Using a backlink CSV in an SEO by Zaweba audit

Backlinks, the links from other sites to yours, are one of the things SEO by Zaweba can't see by crawling your site. So it offers an optional step: give it a backlink CSV exported from Ahrefs, Semrush, Majestic, Moz or DataForSEO, and it uses that list for authority checks and to look for toxic backlink patterns.

If you don't have one, that's fine. The audit runs without it, and the report says how much confidence the missing data cost. If you do have one, it fills a gap that matters, especially when you're trying to understand why a competitor ranks higher.

Where the step fits

The backlink CSV is one of the optional tasks in Step 5 of the guided audit, the extra tasks list. Like the others, it's shown with how long it takes and how much accuracy it adds, so you can decide whether it's worth doing now.

The supported sources are Ahrefs, Semrush, Majestic and Moz, which are well-known paid backlink tools, and DataForSEO. If you already use one of them, or a colleague or agency can export a list for you, that's the quickest route.

Authority checks

Authority is one of the nine scoring categories in SEO by Zaweba, alongside Technical, On-page, Content, Intent, Internal Linking, Structured Data, UX/Speed and Trust. Without backlink data, the app relies on free signals for its view of how strong sites are, such as the Wayback Machine first capture and site: counts in the check on whether you can win the term. A backlink list adds direct evidence of who links to you.

Toxic backlink patterns

The next steps advice can point out toxic backlink patterns: the kinds of links that look manipulative or low quality. With a CSV loaded, it has real data to look at. That's useful if you've inherited a site with a murky history, or if a past supplier built links in ways you'd rather not be associated with.

Advice on building links stays honest. The next steps suggest link-building ideas suited to your site type, and never paid links.

Keep the export with the project's other files, so the next audit can use the same list or a fresher one. Comparing the two over time shows whether the patterns you were worried about are growing or fading.

The DataForSEO alternative

If you'd rather not export files, the optional DataForSEO integration can provide backlink summaries, lists and search volumes directly. It's a paid, pay-as-you-go service, off by default, and its key is stored encrypted for your Windows account. Every feature of SEO by Zaweba works without it.

Getting the most from it

Export links for the domain you're auditing, not just one page, unless you're specifically studying that page. Use a recent export, since backlink lists change. And if you're comparing yourself with a competitor, remember that the authority picture for them may rest on the free signals unless you also have data for their site.

A backlink list isn't a to-do list in itself. The point is to understand where you stand. The action plan weighs everything together, and for many small sites the most important fix turns out to be on the page rather than off it.