/ahrefs-automation

name: Ahrefs Automation
description: "Automate SEO research with Ahrefs -- analyze backlink profiles, research keywords, track domain metrics history, audit organic rankings, and perform batch URL analysis through the Composio Ahrefs integration."
requires:
  mcp:
    - rube

Ahrefs Automation

Run **Ahrefs** SEO analytics directly from Claude Code. Analyze backlink profiles, research keywords, track domain authority over time, audit organic keyword rankings, and batch-analyze multiple URLs without leaving your terminal.

**Toolkit docs:** [composio.dev/toolkits/ahrefs](https://composio.dev/toolkits/ahrefs)

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Setup

1. Add the Composio MCP server to your configuration:

   https://rube.app/mcp

2. Connect your Ahrefs account when prompted. The agent will provide an authentication link. 3. Most tools require a `target` (domain or URL) and a `country` code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2). Some also require a `date` in `YYYY-MM-DD` format.

---

Core Workflows

1. Site Explorer Metrics

Retrieve comprehensive SEO metrics for a domain including backlink counts, referring domains, organic keyword rankings, and traffic estimates.

**Tool:** `AHREFS_RETRIEVE_SITE_EXPLORER_METRICS`

Key parameters:

• `target` (required) -- domain or URL to analyze
• `date` (required) -- metrics date in `YYYY-MM-DD` format
• `country` -- ISO country code (e.g., `us`, `gb`, `de`)
• `mode` -- scope: `exact`, `prefix`, `domain`, or `subdomains` (default)
• `protocol` -- `both`, `http`, or `https`
• `volume_mode` -- `monthly` or `average`

Example prompt: *"Get Ahrefs site metrics for example.com as of today in the US"*

---

2. Historical Metrics Tracking

Track how a domain's SEO metrics have changed over time for trend analysis and competitive benchmarking.

**Tools:** `AHREFS_RETRIEVE_SITE_EXPLORER_METRICS_HISTORY`, `AHREFS_DOMAIN_RATING_HISTORY`

For full metrics history:

• `target` (required) -- domain to track
• `date_from` (required) -- start date in `YYYY-MM-DD`
• `date_to` -- end date
• `history_grouping` -- `daily`, `weekly`, or `monthly` (default)
• `select` -- columns like `date,org_cost,org_traffic,paid_cost,paid_traffic`

For Domain Rating (DR) history:

• `target` (required), `date_from` (required), `date_to`, `history_grouping`

Example prompt: *"Show me the monthly Domain Rating history for example.com over the last year"*

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3. Backlink Analysis

Retrieve a comprehensive list of backlinks including source URLs, anchor text, link attributes, and referring domain metrics.

**Tool:** `AHREFS_FETCH_ALL_BACKLINKS`

Key parameters:

• `target` (required) -- domain or URL
• `select` (required) -- comma-separated columns (e.g., `url_from,url_to,anchor,domain_rating_source,first_seen_link`)
• `limit` (default 1000) -- number of results
• `aggregation` -- `similar_links` (default), `1_per_domain`, or `all`
• `mode` -- `exact`, `prefix`, `domain`, or `subdomains`
• `history` -- `live`, `since:YYYY-MM-DD`, or `all_time`
• `where` -- rich filter expressions on columns like `is_dofollow`, `domain_rating_source`, `anchor`

Example prompt: *"Get the top 100 dofollow backlinks to example.com with anchor text and referring DR"*

---

4. Keyword Research

Get keyword overview metrics and discover matching keyword variations for content strategy.

**Tools:** `AHREFS_EXPLORE_KEYWORDS_OVERVIEW`, `AHREFS_EXPLORE_MATCHING_TERMS_FOR_KEYWORDS`

For keyword overview:

• `select` (required) -- columns to return (volume, difficulty, CPC, etc.)
• `country` (required) -- ISO country code
• `keywords` -- comma-separated keyword list
• `where` -- filter by volume, difficulty, intent, etc.

For matching terms:

• `select` (required) and `country` (required)
• `keywords` -- comma-separated seed keywords
• `match_mode` -- `terms` (any order) or `phrase` (exact order)
• `terms` -- `all` or `questions` (question-format keywords only)

Example prompt: *"Find keyword variations for 'project management' in the US with volume and difficulty"*

---

5. Organic Keywords Audit

See which keywords a domain ranks for in organic search, with position tracking and historical comparison.

**Tool:** `AHREFS_RETRIEVE_ORGANIC_KEYWORDS`

Key parameters:

• `target` (required) -- domain or URL
• `country` (required) -- ISO country code
• `date` (required) -- date in `YYYY-MM-DD`
• `select` -- columns to return (keyword, position, volume, traffic, URL, etc.)
• `date_compared` -- compare against a previous date
• `where` -- rich filter expressions on `keyword`, `volume`, `best_position`, intent flags, etc.
• `limit` (default 1000), `order_by`

Example prompt: *"Show all organic keywords where example.com ranks in the top 10 in the US"*

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6. Batch URL Analysis

Analyze up to 100 URLs or domains simultaneously to compare SEO metrics across competitors or site sections.

**Tool:** `AHREFS_BATCH_URL_ANALYSIS`

Key parameters:

• `targets` (required) -- array of objects with `url`, `mode` (`exact`/`prefix`/`domain`/`subdomains`), and `protocol` (`both`/`http`/`https`)
• `select` (required) -- array of column identifiers
• `country` -- ISO country code
• `output` -- `json` or `php`

Example prompt: *"Compare SEO metrics for competitor1.com, competitor2.com, and competitor3.com"*

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Known Pitfalls

• **Column selection is required:** Most Ahrefs tools require a `select` parameter specifying which columns to return. Omitting it or using invalid column names will cause errors. Refer to each tool's response schema for valid identifiers.
• **Date format consistency:** Dates must be in `YYYY-MM-DD` format. Some historical endpoints return data at the granularity set by `history_grouping`, not by exact date.
• **API unit costs vary:** Different columns consume different unit amounts. Columns marked with "(5 units)" or "(10 units)" in the schema are more expensive. Monitor API usage when requesting expensive columns like `traffic`, `refdomains_source`, or `difficulty`.
• **Batch limit is 100 targets:** `AHREFS_BATCH_