Ahrefs Web Analytics for Next.js

ahrefsAnalytics() loads Ahrefs Web Analytics after the visitor grants the analytics category. When consent is withdrawn, Ahrefs stops sending page views and events straight away, with no reload. Ahrefs sets no cookies, so there is nothing to delete.

Set it up

Install the integrations package and add ahrefsAnalytics() to the initCookieYes() call you already have. The key is the data-key value in the snippet Ahrefs gives you:

npm install @cookieyes/scripts

"use client";

import { initCookieYes } from "@cookieyes/nextjs";
import { ahrefsAnalytics } from "@cookieyes/scripts";

initCookieYes({
  mode: "cookie-only",
  regulation: "GDPR",
  integrations: [ahrefsAnalytics({ key: "abc123xyz" })],
});

Remove the Ahrefs snippet from your page. The integration adds the script itself.

Send custom events through safeCall(). window.AhrefsAnalytics does not exist before consent, so a direct call would throw. safeCall() does nothing in that case:

import { safeCall } from "@cookieyes/scripts";

safeCall("AhrefsAnalytics", "sendEvent", "signup");
safeCall("AhrefsAnalytics", "sendEvent", "signup", { props: { plan: "pro" } });

This differs from Google tags. gtag() is always safe to call, because Google holds events until consent through Consent Mode. Ahrefs has no consent mode: before consent it is not on the page, and after withdrawal it drops every event.

Options

Good to know

• Withdrawal keeps the script but stops all sending. Ahrefs has no stop command, and removing its script does not stop it. The integration removes the key from the script tag instead. Ahrefs reads the key before every page view, link click, form submit and custom event, and drops the event without it. Each dropped event logs Ignoring Event: missing data-key in the console.
• Single-page apps are covered. Ahrefs counts client-side navigation itself. You do not need to send page views on route changes.
• Ahrefs ignores local and automated visits. It sends nothing from localhost, 127.0.0.1 or a file: page, or from a browser driven by automation tools. Test on a real domain.

Serve it from your own domain

Ad blockers often block requests to known analytics domains. Proxy Ahrefs through your own domain and set scriptUrl:

import { ahrefsAnalytics } from "@cookieyes/scripts";

ahrefsAnalytics({
  key: "abc123xyz",
  scriptUrl: "https://example.com/stats/analytics.js",
  apiUrl: "https://example.com/stats/event",
});

Your proxy forwards scriptUrl to https://analytics.ahrefs.com/analytics.js and apiUrl to https://analytics.ahrefs.com/api/event. Without apiUrl, Ahrefs sends events to /api/event on the domain that served the script. It also sends its own error reports to /api/error on that domain, so forward that path to https://analytics.ahrefs.com/api/error too. This lowers the number of blocked visits but does not bring it to zero: blockers that look at more than the domain name can still catch it.

Loading without consent

Ahrefs sets no cookies, but it still reads the browser and hashes the visitor's IP address, so the default waits for consent like any other analytics tool. If your own legal advice says consent is not needed on your site, set requireConsent: false. This is your decision, not a CookieYes recommendation:

import { ahrefsAnalytics } from "@cookieyes/scripts";

ahrefsAnalytics({ key: "abc123xyz", requireConsent: false });

The devtools Scanner then lists Ahrefs as a possible pre-consent load. That is expected: you chose it.

Check it works

Open your site on its real domain in a private window, and watch the Network tab:

1. Before a decision: no request to analytics.ahrefs.com (or your proxy).
2. Accept: analytics.js loads, then a pageview request to /api/event.
3. Withdraw consent in the preferences dialog, then click around: no new /api/event requests.
4. Accept again: requests start again, with no reload.

The devtools panel shows the integration as active or silenced.

Common mistakes

Ahrefs tracks before the visitor accepts. The Ahrefs snippet is still in your page. Remove it. Ahrefs also refuses to start twice, so the integration's copy then does nothing.

No data in Ahrefs during testing. You are testing on localhost or in an automated browser. Ahrefs drops those visits on purpose.

Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'sendEvent') in the console. The call ran before consent. Use safeCall() as shown above.

Next steps

• Overview: the other integrations
• Custom integration: a tool with no ready-made integration