---
title: "Backlink intelligence"
description: "Understand Domain Score, referring domains, link gaps, historical metrics, and page-level evidence workflows."
section: "Backlinks"
version: "latest"
locale: "en"
updated: "2026-07-18T20:52:38.000Z"
---

# Backlink intelligence

Understand Domain Score, referring domains, link gaps, historical metrics, and page-level evidence workflows.

CrawlConsole turns Common Crawl graph data into domain-level backlink intelligence that people and agents can query. The main concepts are Domain Score, referring domains, link gaps, and evidence.

## Domain Score

Domain Score is CrawlConsole's authority metric derived from Common Crawl graph signals. A domain profile can include:

- Domain Score;
- backlink edges;
- referring domains;
- host count;
- harmonic centrality rank;
- source release information.

Use the score as a comparative signal, not as a guarantee of rankings or traffic.

## Referring domains

`referring_domains` returns domains that link to the target domain, ordered with link and authority context. This dataset is domain-level. It does not claim to return every exact source page URL.

Use cursors when additional pages of referring domains are available. Keep the target domain exact and normalized.

## Competitor link gaps

`competitor_link_gap` finds domains that link to selected competitors but not to the target. Use it to create a qualified research list, then investigate whether each source has a relevant page, directory, comparison, or editorial context.

## Historical intelligence

Historical backlink and authority data helps separate one-time crawl changes from sustained movement. Compare releases and time periods before concluding that a domain gained or lost meaningful authority.

## Page-level evidence

Page-level research is a separate workflow because Common Crawl domain edges do not identify a fresh, verified source URL on their own. Continue with [page-level backlink evidence](/docs/backlinks/page-level-evidence) when the question asks which exact pages link.