The playbook
Backlinks: Template and Field Guide
This backlinks template turns a broad task into a record another person can use. It captures referring page, target page, relevance, then connects that information to a decision. Copy the table into your working document or system and create a separate record for each item in scope.
Put the task in context
A regional industry survey, transparent calculator, or useful reference dataset gives another publisher a reason to cite your work. Document the original evidence and make the resource accessible. Evaluate a potential reference by audience relevance and usefulness rather than a third-party authority score alone.
Copyable worksheet
| Field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| referring page | Record the referring page associated with this page or query record. Use a stable reference so later updates can be matched. |
| target page | Record the target page associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| relevance | Record the relevance associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| relationship | Record the relationship associated with this page or query record. Keep the value specific enough for another owner to interpret. |
| Decision field | Entry instructions |
|---|---|
| Observed problem | Describe the actual condition and where it was observed. |
| Recommended action | State the smallest action that resolves the documented problem. |
| Evidence | Link to the record, observation, or test supporting the action. |
| Owner and next review | Name the accountable person and when the decision should be revisited. |
How to complete the worksheet
Begin with referring page. Use the same reference throughout the record so notes are not attached to the wrong item. Then identify resources people in the market actually reference. This establishes the information required before the worksheet becomes a request for action.
Next, create evidence or a resource worth citing. Use the observed problem and evidence fields to explain why that step is needed. A useful entry describes an actual condition, such as buying links primarily to influence search rankings, rather than a broad instruction to “improve performance.”
Finally, contact relevant publishers with a specific reason to reference it. Put invest in useful assets and qualifying paid placements appropriately in the action field only when it addresses the observed condition. If the problem is different, change the action. The template is a structure for judgment, not a reason to apply the same fix everywhere.
Illustrative completed decision
| Part | Illustrative entry |
|---|---|
| Problem | Buying links primarily to influence search rankings |
| Action | Invest in useful assets and qualifying paid placements appropriately |
| First check | Identify resources people in the market actually reference |
| Follow-up check | Contact relevant publishers with a specific reason to reference it |
| Outcome to define | relevant earned referring domains |
Adapt the fields without losing meaning
You can add fields required by your team, but each should change a decision or preserve necessary context. Keep factual observations separate from recommendations. If target page changes, record the new value and its effective date instead of silently rewriting the context of an earlier decision.
Use the record in a handoff
Ask the receiving owner to explain the next action using only the worksheet. Missing context becomes visible quickly during that exercise. Repair the record before applying the structure to a larger batch. Keep relevant earned referring domains connected to the item so the team can later assess whether the action was useful.
Use query and landing-page context when comparing results. A page serving a broad informational query has a different job from a page answering a purchase question. Review whether the next step remains useful to the person arriving.
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