Live Link Checker
This workflow automates the process of reading backlink URLs from Google Sheets, using the DataForSEO API to check the status of the links and determine whether they exist and their dofollow status. The detection results are updated in real-time back to Google Sheets, significantly enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of backlink monitoring. This helps users promptly identify broken or non-compliant links, thereby optimizing the quality of SEO backlinks and saving time and effort on manual checks.
Workflow Name
Live Link Checker
Key Features and Highlights
This workflow automatically reads backlink URLs and their corresponding landing pages from Google Sheets, utilizes DataForSEO’s On-Page API to check the status of these backlinks, determines whether the links still exist and are in a dofollow state, and then writes the detection results back to Google Sheets in real time. The entire process is automated and capable of batch processing, significantly improving the efficiency and accuracy of backlink monitoring.
Core Problem Addressed
Backlinks are a critical asset for SEO optimization, but their effectiveness depends on whether the links are still active and maintain a dofollow status. Manual link checking is time-consuming and prone to errors. This workflow helps users automatically and batch-verify the survival status of backlinks, promptly identifying lost or nofollow links to ensure the quality of SEO external links.
Application Scenarios
- SEO specialists or digital marketers regularly monitoring website backlink quality
- Link management teams performing bulk verification of partner or external referral links
- Situations requiring automated updates of link status data to support subsequent analysis and decision-making
Main Process Steps
- Manually trigger the workflow to start
- Read “Backlink URL” and “Landing page” data from a specified range in Google Sheets
- Clean and extract domain information from the backlinks
- Send individual task requests to DataForSEO On-Page API to initiate link checks
- Wait for 20 seconds to ensure data crawling is complete
- Retrieve detection results via DataForSEO On-Page Links API, identifying link existence and dofollow status
- Determine link status as “Live,” “Lost,” or “Lost (Nofollow)”
- Write the detection results back to the corresponding rows in Google Sheets to keep data synchronized
Involved Systems or Services
- Google Sheets (data reading and result writing)
- DataForSEO On-Page API (link crawling and status detection)
- n8n Automation Platform (workflow orchestration and execution)
Target Users and Value
- SEO experts and digital marketers: automate monitoring of large backlink volumes, saving time and improving efficiency
- Website administrators and content operators: gain real-time insight into backlink health and quickly respond to link loss risks
- Data analysts: obtain structured and accurate link status data to support backlink strategy optimization
With the “Live Link Checker” workflow, users can efficiently and accurately monitor backlink statuses without manual inspection of complex external link situations, ensuring the stability and effectiveness of website SEO backlinks.