How to Use Ahrefs Keyword Explorer – Full Tutorial for Beginners

This guide outlines the steps to effectively use the Ahrefs Domain Explorer for keyword research.
Follow these instructions to explore matching terms, face match, and related terms to identify top-ranking keywords.

Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer is a powerful tool that helps you find relevant keywords, understand search demand, and evaluate SEO difficulty. It's ideal for discovering keyword ideas, analyzing competition, and planning content strategies that perform.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Access the Tool
Go to Ahrefs Keyword Explorer.
You can also use the browser extension or access it from the Ahrefs dashboard.

2. Enter Your Seed Keyword
Type in your primary topic or seed keyword.
Ahrefs will return keyword ideas and data related to that term.

3. Explore Keyword Ideas

• Related Terms: Keywords closely tied to your seed keyword.

• Matching Terms: Keywords that include your seed keyword exactly or partially.

• Questions: Search queries phrased as questions great for creating FAQs or blog posts.

4. Analyze Keyword Metrics
Each keyword comes with critical SEO metrics:

• Search Volume: Average monthly searches.

• Keyword Difficulty (KD): How hard it is to rank on the first page.

• Traffic Potential: Estimated traffic the top-ranking page gets.

• SERP Overview: A snapshot of top-ranking pages so you can evaluate your competition.

5. Refine with Filters
Narrow your keyword results by:

• Search volume

• Keyword difficulty

• Word count

• Click potential

• And more

Use Parent Topics to group keywords around central themes.

6. Run Competitor Analysis

• Go to Site Explorer and input a competitor’s URL.

• Use Content Gap to find keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t.
  This reveals opportunities you might be missing.

7. Organize Your Keywords
Create and save keyword lists to keep your research organized.
You can make them private or share with teammates.

8. Track Performance
Monitor keyword rankings over time in the Rank Tracker tool.
Adjust your strategy based on performance trends and changes in keyword difficulty.

Step-by-Step-Guide: How to Use Ahrefs Keyword Explorer

Step 1

Select the keyword explorer option and click to proceed.

Step 2

Use the search bar to enter the keyword you want to explore.

Step 3

Click the search button to continue.

Step 4

Proceed to the "Matching Terms" section and click to access it.

Step 5

Explore the "Phrase Match", it shows keyword ideas containing your target keyword in the exact order you entered them.

Step 6

Click on "Terms match" it, displays keyword ideas containing your target keyword, regardless of the order of terms.

Step 7

Then click on "Questions" section, it displays keyword ideas as questions, helping find informational queries.

Step 8

Move on to the "Related Terms" section for further exploration.

Step 9

Visit the "Ask for Rank" section to view the top-ranking pages associated with your target keywords.

Step 10

Navigate to the " Also talk about" section, which focuses on top-ranking pages and frequently maintained target keywords.

Step 11

Conclude by visiting the " Search suggestion" section for additional guidance.

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

Pro-tips for using Ahrefs keyword explorer

• Use filters like search volume, keyword difficulty, and CPC to find the best keywords for your strategy.

• Analyze parent topics to target broader keywords and increase ranking potential.

• Utilize the questions filter to find long-tail keywords that match search intent.

Common pitfalls & how to avoid them while using Ahrefs keyword explorer

• Ignoring keyword difficulty – Choose keywords with a difficulty score that aligns with your site's authority.

• Focusing only on high-volume keywords – Sometimes, lower-volume, low-competition keywords provide better ranking opportunities.

• Not analyzing search intent – Make sure your content matches what users are looking for.

Common FAQs for using Ahrefs keyword explorer

• What is the difference between keyword difficulty and search volume?
  Keyword difficulty indicates how hard it is to rank for a keyword, while search volume shows how often a keyword is searched.

• Can I find long-tail keywords in Ahrefs Keyword Explorer?
  Yes, use the questions filter or look at related terms with lower search volume but high intent.

• How accurate is the keyword data in Ahrefs?
  Ahrefs uses clickstream data and third-party sources to provide estimates, but real performance may vary.

• Can I export keyword lists from Ahrefs Keyword Explorer?
  Yes, you can export keyword data as a CSV file for further analysis.

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