Backlink Audit

Backlink & Link Profile Audit — Phase 12

Executive Summary

Backlinks remain a top-3 ranking factor in 2025, but quality has radically displaced quantity since Google's Helpful Content System (HCS, integrated March 2024) reduced the value of thin, low-traffic sites linking out indiscriminately. A single editorial link from a local newspaper (DA 60–80) is worth more than 100 directory submissions. In 2025, the link-AIO connection is direct: Google AI Overviews preferentially cite domains with strong topical authority and editorial links from trusted sources — earning high-quality local/industry links now functions as both a ranking signal AND an AIO citation trigger. For local businesses, the highest-ROI link building activities are: (1) Chamber of Commerce membership (DA 60–70, 1 hr effort), (2) BBB listing (DA 90, free/paid), and (3) local press mentions via digital PR — all achievable within 30 days.

2025 link building benchmarks:

• TF:CF ratio ≥0.5: healthy profile (Trust Flow ≥ Citation Flow = quality signals)
• Exact-match anchor >15% of dofollow profile: algorithmic penalty risk
• Unlinked mention outreach conversion: 15–20% success rate (Ahrefs study 2024)
• Local link impact: one local news editorial link = ~5–10 generic directory links in local pack weight (Whitespark 2024)
• Google disavow stance (2024+): Google ignores most low-quality links automatically — only disavow confirmed manual-action-level toxicity or coordinated spam attacks
• AIO editorial signal: domains cited in AIO have median 3× more editorial referring domains than non-cited competitors (Amsive 2025)

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Step 1: Read Project Context

Read {AUDIT_DIR}/intake-data.md — business name, URL, location, industry. Read {AUDIT_DIR}/competitor-profiles.md — competitor authority benchmarks. Read {AUDIT_DIR}/technical-findings.md — redirect issues affecting link equity.

Tools for this phase: | Tool | Purpose | Cost | |------|---------|------| | Ahrefs | Referring domains, DR, anchor text distribution, link history, content gap | Paid | | SEMrush | Backlink Audit (Toxic Score), Link Building Tool, Backlink Gap | Paid | | Majestic | Trust Flow (TF) / Citation Flow (CF) ratio — quality vs. quantity signal | Paid/Free | | Moz Link Explorer | Domain Authority, Spam Score, link profile overview | Paid/Free (limited) | | Google Search Console | Top linking sites, anchor text, disavow file management | Free (requires access) | | Bing Webmaster Tools | Comprehensive inbound link data — often shows links GSC misses | Free | | OpenLinkProfiler | Free link analysis up to 200K links | Free |

2025 Link Building Context: Google's Helpful Content System (March 2024) reduced the value of thin, low-traffic links while increasing the weight of editorial, topical-relevance links. AI Overviews cite topically authoritative domains — earning topical links from local news and industry publications now doubles as both ranking signal AND AIO citation trigger.

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Section 1: Current Link Profile Overview

Pull data from Ahrefs (Site Explorer → Overview) and GSC (Links report):

| Metric | Client | Industry Avg | Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Gap | |--------|--------|-------------|--------|--------|-----| | Total referring domains | | | | | | | Total backlinks | | | | | | | Dofollow referring domains | | | | | | | Nofollow referring domains | | | | | | | Domain Rating / DA | | | | | | | Majestic Trust Flow (TF) | | | | | | | Majestic Citation Flow (CF) | | | | | | | TF:CF ratio (target ≥0.5) | | | | | | | Link velocity (new RDs/month) | | | | | | | % links from niche-relevant sites | | | | | |

TF:CF ratio interpretation:

• ≥0.5: Healthy profile (quality ≥ quantity)
• 0.3–0.49: Caution — some spammy links
• 15% | |

| Partial-match keyword ("best plumber near me") | % | 15% → likely manual or algorithmic penalty risk

• Sudden anchor shift in last 90 days → may indicate purchased links
• Zero brand anchors → link profile artificially optimized → unnatural

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Section 3: Link Quality Assessment

For top 50 referring domains (Ahrefs → Top 100 Referring Domains → sort by DR):

| Domain | DR/TF | Relevance | Link Type | Dofollow? | Traffic? | Value | |--------|-------|-----------|-----------|----------|---------|-------| | [domain] | | High/Med/Low | Editorial/Dir | ✅/❌ | Yes/No | High/Med/Low |

Quality signals checklist (assess each top domain):

• Niche relevant (local, industry, or geographic)?
• Editorial placement (in-content link, not sitewide footer)?
• Linking page has real traffic (check Ahrefs → Referring pages → Traffic filter)?
• Site is indexed and ranking in Google (not deindexed)?
• Link from article/content page, not link-farm directory?

