Backlink list prioritizer: one best link per domain
A backlink export can list hundreds of links from the same few sites. When time or budget is limited, start with one strong link from each domain.
Your data stays in your browser. Nothing is uploaded or stored.
Key facts
- Links marked rel=“nofollow”, “sponsored” or “ugc” will generally not be followed by Google.
- Search Console exports are truncated to 1,000 rows of examples.
- Ratings such as Domain Rating or Authority Score are third-party metrics, not Google values; compare links within one tool's export.
- One link per domain is a working rule for a limited budget, not a Google requirement.
Download the checklist: diagnosing indexing problems
Step by step: status in Search Console, page availability, robots.txt, noindex, canonical URL, redirects, sitemap and backlinks, with what to do in each case.
Download PDF PDF · 2 pagesHow to use it
- Export backlinks from your tool as CSV (Excel files: save as CSV first).
- Choose the file or paste its content.
- Pick the options: one link per domain, skip nofollow links, skip flagged URLs.
- Click Prioritize and check which columns were found.
- Copy the short list or download it as TXT or CSV.
Where to get the data
Ahrefs, Semrush and similar tools
Backlink exports with a column for the referring page URL. Rating and nofollow columns are used when they exist.
Search Console Links report
Export the latest links from the Links report. It has no rating column, so the shortest, cleanest URL per domain wins.
Your own link list
A plain list of URLs works too: each line is one link.
How the best link per domain is chosen
Within each referring domain, the tool prefers a higher rating (when the export has one), then fewer flags, then a shorter path. The result is sorted with the strongest links first.
What the flags mean
Parameters, pagination, tag and category archives, profile pages, comment pages, feeds and internal search pages are flagged. They aren't necessarily bad links, but they deserve a second look before you spend budget on them.
Where to go next
Check which of the short-listed links are already indexed before sending them anywhere; indexed links don't need to be sent again.
Next step
Before indexing the short list, see how to check whether backlinks are indexed.
Questions and answers
Which columns does it detect?
Referring or source page URL, a rating (Domain Rating, Authority Score, URL Rating, Domain Authority, Trust Flow) and nofollow or link type columns. Without headers, it uses the column that holds most URLs.
Are nofollow links removed?
Only if you tick the option. Otherwise they stay in the list with a flag.
Can I mix exports from different tools?
You can, but ratings from different tools aren't comparable. Prioritize each export separately for the best result.
Does it check whether the links are indexed?
No. It only sorts the list. Index status needs a separate check.
Sources
- Qualify your outbound links to Google — Google Search Central: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/qualify-outbound-links
- Export data directly from a Search Console report — Search Console Help: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/12919797