Ahrefs Review: Best Tool for SEO Analysis and Digital Marketing so far
In the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, staying ahead of the competition is crucial. One of the critical weapons in a marketer’s arsenal is Ahrefs, a multifaceted SEO tool that has been making waves in the industry. This Ahrefs review is your ultimate guide to understanding how this tool can help you dominate the SEO game, from its features to its pros and cons.
Table of Contents
Ahrefs Review: What is Ahrefs?
Let’s start with the basics. Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO tool that empowers website owners, digital marketers, and SEO professionals to improve their online presence. It offers a wide range of features that revolve around three core pillars: Site Explorer, Keyword Explorer, and Site Audit.
Ahrefs has launched new enhanced features. Read my other detailed article about Ahrefs latest updates of 2024.
Site Explorer
The heart of Ahrefs lies within its Site Explorer. This feature allows you to gain a comprehensive insight into your website’s performance. You can analyze your site’s backlink profile, explore organic search traffic, and even spy on your competitors’ strategies. Ahrefs’ robust database provides an extensive index of live backlinks, making it a go-to tool for SEO backlink analysis.
Site Audit
Ensuring your website is error-free and optimized for search engines is paramount. Ahrefs’ Site Audit feature scans your website for issues like broken links, duplicate content, and missing meta tags. It provides a clear roadmap for optimizing your site’s on-page SEO.
Keyword Research
Ahrefs has a powerful keyword research tool called Keywords Explorer, which supports over 170 countries and 10 search engines. You can enter any keyword or phrase and get detailed information about its search volume, difficulty, clicks, CPC, SERP features, and more. You can also see thousands of related keywords, questions, and phrases that you can use to create content or optimize your pages.
One of the best features of Keywords Explorer is the ability to see the ranking history of any keyword. You can see how the top 10 results have changed over time, and identify trends and opportunities. You can also see the parent topic of any keyword, which is the best page to rank for that keyword and all its variations.
Another great feature of Keywords Explorer is the ability to generate keyword ideas based on different methods, such as having the same terms, matching terms, and questions, ranking for, search suggestions, newly discovered, and more. You can also filter and sort the keyword ideas by various metrics, such as volume, difficulty, clicks, CPC, etc.
Backlink Analysis
Ahrefs has the largest and freshest backlink index of any SEO tool. It claims to have over 25 trillion links and 295 billion pages in its database. You can enter any domain or URL and get a comprehensive overview of its backlink profile. You can see metrics such as domain rating (DR), URL rating (UR), referring domains (RD), referring IPs (RI), referring pages (RP), anchor text, link type, platform, language, traffic, and more.
You can also use various filters and sorting options to narrow down your results and find the most relevant and valuable links. For example, you can filter by link type (dofollow or nofollow), platform (blogs, forums, etc.), language (English, Spanish, etc.), traffic (high or low), etc. You can also sort by URL rating (UR), domain rating (DR), traffic (high or low), etc.
One of the most useful features of Ahrefs’ backlink analysis tool is the Link Intersect feature. This feature allows you to find the common backlinks of up to 10 competitors. This can help you identify link-building opportunities and gaps in your strategy. You can also see the link context of each backlink, which shows you where and how the link was placed on the page.
Another useful feature of Ahrefs’ backlink analysis tool is the Batch Analysis feature. This feature allows you to analyze up to 200 domains or URLs at once. You can see metrics such as domain rating (DR), URL rating (UR), referring domains (RD), referring IPs (RI), referring pages (RP), anchor text, link type, platform, language, traffic, and more for each domain or URL.
Competitor Analysis
Ahrefs has a powerful competitor analysis tool that helps you discover and analyze your competitors’ SEO strategies. You can enter any domain or URL and get a detailed report on its organic traffic, keywords, backlinks, paid traffic, content quality, social media presence, and more.
One of the best features of Ahrefs’ competitor analysis tool is the ability to see the top pages of any domain or URL. You can see metrics such as organic traffic (estimated monthly visits from Google), keywords (number of keywords that the page ranks for in Google’s top 100 results), backlinks (number of unique domains that link to the page), social shares (number of times the page was shared on Facebook and Pinterest), and more.
