So, you’ve heard about Ahrefs — that fancy tool all the SEO folks rave about. Maybe you even signed up, opened the dashboard, and then sat there thinking… “Okay, now what?”
Totally normal.
Ahrefs can look crazy intimidating at first. With all its buttons, graphs, filters, and terms like “KD,” “CTR,” and “SERP features,” it’s easy to get lost before you even start.
But here’s the deal: once you know exactly what to do, Ahrefs becomes a total game-changer for your blog’s SEO. It helps you find keyword ideas, know what’s actually worth writing, and spy (nicely 😄) on what your competitors are ranking for.
And the best part? You don’t need to be an SEO expert to make it work. You just need a guide.
So that’s what this is. A real, plain-English, step-by-step guide to using Ahrefs for keyword research — written by someone who’s been through the confusion and came out the other side.
Ready to dig in?
🎯 What Even Is Ahrefs?
Let’s start simple.
Ahrefs is an all-in-one SEO tool that lets you do things like:
- Find keyword ideas
- See how difficult it’ll be to rank for them
- Look at what other blogs are ranking for
- Track your keyword rankings
- Audit your own site for SEO issues
There’s a lot more, but we’re focusing on keyword research today.
So let’s say you want to write a blog post that people can actually find on Google. You’ll use Ahrefs to:
- Get keyword ideas in your niche
- Check how competitive each one is
- Find out what kind of content already ranks
- Choose the best keywords for your site
- Build your article around them
Now let’s break it all down, step-by-step.
🔍 Step 1: Use the Keyword Explorer
Alright, this is where the magic starts.
Go to Ahrefs Keyword Explorer and type in a broad term related to your blog. For example:
- “Meal prep” if you blog about food
- “Freelancing tips” if you help freelancers
- “Budget travel” if you’re in the travel niche
Then hit search.
You’ll land on a dashboard with a ton of info — don’t panic. Here’s what to focus on:
✅ Keyword Difficulty (KD)
This tells you how hard it’ll be to rank in Google’s top 10.
- KD under 10 = easy
- 10–30 = moderate
- 30+ = more competitive (but not impossible)
As a newer blog, stick to keywords under 20–25. It’s not about chasing big numbers — it’s about winning small ones first.
✅ Search Volume
This is how many times people search for that keyword per month.
Some folks get obsessed with volume — but don’t fall into that trap. A keyword with 100 searches a month and low difficulty is way better than one with 5,000 searches but insane competition.
You’re not trying to win the lottery. You’re trying to build momentum.
🧠 Step 2: Check Keyword Variations and Questions
Scroll down and click “Matching terms.”
Here you’ll find:
- Phrase match (keywords that include your phrase)
- Questions (keyword-based questions people are asking)
- Also rank for (keywords the top 10 results also rank for)
Let’s say you typed in “meal prep.” You’ll see stuff like:
- “cheap meal prep for beginners”
- “meal prep ideas for weight loss”
- “how to meal prep on a budget”
- “best containers for meal prep”
Now you’re really cooking (pun fully intended).
These long-tail keywords are gold — they’re easier to rank for and super specific, meaning the person searching probably wants a detailed post (like yours!).
📈 Step 3: Spy on Your Competitors (The Fun Way)
Let’s not reinvent the wheel.
If another blogger is already ranking for the kind of post you want to write, study what they did — and then make it better.
Here’s how:
- Go to Site Explorer
- Paste in the URL of a blog that’s similar to yours
- Hit search
You’ll see tabs like:
- Organic keywords — what they rank for
- Top pages — which blog posts bring the most traffic
- Backlinks — who’s linking to them (useful later)
Let’s say you find they get 1,500 monthly visits from a post called “15 Healthy Meal Prep Recipes for Busy People.” You can write:
- A better list (20+ recipes)
- More specific content (vegan, keto, budget-friendly, etc.)
- More visuals (step-by-step images or a printable planner)
And use similar keywords — just optimized for your voice and niche.
