# Semrush Backlink Analytics (`pnda/semrush-backlink-analytics`) Actor

Export authority-scored backlinks for any domain or URL: Page Authority Score, source URL, source title, anchor text, first/last seen dates. Pre-filtered (follow, content, one per referring domain) and sorted by authority — outreach-ready data, pushed straight to an Apify dataset.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/pnda/semrush-backlink-analytics.md
- **Developed by:** [PNDA](https://apify.com/pnda) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, E-commerce, SEO tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $12.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md):

```bash
npm install apify-client
```

In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md):

```bash
pip install apify-client
```

In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):

````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash

In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md).

If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).


# README

## 🔗 Semrush Backlink Scraper — Authority-Scored Backlinks for Any Domain or URL

Pull the **full list of backlinks** pointing to any website — with Authority Score, source URL, source title, anchor text, follow/nofollow status, and first/last-seen dates. Semrush link intelligence, on demand, pushed straight into an Apify dataset.

This Actor accepts a domain or URL, handles authentication and pagination, and returns a clean, flat backlink table ready for **JSON, CSV, Excel, Google Sheets, outreach workflows or GPT pipelines**. No Semrush login required.

---

### 💡 Who is it for?

- **Link-building teams** generating outreach lists scored by Page Authority.
- **SEO agencies** running backlink audits and disavow reviews for clients.
- **Competitive researchers** reverse-engineering a competitor's link profile.
- **Affiliate & niche-site operators** scouting referring domains for partnership deals.
- **PR & digital marketing teams** tracking earned media and unlinked mentions.
- **Data teams** enriching a CRM or BI dashboard with backlink metrics.

---

### ⚙️ How it works

You give the Actor a domain or URL and a target type. It hits the Semrush backlink report, applies smart filters (follow, content links, de-duplicated per referring domain, sorted by page Authority Score) and pushes every backlink as its own row to the Apify dataset.

#### Target types supported

| Target type | Scope |
|---|---|
| **Root Domain** | All backlinks pointing to any subdomain of the root (e.g. `example.com` + `blog.example.com`) |
| **Domain** | Backlinks to one specific subdomain only |
| **URL** | Backlinks to one exact page URL |

#### Built-in quality filters

- Follow links only (nofollow excluded)
- Content-position links only (sidebars / footers filtered out)
- Text links (images and forms excluded)
- Mobile-indexed sources
- One link per referring domain (de-duplicated)
- Sorted by **page Authority Score**, highest first

You get the *quality* backlinks, not the noise.

---

### 📥 Input

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `q` | string | ✅ | Domain or URL to analyze (e.g. `example.com`) |
| `target` | string | — | Specific target URL (when narrower than `q`) |
| `target_type` | string | — | `root_domain` (default), `domain`, or `url` |

#### Example input

```json
{
  "q": "example.com",
  "target_type": "root_domain"
}
````

***

### 📤 Output

Each backlink is pushed as one row in the dataset. Example item:

```json
{
  "page_ascore": 62,
  "source_title": "Best Running Shoes 2026 — Expert Reviews",
  "source_url": "https://authoritysite.com/best-running-shoes/",
  "external_link_num": 8,
  "internal_link_num": 124,
  "target_anchor": "running shoes guide",
  "target_url": "https://example.com/guide/",
  "first_seen": "2024-02-14",
  "last_seen": "2026-04-12"
}
```

#### Field reference

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `page_ascore` | Authority Score of the linking page (0 → 100) |
| `source_title` | Title of the page hosting the backlink |
| `source_url` | URL of the page hosting the backlink |
| `external_link_num` | Total external links on the source page (dilution signal) |
| `internal_link_num` | Internal links on the source page |
| `target_anchor` | Anchor text used for the link |
| `target_url` | Page on your (or the audited) domain receiving the link |
| `first_seen` | When Semrush first indexed this backlink |
| `last_seen` | When Semrush last confirmed this backlink |

***

### 🚀 Why use this Actor

- ✅ **Authority-scored results** — sort/filter by `page_ascore` to find only high-value links.
- ✅ **Noise pre-filtered** — follow, content, text, one-per-domain: outreach-ready by default.
- ✅ **Flat, typed schema** — plug straight into BigQuery, Postgres, Sheets or a GPT.
- ✅ **Any domain, any subdomain, any URL** — one Actor covers site-wide and page-level audits.
- ✅ **No login, no scraping, no pagination to maintain** — authentication handled for you.
- ✅ **Pipeline-ready** — trigger from n8n, Make, Zapier, Apify Schedules or the Apify API.

***

### 💼 Use cases

- **Outreach lists**: filter `page_ascore ≥ 40` to build a high-quality prospect CSV in seconds.
- **Competitor link audits**: export every backlink a competitor earned last quarter.
- **Disavow file prep**: surface low-quality or suspicious referring pages.
- **Anchor text analysis**: spot over-optimized or brand-diluted anchors across a link profile.
- **PR tracking**: detect new earned placements over time via scheduled runs.
- **Lost-link monitoring**: compare `last_seen` dates month over month to flag drops.

***

### 🧩 Part of the Semrush suite

Chain this Actor with the rest of the suite for a full SEO workflow:

| Actor | What it does |
|---|---|
| 🔗 [Semrush Backlink Analytics](https://apify.com/pnda/semrush-backlink-analytics) | Authority-scored backlinks, anchors, referring domains (this Actor) |
| 🔍 [Semrush Keyword](https://apify.com/pnda/semrush-keyword) | Keyword ideas — volume, CPC, difficulty, intent |
| 🌐 [Semrush Domain](https://apify.com/pnda/semrush-domain) | Full domain audit — authority, traffic, top keywords |
| 🥊 [Semrush Competitor](https://apify.com/pnda/semrush-competitor) | Up to 200 organic competitors and keyword overlap |

***

### 💰 Pricing

**Pay-per-result** — you're charged **$0.012 per backlink returned**, plus a small per-run start fee. You only pay for backlinks you actually receive.

| Backlinks returned | Approx. cost |
|---|---|
| 100 | ~$1.20 |
| 500 | ~$6 |
| 2,000 | ~$24 |

New users get free result credits to try the Actor before spending anything.

***

### ▶️ Start now

Enter a domain. Pick a target type. Hit **Run**. Export your dataset.
High-authority backlinks on tap — for any website on the web.

# Actor input Schema

## `q` (type: `string`):

Domain or URL to analyze

## `target` (type: `string`):

Specific target URL for backlink analysis (optional)

## `target_type` (type: `string`):

Target type for backlink analysis

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "q": "example.com",
  "target_type": "root_domain"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

All backlinks returned by this run (JSON, CSV, Excel, HTML, RSS).

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "q": "example.com",
    "target_type": "root_domain"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("pnda/semrush-backlink-analytics").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "q": "example.com",
    "target_type": "root_domain",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("pnda/semrush-backlink-analytics").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "q": "example.com",
  "target_type": "root_domain"
}' |
apify call pnda/semrush-backlink-analytics --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=pnda/semrush-backlink-analytics",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

