, discover link building opportunities, and monitor competitor link acquisition. Essential for off-page SEO strategy. For internal link analysis, see internal-linking-optimizer. For competitor link profiles, see competitor-analysis.'
license: Apache-2.0
metadata:
author: aaron-he-zhu
version: "2.0.0"
geo-relevance: "low"
tags:
- seo
- backlinks
- link building
- link profile
- toxic links
- off-page seo
- link authority
- domain authority
- link acquisition
triggers:
- "analyze backlinks"
- "check link profile"
- "find toxic links"
- "link building opportunities"
- "off-page SEO"
- "backlink audit"
- "link quality"
- "who links to me"
- "I have spammy links"
- "how do I get more backlinks"
- "disavow links"
---
# Backlink Analyzer
> **[SEO & GEO Skills Library](https://skills.sh/aaron-he-zhu/seo-geo-claude-skills)** · 20 skills for SEO + GEO · Install all: `npx skills add aaron-he-zhu/seo-geo-claude-skills`
<details>
<summary>Browse all 20 skills</summary>
**Research** · [keyword-research](../../research/keyword-research/) · [competitor-analysis](../../research/competitor-analysis/) · [serp-analysis](../../research/serp-analysis/) · [content-gap-analysis](../../research/content-gap-analysis/)
**Build** · [seo-content-writer](../../build/seo-content-writer/) · [geo-content-optimizer](../../build/geo-content-optimizer/) · [meta-tags-optimizer](../../build/meta-tags-optimizer/) · [schema-markup-generator](../../build/schema-markup-generator/)
**Optimize** · [on-page-seo-auditor](../../optimize/on-page-seo-auditor/) · [technical-seo-checker](../../optimize/technical-seo-checker/) · [internal-linking-optimizer](../../optimize/internal-linking-optimizer/) · [content-refresher](../../optimize/content-refresher/)
**Monitor** · [rank-tracker](../rank-tracker/) · **backlink-analyzer** · [performance-reporter](../performance-reporter/) · [alert-manager](../alert-manager/)
**Cross-cutting** · [content-quality-auditor](../../cross-cutting/content-quality-auditor/) · [domain-authority-auditor](../../cross-cutting/domain-authority-auditor/) · [entity-optimizer](../../cross-cutting/entity-optimizer/) · [memory-management](../../cross-cutting/memory-management/)
</details>
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
- Auditing your current backlink profile
- Identifying toxic or harmful links
- Discovering link building opportunities
- Analyzing competitor backlink strategies
- Monitoring new and lost links
- Evaluating link quality for outreach
- Preparing for link disavow
## What This Skill Does
1. **Profile Analysis**: Comprehensive backlink profile overview
2. **Quality Assessment**: Evaluates link authority and relevance
3. **Toxic Link Detection**: Identifies harmful links
4. **Competitor Analysis**: Compares link profiles across competitors
5. **Opportunity Discovery**: Finds link building prospects
6. **Trend Monitoring**: Tracks link acquisition over time
7. **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](../../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:
1. Backlink export CSV (with source domains, anchor text, link type)
2. Referring domains list with authority metrics
3. Competitor domains for comparison
4. Recent link gains/losses if tracking changes
5. 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:
1. **Generate Profile Overview**
```markdown
## 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
```
2. **Analyze Link Quality**
```markdown
## 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**:
1. "[anchor 1]" - [X] links
2. "[anchor 2]" - [X] links
3. "[anchor 3]" - [X] links
### Geographic Distribution
| Country | Links | Percentage |
|---------|-------|------------|
| [Country 1] | [X] | [Y]% |
| [Country 2] | [X] | [Y]% |
| [Country 3] | [X] | [Y]% |
```
3. **Identify Toxic Links**
```markdown
## 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]
```
```
4. **Compare Against Competitors**
```markdown
## 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]
```
5. **Find Link Building Opportunities**
```markdown
## 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 | ⭐⭐⭐ |
```
6. **Track Link Changes**
```markdown
## 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 |
```
7. **Generate Backlink Report**
```markdown
# 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
1. ✅ [Strength 1]
2. ✅ [Strength 2]
3. ✅ [Strength 3]
## Areas of Concern
1. ⚠️ [Concern 1]
2. ⚠️ [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 (Referring Domains Quality) | Citation |
| Link velocity | C04 (Link Velocity) | Citation |
| Geographic distribution | C10 (Link Source Diversity) | Citation |
| Dofollow/Nofollow ratio | T02 (Dofollow Ratio Normality) | Trust |
| Toxic link analysis | T01 (Link Profile Naturalness), T03 (Link-Traffic Coherence) | Trust |
| Competitive link intersection | T05 (Profile Uniqueness) | Trust |
## Validation Checkpoints
### Input Validation
- [ ] Target domain backlink data is complete and current
- [ ] Competitor domains specified for comparison analysis
- [ ] Backlink data includes necessary fields (source domain, anchor text, link type)
- [ ] Authority metrics available (DA/DR or equivalent)
### Output Validation
- [ ] Every metric cites its data source and collection date
- [ ] Toxic link assessments include risk justification
- [ ] Link opportunity recommendations are specific and actionable
- [ ] 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**:
```markdown
## 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
1. **G2.com** (DA 91) - All competitors listed
