11 / Fix
Import a backlink export and SiteAuditLint matches every linked URL to your crawl. You see which backlinked pages are broken, redirected or not indexable, and which referring sites to contact.
Backlinks pointing at a 404 page pass no value. SiteAuditLint does not guess your backlink profile; it uses the exports you already have from Search Console or your SEO tool and joins them with the crawl data.
1. Importing a backlink CSV
Use File > Import Backlinks CSV, or the button on Pages > Backlinks. The import is attached to the open audit.
| Source | Export to use |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Links > Top linked pages > Export (your own sites only) |
| Ahrefs | Site Explorer > Backlinks > Export (UTF-16 tab files are fine) |
| Semrush | Backlink Analytics > Backlinks > Export |
| Moz / Majestic | Backlinks export |
| Anything else | Any CSV with a target URL column, plus a source URL or count column |
2. Backlink issues
CriticalBroken page with backlinks
Other websites link to this page but it returns an error, so the value of those backlinks is lost and visitors from those sites hit a dead end.
How to fix: Restore the page or 301 redirect it to the most relevant live page. On a competitor site, contact the linking sites and suggest your equivalent page instead.
WarningBacklinked page not indexable
Other websites link to this page, but it is noindexed, canonicalised elsewhere or blocked by robots.txt, so it cannot rank from those links.
How to fix: Make the page indexable if it should rank, or redirect it to the page that should receive the links.
OpportunityBacklinks point to a redirect
Backlinks reach this page through a redirect. Most value passes, but chains and changes can lose it.
How to fix: Keep the redirect in place permanently, and ask important linking sites to update the link.
3. Reclaiming lost link equity
- Import your exportAdd backlinks to the latest audit.
- Open Broken page with backlinksSort by linking domains to find the most valuable pages.
- Restore or redirectBring the page back, or 301 redirect it to the closest live page.
- Fix redirect targetsWhere possible, ask linking sites to update to the final URL.
4. Competitor broken link building
Reports > Broken Link Opportunities (CSV) lists every site linking to a broken page. Run it on a competitor audit and you get an outreach list of sites linking to dead pages, ready to pitch your equivalent page.
Keep Respect robots.txt on and add a small delay between requests when auditing a site you do not own.
Frequently asked questions
Which backlink exports can I import?
Google Search Console Top linked pages, Ahrefs Site Explorer Backlinks, Semrush Backlink Analytics, Moz and Majestic exports, and any CSV with a target URL column plus a source URL or count column. The format is detected automatically.
Do URLs need to match exactly?
No. Imported URLs are matched to crawled pages even when http and https, www or a trailing slash differ.
Can I use this for broken link building?
Yes. Crawl a competitor with Respect robots.txt on and a small delay, import their backlink export, then export Broken Link Opportunities: every site linking to a dead competitor page.
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