Ahrefs On-Page SEO: How To Audit, Optimize, And Rank Higher

You know your content deserves better rankings. You've written solid articles, but they're buried on page three while competitors with weaker content sit at the top. The problem isn't your topic or your writing. It's probably your on-page SEO. Missing title tags, broken internal links, unclear structure, and overlooked optimization opportunities are killing your rankings.

Ahrefs gives you the tools to fix this. Their Site Audit crawls your pages and flags every technical issue. The SEO Toolbar shows you what's working (and what's not) on any page. Their Content Helper scores your topic coverage against top rankers. These tools turn on-page SEO from guesswork into a systematic process you can repeat.

This guide walks you through a complete Ahrefs on-page SEO workflow. You'll learn how to set up Site Audit, build a custom optimization checklist, fix critical issues Google cares about, strengthen your internal linking structure, and automate the process so you're not doing this manually every month. By the end, you'll have a repeatable system for optimizing pages that actually rank.

What is Ahrefs on-page SEO

Ahrefs on-page SEO refers to the process of optimizing individual web pages using Ahrefs' suite of tools to improve your rankings in search engines. You're not just fixing technical errors. You're using data-driven insights from Ahrefs to understand what works for top-ranking pages, then applying those strategies to your own content. This includes everything from title tag optimization and content structure to internal linking and schema markup.

The core Ahrefs tools for on-page optimization

You'll rely on three primary tools in your Ahrefs on-page SEO workflow. Site Audit crawls your website and identifies over 170 technical and on-page issues, from missing alt text to broken internal links. The SEO Toolbar (a free browser extension) lets you analyze any page's on-page elements in seconds, showing you header structure, word count, and metadata. The AI Content Helper scores your content's topic coverage against top-ranking competitors, revealing gaps you need to fill.

Ahrefs gives you the specific data you need to make optimization decisions, not generic best practices.

What makes Ahrefs different from manual optimization

Manual on-page SEO means checking every page element yourself, guessing at optimization priorities, and hoping you didn't miss anything critical. Ahrefs automates the detection process and prioritizes issues by impact. You see exactly which pages have problems, what those problems are, and how many instances exist across your site. The tools also show you what's working for competitors, so you're not optimizing in a vacuum. You're matching (and exceeding) what already ranks.

Step 1. Prepare your site and Ahrefs setup

You need to connect your website to Ahrefs and install the essential tools before you can audit anything. This setup takes about 10 minutes, but it unlocks the full Ahrefs on-page SEO workflow. You'll configure Site Audit to crawl your pages automatically, install the SEO Toolbar extension for quick page analysis, and verify your domain ownership for accurate data.

Connect your site to Ahrefs Site Audit

Start by adding your website to Ahrefs. Log into your account, navigate to Site Audit, and click "New project." Enter your domain and configure the crawl settings. Set the crawl limit to match your site size (if you have 500 pages, crawl at least 500 URLs). Choose "Respect robots.txt" unless you specifically want to audit blocked pages.

You'll need to verify domain ownership using one of three methods: upload an HTML file to your root directory, add a DNS TXT record, or insert a meta tag in your homepage header. The HTML verification looks like this:

<meta name="ahrefs-site-verification" content="your-unique-code-here">

After verification, run your first crawl. Site Audit will scan every page and flag over 170 technical issues including missing title tags, duplicate content, broken links, and slow-loading images. This initial crawl creates your baseline for all future optimizations.

Install the SEO Toolbar extension

Download the Ahrefs SEO Toolbar as a free Chrome or Firefox extension. This tool gives you instant on-page analysis while you browse any website, including your competitors. You'll see header structure (H1, H2, H3 tags), meta descriptions, word count, and internal links without opening Ahrefs.

The toolbar also displays on-page SEO reports directly in your browser. You can check if a page has proper schema markup, view all outbound links, and analyze keyword density. Use this when editing content to verify your optimizations work before publishing.

The SEO Toolbar turns every webpage into a learning opportunity for what works (and what doesn't) in your niche.

Step 2. Build an Ahrefs on-page SEO checklist

You can't optimize every page element at once, so you need a prioritized checklist that focuses your efforts on what actually moves rankings. Ahrefs Site Audit identifies hundreds of potential issues across your site, but not all of them matter equally. Your checklist should separate critical ranking factors from minor improvements, then give you a repeatable process for optimizing each page systematically.

Start with Site Audit's priority issues

Site Audit categorizes every problem by severity: errors, warnings, and notices. Errors are critical issues that directly harm your rankings, like missing title tags or broken internal links. Warnings signal problems that could affect performance, such as slow-loading images or duplicate content. Notices are minor optimization opportunities that won't make or break your rankings.

Focus on errors first, then work through warnings. Navigate to your Site Audit project, click "All issues", and filter by severity. You'll see exactly which pages have problems and how many instances exist. Prioritize issues that affect multiple pages over single-page problems. If 50 pages have missing alt text, fix that pattern before optimizing individual meta descriptions.