Top 10 Most Valuable Links

| Referring Domain | DR | Linked Page | Anchor | Editorial? | Acquired How? | |----------------|----|-----------|----|-----------|-------------| | [domain] | | [page] | [anchor] | Yes/No | |

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Section 4: Toxic Link Assessment

Use SEMrush Backlink Audit (Toxic Score) and Majestic (TF:CF) to identify risk:

| Toxic Pattern | Risk Level | Detection | Count | Action | |--------------|-----------|----------|-------|--------| | PBN networks (sites existing only to sell links) | Critical | Ahrefs → Links from same IP blocks | | Disavow | | Foreign gambling/pharma spam | Critical | Anchor text analysis | | Disavow | | Link farms (1000s of outbound links) | High | Majestic CF >> TF | | Disavow | | Auto-generated spun content sites | High | Low TF, high CF, random content | | Disavow | | Comment spam (at scale) | Medium | Blog comment pattern | | Disavow | | Exact-match anchor overdose | High | Anchor distribution | | Monitor | | Links from deindexed sites | High | site:domain.com returns nothing | | Disavow | | Sitewide links from unrelated sites | Medium | Ahrefs link type filter | | Evaluate |

Disavow File Status

• Disavow file exists in GSC? Last updated: [date]
• New toxic links appearing after last disavow? [Yes/No — list new ones]
• Current Google stance (2024): Google ignores most low-quality links automatically — only disavow confirmed manual-action-level toxicity or sudden large-scale spam link attacks

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Section 5: Competitor Link Gap Analysis

Use Ahrefs Content Gap (switch to "Backlinks" mode) or SEMrush Backlink Gap:

Competitor Profile Comparison

| Metric | Client | Comp 1 | Comp 2 | Comp 3 | Gap to Leader | |--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------------| | Referring domains | | | | | | | Average RD Domain Rating | | | | | | | Local/niche relevant RDs | | | | | | | Links from local news | | | | | | | Industry directory links | | | | | | | Link velocity (RDs/month) | | | | | |

Common Links (All Competitors Have, Client Doesn't)

These are minimum table-stakes links client must acquire: | Site | Why It Matters | How to Get It | Effort | |------|--------------|--------------|--------| | BBB (bbb.org) — DA 90 | Trust signal, AIO citation | Membership application | 1 hr, $X/yr | | Chamber of Commerce | DA 60+, local relevance | Membership | 1–2 hrs | | [Local newspaper].com | High-trust local editorial | Pitch news angle | 2–4 hrs | | [Industry directory] | Niche relevance | Listing submission | 30 min |

Unique Competitor Links (Competitor Advantages)

| Competitor | Unique High-Value Link | How Earned | Replication Strategy | |-----------|----------------------|-----------|---------------------| | Comp 1 | [authoritative site] | [article/sponsorship] | [strategy] | | Comp 2 | [local news piece] | [newsworthy event] | [pitch angle] |

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Section 6: Link Building Opportunities

Priority Categories (Local Business Focus)

1. Local Authority Links (Highest Impact per effort) | Opportunity | Target DA | Effort | Timeline | Priority | |------------|---------|--------|---------|---------| | Chamber of Commerce | 60–70 | 1–2 hrs | Week 1 | 5×5=25 | | BBB membership | 90 | 1 hr | Week 1 | 5×5=25 | | City government vendor directory | 70–80 | 1 hr | Week 1 | 5×5=25 | | Local business association | 50–60 | 2–4 hrs | Week 2 | 4×5=20 | | Local newspaper feature | 60–80 | 4–8 hrs | Month 1 | 5×3=15 |