Another great feature of Ahrefs’ competitor analysis tool is the ability to see the top keywords of any domain or URL. You can see metrics such as keyword difficulty (KD), search volume (SV), clicks (estimated monthly clicks from Google’s top 100 results), click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC), parent topic (the best page to rank for that keyword and all its variations), SERP features (the special elements that appear in Google’s search results for that keyword), and more.
Site Audit
Ahrefs has a comprehensive site audit tool that crawls your website and detects over 100 common SEO issues. You can see metrics such as health score (a percentage that indicates how well your website performs in terms of SEO), errors (critical issues that need immediate attention), warnings (less critical issues that still need attention), notices (potential issues that may not affect your SEO performance but are worth checking out), and more.
You can also see detailed information about each issue, such as severity level (high, medium or low), affected URLs (the number and list of URLs that have the issue), error type (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images, etc.), error code (the HTTP status code that indicates the issue), error details (a brief explanation of the issue and how to fix it), and more.
One of the most useful features of Ahrefs’ site audit tool is the ability to see the historical data of your site’s health score and issues. You can see how your site’s performance has changed over time, and identify trends and patterns. You can also see the progress of your fixes and improvements, and measure the impact of your SEO efforts.
Another useful feature of Ahrefs’ site audit tool is the ability to create custom reports and share them with your team or clients. You can choose which metrics and issues to include in your report, and customize the layout and design. You can also export your report as a PDF or CSV file, or share it via a URL.
Rank Tracking
Ahrefs has a reliable rank-tracking tool that helps you monitor your rankings for your target keywords in Google and other search engines. You can enter up to 10,000 keywords and track their rankings for any country, language, or device. You can see metrics such as position (the rank of your page in Google’s top 100 results), visibility (the percentage of clicks that you get from your rankings), traffic (the estimated monthly visits that you get from your rankings), SERP features (the special elements that appear in Google’s search results for that keyword), and more.
You can also see historical data of your rankings and compare them with your competitors. You can see how your rankings have changed over time, and identify opportunities and threats. You can also see how your competitors are ranking for the same keywords, and analyze their strengths and weaknesses.
One of the best features of Ahrefs’ rank tracking tool is the ability to see the ranking distribution of your keywords. You can see how many keywords are ranking in each position range (1-3, 4-10, 11-20, etc.), and how they contribute to your visibility and traffic. You can also see the ranking distribution of your competitors, and compare them with yours.
Another great feature of Ahrefs’ rank tracking tool is the ability to set up alerts for your keywords. You can get notified via email or Slack when your keywords move up or down in rankings, enter or leave the top 10 results, gain or lose SERP features, or reach a certain position or traffic threshold. You can also get notified when your competitors make significant changes in their rankings.
Ahrefs Account
To create an Ahrefs account, you can follow these steps:
- Go to the Ahrefs website and click on the “Sign up” button.
- Choose a plan
- Enter your email address and create a password.
- Agree to the terms of service and click on the “Create account” button.
Once you have created an account, you will need to purchase a subscription plan. Ahrefs offers three subscription plans: Lite, Standard, Advanced, and Enterprise. The Basic Plan (Lite) costs $99 per month, the Standard Plan costs $199, the Advanced Plan costs $399 and the Enterprise Plan costs $999 which is customizable.
Click here to check pricing and details.
After you have purchased a subscription plan, you will be able to access the Ahrefs web interface. The web interface provides a variety of tools for SEO research, including backlink analysis, keyword research, and site audit.
Here are some of the benefits of having an Ahrefs account:
- Access to a wealth of SEO data, including backlinks, organic traffic, social media shares, and keyword rankings.
- Use the data to improve your website’s SEO performance.
- Automate tasks, such as backlink analysis or keyword research.
- Integrate the Ahrefs data with other applications.
- Get access to data that is not available in the Ahrefs web interface.
Ahrefs API
- What is the Ahrefs API?
The Ahrefs API is a RESTful API that allows you to access the data from Ahrefs’ index of over 90 billion websites. The API provides information on a variety of metrics, including backlinks, organic traffic, social media shares, and keyword rankings.
