Turn Codex into an AI Backlink Analysis Agent

This guide shows you how to connect Codex to CrawlConsole so it can work as an AI backlink analysis agent. For the product page and examples specific to this agent, start with the Codex AI Backlink Analysis Agent page.

What you are setting up

CrawlConsole gives Codex access to backlink intelligence through the CrawlConsole MCP. Once connected, Codex can query referring domains, inspect domain authority signals, compare competitor link gaps, and move from domain-level backlink lists to page-level evidence.

Codex is useful when backlink research needs to turn into scripts, CSV exports, technical SEO audits, or repeatable workflows inside a codebase.

Before you start

You need three things:

1. A CrawlConsole account.
2. An AI Agent key from AI Agent Access.
3. Access to Codex's MCP or external-tool configuration.

Keep the key private. Treat it like an API key, because it allows your agent to call CrawlConsole tools on your behalf.

Step 1: Create your CrawlConsole AI Agent key

Open AI Agent Access in CrawlConsole and create a new key for Codex. Give the key a name that is easy to recognize later, such as "Codex backlink agent".

If you want to limit usage to specific domains, add those allowed domains while creating the key. That keeps the agent's backlink research scoped to the properties you expect it to inspect.

Step 2: Connect Codex to CrawlConsole

Create an AI Agent key in AI Agent Access, then add CrawlConsole to Codex with the bearer-token environment variable:

export CRAWLCONSOLE_MCP_TOKEN="<YOUR_CRAWLCONSOLE_AGENT_KEY>"
codex mcp add crawlconsole --url https://mcp.crawlconsole.com/mcp --bearer-token-env-var CRAWLCONSOLE_MCP_TOKEN

If you prefer a config-file setup, use a CrawlConsole MCP server entry and point the Authorization header at an environment variable that stores your key.

Step 3: Confirm the tools are available

Ask Codex to list or inspect its available tools. You should see CrawlConsole tools for backlink research, such as domain authority, referring domains, competitor link gaps, page-level backlink research, and backlink evidence.

If the tools do not appear, check that the MCP URL is correct, the Authorization header includes Bearer , and the key has not been revoked.

Step 4: Run a small backlink analysis test

Start with one domain before asking for a broad report. For example, ask Codex to summarize the backlink profile for a domain you know well, then ask it which referring domains deserve deeper page-level evidence.

Good first prompts:

• Use CrawlConsole to pull referring domains, then create a prioritized backlink audit table.
• Compare these competitors and write the code needed to export their link gap opportunities.
• Find source pages for the strongest linking domains and save evidence notes for review.

Step 5: Move from summary to evidence

The useful workflow is not just "give me backlinks." It is:

1. Pull referring domains.
2. Prioritize sources by quality, relevance, and authority.
3. Research source pages for the best opportunities.
4. Save or summarize evidence with source URL, target URL, anchor text, and context.
5. Turn the evidence into an outreach, content, or technical SEO action.

That sequence keeps Codex grounded in evidence instead of producing generic SEO advice.

Where to go next

Use the Codex AI Backlink Analysis Agent page for the dedicated landing page, examples, and positioning for this agent. If you are comparing agent setups, the AI Backlink Analysis Agent overview links to the other supported agent pages.