Item: Ahrefs
Rating: 9
Author: Verified User

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I used Ahrefs for a number of years within a large scale online real estate site. I now use it as part of consulting engagements. Ahrefs allows marketing professionals, particularly SEO professionals, to see competitor backlinks. In this regard, it's also incredibly useful for content marketing idea generation, as well as PR outreach.

Pros and Cons

Competitor backlink research
Competitor keyword position research
Easy exporting of all search results to Excel or CSV files

Somewhat epensive for small orgs/one man teams
Site can run very slowly when you get deep into link results

Return on Investment

Positive improvements in organic search rankings
Great research tool for competitive analysis
No clear negatives other than cost

Alternatives Considered

SpyFu and SEMRush

SEMRush is the clear competitor and beats Ahrefs for keyword position tracking and keyword competitive analysis. However, Ahrefs is a clear winner in the quality and timeliness of their backlink database. Both should be used in conjunction.

Other Software Used

SEMRush, SimilarWeb PRO

Likelihood to Recommend

Well suited for SEO teams looking to mimic or beat competitors in organic search rankings. Backlinks are a big driver of this success. Also well suited for PR teams looking to see where competitors were mentioned in online news outlets.

Not well suited for those without at least a basic understanding of digital marketing.

Ahrefs is a solid SEO software tool for backlinks & more

Overall Satisfaction with Ahrefs Site Explorer