Marketers today don’t just want traffic — they want visibility. That means understanding where their brand shows up, how it’s discovered, and what kind of impact it makes. For years, Ahrefs has set the standard in this space. Known for its deep SEO data and fast updates, it’s the go-to platform for anyone serious about ranking, links, and content performance.
But as attention shifts into podcasts, social media, and unlinked mentions, new tools like Profound Brand Radar have entered the conversation. These tools aren’t trying to outdo Ahrefs at SEO — they’re tracking visibility in places search engines can’t reach.
So how do these two platforms compare? And what role does each play in a complete brand intelligence strategy?
Source: Bloggerjet.com
Alt text: Ahrefs Brand Radar promo highlighting AI search visibility and sign-up button.
Who Should Use Each Tool?
But before you make up your mind, it’s worth asking: who is each tool actually designed to serve? For more insights into how these tools stack up, take a look at BloggerJet.
Ahrefs is essential for:
- SEO managers optimizing site structure and content
- Growth teams building backlink strategies
- Content marketers tracking performance and topic opportunities
- Competitive research and domain monitoring
Profound is useful for:
- PR teams measuring offsite mentions
- Brand strategists tracking social visibility
- Founders or execs monitoring personal brand impact
- Agencies reporting on full-channel presence
What Each Tool Does Best
While Ahrefs and Profound both track visibility, they’re built for very different environments. One is built for tracking everything search engines can measure. The other picks up brand mentions that fly under the radar. Here’s how their strengths compare side by side.
| Feature / Use Case | Ahrefs | Profound Brand Radar |
| Keyword ranking & tracking | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Backlink analysis | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Competitor content discovery | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Social media brand mentions | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Podcast and YouTube references | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Newsletter and Substack mentions | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| SEO audit tools | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Sentiment & off-site visibility | ❌ Limited | ✅ Strong |
Ahrefs and SEO
SEO is where Ahrefs shines. It reveals who’s ranking, what’s working for them, and how you can compete — with clear insights on keywords, links, and site strength. It’s organized, reliable, and built to drive results. If search visibility is your battleground, Ahrefs is your sharpest weapon.
Profound and Brand Mentions
Profound plays in a different arena. It tracks the moments that don’t show up in search — the podcast shoutouts, social chatter, and newsletter name-drops. There’s no backlink, no ranking, just influence in motion. It catches what people say, not just what they click.
Do They Overlap?
Ahrefs focuses on the searchable web, measuring rankings, keywords, and everything related to link performance. It’s your digital map. Profound, though? It listens in on the noise. The casual mentions. The newsletter name-drops. The “heard it on a podcast” moments. They don’t compete, they complement. One tells you what Google sees. The other shows you what people are actually saying.
Different Tools, Same Goal
They work differently, but they aim for the same outcome: getting your brand noticed.
Ahrefs focuses on search. It shows you what ranks, what earns links, and where your content stands in the competition. Profound looks elsewhere. It spots your brand in conversations, on social platforms, in podcasts, and places traditional tools often ignore.
One gives you numbers. The other gives you context. When you use both, you’re not just chasing traffic. You’re building a complete picture of your brand’s reach.
