How To Use Ahrefs: A Practical Workflow For Keyword Research, Content, And Backlinks

How to use Ahrefs is one of those questions we hear right after a new WordPress site goes live and the adrenaline wears off. We have watched smart teams stare at a dashboard full of numbers, then freeze because they do not know what to trust.

Quick answer: treat Ahrefs like a workflow tool, not a magic oracle. Set up clean data, run a repeatable keyword loop, sanity-check SERPs, then turn the findings into pages, links, and weekly reports with guardrails.

Set Up Ahrefs For Reliable Data (Before You Trust Any Numbers)

Bad inputs create confident wrong answers. We set up Ahrefs the same way every time, because it keeps decisions calm and defensible.

Connect Projects, Verify Your Site, And Choose Target Locations

Start in Site Explorer and add your domain. Then connect Google Search Console inside Ahrefs if you can. That link helps Ahrefs line up its crawl and keyword views with the queries you already earn.

Next steps:

• Pick your target country (and city if local matters). Location affects SERPs, volume, and even the “easy wins” you think you have.
• Decide on HTTP vs HTTPS and www vs non-www versions, then stay consistent.
• Add competitors as separate projects so you can compare like-for-like later.

If you run multiple storefronts or subdomains (shop.yourdomain.com, help.yourdomain.com), add them deliberately. Otherwise, you will chase “traffic drops” that are really just tracking scope.

Understand What Ahrefs Measures (And What It Does Not)

Ahrefs estimates search volume, click behavior, and ranking difficulty. It also reports link data from its own crawler. That means two important truths:

• Ahrefs data -> informs -> SEO decisions. It does not “prove” a page will rank.
• Keyword Difficulty (KD) -> estimates -> link-based competition. KD does not measure your content quality, your brand, or Google’s mood.

KD runs on a 0–100 scale. Treat it like a relative label, not a promise. We use it to sort options, then we confirm reality in the SERP.

If you need a sanity anchor, Ahrefs’ own documentation is clear that metrics are directional. They help you choose where to spend time, not guarantee outcomes.

Start With A Safe Keyword Research Loop

This is the part that keeps teams from spiraling into “keyword soup.” We want a loop you can run every Monday, even when life gets loud.

Use Keywords Explorer To Find Intent-Driven Topics

Open Keywords Explorer and drop in a seed term that matches what you sell.

Examples:

• WooCommerce store: “custom t-shirts,” “hair salon booking,” “HVAC maintenance plan”
• Professional services: “estate planning lawyer,” “telehealth billing,” “cybersecurity audit”

Then scan:

• Matching terms for close variations
• Related terms for adjacent intent
• Questions for blog angles that earn top-of-funnel visits

Here is why: search intent -> controls -> what Google rewards. A “pricing” query wants comparison and numbers. A “how to” query wants steps, screenshots, and a clean structure.

We like a simple first filter:

• Volume: > 100 (adjust for niche)
• KD: < 30 (adjust for authority)

That filter does one job. It keeps your first list in the “possible” zone.

Validate Difficulty With SERP Review, Not Just Keyword Difficulty

Now click the SERP overview in Ahrefs.

We look for signals you can act on:

• Low DR sites -> rank -> with focused pages. If you see DR around 20–40 in the top results, you may have a shot.
• SERP features -> change -> click patterns. A big AI answer box or a heavy map pack can reduce clicks.
• Content format -> sets -> the entry price. If every top result is a tool page, your blog post will struggle.

A quick gut check helps too: if the top results come from massive brands and government sites only, we move on. No shame. Time stays precious.

Build A Keyword List You Can Actually Execute

A keyword list becomes useful when it turns into a schedule.

We group keywords by:

• Parent topic (one page can cover many close terms)
• Intent (learn, compare, buy, book)
• Business value (does it lead to leads, sales, or email signups)

Then we label each keyword with a simple decision:

• New page (no existing URL fits)
• Update existing (page exists but misses intent)
• Support content (blog, FAQ, glossary)

This is where “how to use Ahrefs” becomes real. Ahrefs gives you options. Your list gives you restraint.

