netmanners.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.

Correcting someone else's email etiquette is not automatically bad netiquette — but it usually is when done publicly, unsolicited, or with a tone of superiority. The safer default is to ignore minor slips, and to speak up only when the mistake causes real harm (a missed deadline, a misdirected message, a damaged relationship) and only in private. NetM@nners, the email etiquette site that has covered this topic for over 25 years, frames the question directly in an article titled "Is it Bad Netiquette to Correct Others' Email Etiquette?" — which signals that the answer depends on context rather than a flat yes or no.

Why unsolicited correction usually backfires

Email has no tone of voice, no facial expression, and no immediate chance to soften a remark. That makes correction one of the riskiest messages you can send. The recipient reads it as criticism of their competence, not as a helpful tip.

A few specific risks:

• It reads as condescending. Even a politely worded note can come across as "I know better than you."
• It shifts the focus off the work. A thread about a project deadline becomes a thread about someone's manners.
• It can be forwarded. Written correction lives forever and can be shared with people you never intended to see it.
• You may be wrong. What looks like a breach may be a house style, a cultural norm, or a constraint you don't know about (a locked-down corporate client, a plain-text-only mailing list).

NetM@nners' own article list includes "Are Your Emails Tone Deaf?" — a reminder that the person most likely to be misreading tone is often the one writing the correction.

When it is appropriate to say something

Correction becomes reasonable when the behavior has a concrete cost. Use this as a filter:

The dividing line: does the mistake cost someone time, privacy, money, or trust? If yes, a private word is fair. If it's only a matter of taste, let it go.

How to raise it without causing offense

If you've decided the issue is worth naming, the delivery matters more than the content.

1. Go private. Never correct in a group thread, a CC, or a public channel. Start a new one-to-one message.
2. Lead with the impact, not the rule. "I nearly missed the deadline because the subject line didn't flag the date" lands better than "You should always put dates in subject lines."
3. Ask before asserting. "Would it help if we agreed on a subject-line format for these?" invites a conversation instead of issuing a verdict.
4. Own your part. If you can, frame it as a shared fix: "I think we've both been guilty of vague subjects — want to try a format?"
5. Offer once, then drop it. If the person doesn't change, escalate only if the cost is real, and do it through process (a team convention) rather than personal criticism.
6. Never correct a superior or a client on style. With seniority or a paying relationship, the risk almost always outweighs the benefit — unless the error is a genuine liability.

NetM@nners' checklist article, "How to Avoid Email Misunderstandings Checklist," is useful here: most correction attempts fail not because the point is wrong but because the message itself is easy to misread.

Check yourself first

Before you correct anyone, run the same standard over your own outbox. The site's "101 Email Etiquette Etips" PDF collects the basics in one list, and it's a fast way to confirm you're not committing the same errors you're about to flag.

Ask:

• Do my subject lines actually describe the content?
• Do I reply-all only when everyone needs to see it?
• Do I use BCC correctly, and never to hide a conversation from someone who should be in it?
• Is my tone readable without a voice to carry it?
• Do I respond in a reasonable time, or leave people guessing?

If you can't pass your own test, the correction can wait.

The short version

Correcting someone's email etiquette is bad netiquette when it's public, unsolicited, or about taste rather than consequence. It's acceptable — even helpful — when it's private, tied to a real cost, framed as a shared problem, and offered once. When in doubt, the courteous move is silence; the exceptions are narrow and worth naming carefully.

NetM@nners is a long-running informational website focused entirely on email and technology etiquette. If you want practical, real-world guidance on how to write, reply to, and manage email without coming across as rude or confusing, this site is built for that purpose. It has offered tips and advice in this niche for more than 20 years, according to its own description, and its content is aimed at ordinary users and professionals who want to communicate more courteously online.

What the site covers

The homepage presents itself as "Everything you want to know about email and technology etiquette." Its content is organized around articles and resources rather than tools or software. Based on the site's own listing, topics include:

• How to write emails that actually get a response
• Avoiding email misunderstandings
• Whether it's appropriate to correct other people's email etiquette
• Email etiquette in online dating
• The importance of being explicit in emails
• Reaching out to website owners about technical problems
• Whether you "hijack" others' emails (e.g., replying in ways that derail a thread)
• Whether your emails read as "tone deaf"
• Whether breakup emails are appropriate
• Discretion in email communications

These titles suggest the site treats etiquette as a broad communication skill, not just a list of formatting rules.

