How to Use Ahrefs for Research

Step 1: Set Up Your Project and Competitor Tracking

First, log into your Ahrefs account and navigate to 'Site Explorer' from the left sidebar. Enter your website URL in the search bar and click 'Search.' This creates a project dashboard. Next, click 'Competitors' in the left menu under your project. Here, click 'Add Competitors' and enter 3-5 direct competitor URLs. Ahrefs will automatically suggest additional competitors based on keyword overlap. I recommend selecting competitors with higher Domain Ratings (DR) than yours for aspirational analysis. Once added, you'll see a comparison table showing metrics like DR, backlinks, and organic keywords. This dashboard becomes your research command center.

Step 2: Conduct Deep Keyword Research with Keywords Explorer

Click 'Keywords Explorer' in the main toolbar. Enter a seed keyword related to your business (e.g., 'best running shoes'). Press Enter. You'll see the Keyword Difficulty (KD) score, search volume, and click metrics. Now, click the 'Phrase Match' report on the left. This shows all keywords containing your seed term. Use the filters: set 'KD' to 0-20 for easy wins, and 'Volume' to 100+. Click the checkboxes next to promising keywords, then 'Add to list' > 'New list.' Name it 'Primary Targets.' Next, click 'Parent Topic' in the left menu to see broader keyword clusters. Repeat the filtering and adding process. You should now have 50-100 targeted keywords.

Step 3: Analyze Competitor Backlinks for Acquisition Targets

Go back to 'Site Explorer' and enter a competitor's URL. Click 'Backlinks' in the left menu. You'll see their entire backlink profile. First, click the 'Best by links' tab. This shows pages with the most backlinks—their cornerstone content. Note these topics. Next, go to the 'Referring Domains' tab. Click the filter icon and set 'Domain Rating' to 20-70. This filters out spammy and ultra-authoritative sites, leaving realistic targets. Export this list to CSV. Now, click 'New' > 'Lost' to see backlinks they've recently lost—these are prime reclamation opportunities. Finally, use 'Link Intersect' tool (under 'More') by adding your domain and competitors to find sites linking to them but not you.

Step 4: Perform a Comprehensive Site Audit

Navigate to 'Site Audit' from the left sidebar. If it's your first audit, click 'New Project' and enter your site's URL. Configure crawl settings: I set 'Crawl scope' to 'Include all subdomains' and 'Maximum pages' to 25,000 for thorough analysis. Click 'Start Audit.' Once complete (usually 10-30 minutes), you'll see an overview dashboard with a health score. Click 'Issues' tab. Here, prioritize 'Critical' and 'Errors' first. Click any issue (like '4xx errors') to see affected URLs. Use the 'Export' button to download a CSV for your developer. Next, check 'Internal Links' report to ensure important pages have enough link equity. Finally, review 'HTTPS coverage' and 'Redirect chains' under 'Site structure.'

Step 5: Discover Content Gaps with Content Gap Analysis

Go to 'Competitors' under your project or directly to 'Content Gap' tool under 'Keywords Explorer.' Enter your domain in the first field and 3-5 competitor domains in the subsequent fields. Click 'Show keywords.' You'll see keywords your competitors rank for but you don't. Now, use the filters strategically. Set 'Volume' to 500+, then sort by 'KD' ascending. This reveals high-volume, low-competition opportunities you're missing. Click the 'All' checkbox on the left to select all keywords, then 'Export' > 'CSV.' Open this CSV and add columns for 'Target URL,' 'Writer Assignment,' and 'Publish Date.' You've now created a content calendar foundation based on data, not guesses.

Step 6: Refine Research with Advanced Filters and Metrics

Return to your keyword lists in 'Keywords Explorer.' Click on any list to open it. Now, click the column icon to add custom metrics. I always add 'CPC,' 'Clicks,' and 'Return Rate.' High CPC indicates commercial intent. Sort by 'Clicks' to see what actually gets traffic (not just searches). Next, use the 'SERP Features' filter—check 'Featured Snippet' and 'People Also Ask.' Target these keywords as winning them can dramatically increase visibility. For backlink research, in 'Site Explorer,' add 'Traffic' column to referring domains. Prioritize outreach to sites sending actual visitors, not just link equity. Finally, in 'Site Audit,' use the 'Priority Score' filter to tackle issues affecting pages that already rank.

Step 7: Export, Document, and Create an Action Plan

Click 'Projects' in the main menu. Select your project. Here, you can generate and export reports. Click 'Reports' > 'SEO Report.' Customize it with your logo, then 'Generate.' This creates a PDF with all your research. For actionable plans, export individual data: from Keywords Explorer, export your final list as CSV. From Site Explorer, export the filtered referring domains list. From Site Audit, export the issues CSV. Now, open a Google Sheet and create tabs: 'Keyword Targets,' 'Backlink Prospects,' 'Technical Fixes,' and 'Content Calendar.' Import your CSVs. In each tab, add columns: 'Priority (High/Med/Low),' 'Assigned To,' 'Due Date,' and 'Status.' Share this with your team. You've now transformed Ahrefs data into an executable SEO roadmap.