git:20260808.e011496 to git:20260812.3ae7d09

+ Use backlink evidence to find relevant, reachable link-building opportunities. This Skill calls the named DataForSEO backlink capabilities in [the SandBase API map](references/sandbase-api-map.md) through the SandBase MCP gateway. In a SandBase Agent, run the capabilities directly. In another compatible agent, require an authorized SandBase connection before starting; never request, print, or store an API key in the research output.

+ Do not send outreach or create links — this Skill is read-only research. Read [example workflows](references/example-workflows.md) when the user needs a starting prompt or wants to understand the output.

+ ## Operating principles

+ - Recommend only ethical, relevant link opportunities. Exclude PBNs, link farms, paid-link schemes, and manipulative tactics.

+ - Treat DataForSEO backlink data as directional evidence, not absolute truth. Backlink databases are sampled and may be days to weeks behind reality.

+ - Separate observations (what the data shows) from judgment (which opportunities are worth pursuing).

+ - Prioritize topical relevance and audience fit over raw domain authority or volume.

+ - Keep user domains, competitor details, and strategy confidential unless sharing is explicitly requested.

+

+ ### 1. Frame the analysis

+ Collect or infer: the target domain, market/industry, 2–5 competitor domains, link-building constraints (no paid links, no guest post farms, etc.), and the goal (authority building, specific page promotion, digital PR angles, or general gap analysis).

+

+ Classify the request as one or more of:

+ - **Profile audit**: understand the target's current backlink health

+ - **Gap analysis**: find where competitors have links the target doesn't

+ - **Asset discovery**: identify which target pages attract links (or could)

+ - **Prospect prioritization**: build a ranked outreach target list

+ - **Anchor assessment**: evaluate anchor-text health and risk

+

+ ### 2. Select and call SandBase capabilities

+

+ Read [the SandBase API map](references/sandbase-api-map.md) before selecting tools. Use the listed `tool_name` through the SandBase gateway:

+

+ 1. Call `sandbase_describe_tool` for the selected `tool_name` and read its current input schema.

+ 2. Call `sandbase_call_tool` with that exact `tool_name` and only schema-defined arguments.

+ 3. Keep the tool name, target domain, and query parameters with the returned data.

+

+ ### 3. Profile the target domain

+

+ Use `dataforseo_v3_backlinks_summary_live` and `dataforseo_v3_backlinks_referring_domains_live`:

+

+ | What to extract | Why it matters |

+ |---|---|

+ | Total backlinks and referring domains | Baseline authority signal |

+ | Domain rank / authority score | Contextualizes difficulty of gap-closing |

+ | New vs. lost links trend | Health trajectory |

+ | Top referring domain types | Reveals current acquisition pattern |

+ | Dofollow vs. nofollow ratio | Link equity distribution |

+

+ Tips:

+ - Compare the target's profile size against competitors before diving into gaps — a 10x size difference changes strategy.

+ - Note if the target has strong links in one topic area but not another (topical authority gaps).

+ - Flag unnatural patterns early (sudden spikes, high % from one country, anchor over-optimization).

+

+ ### 4. Identify competitor link sources

+

+ Use `dataforseo_v3_backlinks_competitors_live` and `dataforseo_v3_backlinks_backlinks_live`:

+

+ | Strategy | Tool and approach |

+ |---|---|

+ | Find link competitors | `backlinks_competitors_live` — identifies domains competing for similar link sources |

+ | Inspect competitor-earned links | `backlinks_backlinks_live` for each competitor — reveals specific pages linking to them |

+ | Compare acquisition patterns | Look at link type (editorial, directory, resource page, PR mention) |

+

+ Tips:

+ - Focus on links from the last 12 months for actionable opportunities (older links may be from defunct sites).

+ - Look for referring domains that link to 2+ competitors but not the target — highest-probability gaps.

+ - Distinguish editorial links (earned through content quality) from structural links (directories, profiles) — they require different acquisition strategies.

+ - Note the content type that earned the link (data, tool, guide, news mention) — this reveals what assets to create.

