Ahrefs competitor backlinks research helps you see which websites link to your competitors, which pages attract links, and where your own link opportunities may exist. For beginner SEO practitioners, this is a practical way to build links based on real data instead of guessing. In addition, Ahrefs gives you several reports that make competitor backlink analysis easier to understand.
This guide explains how to use Ahrefs competitor backlinks data with Ahrefs Site Explorer, Ahrefs backlink checker, referring domains, and Link Intersect. By the end, you will know how to find useful backlink opportunities and avoid wasting time on low-quality links.
What Are Ahrefs Competitor Backlinks?
Ahrefs competitor backlinks are links pointing to competitor websites that you can study inside Ahrefs. These backlinks show where competitors are getting mentions, referrals, and authority from other websites.
However, the goal is not to copy every backlink. Instead, you should find links that are relevant, realistic, and useful for your website. Because of this, competitor backlink analysis is more about filtering opportunities than collecting a huge list of links.
For example, if three competitor websites receive links from the same industry blog, that blog may also be open to linking to your content. Therefore, Ahrefs competitor backlinks can help you find outreach targets that already link to similar websites.
Why Use Ahrefs for Competitor Backlink Analysis?
Ahrefs is one of the most popular paid backlink tools because it offers several reports for SEO competitor analysis. You can use Ahrefs Site Explorer to review a competitor’s backlink profile, Ahrefs referring domains, anchor text, linked pages, and lost or new backlinks.
In addition, Ahrefs says its backlink index includes over 15 trillion live backlinks. This makes the Ahrefs backlink checker useful when you want a wide view of competitor link data.
For beginners, the main benefit is structure. Instead of manually searching Google for every mention, you can use Ahrefs competitor backlinks reports to quickly see which websites link to your competitors and which pages receive the most links.
Free vs Paid Ahrefs Backlink Tools
Ahrefs has both free and paid backlink tools. The Ahrefs free backlink checker can help you check a small sample of backlinks for a website, which is useful for quick research.
However, deeper Ahrefs competitor backlinks research usually needs paid backlink tools. Paid reports give you more filtering, exporting, historical data, and competitor comparison options.
Here is a simple way to think about it:
| Tool Option | Best Use |
| Ahrefs free backlink checker | Quick backlink checks |
| Ahrefs backlink checker | Reviewing backlink samples |
| Ahrefs Site Explorer | Deep competitor backlink analysis |
| Ahrefs Link Intersect tool | Finding sites that link to competitors but not you |
| Ahrefs organic traffic report | Checking whether linked pages may have traffic value |
Therefore, start free if you are learning. Then, use paid backlink tools when you need more complete data for outreach and link building.
How to Find Ahrefs Competitor Backlinks Step by Step
Step 1: Choose Real SEO Competitors
Start by choosing three to five competitor websites. However, do not only choose the biggest brands in your niche.
Instead, pick sites that rank for the same keywords, publish similar content, and target similar readers. For example, a small niche site should compare itself with other niche sites, not only large media companies.
This makes your Ahrefs competitor backlinks research more realistic. As a result, you will find link opportunities you may actually be able to win.
Step 2: Open Ahrefs Site Explorer
Next, open Ahrefs Site Explorer and enter a competitor domain. You can analyze the full domain, a subfolder, or a specific page.
For beginner SEO work, start with the full competitor domain. Then, review the backlink profile, Ahrefs domain rating, Ahrefs URL rating, organic traffic estimates, and referring domains.
This gives you a quick overview of how strong the competitor’s link profile is. In addition, it helps you decide whether that competitor is worth analyzing further.
Step 3: Review the Backlinks Report
After that, open the Backlinks report. This report helps you see the specific pages linking to your competitor.
Look at the linking page, target URL, anchor text, link type, and surrounding content. Meanwhile, avoid focusing only on Ahrefs domain rating because a high-DR website can still have an irrelevant or weak link placement.
Use this simple checklist:
- Is the linking website relevant?
- Is the link placed inside useful content?
- Does the anchor text look natural?
- Is the target page similar to something you can create?
- Can you contact the website owner or editor?
If the answer is yes, add the link source to your outreach list.
Step 4: Check Ahrefs Referring Domains
Backlinks and referring domains are not the same. Backlinks are individual links, while referring domains are unique websites linking to a target.
For competitor backlink analysis, referring domains are usually more useful than total backlink count. One website can link to a competitor many times, so reviewing unique domains gives you a cleaner opportunity list.
Open the Ahrefs referring domains report and sort by relevance, authority, or traffic potential. Then, look for industry blogs, resource pages, directories, partner pages, and niche websites that could also mention your brand.
How to Use Ahrefs Link Intersect Tool
The Ahrefs Link Intersect tool helps you find websites that link to competitors but do not link to you yet. This is one of the fastest ways to find backlink gaps.
