In digital marketing, search visibility is everything. If people can’t find you on Google, your competitors will take the spotlight. That’s where Ahrefs comes in. It’s one of the most popular SEO and marketing analysis tools used by professionals to track rankings, discover keywords, analyze backlinks, and spy on competitors’ strategies.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or just exploring Ahrefs for the first time, this guide will help you understand and use it effectively.
What is Ahrefs?
Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO toolset designed to help you:
- Improve your website’s Google rankings.
- Find profitable keywords.
- Analyze competitors’ traffic sources.
- Audit your site for SEO issues.
- Track your ranking progress.
- Discover backlink opportunities.
Ahrefs’ data is considered one of the most accurate in the SEO industry, thanks to its vast index of backlinks and keywords.
Setting Up Ahrefs
To get started:
- Visit Ahrefs.com.
- Sign up for a paid plan (Ahrefs does not offer a traditional free plan, but you can try their Webmaster Tools for free).
- Add your website to Ahrefs Webmaster Tools.
- Verify ownership via DNS, HTML upload, or Google Search Console.
- Start your first project.
Tip: Use Ahrefs Webmaster Tools for free site audits and backlink analysis if you’re on a budget.
Ahrefs Dashboard Overview
Once you log in, the dashboard displays:
- Projects: Websites you’re tracking.
- Domain Rating & Backlinks: Quick snapshot of your site authority.
- Organic Traffic: Estimated monthly visits.
- Tracked Keywords: Ranking updates.
Main Ahrefs Tools:
- Site Explorer – Analyze websites.
- Keywords Explorer – Research keywords.
- Site Audit – Find technical SEO issues.
- Rank Tracker – Monitor keyword positions.
- Content Explorer – Discover top-performing content.
How to Use Ahrefs for Digital Marketing
Ahrefs goes beyond SEO — it supports your overall digital marketing strategy.
a) Competitor Analysis
- Enter a competitor’s domain in Site Explorer.
- See their organic keywords, top pages, paid ads, and backlinks.
- Identify keywords and topics they rank for but you don’t.
b) Content Strategy
- Use Content Explorer to find high-performing articles in your niche.
- Filter by social shares, backlinks, or traffic.
- Create similar or better content.
c) PPC Insights
While Ahrefs is not a PPC tool like SEMrush, you can still:
- Identify keywords competitors are ranking for organically.
- Use them as targets for your paid campaigns.
How to Use Ahrefs for SEO
a) Site Audit
- Go to Site Audit.
- Add your site as a project.
- Run a crawl to detect:
- Broken links
- Missing meta tags
- Slow-loading pages
- Mobile usability issues
- Fix the reported issues to boost rankings.
b) Rank Tracking
- Go to Rank Tracker.
- Add your target keywords.
- Select search engines & location.
- Get daily or weekly ranking updates.
c) On-Page SEO
While Ahrefs does not provide direct on-page suggestions like some tools, it helps indirectly by:
- Showing SERP competitors for your target keywords.
- Analyzing their content length, structure, and backlink profile.
Keyword Research with Ahrefs
Keyword research is where Ahrefs really shines.
a) Keywords Explorer
- Enter a seed keyword.
- Ahrefs will show:
- Search volume
- Keyword difficulty
- CPC
- Traffic potential
- SERP overview
b) Finding Keyword Ideas
- Use filters for:
- Phrase match
- Questions
- Having same terms
- Also rank for
- This helps you uncover low-competition keywords.
c) Competitor Keyword Research
- In Site Explorer, enter your competitor’s domain.
- Go to Organic Keywords.
- Export the list of keywords they rank for.
Backlink Analysis
Ahref is famous for its backlink data.
a) Backlink Profile
- Enter a domain in Site Explorer.
- See:
- Number of backlinks
- Referring domains
- Domain Rating
- Anchor text
b) Link Intersect Tool
- Find sites that link to your competitors but not you.
- Perfect for outreach campaigns.
c) New/Lost Backlinks
- Monitor backlinks you gain or lose over time.
Content Marketing with Ahrefs
a) Content Gap Analysis
- Compare your domain with competitors.
- Find keywords they rank for but you don’t.
- Create content to fill those gaps.
b) Content Explorer
- Search for a topic.
- Sort results by backlinks, traffic, or shares.
- Identify link-worthy content ideas.
Local SEO with Ahrefs
If you’re targeting local customers:
- Use Rank Tracker with geo-specific settings.
- Identify local intent keywords.
- Analyze local competitors’ backlinks.
Ahref Reports & Exports
- Export keyword lists, backlink data, and audit reports.
- Use scheduled email reports to track progress without logging in daily.
Ahref Pricing
Plans include:
- Lite – For small businesses & freelancers.
- Standard – For growing websites.
- Advanced – For agencies.
- Enterprise – For large-scale SEO teams.
Tips for Beginners
- Start with Ahref Webmaster Tools for free access.
- Use Site Explorer daily to monitor competitors.
- Run weekly Site Audits to keep your site healthy.
- Combine Ahrefs keyword data with Google Trends for seasonal targeting.
- Track rankings regularly to measure SEO success.
Conclusion
Ahref is more than just an SEO tool—it’s a full-scale digital marketing intelligence platform. Whether you want to find winning keywords, spy on competitors, build high-quality backlinks, or audit your site for SEO health, Ahref gives you the data and insights to make better marketing decisions.