+

+ ### 5. Assess relevance and linkable assets

+

+ Use `dataforseo_v3_backlinks_anchors_live` and `dataforseo_v3_backlinks_domain_pages_live`:

+

+ **Anchor text analysis:**

+ - Healthy profile: diverse anchors, brand-heavy, natural language

+ - Risk signals: over-optimized exact-match anchors, foreign-language spam anchors

+ - Opportunity signals: competitors with branded anchors from editorial coverage

+

+ **Domain pages analysis:**

+ - Which target pages already attract links? (potential to amplify)

+ - Which competitor pages attract the most links? (asset patterns to replicate)

+ - What page types earn links? (tools, data, guides, research, free resources)

+

+ ### 6. Rank and filter prospects

+

+ Score each prospect on a transparent framework:

+

+ | Dimension | Question | Signal |

+ |---|---|---|

+ | Topical relevance | Does this domain cover the target's industry? | Content overlap with target |

+ | Audience fit | Would the linking site's readers be potential customers? | Traffic quality, not just DA |

+ | Linking pattern | Does this domain actually link out? | History of editorial or resource links |

+ | Accessibility | Can this link be earned ethically? | Editorial guidelines, contact info |

+ | Asset fit | Does the target have (or could create) content this site would link to? | Content gap analysis |

+ | Risk | Is there any manipulation, spam, or penalty risk? | Spam score, link neighborhood |

+

+ Exclude prospects that:

+ - Have no topical relevance to the target

+ - Show signs of being link farms or PBNs

+ - Only link to sites through paid arrangements

+ - Are in completely different languages or markets (unless intentional)

+

+ Return a structured analysis:

+

+ ### Profile summary

+

+ | Metric | Target | Competitor 1 | Competitor 2 |

+ |---|---|---|---|

+ | Referring domains | ... | ... | ... |

+ | Domain authority | ... | ... | ... |

+ | New links (30d) | ... | ... | ... |

+ | Top link type | ... | ... | ... |

+

+ ### Priority prospects

+

+ | # | Referring domain | Topical fit | Links to competitors | Suggested angle | Difficulty | Priority |

+ |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

+ | 1 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

+

+ ### Recommended assets to create

+

+ Content or tools the target should build to attract links from the identified prospect pool.

+

+ ### Anchor health assessment

+

+ Current state and any recommendations for anchor diversification.

+

+ ### Exclusions

+

+ Prospects reviewed but excluded, with reasons (keeps the analysis auditable).

+

+ ### Evidence gaps and next steps

+

+ What data is missing, and the smallest action to improve the analysis.

+

+ ## Tips for better results

+

+ - **Start with competitors, not the target**: The most actionable insights come from what competitors have earned that the target hasn't.

+ - **Quality over quantity**: 10 highly relevant prospects are worth more than 100 generic directories.

+ - **Look for "link-earning events"**: Product launches, data publications, tool releases, and newsworthy announcements that earned competitors links.

+ - **Check the linker's linking behavior**: A site that regularly links out in editorial content is far more accessible than one that rarely includes external links.

+ - **Consider the full funnel**: Not all valuable links come from high-DA sites. Niche industry blogs with engaged audiences can drive qualified traffic and relevance signals.

+

+ ## Failure handling

+

+ - If SandBase is unavailable or unauthorized, report the failed capability and ask the user to connect or authorize SandBase; do not silently substitute a direct provider API.

+ - If a domain returns no data, it may be too new, too small, or using a subdomain format the API doesn't recognize. Try with/without www, or note the data gap.

+ - If competitor data is sparse, the competitor may be too small for the backlink database. Suggest alternative competitors or note the limitation.

+ - If all prospects are low-relevance, recommend authority-building strategies (content creation, digital PR) before link outreach.

+

+ ## Quality gate

+

+ Before delivering, verify that:

+

+ - Every recommended prospect has a clear topical relevance justification.

+ - Excluded prospects are documented with reasons.

+ - The analysis distinguishes editorial links from structural/directory links.

+ - Risk factors (spam, manipulation) are flagged for any borderline prospects.

+ - Recommendations are actionable: each has a suggested angle or asset type.

+ - The output honestly states what the data can and cannot prove.