How to Use Ahrefs to Analyze Backlinks – Complete Guide

This guide explains how to use Ahrefs' Site Explorer to analyze a domain's backlinks.
Follow these steps to navigate the tool, find valuable backlinks, and export the data for further analysis.

Ahrefs is one of the most comprehensive SEO tools for analyzing backlinks, finding link opportunities, and strengthening your website’s authority. Here's a streamlined guide to using it effectively:

1. Analyze Competitor Backlinks

• Find Competitors
  Use Site Explorer → Organic Competitors to discover who ranks for the same keywords.

• Explore Their Backlinks
  Enter a competitor’s URL into Site Explorer, then go to the Backlinks report.

• Filter Smartly
  Use the "Dofollow" filter to see links that pass authority. Sort by DR or traffic to find high-value links.

• Review Referring Domains & Anchors
  Use the Referring Domains tab and analyze anchor texts to see what content is attracting links—and why.

• Use "Best by Links" Report
  See which of their pages earn the most backlinks—these are likely linkable assets or content hubs.

2. Discover Link Building Opportunities

• Broken Link Building
  Go to a competitor’s Best by Links report, filter for 404s, then offer your content as a replacement.

• Guest Post Prospecting
  Use Content Explorer to find blogs in your niche that accept guest posts.

• Find Unlinked Mentions
  Use Ahrefs Alerts to track brand mentions, then check if they’ve linked to you—if not, reach out.

• Content Gap Analysis
  Use the Content Gap tool to find keywords your competitors rank for—but you don’t. Target those with high-quality content.

3. Audit Your Own Backlink Profile

• Monitor Link Growth
  In Site Explorer, view the Backlinks and Referring Domains graphs to track link-building progress.

• Detect Toxic Links
  Watch for links from spammy domains or unnatural anchors—these may need disavowing.

• Evaluate Anchor Text
  Check if your link anchors are over-optimized or lacking variety. Aim for a natural mix.

4. Reclaim Lost or Broken Links

• Set Up Backlink Alerts
  Get notified when you gain or lose backlinks via Ahrefs Alerts.

• Fix Lost Backlinks
  Use the Lost Backlinks report to find opportunities to restore removed or broken links—often a quick win.

5. Bonus Tools for Better Link Strategy

• Ahrefs SEO Toolbar
  Analyze backlink and SEO metrics directly in your browser.

• Content Explorer
  Discover top-performing content in your niche—great for outreach and idea generation.

• Ahrefs API
  Automate backlink tracking and integrate data into custom dashboards
  
  

Step-by-Step-Guide: How to Use Ahrefs to Analyze Backlinks

Step 1

Enter the domain name you want to analyze into the search bar.

Step 2

Click the "Search" button to start the analysis.

Step 3

locate and click on the "Backlink Profile" option to proceed.

Step 4

Click on "Backlinks" .

Step 5

Locate and select the "Best Links" option.

Step 6

Click on "Show Best Links Only" to filter the results.

Step 7

Click on "Show Results" to display the refined list of backlinks.

Step 8

If you wish to download the data, navigate to the "Export" option and click on it to save the results.

That's it. This is a step-by-step guide on how to use Ahrefs for backlinks.

Pro-tips for using Ahrefs for backlinks

• Use the Backlink Profile tool to analyze your site's backlink health and identify quality links.

• Filter backlinks by do-follow to focus on the most valuable links for SEO.

• Monitor your lost backlinks to reclaim important links.

Common pitfalls & how to avoid them while using Ahrefs for backlinks

• Ignoring backlink quality – Focus on acquiring high-authority backlinks instead of just increasing the number of links.

• Not monitoring lost backlinks – Keep track of lost links and reach out to webmasters for recovery.

• Neglecting anchor text analysis – Ensure your backlinks use diverse, natural anchor texts to avoid penalties.

Common FAQs for using Ahrefs for backlinks

• Can I see my competitors backlinks?
  Yes, enter a competitor’s website in Site Explorer, then go to the Backlinks tab to view their backlink sources.

• What is a do-follow vs. no-follow backlink?
  Do-follow backlinks pass SEO value to your site, while no-follow links do not contribute directly to rankings but can still drive traffic.

• How do I find broken backlinks in Ahrefs?
  Use the Broken Backlinks tool under Site Explorer to identify links pointing to non-existent pages on your site.

• Can I export backlink data from Ahrefs?
  Yes, you can export backlink reports as a CSV file for further analysis.

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