- Who can use the Ahrefs API?
The Ahrefs API is available to all Ahrefs users, regardless of their subscription plan. However, the number of requests you can make per month is limited by your subscription plan.
- How do I use the Ahrefs API?
To use the Ahrefs API, you will need to create an API key. You can do this by going to your Ahrefs account and clicking on “Account settings” > “API keys”. Once you have created an API key, you can start making requests to the API.
- What are the benefits of using the Ahrefs API?
There are many benefits to using the Ahrefs API. Here are a few:
- You can access the data from Ahrefs’ index programmatically. This means you can automate tasks like backlink analysis or keyword research.
- You can integrate the Ahrefs data with other applications. This could be a website builder, a CRM system, or a marketing automation platform.
- You can get access to data that is not available in the Ahrefs web interface. For example, you can get data on the referring IP addresses of a website’s backlinks.
- How much does it cost to use the Ahrefs API?
The cost of using the Ahrefs API depends on your subscription plan. The basic plan allows you to make 100 requests per month. The premium plan allows you to make 1,000 requests per month. The enterprise plan allows you to make unlimited requests.
Here you can check the comparison with other major SEO tools.
Spyfu vs Ahrefs
| Feature | SpyFu | Ahrefs |
|---|---|---|
| Data | SpyFu has a smaller data set than Ahrefs, but it is still very comprehensive. It includes data on backlinks, organic traffic, paid traffic, and social media. | Ahrefs has a much larger data set than SpyFu, with over 100 trillion backlinks and 1 billion keywords. It also includes data on keyword difficulty, SERP features, and search intent. |
| Tools | SpyFu offers a variety of tools for SEO research, including backlink analysis, keyword research, and competitor analysis. | Ahrefs also offers a variety of tools for SEO research, but it also has a number of additional features, such as a content explorer, a site audit, and a broken link checker. |
| Pricing | SpyFu offers three pricing plans: Lite, Standard, and Premium. The Lite plan costs $33 per month, the Standard plan costs $69 per month, and the Premium plan costs $199 per month. | Ahrefs offers four pricing plans: Lite, Standard, Advanced, and Agency. The Lite plan costs $99 per month, the Standard plan costs $179 per month, the Advanced plan costs $399 per month, and the Agency plan is priced on a custom basis. |
| Ease of use | SpyFu is easy to use, even for beginners. The interface is clear and straightforward, and the tools are easy to understand. | Ahrefs is also easy to use, but it is more complex than SpyFu. The interface is more cluttered, and the tools can be more difficult to understand. |
| Support | SpyFu offers 24/7 support via email and live chat. | Ahrefs also offers 24/7 support via email and live chat. |
Overall, Ahrefs is a more comprehensive and powerful SEO tool than SpyFu. It has a larger data set, more features, and a wider range of pricing options. However, SpyFu is also a good option, especially for beginners. It is easy to use and has a good selection of tools for SEO research.
Ahrefs vs Majestic
| Feature | Ahrefs | Majestic |
|---|---|---|
| Data | Ahrefs has a larger data set than Majestic, with over 100 trillion backlinks and 1 billion keywords. It also includes data on keyword difficulty, SERP features, and search intent. | Majestic has a smaller data set than Ahrefs, but it is still very comprehensive. It includes data on backlinks, referring domains, and trust flow. |
| Tools | Ahrefs offers a wider range of tools than Majestic, including backlink analysis, keyword research, competitor analysis, content research, and site audit. | Majestic offers a more limited range of tools, but its backlink analysis tool is one of the most comprehensive and reliable in the industry. |
| Pricing | Ahrefs offers four pricing plans: Lite, Standard, Advanced, and Agency. The Lite plan costs $99 per month, the Standard plan costs $179 per month, the Advanced plan costs $399 per month, and the Agency plan is priced on a custom basis. | Majestic offers three pricing plans: Lite, Standard, and Pro. The Lite plan costs $49 per month, the Standard plan costs $99 per month, and the Pro plan costs $199 per month. |
| Ease of use | Ahrefs is more user-friendly than Majestic. The interface is more intuitive and the tools are easier to understand. | Majestic is more complex than Ahrefs. The interface is less intuitive and the tools can be more difficult to understand. |
| Support | Ahrefs offers 24/7 support via email and live chat. | Majestic offers 24/7 support via email. |
Overall, Ahrefs is a more comprehensive and powerful SEO tool than Majestic. It has a larger data set, more tools, and a wider range of pricing options. However, Majestic is also a good option, especially for its backlink analysis tool.