- Action: Create detailed G2 profile
- Effort: Low
- Impact: High authority + referral traffic
2. **Entrepreneur.com** (DA 92) - 2 competitors have links
- Action: Pitch contributed article
- Effort: High
- Impact: High authority + brand exposure
3. **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
1. **Quality over quantity** - One DA 80 link beats ten DA 20 links
2. **Monitor regularly** - Catch lost links and toxic links early
3. **Study competitors** - Learn from their link building success
4. **Diversify your profile** - Mix of link types and anchors
5. **Disavow carefully** - Only disavow clearly toxic links
## Link Quality Assessment Framework
### Link Quality Scoring Matrix
| Factor | Weight | Score 1 (Low) | Score 3 (Medium) | Score 5 (High) |
|--------|--------|--------------|------------------|----------------|
| Domain Authority | 25% | DR <20 | DR 20-50 | DR 50+ |
| Topical Relevance | 25% | Unrelated niche | Broadly related | Same niche/topic |
| Traffic to Page | 15% | No traffic | Some traffic | Significant traffic |
| Link Position | 15% | Footer/sidebar | Body (generic) | Body (contextual, editorial) |
| Anchor Text | 10% | Generic/naked URL | Partial match | Descriptive, natural |
| Follow Status | 10% | Nofollow/UGC | Sponsored (disclosed) | Dofollow, editorial |
**Link Quality Score** = Sum(Factor x Weight) — High (4-5), Medium (2.5-3.9), Low (<2.5)
### Toxic Link Identification Criteria
| Red Flag | Risk Level | Action |
|----------|-----------|--------|
| From PBN (Private Blog Network) | Critical | Disavow |
| Paid link without nofollow | Critical | Contact webmaster, then disavow |
| From hacked/spam site | Critical | Disavow |
| Exact match anchor from low-quality site | High | Monitor, consider disavow |
| From link farm / directory network | High | Disavow |
| From irrelevant foreign language site | Medium | Monitor |
| Sitewide footer/sidebar link | Medium | Request removal or nofollow |
| From scraper/auto-generated content | Medium | Disavow |
| Reciprocal link schemes | Low-Medium | Reduce reciprocal ratio |
## Link Building Strategy Matrix
### Strategy Comparison
| Strategy | Difficulty | Scalability | Link Quality | Time to Results | Best For |
|----------|-----------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|---------|
| **Guest Posting** | Medium | Medium | Medium-High | 1-3 months | Building relationships + links |
| **Digital PR** | High | High | Very High | 2-6 months | Brand authority + high-DR links |
| **Broken Link Building** | Low-Medium | Medium | Medium | 1-2 months | Quick wins at scale |
| **Resource Page Links** | Low | Low | Medium | 1-2 months | Niche-relevant links |
| **HARO/Source Pitching** | Medium | Medium | High | 1-3 months | Authority + press mentions |
| **Original Research** | High | Very High | Very High | 3-6 months | Long-term link magnet |
| **Free Tools/Calculators** | Very High | Very High | Very High | 6-12 months | Passive link acquisition |
| **Skyscraper Technique** | Medium | Low | Medium-High | 2-4 months | Outranking specific content |
| **Unlinked Mentions** | Low | Low | High | 1-2 weeks | Converting existing brand mentions |
| **Community Engagement** | Low | Low | Low-Medium | Ongoing | Niche authority building |
### Link Building Cadence
| Site Stage | Monthly Link Target | Strategy Focus |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------|
| New site (0-6 months) | 5-10 quality links | Guest posts, resource pages, HARO |
| Growing (6-18 months) | 10-25 quality links | Digital PR, original research, skyscraper |
| Established (18+ months) | Maintenance + strategic | Passive from content, digital PR campaigns |
## Outreach Best Practices
### Email Outreach Framework
**Subject Line Formulas:**
- "Quick question about [their article title]"
- "Resource for your [topic] page"
- "[Mutual connection] suggested I reach out"
- "Found a broken link on [their page]"
**Email Structure:**
1. Personal hook (reference their specific content — prove you read it)
2. Value proposition (what's in it for them, not you)
3. The ask (specific, easy to act on)
4. Social proof (brief — one line max)
5. Easy opt-out (no pressure)
### Outreach Response Rate Benchmarks
| Approach | Average Response Rate | Average Link Win Rate |
|----------|---------------------|---------------------|
| Broken link building | 8-12% | 3-5% |
| Guest post pitching | 5-10% | 2-4% |
| Resource page outreach | 6-10% | 2-4% |
| Unlinked mention | 15-25% | 10-15% |
| HARO pitching | 3-8% | 1-3% |
| Digital PR campaign | 5-15% | 2-8% |
## Reference Materials
- [Link Quality Rubric](./references/link-quality-rubric.md) — Quality scoring matrix with weighted factors and toxic link identification criteria
- [Outreach Templates](./references/outreach-templates.md) — Email frameworks, subject line formulas, and response rate benchmarks
## Related Skills
- [domain-authority-auditor](../../cross-cutting/domain-authority-auditor/) — Backlink data feeds directly into CITE C dimension; run after this analysis for full domain scoring
- [competitor-analysis](../../research/competitor-analysis/) — Full competitor analysis
- [content-gap-analysis](../../research/content-gap-analysis/) — Create linkable content
- [alert-manager](../alert-manager/) — Set up link alerts
- [performance-reporter](../performance-reporter/) — Include in reports
- [entity-optimizer](../../cross-cutting/entity-optimizer/) — Branded backlinks strengthen entity signals
Name Size