Your Ahrefs on-page SEO checklist should address issues that appear across multiple pages first, then move to page-specific optimizations.

Create your page-level optimization template

Build a reusable checklist for optimizing individual pages after you've fixed site-wide issues. This template ensures you don't miss critical elements when updating content. Here's a practical checklist you can copy:

On-Page SEO Optimization Checklist

□ Title Tag (50-60 characters, includes target keyword)
□ Meta Description (120-160 characters, compelling + keyword)
□ URL Slug (short, descriptive, includes keyword)
□ H1 Tag (one per page, clear topic signal)
□ H2-H6 Structure (logical hierarchy, descriptive)
□ Target Keyword (in first 100 words)
□ Internal Links (3-5 relevant contextual links)
□ External Links (2-3 authoritative sources)
□ Image Alt Text (descriptive, includes relevant keywords)
□ Image File Names (descriptive, not IMG_1234.jpg)
□ Content Length (matches or exceeds top 3 competitors)
□ Schema Markup (appropriate type for content)
□ Mobile Responsive (verified in Site Audit)
□ Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS pass)

Each item on this checklist corresponds to a specific Site Audit issue or ranking factor. Use the SEO Toolbar to verify each element while editing. You can check off items as you optimize, ensuring no critical element gets overlooked. Save this checklist as a template in your project management tool or create a spreadsheet tracker for multiple pages.

The checklist also helps you maintain consistency across all content. When you optimize 10 pages using the same systematic approach, your entire site improves rather than just individual articles.

Step 3. Audit and fix content for Google and AI

You've fixed the technical issues and built your checklist. Now you need to optimize the actual content on your pages. This means auditing what you've written against what top-ranking pages cover, filling gaps that Google and AI assistants care about, and adding signals that demonstrate expertise. Your Ahrefs on-page SEO workflow isn't complete until your content matches (or exceeds) what's already ranking.

Use AI Content Helper to score your coverage

Ahrefs' AI Content Helper analyzes your published content and scores it against the top-ranking pages for your target keyword. The tool shows you exactly what topics you're missing compared to competitors. Navigate to the tool, enter your page URL and target keyword, and you'll get a score out of 100 based on topic coverage.

The tool highlights specific subtopics that top-ranking pages include but your content doesn't. For example, if you're targeting "best protein powder" and the top three results all discuss "whey vs plant-based" but your article skips this comparison, the Content Helper flags it. You'll see suggestions like "Add section on protein types" or "Include comparison table." These gaps directly affect your ability to rank because Google expects comprehensive coverage of the main topic.

AI assistants like ChatGPT prioritize content that answers multiple related questions, not just the primary search query.

Turn on the "Highlights" function to see line-by-line suggestions. The tool shows you where to add missing information and tracks your score in real time as you edit. Add the suggested subtopics, refresh the analysis, and watch your score improve. Aim for a score of 80 or higher to compete with top-ranking pages.

Fix critical content gaps with competitor analysis

Beyond the AI Content Helper, you need to manually identify patterns in what top rankers include. Search your target keyword in Google, open the top five results in new tabs, and scan their structures. Look for common H2 and H3 headings that appear across multiple articles. If four out of five top results include a "Pros and Cons" section, you need one too.

Use the Competitive Analysis tool in Ahrefs to find keywords your competitors rank for that you don't. Enter your page URL in the "This target doesn't rank for" field, then add three competitor URLs in the "But these competitors do" section. Filter the results to show keywords with search volume above 50 and positions 1-10. These represent subtopics you should cover but currently miss.

Create a gap-filling checklist based on this analysis:

Content Gap Audit Checklist:
□ Compare H2/H3 structure with top 3 competitors
□ Identify common sections you're missing
□ Check if competitors include data/statistics you lack
□ Verify you answer all "People Also Ask" questions
□ Confirm your content matches or exceeds competitor length
□ Add missing subtopics from Competitive Analysis tool
□ Include relevant examples competitors use

Work through this checklist systematically for each underperforming page. The goal isn't to copy competitors but to ensure comprehensive coverage of the topic.

Add E-E-A-T signals throughout your content

Google's algorithms prioritize content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust. You strengthen these signals by adding specific elements to your pages. Include an author bio at the top or bottom with relevant credentials. If you're writing about tax planning, mention you're a CPA. If you're reviewing coffee makers, show you tested the products.

Add first-hand evidence wherever possible. Include original photos, screenshots, test results, or case study data. Link to authoritative external sources like government websites, academic research, or industry reports when citing facts. These citations tell Google (and readers) that your information is verified and trustworthy.

Structure your content with clear, descriptive subheadings that preview what each section covers. Break long paragraphs into shorter chunks (3-4 sentences maximum). Use bullet points for lists and bold text to highlight key takeaways. This formatting makes your content easier to scan for both human readers and AI crawlers analyzing your page structure.

