Make Ahrefs Domain Exports Usable – Without Touching a Script
Turn Ahrefs’ raw domain exports into outreach-ready links without writing a single line of code.
How do I make my Ahrefs domain list usable?
To make your Ahrefs domain list usable, clean it using spreadsheet formulas that remove subdomains, “www.”, and protocol prefixes. Then, standardize it with https:// for clickable URLs.
Want to skip formulas? Use this free tool: Domain Name to URL String Converter. Just paste your domains and get outreach-ready links in seconds.
They Gave You a List. Not a Clean One.
You pulled hundreds of domains from Ahrefs — but they’re a mess.
- Some start with http://, others https://
- A bunch include www.
- A few have subdomains like blog.domain.com
- Others? Full-on subfolder chaos like domain.com/page/link
And now your CRM import’s throwing errors.
Your enrichment tools are choking.
Your outreach tool marks half the list as invalid.
You don’t need code. You need control.
This post shows you how to standardize Ahrefs domain exports with simple spreadsheet tricks — and build a workflow that scales.
Did Your Ahrefs Export Have These Common Issues?
Use this mini checklist to see where your list stands:
| Common Issue | What It Causes |
| Includes full URLs with paths (/page) | Fails enrichment or domain-based tools |
| Has www. or blog. inconsistently | Duplicates or missed matches during data joins |
| Some URLs use http, others use https | CRM import rejections or broken links |
| Refers to subdomains (e.g., news.domain.com) | Wrong contacts or misattributed backlinks |
Sound familiar? Cool. Let’s fix it.
Phase 1: The Essential Cleanup (Remove Prefixes)
Problem: Your List Is a Mix of Subdomains, Prefixes, and Protocols
You’re trying to turn backlinks into domains — but you’re stuck with garbage in, garbage out.
Solution: Use a Formula to Extract Just the Root Domain
Here’s a universal formula that handles basic cleanup:
=ARRAYFORMULA(IF(A2:A=””, “”, REGEXREPLACE(A2:A, “https?://|www\.”, “”)))
🧠 What it does:
- Removes http:// and https://
- Strips out www.
- Leaves you with clean-looking domains like example.com
Still seeing /page.html at the end? Keep going.
Phase 2: The Standardization (Add https:// for Clickability)
Problem: You Need Clickable URLs for Enrichment or Testing
Enrichment tools and outreach CRMs expect URLs — not raw domain strings.
Solution: Add https:// Back (Ironically!)
=ARRAYFORMULA(IF(A2:A=””, “”, “https://” & A2:A))
- This turns example.com into https://example.com
- Works clean with Google Sheets or Excel
- Useful for click tests, enrichment, and email finder tools
Phase 3: The Final Polish (Handle Edge Cases)
Problem: Some Domains Include /pages or UTM Codes
These mess up CRM mapping and hurt de-duplication.
Solution: Use a More Aggressive Regex
=ARRAYFORMULA(IF(ISBLANK(A2:A), “”, REGEXREPLACE(A2:A, “https?://|www\.|/.*”, “”)))
🧪 What it does:
- Strips protocols
- Removes www.
- Cuts off anything after the first /
👉 Leaves you with only domain.com, every time.
Bonus: A Formula-Free Method for Small Lists
A Formula-Free Method: Use ‘Text to Columns’
Don’t like formulas? Use this step-by-step in Excel or Sheets:
- Select your messy column of domains
- Click Data > Split text to columns
- Choose “.” (dot) as the separator
- Recombine only the pieces you need (e.g., example + .com)
Quick and dirty — but works well for fast edits.
The Prospecting Flywheel: Your Clean Data is the Fuel
Think beyond cleanup — this isn’t just data hygiene. This is pipeline prep.
A clean Ahrefs export becomes:
- Input for Hunter.io or Snov.io — to find matching emails
- Output into HubSpot or Instantly — to launch personalized outreach
- Response tracking in your CRM — to close real deals
Every cleaned list makes the next prospecting cycle faster.
That’s your prospecting flywheel. And your formulas just gave it a spin.
Pro Tip: Your Master “All-in-One” Cleaning Formula
Want one formula to rule them all?
=ARRAYFORMULA(IF(A2:A=””, “”, “https://” & REGEXREPLACE(A2:A, “https?://|www\.|/.*”, “”)))
This does all 3 steps at once:
- Removes junk
- Standardizes format
- Adds https://
Paste raw exports into Column A. This formula auto-cleans in Column B. Done.
Future-Proof Your Process: Get Cleaner Data from Ahrefs
Subheading 1: The ‘Golden Rule’ of Exporting
Before hitting that “Export” button — double-check what you’re pulling.
Are you exporting:
- Referring Pages?
- Root Domains?
- Backlink URLs?
Always pick the cleanest source first.
Garbage in = garbage out (and more formulas for you).
Subheading 2: The Template Habit
Don’t rebuild every time.
- Create a Google Sheet with preloaded cleanup formulas
- Lock the formula columns
- Add notes so your VA (or future you) knows what goes where
Paste → Clean → Export. In 10 seconds. Forever.
Final Checklist: Make Your Ahrefs Data Outreach-Ready
| Step | Status |
| Removed protocols and www. | ✅ |
| Standardized to https:// | ✅ |
| Trimmed pages/subfolders | ✅ |
| Built a formula template | ✅ |
| Connected to enrichment tools | ✅ |
Turn That Messy Export Into Clickable Gold
You don’t need scripts. Just a few spreadsheet moves and one solid workflow.
Your cleaned list is now:
- CRM-friendly
- Outreach-ready
- And a lead-gen machine waiting to spin
👉 Start with your last export. Use this free Domain to URL converter and build your system once — reuse it forever.