complex.com

If you're new to Ahrefs and want to run your first SEO audit, the fastest path is: open Site Explorer, enter your target URL, review the Overview for a health snapshot, then dig into Organic Keywords, Top Pages, and Site Audit to find specific problems. From there, build a short prioritized to-do list instead of trying to fix everything at once.

This tutorial walks through that workflow using a realistic starting scenario, explains what the numbers mean, and shows how to turn findings into actions.

Before You Start: Pick a Narrow Scope

A common beginner mistake is auditing an entire large website on day one. The reports become overwhelming, and you can't tell which issues matter.

Instead, choose one of these starting points:

• A single important page (your homepage or a key product/service page)
• A small site (under ~50 pages, e.g., a personal blog or small business site)
• One section of a bigger site (e.g., /blog/)

For this tutorial, assume you're auditing a small business site with about 30 pages. The same steps scale up later.

You'll need an Ahrefs account to follow along. Ahrefs offers paid plans, and pricing and feature limits change over time, so check the current Pricing page for what's included in each tier before committing.

Step 1: Enter Your Target in Site Explorer

Site Explorer is Ahrefs' core tool for analyzing any website or URL.

1. Open Site Explorer from the top navigation.
2. In the search box, paste your domain (e.g., example.com).
3. Choose the Exact URL or Domain mode depending on scope. For a full-site view, use Domain or Prefix; for a single page, use Exact URL.
4. Press Enter.

You'll land on the Overview report. Don't try to absorb everything — focus on four numbers first.

Reading the Overview Snapshot

Important caveat: Ahrefs' traffic and keyword numbers are estimates based on its own data. They won't match Google Search Console or your analytics exactly. Treat them as directional, not absolute.

Step 2: See What You Already Rank For

Go to Organic Keywords in the left sidebar. This shows queries where your site appears in search results.

Sort by Traffic (descending) to see which pages bring the most estimated visitors. Then look for:

• Keywords ranking in positions 4–15 — these are often the easiest wins. A small content or on-page improvement can push them onto page one.
• Keywords with high volume but low position — potential opportunities if the topic is relevant.
• Irrelevant keywords — if you rank for something off-topic, it may signal thin or mismatched content.

Write down 5–10 of the position 4–15 keywords. These become your first optimization targets.

Step 3: Find Your Best and Weakest Pages

Open Top Pages. This ranks your URLs by estimated organic traffic.

Look for two things:

1. Your top performers — understand what topics and formats work. Can you create more content like this?
2. Pages with traffic but poor rankings — these may need on-page fixes (title, headings, internal links).

If a page gets zero traffic and targets a topic you care about, it's a candidate for a rewrite or consolidation.

Step 4: Run a Technical Site Audit

Now move to Site Audit. This crawls your site and flags technical and on-page issues.

1. Click Site Audit → New project.
2. Enter your domain and set crawl settings (default is usually fine for a small site).
3. Start the crawl and wait for it to finish.

Once complete, you'll see a Health Score and a list of issues grouped by category.

Which Issues to Fix First

Not all issues are equal. Prioritize in this order:

Ignore low-impact warnings (like minor meta description length) until the big items are handled.

Step 5: Turn Findings Into a To-Do List

You now have raw data. Convert it into a short, actionable list. Example:

1. Fix 3 broken links found in Site Audit.
2. Rewrite title tags on 5 pages with duplicate titles.
3. Improve 4 pages ranking in positions 6–12 by adding missing subtopics and internal links.
4. Remove or update 2 thin pages with no traffic.

Keep the list to 5–10 items max for your first audit. Finishing a short list beats starting a long one.

Common Beginner Mistakes

• Chasing every red flag. Site Audit flags many minor issues. Fix what affects rankings and users first.
• Trusting estimates as exact numbers. Ahrefs data is modeled, not measured from your analytics.
• Auditing a huge site too early. Start small to learn the interface.
• Ignoring search intent. A page can be technically perfect but still fail if it doesn't match what searchers want.
• Forgetting to re-crawl. After fixes, run Site Audit again to confirm improvements.

Where to Go Next

Once your first audit is done:

• Compare with competitors using Site Explorer's Competing Domains and Content Gap reports.
• Track keyword rankings over time with Rank Tracker.
• Explore backlink opportunities in the Backlinks and Link Intersect reports.
• Set up recurring Site Audit crawls so new issues surface automatically.

Your first audit isn't about perfection — it's about building a repeatable habit: enter a target, read the key reports, pick the highest-impact fixes, and act. Do that once a month and your site's health compounds.

Complex is a media and commerce site covering music, sneakers, style, sports, and pop culture. It publishes breaking news, exclusive interviews, ranked lists, feature stories, and video episodes, and it also sells sneakers and branded merchandise and promotes tickets to its own live event, ComplexCon. If you're looking for a single destination that mixes entertainment reporting with streetwear and sneaker culture — and lets you shop or buy event tickets in the same place — that's what Complex is built to do.

