Description

Connect to Ahrefs API to retrieve real-time SEO data including backlinks, keyword metrics, domain analysis, rank tracking, and site audits for SEO insights.

README (SKILL.md)

Ahrefs API

Name: Ahrefs Connection
Author: jonathan-sokol

Access real-time Ahrefs SEO data directly through the Ahrefs API to analyze websites, research keywords, track rankings, and make data-driven SEO decisions.

First-Time Setup

If this is your first time using the Ahrefs API, read references/setup.md for complete setup instructions. You'll need:

An Ahrefs account (Enterprise plan for full API access, or Lite+ for limited free test queries)
An API key from your Ahrefs workspace

After setup, return here for usage guidance.

Core Capabilities

Ahrefs API provides access to:

Site Explorer - Domain metrics, backlinks, organic traffic, referring domains
Keywords Explorer - Search volume, keyword difficulty, SERP analysis, related keywords
Rank Tracker - Position tracking, visibility metrics, competitor rankings (requires pre-configured projects)
Site Audit - Technical SEO issues, crawl data, site health (requires pre-configured projects)
SERP Overview - Top 100 SERP results for any keyword
Batch Analysis - Process up to 100 targets per request
Brand Radar - Brand performance stats

For detailed capability reference, see references/capabilities.md.

Authentication

All API requests require an API key passed via the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

Store your API key securely. Consider using environment variables:

export AHREFS_API_KEY="your-api-key-here"

Usage Workflow

1. Understand the Request

Identify what SEO data is needed:

Domain/URL analysis → Site Explorer endpoints
Keyword data → Keywords Explorer endpoints
Position tracking → Rank Tracker endpoints (requires project)
Technical SEO → Site Audit endpoints (requires project)
SERP data → SERP Overview endpoints

2. Make API Requests

Use curl or similar tools to call the Ahrefs API. Base URL: https://api.ahrefs.com/v3

Example - Get domain overview:

curl -X GET "https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/site-explorer/domain-overview?target=example.com" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AHREFS_API_KEY"

Example - Keyword metrics:

curl -X GET "https://api.ahrefs.com/v3/keywords-explorer/overview?keyword=seo+tools&country=us" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AHREFS_API_KEY"

3. Process and Present Results

Parse JSON responses
Extract relevant metrics
Present data in clear, actionable formats
Highlight key insights and opportunities
Suggest next steps based on findings

Common Workflows

Keyword Research + Cross-Reference

User provides keyword list
Make batch API calls to Keywords Explorer
Parse and consolidate metrics (volume, difficulty, CPC)
Present analysis with prioritization recommendations

See references/workflows.md for detailed workflow patterns with example API calls.

Competitive Analysis

Identify target domain and competitors
Call Site Explorer for each domain
Compare metrics (DR, organic traffic, referring domains)
Analyze top organic keywords
Identify content gaps
Provide actionable recommendations

Site Audit Review

Note: Requires pre-configured Site Audit project in Ahrefs web interface.

Call Site Audit API for project data
Identify critical issues by severity
Prioritize fixes by impact
Provide technical recommendations

API Limits & Best Practices

Rate Limiting

60 requests per minute by default
API returns HTTP 429 if limit exceeded
Implement exponential backoff for retries

API Unit Consumption

Each request consumes API units from your monthly allowance
Cost depends on the number of rows returned (minimum 50 units per request)
Track usage in Account settings → Limits and usage
Enterprise plans include units; additional units can be purchased

Optimization Tips

Batch requests when possible (up to 100 targets)
Limit result rows using limit parameter
Select specific columns with select parameter to reduce costs
Cache results when appropriate
Use date ranges to limit historical data

Plan-Specific Access

Enterprise: Full API access
Lite/Standard/Advanced: Limited free test queries (check your plan for specifics)

Error Handling

Common HTTP status codes:

200 OK - Success
400 Bad Request - Invalid parameters
401 Unauthorized - Invalid or missing API key
403 Forbidden - Insufficient permissions or plan limits
429 Too Many Requests - Rate limit exceeded
500 Internal Server Error - Ahrefs server issue

Always check response status and handle errors gracefully.