🧠 Pro Tip: Use filters to only show low KD keywords that get real traffic. That’s where the magic is.
🔑 Step 4: Pick Keywords That Fit Your Blog
Not every keyword is a good fit.
Before you commit to a keyword, ask:
- Can I write something better than what’s already ranking?
- Is this topic something my audience actually cares about?
- Does this keyword match the kind of content I want to be known for?
It’s better to rank for “how to meal prep on a budget” than “best Tupperware brands” — even if the second gets more searches — if the first aligns with your voice and value.
You want clicks that turn into loyal readers — not just drive-by Googlers.
🧠 Bonus Tip: Check the search intent. Google the keyword and see what type of content ranks.
- Are they listicles? Tutorials? Reviews?
- Does your post idea match what searchers expect?
If not, tweak it.
✍️ Step 5: Build the Post Around Your Keyword (Without Sounding Robotic)
You’ve got your keyword. Now what?
Here’s the not-so-secret formula:
- Include it in your title
- Use it in the URL
- Sprinkle it naturally in headings
- Add it once or twice in the first 100 words
- Use variations and related terms throughout the post
But — and this is key — don’t overdo it. You’re writing for humans, not search engines.
Example:
Instead of writing:
“This is the best meal prep for weight loss. If you want meal prep for weight loss, try this meal prep for weight loss strategy…”
Say something like:
“Looking to eat healthier without spending hours in the kitchen? This guide to smart, simple meal prep can help — especially if you’re focusing on weight loss.”
Same message. Way more natural.
💡 You can use tools like SurferSEO or Clearscope if you want help optimizing your content without sounding like a robot.
📊 Step 6: Track What’s Working And What is Not
Ahrefs isn’t just for research — it’s also for tracking.
Once your post is live, add your domain to Ahrefs Rank Tracker. It’ll show:
- Where you rank in Google for your chosen keywords
- How your rankings change over time
- What competitors are doing
This helps you:
- Know when to update or improve old posts
- Double down on keywords that are gaining traction
- Celebrate when you hit page 1 (it’s a big deal 🎉)
You can also set up email alerts so you’ll get a heads-up when a competitor’s post starts outperforming yours.
Then you swoop in, add more value to yours, and stay on top.
It’s a game of steady improvement, not one-time wins.
🔄 Step 7: Repeat the Process (It Gets Easier Every Time)
The more you do this, the faster it gets.
Pretty soon, you’ll be able to:
- Spot high-potential keywords on the fly
- Identify weak spots in your content
- Know when a keyword isn’t worth the effort
- Create posts that actually get read and ranked
You don’t need 100 keywords to grow your blog. Just a handful of smart ones and solid content to match.
That’s it.
⚡️ Bonus Tricks (If You’re Feeling Fancy)
If you want to go a bit deeper, here are some extra ways to use AHREF for even more keyword goodness:
🕵️♀️ Content Gap Tool
Compare your blog with 2–3 competitors and see which keywords they rank for that you don’t.
Goldmine.
🔗 Backlink Opportunities
Once your post is live, go to competing pages, check who links to them, and reach out.
“Hey, I saw you linked to this post — I just published something similar that goes a bit deeper. Thought you might like it.”
It works.
📄 SERP Overview
Click any keyword and scroll to see who’s ranking — you’ll get insights into domain authority, backlinks, word count, and more.
Sometimes you’ll realize… “Oh wow, I can beat these.”
👋 Final Thoughts: Keyword Research Shouldn’t Be Scary
Look — keyword research can be complex.
But it doesn’t have to be.
With AHREF and a bit of know-how, you can turn “what should I write about?” into:
“Here’s a keyword with low competition, decent volume, proven interest, and a clear path to page 1 — and I know I can write something amazing for it.”
That’s when blogging gets fun. That’s when growth feels real.
And you’re not guessing anymore. You’re strategizing.
So go explore Ahrefs. Start small. Pick a few keywords. Write a killer blog post. And repeat.
You’ve got this.