Reverse-Engineer Competitors Without Copying Them

Competitor research works best when it answers one question: “What is already working, and where can we beat it with a clearer offer?”

Use Site Explorer To Identify Top Pages And Traffic Drivers

In Site Explorer, drop in a competitor domain.

Look at:

• Top pages (their biggest traffic magnets)
• Organic keywords (what each page ranks for)
• Traffic value (a proxy for commercial intent)

We often find surprises. A competitor may get most traffic from a boring policy page or a glossary post. That tells you something: simple pages -> attract -> consistent searches.

If your business depends on leads, scan their pages for conversion mechanics. Do they use a booking widget? A quote form? A strong “areas served” block? Those patterns matter more than their adjectives.

Find Keyword Gaps And Content Gaps That Match Your Offers

Use Content Gap to compare your domain against two or three competitors.

Then filter the results:

• Remove branded terms you cannot win
• Keep terms that match services you actually deliver
• Prioritize terms where you already have a related page, but it ranks on page two

This is also a good time to think about links. Some gaps exist because competitors built authority.

If you want a grounded approach to that side of Ahrefs, we wrote a practical guide on using backlinks without chasing vanity scores and how Domain Rating relates to real outcomes.

Turn Research Into A Content Plan That Ships

A plan should reduce debate, not create it. We like content plans that tell you what to publish, where it lives, and what “done” means.

Use Content Explorer To Find Proven Angles And Linkable Topics

Open Content Explorer and search your parent topic.

Sort by:

• Referring domains (link attraction)
• Organic traffic (demand)
• Recent publish dates (freshness)

Then ask one blunt question: “Can we make this clearer, more current, and more specific to our audience?”

Example:

• Instead of “SEO checklist,” you publish “SEO checklist for WooCommerce category pages.”
• Instead of “WordPress speed tips,” you publish “speed fixes for Elementor sites with WooCommerce.”

Specificity -> attracts -> the right visitors.

Map Keywords To Pages: New Content Vs. Updates

Now we map each cluster to a URL.

Rules we use:

• One primary intent per page.
• One clear conversion per page (book, buy, subscribe).
• Each page needs a next step that fits the visitor’s stage.

Updates often beat new posts. If an existing service page ranks at position 11, a rewrite and internal link push can move it faster than launching a brand-new article.

We keep the plan simple:

• 2 pages to update this month
• 2 new posts to publish
• 1 linkable asset (template, calculator, checklist)

That mix keeps publishing realistic for small teams.

Build Internal Links And Fix Technical SEO Issues Inside Ahrefs

When rankings stall, internal links and technical issues often sit behind the curtain. Ahrefs can surface both, if you run it with intent.

Use Site Audit To Catch Indexing, Speed, And On-Page Problems

Run Site Audit and connect it to your sitemap.

We focus on problems that create real loss:

• Noindex or canonical mistakes -> remove -> pages from results.
• 4xx errors -> break -> user paths and link equity.
• Slow templates -> reduce -> conversions on mobile.

If dead URLs show up, fix them fast. They annoy users and waste crawl time.

If you want a fast walkthrough for this, our guide on finding and fixing broken links with Ahrefs covers the clean steps we use on WordPress sites.

Use Internal Link Opportunities To Strengthen Priority Pages

Ahrefs can suggest internal link opportunities based on mentions and context.

We apply a simple rule:

• Internal links -> send -> authority to money pages.

Pick 3–5 priority URLs (service pages, product categories, lead magnets). Then add internal links from relevant blog posts and FAQs.

Keep anchors natural. Use words that describe the destination, not the same exact phrase every time.

And yes, internal links still matter a lot on WordPress. They give Google a clearer map of what you consider important.

Run Backlink Checks And Do Outreach The Responsible Way

Links help, but sloppy link work creates risk. We treat backlink checks like a financial audit: calm, documented, and a little skeptical.

Audit Backlinks, Anchors, And Referring Domains For Risk

In Site Explorer, open the Backlinks report.