Step 4. Improve internal and external linking

Your content structure and topic coverage won't matter if linking signals are weak. Internal links tell Google which pages matter most on your site and help distribute authority across your content. External links demonstrate that your content is well-researched and credible. Ahrefs on-page SEO tools identify exactly where you're missing linking opportunities and which pages need more connection to your site's structure.

Find and add strategic internal links with Site Audit

Site Audit's Internal Link Opportunities report shows you exactly where to add links between your pages. Navigate to Site Audit, click "Internal Link Opportunities," and enter a specific page URL in the search box. Select "Target page" from the dropdown to find all the places on your site where you should link TO that page. You'll see keyword context (the exact sentence where you should add the link) and the source page (where the link should come from).

Focus on linking from high-authority pages to pages you want to rank better. If your homepage has strong backlinks, add relevant internal links from it to important category pages or cornerstone content. Ahrefs shows you the authority flow, so you're not guessing which pages need the boost.

Create a linking implementation checklist for each optimization cycle:

Internal Linking Checklist:
□ Run Internal Link Opportunities report for target page
□ Identify 3-5 relevant source pages with contextual fit
□ Add links using descriptive anchor text (not "click here")
□ Verify links appear in body content, not sidebars
□ Check that linked pages are relevant to each other
□ Update internal links when you publish new content
□ Review orphan pages (pages with zero internal links)

Site Audit also flags orphan pages that have no internal links pointing to them. These pages are nearly invisible to Google because crawlers can't find them easily. Fix this by adding at least two internal links to each orphan page from related content.

Internal links are one of the few ranking factors you control completely without needing external help.

Build external authority with quality outbound links

Your pages need 2-3 external links to authoritative sources in each piece of content. These links signal to Google that your information is verified and trustworthy. Link to sources like government websites, research institutions, or industry-leading publications when citing statistics or facts.

Use the SEO Toolbar to audit your current external linking. Load your page in the browser, open the toolbar, and click the "Outbound" tab. You'll see every external link on the page. Remove or replace links that go to low-quality sites or dead pages. Add links where you make factual claims but don't currently cite sources.

Always open external links in new tabs by adding target="_blank" to your HTML, so readers don't leave your site:

<a href="https://example.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authoritative source</a>

The rel="noopener" attribute prevents security issues while maintaining the SEO value of your outbound link.

Step 5. Automate ongoing SEO with RankYak

You've built a solid Ahrefs on-page SEO workflow, but manual optimization doesn't scale. Every new page requires hours of research, content creation, optimization checks, and publishing. You're stuck repeating the same process for every article, which means your site grows slowly while competitors publish daily. RankYak automates this entire workflow by combining keyword research, content generation, on-page optimization, and publishing into one system that runs continuously without your involvement.

Set up automated content optimization

RankYak generates SEO-optimized articles daily using the same principles you've applied manually in Ahrefs. The system researches keywords, analyzes top-ranking competitors, identifies content gaps, and writes articles that match search intent. Each piece includes proper header structure, internal links, meta tags, and schema markup without you checking Site Audit reports or running Content Helper analyses.

Connect your website to RankYak by linking your CMS platform (WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, or custom integration). The system publishes directly to your site with one article per day, up to 5,000 words each. You maintain control over topics through your content plan, but execution happens automatically. Here's what runs on autopilot:

Automated SEO Workflow:
□ Keyword discovery and prioritization
□ Competitor content analysis
□ Article creation with proper on-page elements
□ Internal linking to existing pages
□ Featured image generation and optimization
□ Direct publishing to your CMS
□ Daily consistency without manual work

Scale beyond manual Ahrefs workflows

Manual optimization limits you to optimizing a few pages per week at best. RankYak removes this bottleneck by producing optimized content every single day while you focus on strategy instead of execution. The system adapts to your brand voice and maintains the same on-page SEO standards you've established through Ahrefs, but applies them automatically across hundreds of articles.

Automation doesn't replace optimization knowledge; it multiplies your ability to execute what you already know works.

Your Ahrefs tools remain valuable for auditing and monitoring your growing content library, but RankYak handles the repetitive optimization work that previously consumed hours each day.

Next steps

You now have a complete Ahrefs on-page SEO workflow that transforms scattered optimization efforts into a systematic process. Start by running your first Site Audit to identify critical issues, then work through your prioritized checklist to fix errors across your site. Install the SEO Toolbar to analyze pages as you optimize them, and use the AI Content Helper to ensure your content covers topics as thoroughly as top-ranking competitors.

The reality is that manual optimization will always limit your growth. You can optimize 2-3 pages per week at most before the work becomes overwhelming. RankYak automates this entire workflow by generating SEO-optimized content daily, applying the same on-page principles you've learned here but executing them continuously without your involvement. Start your 3-day free trial to see how automation multiplies your optimization capacity while you focus on strategy.