What resources it offers

Beyond individual articles, the site advertises additional formats:

The "101 Email Etiquette Etips" PDF is described as a consolidated list of basic tips. The site states that following them helps you be perceived as courteous and as someone who understands the technology they're using. Note that the site indicates this PDF also helps "support this website," which suggests it may involve a purchase or contribution — the available information does not specify whether it is free.

Who it's for

This site suits you if:

• You send a lot of email and want to avoid common courtesy mistakes
• You're unsure how to handle awkward situations like correcting someone's etiquette or ending a relationship by email
• You want a reference you can browse by topic rather than a formal course

It is less suited to people looking for technical email setup, deliverability, or security guidance — the focus is behavior and communication norms, not configuration.

How to use it

1. Start with the latest articles list on the homepage to see current topics.
2. Pick a topic that matches a situation you're facing (for example, an email that got no reply).
3. Read the article for the recommended approach, then apply it to your next message.
4. If you want a quick reference, look for the "101 Email Etiquette Etips" PDF.
5. Use the quiz if you want to check your own habits.

The main limitation to keep in mind: etiquette advice reflects norms and can vary by workplace and culture, so treat the guidance as a starting point rather than an absolute rule.

Email etiquette comes down to three habits: write so the recipient can act quickly, write so your tone cannot be misread, and reply in a way that respects their time. NetM@nners (netmanners.com), an email and technology etiquette site that has published on this topic for over 25 years, organizes its guidance around exactly these concerns — courtesy, clarity, and avoiding misunderstandings. The rules below apply to everyday personal and workplace email; if your organization or client has its own written standards, those take precedence.

Get the subject line and greeting right

The subject line is the recipient's first decision point: open now, open later, or skip. A vague subject ("Quick question") forces them to open the message just to triage it.

• State the topic and, if relevant, the action: "Invoice 4471 — needs approval by Friday."
• Don't bury the point. If the subject changes mid-thread, start a new message rather than replying under an unrelated subject.
• Use a greeting that matches your relationship. A first name is normal in most workplaces; "Dear Dr. Chen" is safer for formal, first-contact, or hierarchical situations.
• Spell the recipient's name correctly. NetM@nners' article list includes "The Importance of Explicitness in Your Emails," and a misspelled name is the fastest way to signal carelessness.

Write the body so it can't be misread

Email strips out tone of voice, facial expression, and timing — the exact signals people use to interpret intent. That gap is why the site devotes articles to being "tone deaf" in email and to avoiding misunderstandings.

• Put the request or conclusion in the first two sentences. Background and context come after.
• Use short paragraphs and, for multiple points, a numbered list. Long unbroken blocks get skimmed and half-answered.
• Read it once as if you were annoyed. Sarcasm, dry humor, and one-word replies ("Fine." "Sure.") read very differently on screen than in person.
• Avoid all-caps (reads as shouting) and excessive exclamation points or emoji in professional threads.
• Be explicit about what you want: a decision, a file, a date, or just acknowledgment. "No action needed — just keeping you informed" prevents unnecessary replies.

Reply in a way that respects the recipient's time

Two more habits matter here. First, reply-all is a decision, not a default — check who actually needs your reply. Second, trim quoted text to the part you're answering, so the reader doesn't have to hunt for context.

Handle sensitive moments with extra care

Some messages carry more risk than others, and etiquette guidance is most useful exactly there.

• Correcting someone's etiquette. NetM@nners asks directly whether it's bad netiquette to correct others' email etiquette. The practical answer: do it privately, once, and only when it caused a real problem — never in the thread where others can see.
• Bad news and endings. The site questions whether break-up emails are appropriate. The general principle: the more personal or consequential the message, the more it belongs in a conversation, not an email.
• Discretion. Assume any email can be forwarded, printed, or read by someone you didn't intend. Don't put confidential, critical, or emotionally charged content in writing if a call would do.
• Reaching out cold. When contacting a website owner about a technical problem, be specific about the page, the symptom, and what you observed — vague reports get ignored.

Use a checklist before you hit send

Run these five questions every time:

1. Does the subject line tell the recipient what this is about?
2. Is the ask in the first two sentences?
3. Could any sentence be read as rude, sarcastic, or cold by someone who doesn't know me?
4. Are the right people on To, and only the right people on CC?
5. Did I proofread the name, the attachment, and the date?

