Use this checklist to systematically audit your backlink profile. Complete each section before moving to the next.
Phase 1: Preparation#
Set Up Your Tools#
- [ ] Access to backlink analysis tool (Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz)
- [ ] Google Search Console access
- [ ] Spreadsheet software for analysis
- [ ] Previous audit data (if available)
Document Current State#
- [ ] Record today's date
- [ ] Note total backlinks count
- [ ] Note total referring domains
- [ ] Screenshot key metrics for comparison
- [ ] Document any known issues
Phase 2: Data Collection#
Export Backlink Data#
- [ ] Export full backlink profile from primary tool
- [ ] Export Google Search Console link data
- [ ] Export data from secondary tool (optional, for comparison)
- [ ] Combine datasets, remove duplicates
Data Points to Include#
For each backlink, capture:
- [ ] Source URL
- [ ] Target URL on your site
- [ ] Anchor text
- [ ] Link type (dofollow/nofollow)
- [ ] Source domain authority/rating
- [ ] First seen date
- [ ] Link context (if available)
Phase 3: High-Level Analysis#
Profile Overview#
- [ ] Total referring domains
- [ ] Total backlinks
- [ ] Referring domain growth trend
- [ ] Dofollow vs nofollow ratio
- [ ] Distribution across target pages
Anchor Text Distribution#
- [ ] Calculate anchor text type percentages
- [ ] Flag over-optimised anchors (>5% exact match)
- [ ] Identify unnatural anchor patterns
- [ ] Note branded anchor percentage
Domain Distribution#
- [ ] Top referring domains by link count
- [ ] TLD distribution (.com, .org, .edu, etc.)
- [ ] Geographic distribution
- [ ] Industry/niche relevance distribution
Phase 4: Quality Assessment#
Domain-Level Review#
For each significant referring domain:
- [ ] Check domain authority/rating
- [ ] Verify site is legitimate (not spam)
- [ ] Assess topical relevance
- [ ] Check for spam signals
- [ ] Determine if real site with real traffic
Page-Level Review#
For important links:
- [ ] Page exists and loads properly
- [ ] Link is actually present on page
- [ ] Link is contextually placed
- [ ] Surrounding content is quality
- [ ] Page has real content (not just links)
Phase 5: Toxic Link Identification#
Red Flag Indicators#
Check for links from sites with:
- [ ] Obvious spam patterns
- [ ] Irrelevant foreign language content
- [ ] Excessive outbound links (>100 per page)
- [ ] Thin or auto-generated content
- [ ] Known link networks
- [ ] Unrelated industries/topics
- [ ] Porn, gambling, pharma spam
Spam Score Assessment#
- [ ] Run through Moz Spam Score
- [ ] Flag domains with high spam indicators
- [ ] Manual review of flagged domains
- [ ] Document findings for each
Link Pattern Analysis#
- [ ] Identify unnatural link spikes
- [ ] Check for link scheme patterns
- [ ] Review site-wide links
- [ ] Assess comment/forum spam links
Phase 6: Categorisation#
Create Link Categories#
Sort all links into categories:
Keep (High Quality)
- [ ] Relevant, authoritative sources
- [ ] Natural editorial links
- [ ] Legitimate guest posts
- [ ] Quality directory listings
Monitor (Neutral)
- [ ] Low but not harmful
- [ ] Irrelevant but not spammy
- [ ] Unknown quality
Review (Potential Issues)
- [ ] Some spam signals
- [ ] Questionable sources
- [ ] Unusual patterns
Remove/Disavow (Toxic)
- [ ] Clear spam sources
- [ ] Link scheme participation
- [ ] Known bad neighbourhoods
- [ ] Harmful patterns
Phase 7: Action Planning#
For "Remove" Category#
- [ ] Attempt removal requests first
- [ ] Document removal request attempts
- [ ] Allow 2-4 weeks for response
- [ ] Move non-removed to disavow list
Removal Request Template#
Subject: Link removal request
Hello,
I'm reaching out regarding a link from your site to ours:
From: [source URL]
To: [your URL]
We're cleaning up our backlink profile and would appreciate
if this link could be removed.
Thank you for your help.
[Your name]
[Your website]
For Disavow Decision#
- [ ] Compile final disavow list
- [ ] Include clear documentation
- [ ] Review list with team/stakeholders
- [ ] Understand disavow is last resort
Phase 8: Disavow File (If Needed)#
File Preparation#
- [ ] Use correct format (domain: or URL level)
- [ ] Include comments explaining reasoning
- [ ] Review file for errors
- [ ] Keep backup of previous disavow files
Disavow File Format#
# Backlink Audit - [Date]
# Toxic links identified through audit process
# Spam domain - link farm
domain:spamsite1.com
# Comment spam links
domain:spamsite2.com
# Individual URL (site otherwise OK)
https://example.com/spammy-page-with-link/
Submission#
- [ ] Submit via Google Search Console
- [ ] Document submission date
- [ ] Set reminder to monitor impact
- [ ] Plan follow-up check in 2-3 months
Phase 9: Competitor Comparison#
Benchmark Against Competitors#
- [ ] Identify 3-5 main competitors
- [ ] Compare referring domain counts
- [ ] Compare domain authority distribution
- [ ] Identify link gaps (they have, you don't)
- [ ] Note opportunities for outreach
Gap Analysis#
- [ ] Export competitor backlink data
- [ ] Cross-reference with your profile
- [ ] Prioritise gap opportunities
- [ ] Add to prospecting pipeline
Phase 10: Documentation#
Create Audit Report#
- [ ] Executive summary of findings
- [ ] Profile health assessment
- [ ] Key metrics (before/current)
- [ ] Issues identified
- [ ] Actions taken
- [ ] Recommendations
Record Keeping#
- [ ] Save all exported data
- [ ] Document decisions made
- [ ] Record disavow file contents
- [ ] Note date of next scheduled audit
Phase 11: Ongoing Monitoring#
Set Up Alerts#
- [ ] New backlink alerts (if available)
- [ ] Lost backlink monitoring
- [ ] Competitor backlink alerts
- [ ] Brand mention monitoring
Schedule Regular Reviews#
- [ ] Monthly: Quick metrics check
- [ ] Quarterly: New link review
- [ ] Annually: Full audit
Audit Checklist Summary#
Quick Reference#
Prepare
- [ ] Tools ready
- [ ] Data exported
- [ ] Spreadsheet set up
Analyse
- [ ] Profile overview complete
- [ ] Anchor text reviewed
- [ ] Quality assessed
Categorise
- [ ] Links sorted by quality
- [ ] Toxic links identified
- [ ] Actions determined
Act
- [ ] Removal requests sent
- [ ] Disavow file created (if needed)
- [ ] Documentation complete
Monitor
- [ ] Alerts configured
- [ ] Next audit scheduled