Getting Started with MyBacklinks MCP

The MyBacklinks MCP (Model Context Protocol) server enables you to manage your projects, backlinks, and analytics directly from AI-powered development tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and OpenAI Codex. This guide walks you through setup, OAuth authentication, and using the available tools.

What is MCP?

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard developed by Anthropic that allows AI assistants to securely connect to external data sources and tools. The MyBacklinks MCP server implements this protocol using OAuth 2.0 with dynamic client registration for secure authentication.

Features

• 🔐 Secure OAuth 2.0 Authentication - Dynamic client registration with PKCE flow
• 🚀 Zero-Config Setup - Just add the URL, authentication is automatic
• 🛠️ 9 Powerful Tools - Manage projects, links, resources, and analytics
• 🔄 Auto Token Refresh - Seamless session management
• 🎯 Multiple AI Platforms - Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and more

Quick Start

Supported Clients

Configuration

Simply add the MCP server URL to your client's configuration:

For Claude Code

Option 1: CLI (Recommended)

# Add to user scope (available in all projects)
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user mybacklinks https://mybacklinks.app/mcp

# Or add to current project only
claude mcp add --transport http mybacklinks https://mybacklinks.app/mcp

# Verify it was added
claude mcp list

Option 2: Config File (~/.claude/claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mybacklinks": {
      "url": "https://mybacklinks.app/mcp"
    }
  }
}

For Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json in your project:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mybacklinks": {
      "url": "https://mybacklinks.app/mcp"
    }
  }
}

For OpenAI Codex

CLI:

codex mcp add mybacklinks --url https://mybacklinks.app/mcp

Or config file (~/.codex/mcp.toml):

[[mcp_servers]]
name = "mybacklinks"
url = "https://mybacklinks.app/mcp"

For Mobile Apps

Want to manage your backlinks on the go? Mobile MCP clients can connect using two authentication methods:

Method 1: OAuth Authentication (Recommended)

If your mobile MCP client supports OAuth:

1. Add a new server with URL: https://mybacklinks.app/mcp
2. Tap "Connect" - the app will handle OAuth authentication automatically
3. Complete the login in your mobile browser
4. Return to the app and start using MCP tools!

Method 2: API Key + Custom Header

If your mobile MCP client doesn't support OAuth, you can use API Key authentication:

1. Go to MyBacklinks API Keys page
2. Click "Create API Key" and copy the generated key
3. In your mobile MCP client, add a new server with URL: https://mybacklinks.app/mcp
4. Configure a custom header:
   • Header name: Authorization
   • Header value: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY
5. Save and connect - you're ready to use MCP tools!

API Key Configuration Example:

Server URL: https://mybacklinks.app/mcp
Custom Headers:
  Authorization: Bearer mbk_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mobile Use Cases:

• Check project status while commuting
• Quickly add backlinks when you discover opportunities
• Review analytics reports on the go
• Respond to backlink status changes in real-time

First-Time Authentication

When you first connect, your AI client will automatically:

1. Discover OAuth metadata from /.well-known/oauth-authorization-server
2. Register as a dynamic client (RFC 7591)
3. Open your browser for login
4. Store tokens securely for future requests

No manual setup required—just configure the URL and start using it!

Available MCP Tools

Once connected, these 9 tools are available to your AI assistant:

Project Management

listProjects

List all your projects with their metadata.

Parameters:

• cursor (optional): Pagination cursor
• limit (optional): Max items to return (1-50)

Example prompt:

Show me all my projects

Response includes:

• Project ID, name, domain
• Status (active/archived)
• Created and updated timestamps

getProjectDetail

Get detailed information about a specific project.

Parameters:

• projectId (required): Project ID

Example:

Get details for my LoveMoney project

Response includes:

• Project metadata
• Link counts by status (pending, submitted, indexed, rejected)
• Resource counts
• Last analytics sync date

Backlink Management

listProjectBacklinks

List all backlinks for a specific project.

Parameters:

• projectId (required): Project ID
• status (optional): Filter by status (pending, submitted, indexed, rejected, removed)
• cursor (optional): Pagination cursor
• limit (optional): Max items (1-50)
• fields (optional): Select specific fields to reduce response size

Example:

Show me all indexed backlinks for my project

getProjectBacklinkDetail

Get detailed information about a specific project backlink.

Parameters:

• backlinkId (required): Project backlink ID

Example:

Show details for backlink abc123

upsertProjectBacklink

Create or update a project backlink.

Parameters:

• projectId (required): Project ID
• backlinkId (optional): Backlink ID for update
• resourceId (optional): Backlink resource ID (auto-populates backlinkUrl from resource)
• targetUrl (required for create): Target URL (the page you want backlinks to)
• backlinkUrl (optional): The URL where backlink is placed
• anchor (optional): Anchor text
• status (optional): Link status
• notes (optional): Additional notes

Example:

Add a new backlink to my project:
- Target URL: https://myapp.com
- Backlink URL: https://producthunt.com/posts/myapp
- Anchor text: "AI-powered tool"
- Status: submitted

Resource Management

listBacklinkResources

List available backlink resources (directories, forums, etc.) where you can submit your project.

