A backlink report should explain movement, not dump links
Most backlink report templates begin as exports: one row per URL, followed by authority scores and anchors. That may help an SEO specialist investigate links, but it does not tell a client what changed or what the agency will do next.
This free backlink report template starts with the reporting decision. It shows the current referring-domain total, new relationships, lost relationships, persistent relationships, and net change for a named comparison period. The full evidence stays available in the sheet while the client-facing summary remains short.
The download is a plain CSV so it opens directly in Google Sheets, Excel, and LibreOffice without macros. Import it into a blank Google Sheet, duplicate it for each client, and replace the sample cells with your own release data and commentary.
The four metrics every link-building report needs
Current referring domains is the latest total. New referring domains appeared only in the later dataset. Lost referring domains appeared only in the earlier dataset. Persistent referring domains appeared in both. Report all four together so gains and losses cannot disappear inside one net number.
Net change is current minus previous, but it is not a substitute for gross movement. A site can gain 216,708 referring domains and lose 202,742 while its total rises only 13,966. That is why this template gives new and lost equal prominence.
- Current referring domains: portfolio-level baseline for the latest release
- New: discovery queue for editorial review and campaign attribution
- Lost: verification and possible reclamation queue
- Persistent: stable relationship base carried across both releases
Executive-summary wording you can reuse
Use direct language that separates observation from interpretation: ‘Between [release A] and [release B], the site gained [new] referring domains, lost [lost], and retained [persistent]. The total moved from [previous] to [current], a net change of [net].’
Then add meaning: ‘[Number] gains align with [campaign or launch]. [Number] losses need live-page verification before reclamation. During the next cycle we will investigate [priority], contact [targets], and measure whether the relationships return in the next available dataset.’
Avoid saying a ranking changed because of one link unless you have separate evidence. A strong executive summary says what the source observed, what the agency believes matters, and what happens next.
How to turn the sheet into a client-ready PDF
Keep the exported PDF short. Page one should contain the reporting period, executive summary, and four movement metrics. Page two should contain notable gains, priority losses, competitor gaps, and next actions. Put the complete link list in the Google Sheet rather than shrinking it into an unreadable PDF appendix.
In Google Sheets, set the print area to the client-summary rows, use landscape only for evidence tables, repeat header rows, and include the source release identifiers in the footer. Export the selected summary range as PDF after the account owner has reviewed the commentary.
A repeatable monthly agency workflow
Duplicate the template when a client is onboarded, establish the latest available release as the baseline, and assign an owner for commentary. Each reporting month, update campaign notes and live verification even when no new graph release is available. When a release lands, refresh all four movement metrics and review the largest gross changes first.
The template works as a link-building report template as well as a monitoring report: use the notable-gains section for earned coverage, the losses section for reclamation, the competitor-gap section for prospecting, and next actions for the coming campaign cycle.
Coverage and reporting limitations
Always name the data source and comparison period. Common Crawl is a large open-web sample rather than a complete or daily index, so missing relationships require live verification. Counts from different backlink products should not be mixed in the same trend line.
A report should also distinguish domain-level evidence from page-level proof. One referring domain may contain one link or thousands. Use the downloadable evidence rows for investigation, but keep the client conclusion proportional to what the data actually establishes.