We scan for:

• Sudden spikes in new referring domains
• Anchors that look spammy or irrelevant
• Sitewide footer links that feel paid

Patterns -> trigger -> manual review. We do not panic, but we do look.

If you work in legal, medical, finance, or anything regulated, keep humans in the loop. Never paste client personal data into notes, outreach tools, or AI prompts. Data handling stays boring on purpose.

Find Realistic Link Prospects And Track Outreach

We find prospects by:

• Looking at where competitors earned links (and why)
• Finding resource pages that list tools or guides in your niche
• Pitching updates to broken or outdated references

Then we qualify sites with common sense:

• Topical match
• Real traffic
• Clean design and real authors

A small outreach tracker is enough:

• URL
• Contact name
• Pitch angle
• Status
• Date

Outreach -> rewards -> consistency, not volume. Five good emails beat fifty weird ones.

Measure Progress With Simple Reports And Guardrails

If you do not measure, you end up arguing from vibes. We keep reporting light so it actually happens.

Track Rankings, Wins, And Losses With A Weekly Routine

Use Rank Tracker and check in once a week.

We track:

• 20–50 priority keywords
• A few “near wins” (positions 8–20)
• One conversion metric (leads, purchases, bookings)

Rank changes -> signal -> what to refresh.

If a page jumps, we ask why. Did internal links increase? Did the SERP shift? Did a competitor drop? That answer tells you the next move.

Set Data Handling Rules For Clients, Regulated Niches, And Teams

We set simple guardrails in writing:

• Do not upload private client data into third-party tools unless the contract allows it.
• Keep GSC access limited to the people who need it.
• Store exports and reports in one shared folder with clear naming.

Rules -> prevent -> accidental leaks.

Ahrefs helps you move faster, but your process keeps you safe. That is the trade we like: speed with receipts.

Conclusion

If you want to know how to use Ahrefs without burning a week, keep it boring: set up clean tracking, run the same keyword loop, confirm intent in the SERP, then ship pages and links in small batches. The teams that win treat Ahrefs like a steady instrument panel, not a slot machine.

If you want us to map this into your WordPress setup, we can. We build the workflow, the templates, and the guardrails so your marketing stays consistent, even when your calendar does not.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Use Ahrefs

How to use Ahrefs after launching a new website?

Start by treating Ahrefs as a workflow tool, not a guarantee machine. Add your domain in Site Explorer, connect Google Search Console, set your target country, and standardize HTTPS and www settings. Then run a repeatable weekly keyword-and-SERP review so decisions stay consistent.

What does Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty (KD) mean, and how should I use it?

Keyword Difficulty is a 0–100 estimate of link-based competition, not a score for content quality or brand strength. Use KD to sort and prioritize keywords, then confirm reality in the SERP overview. It’s directional data meant to guide effort—not prove a page will rank.

How do I do keyword research in Ahrefs without ending up with “keyword soup”?

Use a simple loop in Keywords Explorer: start with a seed term, review Matching/Related terms and Questions, then filter for realistic options (for example, Volume over 100 and KD under 30). Group keywords by parent topic, intent, and business value to create an executable plan.

How can I validate a keyword is winnable in Ahrefs beyond KD?

Open the SERP overview and look for practical signals: lower-DR sites ranking (often DR 20–40), SERP features that may reduce clicks (maps, AI answers), and the dominant content format (tools vs guides). If only huge brands dominate, deprioritize and move on.

How to use Ahrefs to find and fix technical SEO issues on WordPress?

Run Site Audit, connect your sitemap, and prioritize issues that cause real loss: accidental noindex/canonical mistakes, 4xx errors, and slow templates that hurt mobile conversions. Fix dead URLs quickly to avoid wasting crawl budget and breaking internal paths and link equity.

Can Ahrefs replace Google Search Console for SEO reporting?

Not fully. Ahrefs is excellent for competitive research, keyword discovery, backlink analysis, and audits, but Google Search Console is the source for your actual clicks, impressions, and query performance in Google. Best practice is to connect GSC to Ahrefs and use both for reporting and validation.