When API Key is Missing

If the API key is not configured:

Provide setup instructions from references/setup.md
Guide through API key generation in Ahrefs Account settings
Explain how to securely store the key (environment variables recommended)
Test the connection with a simple API call

Resources

API Documentation: https://docs.ahrefs.com/docs/api/reference/introduction
API Key Management: https://app.ahrefs.com/account/api-keys
Pricing & Limits: https://ahrefs.com/pricing
Limits & Usage Tracking: https://app.ahrefs.com/account/limits-and-usage/web

Usage Guidance

This skill appears to do what it says: call the Ahrefs API and return SEO data. Before installing or enabling it, note two practical points: (1) The SKILL.md expects you to provide an Ahrefs API key (it suggests AHREFS_API_KEY), but the registry metadata does not list any required environment variable — ask the publisher to update the metadata to declare the credential for transparency. (2) Because the skill will make real API calls with your key, create a dedicated API key for this integration, set limits (monthly or unit caps) if possible, and monitor usage to avoid unexpected costs or exfiltration of query results. Also weigh provenance: source/homepage are unknown in the registry — prefer skills from known publishers or verify the owner before granting access to your API key.

Capability Analysis

Type: OpenClaw Skill Name: ahrefs-connection Version: 1.0.1 The skill bundle is designed to interact with the Ahrefs API for SEO analysis. All instructions in `SKILL.md` and referenced documentation are aligned with this stated purpose, guiding the AI agent to make `curl` requests to `api.ahrefs.com` using an `AHREFS_API_KEY` environment variable. There is no evidence of intentional malicious behavior such as data exfiltration to unauthorized endpoints, installation of backdoors, or prompt injection attempts against the agent. The use of network calls and environment variables is necessary and expected for an API integration skill.

Capability Assessment

ℹ Purpose & Capability

The skill's name and description claim Ahrefs API integration and the SKILL.md contains concrete API endpoints and workflows consistent with that purpose. However, the registry metadata does not declare the API credential (AHREFS_API_KEY) or a primary credential even though the runtime instructions require one. This is a documentation/metadata omission rather than a mismatch of capability.

✓ Instruction Scope

SKILL.md confines runtime instructions to making HTTP calls to https://api.ahrefs.com/v3, parsing results, and presenting SEO insights. It does not instruct the agent to read unrelated files, access other credentials, or send data to unexpected endpoints. Error handling, rate-limit, and cost-awareness guidance are included.

✓ Install Mechanism

There is no install spec and no code files — the skill is instruction-only. That minimizes on-disk risk; the agent will rely on network calls described in the SKILL.md.

ℹ Credentials

The skill legitimately requires an Ahrefs API key for its stated purpose and SKILL.md even suggests storing it in AHREFS_API_KEY. But the registry metadata lists no required environment variables or primary credential. The request for a single API key is proportionate to the functionality, but the missing metadata declaration reduces transparency and could confuse users.

✓ Persistence & Privilege

The skill is not always: true and does not request elevated or persistent platform privileges. Autonomous invocation is allowed by default (normal for skills), but there are no signs of the skill attempting to modify other skills or system-wide agent settings.

Version History

v1.0.1

Significant update: Skill now uses the native Ahrefs API instead of Model Context Protocol. - Updated setup and authentication instructions to use Ahrefs API keys, with guidance for secure storage. - Expanded core capabilities to include new endpoints such as SERP Overview, Batch Analysis, and Brand Radar. - Revised usage workflow with practical API call examples using curl. - Clarified API limits, rate limiting, unit consumption, error handling, and plan-specific access. - Provided direct links to official Ahrefs API documentation and key management resources. - Removed references to MCP and replaced with Ahrefs API terminology and workflows.

Metadata

Slug ahrefs-connection

Version 1.0.1

License —

All-time Installs 1

Active Installs 1

Total Versions 1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ahrefs Connection?

Connect to Ahrefs API to retrieve real-time SEO data including backlinks, keyword metrics, domain analysis, rank tracking, and site audits for SEO insights. It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 710 downloads so far.

How do I install Ahrefs Connection?

Run "/install ahrefs-connection" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.

Is Ahrefs Connection free?

Yes, Ahrefs Connection is completely free (open-source). You can download, install and use it at no cost.

Which platforms does Ahrefs Connection support?

Ahrefs Connection is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).

Who created Ahrefs Connection?

It is built and maintained by jonathan-sokol (@jonathan-sokol); the current version is v1.0.1.

More Skills

Ahrefs Connection