Parameters:

• cursor (optional): Pagination cursor
• limit (optional): Max items (1-50)
• filter (optional): Object with filters:
  • type: Resource type (e.g., "guest_post", "directory")
  • payment: Payment type (e.g., "free", "paid")
  • drMin: Minimum Domain Rating
  • drMax: Maximum Domain Rating

Example:

Find high DR resources (DR > 50) where I can submit my project for free

listAvailableResources

List backlink resources that have NOT been used for a specific project yet. Use this to find resources where you can submit new backlinks.

Parameters:

• projectId (required): Project ID to check available resources for
• cursor (optional): Pagination cursor
• limit (optional): Max items (1-50)
• filter (optional): Same filters as listBacklinkResources

Example:

Show me resources I haven't used yet for my SaaS project

addBacklinkResource

Add a new backlink resource to your personal database. Rejects if a resource with the same domain already exists.

Parameters:

• domain (required): Domain of the resource (e.g., "example.com"). Protocol and paths will be stripped automatically
• type (required): Resource type (blog, directory, forum, social, other)
• submissionUrl (optional): Full URL for submitting backlinks
• paymentType (optional): Payment type (free, paid, freemium). Default: free
• submissionMethod (optional): How to submit (e.g., "comment", "guest post", "profile link")
• howToSubmit (optional): Natural language instructions for AI agent on how to submit backlinks
• dr (optional): Domain Rating (0-100)
• traffic (optional): Estimated monthly traffic
• notes (optional): Additional notes about this resource

Example:

Add a new backlink resource:
- Domain: indiehackers.com
- Type: forum
- Payment: free
- DR: 70
- Notes: Great community for SaaS founders

Error Handling: If the domain already exists in your database, the tool will return an error with code duplicate_domain and include the existing resource ID.

Analytics

getProjectAnalytics

Get comprehensive analytics data for a project including search console metrics, traffic analytics, domain metrics, and backlink statistics.

Parameters:

• projectId (required): Project ID
• range (optional): Time range (30d or 90d)

Response Fields:

• domainMetrics: Domain Rating (DR), traffic, keywords count from RapidAPI
• searchAnalytics: Google Search Console data (clicks, impressions, CTR, avg position)
• trafficAnalytics: GA4 data (page views, sessions, users)
• backlinks: Backlinks added/failed in the time range
• connectedPlatforms: List of connected analytics platforms (GSC, GA4, etc.)
• lastSyncAt: Last analytics sync timestamp

Example:

Show me SEO analytics for my project over the last 30 days

Response Example:

{
  "searchAnalytics": {
    "clicks": 3929,
    "impressions": 23747,
    "ctr": 16.48,
    "avgPosition": 5.6
  },
  "backlinks": {
    "added": 536,
    "failed": 0
  }
}

Use Cases

Daily SEO Workflow

Ask your AI assistant:

Generate a status report of all my projects with their backlink counts

Backlink Auditing

Check all pending links for my SaaS project and list which need attention

Finding Opportunities

Find websites with DR between 40-60 where I can submit guest posts

Bulk Operations

Add these backlinks to my project:
1. https://reddit.com/r/startups/my-post - anchor: "startup tools"
2. https://hackernews.com/item/123 - anchor: "new SaaS tool"

Building Your Resource Library

Add these backlink resources to my database:
1. indiehackers.com - forum type, DR 70, free
2. producthunt.com - directory type, DR 90, free
3. betalist.com - directory type, DR 60, freemium

OAuth 2.0 Architecture

The MyBacklinks MCP server implements OAuth 2.0 with these features:

Standards Compliance

• OAuth 2.1 with PKCE for enhanced security
• RFC 8414 Authorization Server Metadata discovery
• RFC 7591 Dynamic Client Registration
• RFC 8707 Resource Indicators

OAuth Endpoints

Security Features

• PKCE (S256): Protects against authorization code interception
• Dynamic Registration: No pre-shared client secrets needed
• Token Rotation: Refresh tokens are rotated on use
• Limited Scopes: Requests only mcp scope

Troubleshooting

Authentication Failed

If you see "Incompatible auth server" errors:

1. Ensure you're using the latest version of your AI client
2. Check that the MCP URL is correct: https://mybacklinks.app/mcp
3. Try removing and re-adding the MCP server

Token Expired

Your AI client should handle token refresh automatically. If issues persist:

1. Remove the MCP server from your client
2. Re-add it and complete the OAuth flow again

Connection Issues

Verify the server is accessible:

curl https://mybacklinks.app/.well-known/oauth-authorization-server

You should see JSON metadata including authorization_endpoint and token_endpoint.

API Rate Limits

The MyBacklinks MCP respects these rate limits based on your subscription:

• Free Tier: 100 requests/hour
• Pro Tier: 1,000 requests/hour
• Enterprise: Custom limits

Best Practices

1. Use Pagination: For large datasets, use cursor and limit parameters
2. Select Fields: Use the fields parameter in listProjectBacklinks to reduce response size
3. Batch Operations: Group related link updates in a single conversation
4. Check Status: Verify link status before taking action

Next Steps

• Create an account at mybacklinks.app
• Set up your first project
• Connect your AI assistant using the configuration above
• Start automating your backlink management!

Support

Need help? Reach out through:

• GitHub Issues: github.com/hekmon8/mybacklinks-tools/issues
• Email: support@mybacklinks.app

Happy automating! 🚀