backlink-gap-analysis

Files (3)

• SKILL.md
• example-workflows.md · references/
• sandbase-api-map.md · references/

SKILL.md (first lines)

# Backlink Gap Analysis

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. Use an authorized SandBase MCP connection and the discover → inspect → run workflow below; 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.

## Workflow

### 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. Treat each listed `tool_name` as a capability identifier to resolve through the SandBase gateway:

1. Use `sandbase_discover` with the provider and capability to find the current endpoint name.
2. Pass the returned `name` to `sandbase_inspect`; read `inputSchema`, pricing, and `execute_as`.
3. Follow `execute_as` to call `sandbase_run` using `execute_as.arguments.name` and schema-defined `arguments`. If it returns a `run_id`, poll `sandbase_run_get` within the task budget until `completed` or `failed`; report pending or failed runs without automatically resubmitting them.
4. Keep the returned endpoint 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)

## Output

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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

From sandbaseai/sandbase-skills, Apache-2.0.

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