If you’ve spent any time cleaning up backlink profiles, you already know that spam backlinks can seriously inflate your Ahrefs metrics — sometimes by thousands of domains. For example, imagine spotting 3,192 spam domains total within a client’s backlink profile. That’s a massive distraction from the links that actually matter.
In this post, we’ll cut through the noise and break down the important differences between Ahrefs’ “Best links” feature and the other backlink filters inside Ahrefs Site Explorer. We’ll also cover how to avoid over-filtering, why a custom exclusion list is a game-changer, and how to save your favorite views for faster audits.
Understanding Ahrefs Backlink Filters: What’s What?
Ahrefs Site Explorer provides several filters to narrow down backlink data, but not all filters work the same way. Two main types stand out:
- Best links filter: An automated selection of your strongest, most trustworthy backlinks. Other backlink filters: Filters by domain rating, link type (dofollow/nofollow), traffic, platform, and more.
Both have their place, but let’s look closer at what sets “Best links” apart.
What is Ahrefs “Best Links”?
The “Best links” feature highlights the backlinks Ahrefs deems most valuable and relevant. They apply a proprietary weighting system considering metrics like Domain Rating (DR), referring pages, link relevance, and link equity passed. The goal is a quick snapshot of the best, highest quality backlink profile segments.
While this saves time by focusing on quality, it is still an automated filter — meaning it won’t catch every spammy domain or every link you may want excluded based on your niche knowledge.
Other Ahrefs Backlink Filters
Ahrefs’ filtering options include:
- Domain Rating (DR): Showing backlinks from domains above or below a certain DR threshold. Link type: Filtering dofollow vs nofollow, image, or text links. Platform: Categorizing links by forums, blogs, directories, etc. Traffic: Filter backlinks by estimated referring traffic. Link status: Active, lost, or broken links.
These filters offer very specific slices of your backlink profile but require more manual vetting to avoid accidentally filtering out good links or missing toxic ones.
Spam Backlinks Inflate Ahrefs Metrics — Here’s Why It Matters
When you see 3,192 spam domains in a backlink profile, that can inflate key Ahrefs metrics like:
- Referring domains count Domain Rating Backlinks count
This artificial inflation gives a false sense of domain authority and ranking power. If you don’t address spammy links properly, you might misinterpret the backlink quality and make poor SEO decisions.
Why Simple Filtering Isn’t Enough
Using just DR or link type filters won’t remove all junk. Many spammy domains have manipulated DR or come from new, low DR domains disguised in large numbers. Blindly using those filters can trash genuine links, hurting your profile rather than helping.
Using “Best Links” with a Custom Exclusion List: The Sweet Spot
Here’s the deal: using “Best links” is a strong starting point but pairing it with a custom exclusion list is essential. Why? Because Ahrefs can’t know your niche-specific spammy or irrelevant domains better than you.
My approach as an SEO analyst with 11 years of backlink audit experience:
Run “Best links” filter in Ahrefs Site Explorer for a concise, high-quality subset. Apply a custom exclusion list of known spam or PBN domains I’ve tracked over time (I maintain a personal blocklist of repeat offenders to save hours). Manually review any suspicious links that still come through or borderline cases caught by the blocklist.This combo keeps the profile clean while retaining excellent backlinks that other filters might toss. You avoid the trap of over-filtering.
How to Build and Use Your Custom Exclusion List
Create a simple list of domains you frequently see as spam or part of link farms and add it to the Site Explorer’s exclusion filter. Over time, update it with new offenders.
Here’s what to include:
- Known PBNs or link farms Spam directories Automated blog network domains Any domains previously disavowed or flagged
This ongoing blocklist saves dozens of hours per audit. You spend less time second-guessing automated results and more time focusing on actual backlink value.
Saving a Default View in Ahrefs Site Explorer: Don’t Repeat Yourself
Once you’ve dialed in your ideal filter setup — “Best links” plus your exclusion domains — save it as a default view in Site Explorer:
Apply your preferred filters Click the “Save as default” option Give it an obvious name like “Clean Best Links + Exclusions”Next time you or your team opens Site Explorer, you’ll land straight on this clean view without recreating the same filter combination.
It might sound basic, but saving filter views is a huge time saver that many overlook.
Filtering vs. Disavowing — Why Knowing the Difference Matters
A critical distinction:
- Filtering inside Ahrefs is for cleaning up your reports and views. It does NOT affect your site or link profile as Google sees them. Disavowing
When you filter spam links in Ahrefs without disavowing or removing them, your live backlink profile still includes those links — metrics improve visually but the risk remains.
Therefore:
Use filtering (especially “Best links” + exclusion lists) to speed audits and identify problem areas. Use disavow files only after thorough manual review and confirmation a domain is harmful. Avoid using excessive filters that hide potentially valuable links that don’t need disavowing.
This strategy balances caution with action so you don’t toss good links or miss real toxic ones.
Best Links vs Filters: Key Takeaways
Criteria Best Links Feature Other Ahrefs Filters Purpose Show highest-quality, strongest backlinks selected by Ahrefs algorithm Slice backlink profile by specific metrics (DR, link type, platform, etc.) Risk of Over-filtering Lower, pre-vetted to focus on quality Higher, depends on manual settings and thresholds Requires Custom Exclusion List? Yes — essential to catch niche-specific spam and PBN domains Recommended but manual filtering prone to error Ease of Use Simple, one-click filter More complex, requires multiple steps and judgment calls Suitable For Quick audits, identifying best quality links fast Specific research, nuanced profile segments, expert auditsFinal Thoughts: Avoid Extra Filters, Keep Good Links
The best backlink audits come from thoughtful use of tools — not blind reliance on every available filter. Ahrefs’ “Best links” feature should be your backbone filter for most audits. It significantly reduces noise and helps you avoid being overwhelmed by thousands of spammy backlinks.
That said, don’t forget to customize your exclusions based on your experience and niche. It’s the difference between blindly trusting a filter (and missing toxic domains) vs smartly combining AI with human insight.
Remember: filtering is your viewing tool to save time and sanity — disavowing is your weapon to protect and improve rankings.
If you can save even 30 minutes per audit by using a “Best Links + Custom Exclusion List” approach and saved default views, those hours add up fast given how many backlink profiles you’ll analyze. https://fourdots.com/blog/how-to-filter-spam-links-in-ahrefs-site-explorer-using-best-links-feature-11059 I count clicks and time saved daily — smart filtering is not just nicer for your eyes, it’s a fundamental part of professional SEO audit workflow.
Happy backlink auditing!
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