Every craft has its tools. For a carpenter, it is a saw and a level. For an SEO and PR team, it is the software that shows us how websites rank, who links to them and where the opportunities are.
At Feature Digital, fluency in a core set of tools is not a nice extra. It is a hiring requirement. Here is which tools we mean, why they matter so much, how we check them during hiring, and what it means for the clients we work with.
The core toolkit
Ahrefs. We use Ahrefs every day for backlink analysis, competitor research, keyword research and spotting link opportunities. It is central to our link building and PR work.
Semrush. Semrush helps us with keyword tracking, site audits, competitive analysis and understanding search visibility. Many of our team members use both tools side by side to cross-check data.
AI tools. We are an AI-first agency. Our team uses AI tools to speed up research, structure content briefs, analyze large data sets, draft outreach and summarize findings. We use AI tools in our own hiring process too, for example to help organize applications and keep our reviews consistent.
Alongside these, team members work with Google Search Console, Google Analytics and our internal workflow tools. But Ahrefs, Semrush and AI tools are the ones we expect people to know well from day one.
Why fluency is a hiring requirement
We could train people on these tools from scratch, and we do support learning. But there are good reasons we ask for fluency up front.
Speed matters. Clients hire us to move things forward. Someone who already knows their way around Ahrefs can turn a question into a useful answer in minutes, not hours.
Data quality matters. Tools are only as useful as the person reading them. Knowing what a metric really means, where it can mislead and how to confirm it is what turns numbers into good decisions.
AI needs skilled hands. AI tools are powerful, but they need clear instructions and careful checking. People who understand SEO and know how to work with AI get far better results than either alone.
Shared language. When the whole team speaks the same tool language, collaboration is smoother. A link prospect list or an audit can move between team members without anything getting lost.
How we check it during hiring
We do not just ask candidates to list tools on their CV. We ask them to show us.
Practical questions. Our homework and interviews include questions that require using the tools. For example, a candidate might be asked to look at a website’s link profile or find keyword opportunities, then explain what they found.
Real examples. We ask candidates to walk us through work they have done with these tools. What did they look at? What did they decide? What changed as a result?
Screenshots and reasoning. We encourage candidates to include screenshots from the tools in their answers. Combined with clear reasoning, this shows us that they ran the analysis themselves and understood it.
AI in practice. We ask how candidates use AI in their workflow: which tasks they hand to AI, how they check the output, and where they would never rely on it alone. Thoughtful answers here tell us a lot.
Every answer is scored against the same rubric, and our founders make the final hiring decision.
What it means for clients
Our tool requirements are not just an internal standard. They shape the service our clients receive.
Faster audits. A team fluent in Semrush and Ahrefs can run a technical or backlink audit efficiently and focus their time on what the findings mean and what to do next.
Better link prospecting. Finding the right sites for links and PR placements takes skill. Our team knows how to filter for relevance and quality, spot patterns in competitors’ links and avoid opportunities that look good on paper but add little value.
Data-backed reporting. Clients get reports grounded in real tool data, with clear explanations of what changed and why. When we recommend something, we can show the evidence behind it.
Smart use of AI. We use AI to save time on repetitive work, so our people can spend more time on strategy, relationships and quality control.
Always learning
Tools change quickly. New features arrive, AI capabilities improve, and search itself keeps evolving. Fluency is not a one-time box to tick.
Our team shares tips, workflows and new discoveries with each other regularly. When someone finds a better way to use a tool, it becomes everyone’s better way. That culture of learning is one of the things we look for in every new hire.
Join our team
If you know your way around Ahrefs, Semrush and AI tools, and you enjoy turning data into decisions, we would love to meet you.
Visit the Feature Digital careers page to see how we work and how to apply, or email Mary at [email protected] with your CV and an example of tool-based work you are proud of.