2. Industry Directory Links Use Whitespark Citation Finder to identify top 10 industry directories: | Directory | Niche | DA | Listed? | Action | |----------|-------|-----|---------|--------| | [Angi/HomeAdvisor] | Home services | 80 | Yes/No | Submit | | [Houzz] | Home/decor | 90 | Yes/No | Submit | | [Thumbtack] | Services | 75 | Yes/No | Submit |

3. Digital PR (Link-Earning Content) | Angle | Target Publications | Links Expected | Effort | |-------|-------------------|---------------|--------| | Local statistics: "[X%] of [city] homeowners..." | Local news, [City] magazine | 3–8 links | 8–16 hrs | | Expert commentary for local journalists | Local TV/newspaper | 2–5 links | 2–4 hrs | | Community sponsorship (charity, little league) | Event + local coverage | 2–4 links | $X + 2 hrs | | Original local market research | Industry publications | 5–15 links | 20–40 hrs |

4. Unlinked Brand Mentions Search "[Business Name]" -site:[domain] in Google and Ahrefs Alerts:

• List any site mentioning the brand without linking
• Outreach template: "Thank you for mentioning us — could you add a link?"
• Conversion rate: ~15–20% of unlinked mentions become links with outreach

5. Broken Link Building

• Use Ahrefs → Broken Links → filter for local or industry resource pages
• Find dead competitor links → create equivalent content → pitch as replacement
• Effort: 1–2 hrs per target | Expected: 1 link per 5–10 outreach emails

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Section 7: Link Velocity & History

From Ahrefs → New/Lost Referring Domains → chart view:

| Period | New RDs | Lost RDs | Net | Interpretation | |--------|---------|---------|-----|---------------| | Last 30 days | | | | | | 31–60 days ago | | | | | | 61–90 days ago | | | | | | 6 months ago | | | | |

Flags:

• Sudden +500% spike in 30 days: possible purchased links — investigate
• Steady RD loss: links from deleted pages or site restructuring — recover lost links
• Zero velocity for 3+ months: no link building activity — opportunity

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Section 8: Internal Link Equity Distribution

External authority distributes through internal links. Cross-reference {AUDIT_DIR}/technical-findings.md:

• Homepage (most externally linked) → does it pass PageRank to key service pages via internal links?
• Key service pages: adequate internal links (target ≥3 internal links each)?
• Deep pages (depth >3): getting authority from internal link structure?

Run Ahrefs → Site Explorer → Pages → filter by Internal Links count — flag pages with 0 or 1 internal link.

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Numbered Action Plan

Immediate (Week 1 — Quick Win Links)

1. Join Chamber of Commerce — DA 60–70 local link, instant credibility signal. Most chambers approve within 1–3 business days. Effort: 1–2 hrs + annual membership fee. Priority: 20.
2. Claim BBB listing — DA 90, free basic listing available. Paid membership ($X/yr) adds "Accredited Business" badge + editorial trust. Effort: 1 hr. Priority: 20.
3. Submit to city government vendor directory — Many city websites maintain local business directories for residents. DA 70–80. Search: site:[city].gov business directory. Effort: 1 hr. Priority: 20.
4. Claim all Tier 1 citation aggregators — Data Axle, Neustar/Localeze, Acxiom, Foursquare. These generate dofollow links from downstream directories. Effort: 2 hrs. Priority: 16.
5. Outreach for unlinked brand mentions — Run "[Business Name]" -site:[domain] in Google. Find 5 mentions → email webmaster: "Thanks for mentioning us — could you add a link?" Expected: 15–20% response rate. Effort: 30 min/mention.