If you want a fuller reference, NetM@nners offers a free article archive plus a downloadable "101 Email Etiquette Etips" PDF that collects the top tips in one list — useful as a team handout or a personal refresher. The site's own framing is the simplest summary of the goal: following these basics makes you "a joy to communicate with" and gets you read as a courteous, competent sender.

Misunderstandings in email usually come from three gaps: missing tone, vague wording, and assuming the reader knows what you know. You can reduce most of them before you hit send by checking recipient, purpose, tone, and completeness, and by making your intent explicit. When a misunderstanding has already happened, the fastest fix is a short, non-defensive message that restates your intent and asks a clarifying question. The steps below work for routine work and personal email; they matter most when the topic is sensitive, the recipient doesn't know you well, or the thread is already tense.

Why Email Gets Misread

Email strips out the cues that carry meaning in conversation: facial expression, vocal tone, timing, and the chance to correct yourself mid-sentence. The reader fills those gaps with their own mood and assumptions. NetM@nners, a long-running email etiquette site, frames this as a recurring theme in its articles — for example, "Are Your Emails Tone Deaf?" and "The Importance of Explicitness in Your Emails" — both pointing at the same problem: what you meant and what the reader hears are not automatically the same thing.

Common triggers:

• Flat tone. A short "Fine." or "Noted." reads as cold or annoyed even when you meant neutral.
• Vague asks. "Can you look at this soon?" leaves the reader guessing at deadline, scope, and priority.
• Assumed context. You reference "the issue" or "the usual process" when the reader wasn't in the earlier conversation.
• Ambiguous pronouns and scope. "Let's fix that" — which part, and who is "we"?
• Emotional timing. Writing while frustrated produces wording you would not choose later.

Pre-Send Checklist

Run this before sending anything that could be misread. It takes under a minute.

How to Write So Intent Is Clear

The goal is not to over-explain, but to remove the guesswork.

• Lead with the purpose. State why you're writing in the first sentence. "I'm writing to confirm the deadline" beats a paragraph of background first.
• Name the action and the owner. "Please send the draft by Thursday" is clearer than "The draft should go out this week."
• Spell out tone when it matters. If a message could read as blunt, a short phrase like "No rush — just flagging this" resets the tone.
• Avoid sarcasm and dry humor in written form unless you know the reader well.
• Use a subject line that matches the content. A subject that says "Quick question" on a message that actually requires a decision sets up the wrong expectation.
• When correcting or disagreeing, separate the person from the point. "I see it differently on the timeline" reads better than "You're wrong about the timeline."

For a concrete example: instead of "Let's touch base about the report," write "Can we spend 10 minutes Thursday on the report's conclusion? I want to confirm the numbers before it goes out." The second version tells the reader the topic, the reason, and the outcome you want.

If a Misunderstanding Already Happened

Don't defend first. Reset the exchange.

1. Acknowledge briefly. "I think my last email came across differently than I intended."
2. Restate your intent in plain terms. "My goal was to flag a risk, not to assign blame."
3. Ask a specific clarifying question. "Which part read as a criticism? I want to get this right."
4. Move to a richer channel if needed. If the thread is tense or the topic is sensitive, a call or in-person conversation resolves tone faster than more email. NetM@nners' article "Is it Bad Netiquette to Correct Others' Email Etiquette?" makes a related point: correcting someone's style in writing often lands worse than the original problem.

When to Switch Channels

Email is the wrong tool when the message is emotionally loaded, when a decision needs back-and-forth, or when you've already exchanged two rounds without resolution. In those cases, propose a short call or meeting and use email only to confirm what was decided. This is not a failure of etiquette — it's matching the channel to the task.

FAQ

How do I know if my email will be misread? Read it once as if you were the recipient, in a flat tone, with no context. If you can't tell what the sender wants or how they feel, rewrite it.

Should I use emojis or exclamation points to soften tone? In casual or familiar settings they help. In formal or first-contact email they can read as unprofessional. Match the register of the person you're writing to.

What if the other person misread me and won't accept my clarification? Restate your intent once, ask what would resolve it, and move to a live conversation. Repeated written defense usually deepens the problem.

Is there a single list of email etiquette rules I can follow? NetM@nners offers a free PDF, "101 Email Etiquette Etips," that collects its top tips in one list — useful as a reference if you want a checklist rather than reading individual articles.