```json
{
    "openapi": "3.0.1",
    "info": {
        "title": "Semrush Backlink Analytics",
        "description": "Export authority-scored backlinks for any domain or URL: Page Authority Score, source URL, source title, anchor text, first/last seen dates. Pre-filtered (follow, content, one per referring domain) and sorted by authority — outreach-ready data, pushed straight to an Apify dataset.",
        "version": "0.0",
        "x-build-id": "XbFqcFFmJ6c0WtP4F"
    },
    "servers": [
        {
            "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
        }
    ],
    "paths": {
        "/acts/pnda~semrush-backlink-analytics/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-pnda-semrush-backlink-analytics",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/pnda~semrush-backlink-analytics/runs": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "runs-sync-pnda-semrush-backlink-analytics",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK",
                        "content": {
                            "application/json": {
                                "schema": {
                                    "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/pnda~semrush-backlink-analytics/run-sync": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-pnda-semrush-backlink-analytics",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    },
    "components": {
        "schemas": {
            "inputSchema": {
                "type": "object",
                "required": [
                    "q"
                ],
                "properties": {
                    "q": {
                        "title": "Query",
                        "type": "string",
                        "description": "Domain or URL to analyze"
                    },
                    "target": {
                        "title": "Target URL",
                        "type": "string",
                        "description": "Specific target URL for backlink analysis (optional)"
                    },
                    "target_type": {
                        "title": "Target Type",
                        "enum": [
                            "root_domain",
                            "domain",
                            "url"
                        ],
                        "type": "string",
                        "description": "Target type for backlink analysis",
                        "default": "root_domain"
                    }
                }
            },
            "runsResponseSchema": {
                "type": "object",
                "properties": {
                    "data": {
                        "type": "object",
                        "properties": {
                            "id": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "actId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "userId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "startedAt": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "format": "date-time",
                                "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
                            },
                            "finishedAt": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "format": "date-time",
                                "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
                            },
                            "status": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "example": "READY"
                            },
                            "meta": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "origin": {
                                        "type": "string",
                                        "example": "API"
                                    },
                                    "userAgent": {
                                        "type": "string"
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "stats": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "inputBodyLen": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 2000
                                    },
                                    "rebootCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "restartCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "resurrectCount": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "computeUnits": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "options": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "build": {
                                        "type": "string",
                                        "example": "latest"
                                    },
                                    "timeoutSecs": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 300
                                    },
                                    "memoryMbytes": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 1024
                                    },
                                    "diskMbytes": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 2048
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "buildId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultDatasetId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "defaultRequestQueueId": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "buildNumber": {
                                "type": "string",
                                "example": "1.0.0"
                            },
                            "containerUrl": {
                                "type": "string"
                            },
                            "usage": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 1
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_SERPS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            },
                            "usageTotalUsd": {
                                "type": "number",
                                "example": 0.00005
                            },
                            "usageUsd": {
                                "type": "object",
                                "properties": {
                                    "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATASET_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "number",
                                        "example": 0.00005
                                    },
                                    "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    },
                                    "PROXY_SERPS": {
                                        "type": "integer",
                                        "example": 0
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
```