Short-Term (Month 1)

1. Submit to top 5 industry-specific directories — Use Whitespark Citation Finder for niche list. Each = 30 min. Expected: 5 relevant backlinks with contextual relevance signals. Priority: 15.
2. Pitch local newspaper — Identify a newsworthy angle (local statistic, community contribution, award, notable project). Contact local editor directly. Expected: 1 editorial link = 5–10× value of directory links. Effort: 4–8 hrs. Priority: 15.
3. Community sponsorship link — Sponsor local charity, little league team, or school event → get linked from their thank-you/sponsors page. DA 40–70, highly local and relevant. Effort: $X sponsorship + 2 hrs. Priority: 12.
4. Cross-referral links — Contact 3–5 non-competing complementary businesses (e.g., plumber → electrician → HVAC). Offer to add them to a "trusted partners" page and request reciprocal link. Effort: 2 hrs. Priority: 12.
5. Recover lost links — Ahrefs → Lost Referring Domains → filter last 90 days. For each lost link from a DA 30+ site: check if their linking page moved, identify new URL, outreach. Effort: 30 min/link. Priority: 16.

Medium-Term (Months 2–3)

1. Digital PR: Local market research — Survey 50+ local customers → publish "[City] [Industry] Study: X Key Findings for [Year]" → pitch to local news, industry publications. Expected: 5–15 editorial links. Effort: 20–40 hrs. Priority: 10 (high impact, low feasibility).
2. Broken link building — Ahrefs → Competing domain → Broken Outbound Links → find dead resources → create replacement content → pitch as replacement. Expected: 1 link per 5–10 outreaches. Effort: 2–4 hrs per target.

AI Visibility Link Connection (2025)

| Link Source | AIO Benefit | SEO Benefit | |------------|------------|------------| | Local news editorial | AIO citations favor domains mentioned by authoritative local sources | High-DA, topical local relevance | | Industry association | AI recognizes business entity as industry-certified | Topical authority signal | | .edu partnerships | AIO trusts .edu domains as authoritative sources | High-trust domain | | BBB Accredited | AI recommendation thresholds often check BBB status | DA 90, trust signal | | Google Business Profile | GBP website link counts as citation even if nofollow | Local entity verification |

Priority Matrix

| Action | Impact (1–5) | Feasibility (1–5) | Priority | Effort | |--------|-------------|-------------------|---------|--------| | BBB membership (DA 90 link) | 4 | 5 | 20 | 1 hr | | Chamber of Commerce join | 4 | 5 | 20 | 1–2 hrs | | City government vendor directory | 4 | 5 | 20 | 1 hr | | Unlinked mention outreach | 3 | 5 | 15 | 30 min/mention | | Industry directory submissions | 3 | 5 | 15 | 30 min each | | Local newspaper pitch | 5 | 3 | 15 | 4–8 hrs | | Digital PR original research | 5 | 2 | 10 | 20–40 hrs | | Disavow toxic links (if confirmed) | 4 | 4 | 16 | 2–4 hrs | | Recover lost DA 30+ links (Ahrefs) | 4 | 4 | 16 | 30 min/link | | Cross-referral partner links | 3 | 4 | 12 | 2 hrs |

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Scoring

| Category | Weight | Score | |----------|--------|-------| | Referring domain count vs. competitors | 20% | /20 | | Link quality (TF:CF ≥0.5, editorial, niche-relevant) | 30% | /30 | | Anchor text distribution (natural — brand dominant) | 20% | /20 | | No toxic/manipulative links | 15% | /15 | | Link velocity (consistent monthly growth) | 15% | /15 |

Veto: Confirmed manual action for unnatural links → maximum 40/100 until resolved.

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Output

Write to {AUDIT_DIR}/backlink-findings.md with YAML frontmatter. Also write HTML report to {REPORTS_DIR}/phase-12-backlinks.html and convert to PDF via python3 scripts/generate_pdf.py.

---
skill: strategy/backlink-audit
phase: 12
date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
business: [Business Name]
url: [URL]
score: [X/100]
referring_domains: [X]
domain_rating: [X]
tf_cf_ratio: [X.X]
toxic_links_found: [yes|no|count]
---

Include:

• Score X/100 with per-category breakdown
• Profile overview metrics table (client vs. 3 competitors)
• Anchor text distribution analysis vs. healthy targets
• Top 10 most valuable links
• Toxic link list (with disavow recommendations)
• Compet

…

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: mshahiddigital
• Source: mshahiddigital/agentic-local-seo-audit
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.