Backlinks Analysis
The Backlinks module provides a full view of the client's external backlink profile using DataForSEO data. It covers referring domains, dofollow/nofollow ratios, keyword ranking distribution by position, and estimated organic traffic value.
Summary metrics
Six headline metrics at the top of the page:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total backlinks | All external links pointing to the client's domain |
| Referring domains | Number of unique root domains linking to the site |
| Dofollow links | Links passing SEO authority (not tagged nofollow) |
| Organic keywords | Keywords the domain ranks for in the top 100 |
| Referring pages | Number of individual pages linking in (across all referring domains) |
| Est. traffic value | Estimated monthly value of organic traffic in USD (based on CPC × traffic volume) |
| First seen date | When the domain's backlink profile was first indexed |
Keyword position distribution
A bar chart showing the distribution of the client's ranking keywords across position buckets:
| Position bucket | Label |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | Top 3 |
| 4–10 | First page |
| 11–50 | Second and third page |
| 51–100 | Low rankings |
This chart is a quick visual check of the keyword portfolio's health — a strong backlink profile typically correlates with a higher proportion of Top 3 and First Page keywords.
Referring domains
The referring domains section lists the most authoritative external sites linking to the client. For each domain:
- Domain and domain authority score
- Backlinks from this domain — number of individual pages linking in
- Dofollow / nofollow — whether the links pass authority
- First seen — when the first link from this domain was detected
A site with 50 referring domains from high-authority, relevant websites is far stronger than one with 5,000 links from low-quality sources.
Dofollow vs nofollow
The dofollow/nofollow breakdown shows what proportion of the backlink profile is passing authority. Most healthy link profiles have 70–90% dofollow links. A very high nofollow proportion may indicate that most links come from directories, forum posts, or social profiles rather than editorial coverage.
Monthly organic traffic chart
A 12-month chart of estimated organic traffic — the same view available in competitor analysis. Useful for tracking whether backlink acquisition efforts correlate with traffic growth over time.
Interpreting the data
Referring domains matter more than total backlinks
A single domain can link to you from 100 pages, but that still counts as 1 referring domain. The referring domain count is a better measure of link profile breadth than total backlink count.
Dofollow ratio matters
A high proportion of nofollow links (above 40%) is worth investigating. It may mean the link profile relies too heavily on directory submissions or social platforms rather than earned editorial links.
Traffic value as a proxy
Estimated traffic value (organic keywords × estimated traffic × average CPC) is a rough proxy for the commercial value of the site's organic visibility. Track it month-over-month to confirm that SEO investment is translating into measurable visibility.
Next steps
- Competitor Analysis — compare the client's backlink profile with competitors
- Internal Links Analysis — complement backlink work with strong internal linking
- AI SEO Reports — backlink data is included in monthly reports