Ubersuggest vs Ahrefs
| Feature | Ubersuggest | Ahrefs |
|---|---|---|
| Data | Ubersuggest has a smaller data set than Ahrefs, but it is still very comprehensive. It includes data on backlinks, organic traffic, and keyword rankings. | Ahrefs has a much larger data set than Ubersuggest, with over 100 trillion backlinks and 1 billion keywords. It also includes data on keyword difficulty, SERP features, and search intent. |
| Tools | Ubersuggest offers a variety of tools for SEO research, including backlink analysis, keyword research, and competitor analysis. | Ahrefs also offers a variety of tools for SEO research, but it also has a number of additional features, such as a content explorer, a site audit, and a broken link checker. |
| Pricing | Ubersuggest offers four pricing plans: Free, Lite, Pro, and Agency. The Free plan is limited to 3 searches per day, the Lite plan costs $9.99 per month, the Pro plan costs $29.99 per month, and the Agency plan is priced on a custom basis. | Ahrefs offers four pricing plans: Lite, Standard, Advanced, and Agency. The Lite plan costs $99 per month, the Standard plan costs $179 per month, the Advanced plan costs $399 per month, and the Agency plan is priced on a custom basis. |
| Ease of use | Ubersuggest is easier to use than Ahrefs. The interface is more intuitive and the tools are easier to understand. | Ahrefs is more complex than Ubersuggest. The interface is less intuitive and the tools can be more difficult to understand. |
| Support | Ubersuggest offers 24/7 support via email. | Ahrefs also offers 24/7 support via email. |
Overall, Ahrefs is a more comprehensive and powerful SEO tool than Ubersuggest. It has a larger data set, more tools, and a wider range of pricing options. However, Ubersuggest is also a good option, especially for beginners. It is easy to use and has a good selection of tools for SEO research.
Ahrefs Review: Pros and Cons
Every tool comes with its strengths and weaknesses. In this Ahrefs review, we’ll delve into both to provide you with a balanced perspective.
Pros
- Comprehensive Backlink Analysis: Ahrefs boasts an extensive backlink database, making it an indispensable resource for understanding your website’s authority and identifying link-building opportunities.
- Keyword Research Made Easy: The Keyword Explorer simplifies the process of finding valuable keywords, ensuring that your content targets the right audience.
- Site Audit for SEO Health: Site Audit is a powerful feature that helps you keep your website in top-notch SEO shape, ensuring optimal performance.
- Competitor Analysis: Ahrefs allows you to spy on your competitors, uncovering their strategies and identifying areas where you can gain a competitive edge.
Cons
- Pricing: Ahrefs is a premium tool, and while it offers incredible value, it may be expensive for smaller businesses or individuals.
- Steep Learning Curve: Ahrefs can be a bit overwhelming for beginners due to its wealth of features and data. However, the learning curve is worth the effort.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this Ahrefs review has shed light on the capabilities and limitations of this powerful SEO tool. Ahrefs stands as a formidable ally in the quest for SEO excellence, offering invaluable insights into your website’s performance, competitor strategies, and keyword opportunities. While it may come with a price tag and a learning curve, the rewards it brings to your SEO efforts are well worth the investment.
So, if you’re serious about conquering the digital realm and staying at the forefront of search engine optimization, Ahrefs is a tool you should undoubtedly consider integrating into your toolkit.
Thank you for reading this Ahrefs review, and may your SEO endeavours be met with resounding success!
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A seasoned blogger with over a decade of experience, Eric has been sharing his thoughts and ideas online for as long as he can remember. From tech tips to travel tales, he loves connecting with people through his words. Join Eric on this journey as he explores the digital world together.
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