Purpose and scope

A backlink export is a selected dataset, not proof of every link currently pointing to a site. Start with the question and unit you need: individual source-target references, referring domains or aggregate totals. Keep the provider file untouched, then create a working copy. The schema below describes a portable record and intentionally leaves unknown attributes or observation times blank. It is not an automatic importer or a replacement for the provider’s definitions.

Read the primary evidence

In Semrush Backlink Analytics, open the Backlinks table for the chosen target, apply the intended filters and use Export above the table to choose CSV or Excel. In an Ahrefs table that offers Export, review the row count and format; the download consumes the account’s export allowance. In Search Console’s Links report, distinguish the landing-page Latest links or More sample links export from a single-table download. Check the current account and documented limit rather than assuming the visible table or paid plan contains everything.

Work through the examples

The downloadable sample has four fictional records and eight stable field IDs. The first record has no reported rel or observation time, while its export time is filled. The second and fourth records are identical on purpose: the template preserves records instead of silently deduplicating. The third records sponsored as supplied. None of these examples was fetched. Compare the sample CSV with the Excel workbook’s data sheet; both retain the same fields and literal values.

Make the decision explicit

Choose the source and target scope before comparing files. Domain, subdomain, path and exact-URL modes can answer different questions. Record filters, row limit, export time, provider and report name alongside the unchanged file. An absent rel field does not mean follow, and first seen is not the original publication date. Do not append a proprietary authority score to this schema as though it were interchangeable with another provider’s metric.

Keep a reproducible record

Download the blank template for your working copy and the sample to inspect the intended structure. CSV is quoted text; the Excel artifact stores strings rather than executable formulas or active hyperlinks. Preserve evidence in a text-safe worksheet before deliberately converting dates or numbers. The linked Google Sheets guide owns importing and transforming an existing file. After an export, check the actual header, record count and scope against the chosen report, not against a screenshot alone.

Limits and follow-up

These files are authored examples, not an export of a connected account. This page makes no provider request, pays for no report and promises no complete index or ranking improvement. Provider interfaces, permissions and limits can change. Keep the original file and notes so another person can reproduce the selection, and investigate missing data without turning an unknown value into zero or a claim of link removal.