The content areas Complex covers

Complex organizes its coverage around five main verticals, all visible in its navigation and story feeds:

A "Bets" section also appears in the site's navigation, alongside the core five.

The formats it publishes

Complex isn't a single-format outlet. Its homepage mixes several story types:

• Breaking news and short updates — for example, reports on a musician's death or an injury update on a fantasy football running back.
• Exclusive interviews and profiles — long-form pieces built around access to artists and designers.
• Ranked lists and explainers — such as a ranking of K-pop stars' style or a history of a clothing brand.
• Feature stories — deeper dives into a brand's return, a designer's career, or a collaboration.
• Video episodes — the site surfaces a "Latest Episodes" section and a "Watch" entry point.
• Shopping and product content — sneaker release roundups and direct "Shop" links to brands like Nike, Adidas, and Vans.

Commerce and events

Complex is not just editorial. Two commerce-adjacent functions stand out:

• Product shopping. The site includes shop modules and links to sneaker and apparel brands, plus its own product drops (for example, a Jollibee windbreaker listed as "available on Complex").
• ComplexCon. This is Complex's own live convention, and the site serves as a hub for it. The 2026 edition is listed for October 3 & 4 in Los Angeles, with artistic direction by Playboi Carti and Hiroshi Fujiwara, and a "Buy Tickets" call to action. Coverage includes previews of sneaker releases, brand collaborations, and exhibitor stories tied to the event.

How to use the site

1. Start at the homepage to see "Top Stories" and a "Trending" list, which surface the most current items across all verticals.
2. Use the top navigation (Style, Sneakers, Music, Sports, Pop Culture, Bets) to move into a specific vertical.
3. Use the search bar — it's labeled for sneakers, brands, or styles — to find a specific product, brand, or topic.
4. Check the ComplexCon section if you want event details, collaboration previews, or ticket links.

What to expect and what to watch for

• Content is English-language and aimed at a US audience; the homepage displays a "US" region label.
• Coverage skews toward current, fast-moving culture — news and drops rather than evergreen reference material.
• Because shopping and ticketing are integrated, some pages lead to purchase flows rather than articles. The site does not state pricing or login requirements on the pages reviewed here, so treat any purchase or ticket step as something to verify on the destination page itself.
• ComplexCon details (dates, lineup, collaborations) are announced incrementally, and the site notes that updates are added as more information is revealed — so event specifics are worth re-checking closer to the date.

ComplexCon 2026 takes place October 3–4 in Los Angeles, and Complex is tracking the sneaker releases tied to the event in a dedicated roundup. According to Complex's coverage, the breakdown includes drops from Nike, Vans, and Adidas, among other brands. The list is a live article — Complex notes that readers should check back for updates as more information is unveiled, so the roster of confirmed pairs can grow between now and the event.

What Complex has confirmed so far

Complex's sneaker roundup for ComplexCon 2026 is framed as "Every Sneaker Releasing at ComplexCon 2026," with the brands named in the excerpt being:

• Nike
• Vans
• Adidas

Those three are the only brands explicitly called out in the coverage summary. Complex describes the piece as a breakdown of the sneakers dropping at the event, which suggests the article organizes releases brand by brand rather than as a single chronological list.

Why the list is still incomplete

The article is explicitly written as an updating post. Complex's own language — "Check back for updates as more information is unveiled" — signals that the confirmed lineup is not final. Sneaker release calendars around events like ComplexCon typically firm up closer to the date, as brands lock in exclusive colorways, collaboration pairs, and booth-only drops.

That matters if you're planning around a specific pair: a brand appearing in the roundup now doesn't guarantee a full release slate, and brands not yet listed may still be added.

How to use this if you're planning to attend

ComplexCon 2026 runs October 3 & 4 in Los Angeles, with artistic direction by Playboi Carti and Hiroshi Fujiwara. Tickets are listed as on sale through Complex.

If your goal is to actually buy a pair rather than just follow the news:

1. Check the roundup periodically rather than once — it's the only source here that aggregates the event's sneaker releases in one place.
2. Note the brand, not just the shoe — Complex's breakdown is organized around brands like Nike, Vans, and Adidas, so tracking a brand page is a reasonable way to catch additions.
3. Expect event-specific pairs — ComplexCon releases are typically tied to the convention itself (exclusives, collaborations, booth drops) rather than general retail dates, so standard release calendars may not list them.

What isn't covered here

Complex's excerpt does not specify individual shoe models, prices, release times, or which pairs are event-exclusive versus wider releases. It also doesn't state whether any of the drops will be available online for non-attendees. For those details, the roundup article itself is the place to watch, since it's the piece Complex is actively updating.

For broader context on the event — what ComplexCon is, its history, and its sneaker release track record — Complex also maintains background pieces, including "The History of ComplexCon Sneaker Releases."

