Gemini CLI integration · Updated October 16, 2026

Run link outreach from Gemini CLI

Add BacklinkGenie to Gemini CLI and it can read your release notes or docs, import the posts you want to appear in, and take you through pending pitches and editor replies. It asks before running anything that sends.

Set it up

1

Create an API key

Create the key in BacklinkGenie under Settings → MCP. Keys start with bg_live_ and are shown once. MCP access is on the Growth and Agency plans.
2
Add the server

Run this once. -s user makes it available in every project; leave it off to add it to the current project only.
Terminal
```
gemini mcp add -s user --transport http backlinkgenie https://app.backlinkgenie.com/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer bg_live_your_key"
```
3
Or edit settings.json

The same entry by hand, in ~/.gemini/settings.json. Gemini CLI uses httpUrl for streamable HTTP servers.
~/.gemini/settings.json
```
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "backlinkgenie": {
      "httpUrl": "https://app.backlinkgenie.com/mcp",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer bg_live_your_key" }
    }
  }
}
```
4

Check and ask

Start gemini and type /mcp to see BacklinkGenie and its tools, then ask for what you need.

G Gemini CLI

BacklinkGenie connected

Read CHANGELOG.md, then show me pending pitches and add a line about the new Zapier integration to any that pitch automation posts.

Used list_drafts Used edit_draft

Read CHANGELOG.md. 6 pitches are pending; 2 go to automation roundups (zapier.com and makeuseof.com). I added one line about the Zapier integration to both and they passed the quality check. Want to see them before you approve?

Example with fictional product Margin.

Also try

What you can do from Gemini CLI

Step-by-step guides with a prompt to copy, the tools Gemini CLI calls and what to expect back.

Find link opportunities

Start a run that finds posts in your niche where your product belongs, then read the report.

Review and approve pitches

See what's waiting, tighten the wording and approve the ones you like without opening the dashboard.

Reply to editors

Find the editors who answered, get a reply drafted with the exact placement, and send it once you've read it.

Import target posts

Hand the agent specific posts you want to be in. It checks them, finds the contact and drafts the pitch.

Monitor your backlinks

Check which won links are still live and followed, and re-check one the moment you suspect it changed.

Get a weekly link report

Pitches sent, replies, reply rate and links won, summarised the way you want and sent where you want.

Update your pitch after a launch

Update how BacklinkGenie describes your product, so new pitches mention what you just shipped.

Manage your outreach blocklist

Add competitors, partners and sites you've had bad experiences with to a blocklist the agent always respects.

Tools used in this example

list_drafts

Pitches waiting for your approval, with the post, contact and why it fits.

edit_draft

Changes a pitch's subject or body. Edits go through the quality check before they're saved.

Gemini CLI can use all 22 tools. See the full list on the MCP page or browse example prompts.

What stays the same as the dashboard

Gemini CLI works on the same account, sites and mailboxes as the BacklinkGenie dashboard, so you can switch between them freely. Pitches still wait for approval, every edit goes through the quality check, and sending stays inside each mailbox's daily limit. Read more about how the outreach engine works, or check whether it's a better fit than Pitchbox or BuzzStream for your team. New to MCP? How MCP servers work for SEO explains the setup in plain terms, and the other integrations use the same connection.

Questions people ask

Can Gemini CLI sign in instead of using a key?

Gemini CLI supports OAuth for remote MCP servers, and BacklinkGenie's server supports sign-in. The API key route above is the simplest and works the same on every machine; use whichever you prefer.

How do I keep the key out of a shared repo?

Add the server with -s user so it lives in ~/.gemini/settings.json, not the project's .gemini folder. Gemini CLI can also read the value from an environment variable.

Can Gemini send pitches without asking?

BacklinkGenie tells every assistant to show you a pitch or reply and get your go-ahead before calling approve_draft or send_reply. Edited text also goes through the quality check.

BacklinkGenie for Claude

Custom connector (paste the URL). Sign in, no key.

BacklinkGenie for ChatGPT

Custom connector (paste the URL). Sign in, no key.

BacklinkGenie for Cursor

MCP server in mcp.json. Uses an API key.

MCP server reference

Endpoint, auth and every tool in detail.

Prompts to try

A library of prompts for pitching, replies and reporting.

Pricing

MCP access is on the Growth and Agency plans.

Get your free prospect report first

No card needed. Connect Gemini CLI when you move to Growth or Agency.

Get your free prospect report See pricing