To use it, enter your website and several competitor websites. Then, Ahrefs will show domains or pages that link to those competitors but not your site.
This is useful because a website linking to multiple competitors may already be interested in your niche. Therefore, these prospects can be better outreach targets than random websites from a cold list.
When reviewing Link Intersect results, prioritize websites that link to two or more competitors. In addition, check whether the link type is realistic, such as a resource page, listicle, guest post, or expert roundup.
Ahrefs Metrics Beginners Should Understand
Ahrefs gives you many metrics, but beginners only need a few to start. Focus on metrics that help you judge quality and opportunity.
Use these Ahrefs metrics carefully:
- Ahrefs domain rating: estimates the strength of a website’s backlink profile.
- Ahrefs URL rating: estimates the strength of a specific page’s link profile.
- Ahrefs anchor text report: shows the text used in backlinks.
- Ahrefs new backlinks: shows recently discovered links.
- Ahrefs lost backlinks: shows links that disappeared.
- Ahrefs organic traffic report: helps estimate whether a page may bring search visitors.
However, do not make decisions based on one metric. Instead, combine metrics with manual review, niche relevance, and outreach potential.
How to Choose Backlinks Worth Targeting
Not every competitor backlink is worth your time. Some links are paid, spammy, unrelated, or impossible to replicate.
Use this simple scoring system:
| Factor | Question |
| Relevance | Is the website related to your niche? |
| Authority | Does the site look trusted? |
| Replicability | Can you realistically get a similar link? |
| Placement | Is the link inside useful content? |
| Risk | Does the site look spammy or manipulative? |
In addition, give each factor a score from 1 to 5. Then, prioritize links with high relevance, realistic replicability, and low risk.
This approach makes Ahrefs competitor backlinks research more practical. Instead of chasing every link, you focus on backlinks that support a cleaner link building strategy.
Common Mistakes When Using Ahrefs Competitor Backlinks
Many beginners use SEO competitor analysis tools too aggressively. They export thousands of links, but they do not know which ones matter.
Avoid these common mistakes:
- Copying every competitor backlink.
- Looking only at Ahrefs domain rating.
- Ignoring referring domains.
- Forgetting to check anchor text.
- Chasing links from unrelated websites.
- Not checking whether the page has real content.
- Skipping outreach tracking.
- Ignoring Ahrefs lost backlinks and Ahrefs new backlinks.
Instead, build a small list of strong prospects first. Then, contact websites with a clear reason why your content is useful.
Beginner Workflow for Ahrefs Backlink Analysis
Use this simple workflow:
- Pick three to five real competitors.
- Open each competitor in Ahrefs Site Explorer.
- Review backlinks and referring domains.
- Use Link Intersect to find backlink gaps.
- Filter prospects by relevance and quality.
- Save the best links in a spreadsheet.
- Write personalized outreach messages.
- Track contact status and results.
Because this workflow is simple, you can repeat it every month. Over time, your outreach list will become more focused and useful.
FAQs About Ahrefs Competitor Backlinks
What are Ahrefs competitor backlinks?
Ahrefs competitor backlinks are links pointing to competitor websites that you can review inside Ahrefs. They help you find referring domains, anchor text patterns, linked pages, and possible outreach opportunities.
Is Ahrefs good for competitor backlink analysis?
Yes, Ahrefs is useful for competitor backlink analysis because it includes Site Explorer, backlink reports, referring domains, Link Intersect, and anchor text data. However, you still need manual review to judge link quality.
Can I use Ahrefs for free?
Yes, you can use the Ahrefs free backlink checker for quick checks. However, full Ahrefs competitor backlinks research usually needs paid features for deeper reports, filters, and exports.
What is Ahrefs Link Intersect?
Ahrefs Link Intersect is a tool that shows websites linking to your competitors but not to you. Therefore, it helps you find backlink gaps and possible link opportunities.
What is the difference between backlinks and referring domains?
Backlinks are individual links pointing to a website. Referring domains are unique websites that send those links, so one referring domain can create multiple backlinks.
Should I copy all competitor backlinks?
No, you should not copy all competitor backlinks. Instead, choose links that are relevant, safe, realistic, and useful for your audience.
Conclusion
Ahrefs competitor backlinks research is useful because it turns competitor data into clear link opportunities. Start with Ahrefs Site Explorer, review backlinks and referring domains, then use the Ahrefs Link Intersect tool to find websites that link to competitors but not to you.
However, do not chase every backlink. Instead, focus on relevant websites, natural anchor text, useful content placement, and realistic outreach opportunities.
As a result, Ahrefs competitor backlinks research can help you build a smarter link building strategy without guessing. If you want feedback on your SEO workflow, join the Scale Xpert Discord community here.