Complex.com is primarily a music, sneakers, style, and pop culture media site, but it also carries a shopping layer. Based on the site's own navigation and homepage, you can shop sneakers and style items through dedicated "Shop" and "Sneakers" sections, browse brand links for Nike, adidas, and Vans, and search for specific sneakers, brands, or styles using the search bar. Some items are tied to ComplexCon or brand collaborations, such as a Jollibee windbreaker listed as available on Complex.

What the site actually shows you can shop

The homepage evidence points to a few concrete shopping surfaces:

• A "Shop" section in the main navigation, alongside Style, Sneakers, Music, Sports, Pop Culture, Bets, Cover Stories, Verzuz, Watch, and ComplexCon.
• A "Sneakers" section that includes release coverage, such as a breakdown of sneakers dropping at ComplexCon 2026 featuring Nike, Vans, and Adidas.
• Brand shop links for Nike, adidas, and Vans, each paired with a "SHOP NOW" call to action.
• A search bar with the placeholder "Search sneakers, brands, or styles..." — this is the fastest way to jump to a specific product or brand.
• A curated edit, shown as "Complex Curated Running Edit."
• Collaboration and event merchandise, such as the Jollibee "Forgotten Island" windbreaker noted as "Now Available on Complex," and ComplexCon-related drops.

How to find something to buy

1. Start with search if you know the item. Type a sneaker model, brand name, or style keyword into the search field ("Search sneakers, brands, or styles..."). This is the most direct route when you already have a target.
2. Browse by category. Use the top navigation to open Shop for general merchandise or Sneakers for footwear-focused content and releases.
3. Follow brand links. If you want Nike, adidas, or Vans specifically, the homepage surfaces those brand tiles with "SHOP NOW" buttons.
4. Check event and collab coverage. ComplexCon and collaboration stories (for example, Fragment Design collaborations or the Jollibee windbreaker) often double as product announcements, so the article itself tells you what's dropping and where it's sold.

Expected result: you land on either a product listing, a brand shop page, or an article that names the item and its availability. The site does not present itself as a single unified storefront, so expect shopping to be spread across sections and partner links rather than one checkout.

What kinds of products you'll find

Common snags to expect

• Shopping is distributed, not centralized. Complex mixes editorial coverage with commerce, so a "shop" link may lead to a partner or brand page rather than a Complex-owned cart.
• Availability is time-sensitive. ComplexCon drops and collaboration items are tied to specific dates (ComplexCon 2026 is listed as October 3 & 4 in Los Angeles), so items may not be purchasable year-round.
• The homepage rotates. Trending and Top Stories change, so a product you saw earlier may move out of the featured slots — use search or the Shop/Sneakers sections to relocate it.

If your goal is a specific sneaker or brand, search is the most reliable entry point; if you're browsing, the Shop and Sneakers sections plus the brand tiles give you the clearest starting points.

ComplexCon is Complex's flagship pop-culture convention, built around sneakers, style, music, and sports. The 2026 edition runs October 3 & 4 in Los Angeles, with artistic direction by Playboi Carti and Hiroshi Fujiwara. Tickets are listed as on sale now through the site's ticket link.

What ComplexCon actually is

ComplexCon is a ticketed, in-person event rather than a digital product. Based on Complex's own coverage, it functions as a launch platform and marketplace for the categories Complex covers:

• Sneakers — brands including Nike, Adidas, and Vans release product at the show; Complex publishes a running breakdown of every sneaker dropping at ComplexCon 2026.
• Style and streetwear — collaborations and brand returns are staged there, such as the official return of Wu-Tang Clan's Wu Wear at ComplexCon 2026 and a slate of Fragment Design collaborations spanning partners from the Dodgers to Disney.
• Music — performances and artist-driven programming, with the 2026 artistic direction handled by Playboi Carti and Hiroshi Fujiwara.
• Sports and pop culture — merch and crossover projects, including KAWS x MLB work tied to the Dodgers and Yankees.

It also serves as a platform for smaller independent sellers: Complex has covered a 13-year-old designer with his own booth at ComplexCon launching a KidSuper and Slawn collaboration.

When and where

ComplexCon has run in previous years as well — Complex maintains a history of ComplexCon sneaker releases — so the October 2026 dates refer to the upcoming edition, not the event's first run.

What you can do with the site

If you're deciding whether to engage with ComplexCon, the practical entry points on complex.com are:

1. Buy tickets — the ticket call-to-action appears on the homepage and links to purchase.
2. Track releases — follow the sneaker and collaboration roundups, which Complex says it updates as more information is unveiled.
3. Shop — product links for Nike, Adidas, and Vans appear on the homepage, alongside Complex-curated shopping edits.
4. Watch — a "Latest Episodes" section collects Complex's video output.

What isn't specified

The source material does not state ticket prices, tier structures, venue address within Los Angeles, or whether any content is gated behind login. Treat those as unknown rather than assuming free access.