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Struggling to keep up with your competitors in search results? That’s a common challenge for small businesses that lack the same resources as larger brands. Fortunately, conducting a well-rounded competitor SEO analysis can help level the playing field.
By examining what’s working for your competitors, you can uncover strategies to improve your own SEO approach, attract more traffic, and gain an edge.
So, let’s break down the steps you need to master competitor SEO analysis and make those insights work for your business.
What Is Competitor SEO Analysis?
Competitor SEO analysis is the process of evaluating the SEO strategies and tactics of competitors in your industry.
By analyzing factors like keywords, backlinks, content, and on-page optimization techniques, you can pinpoint the exact areas where competitors are excelling—and where they may be falling short.
This allows small businesses to:
- Identify potential keyword opportunities
- Understand the type of content that resonates with target audiences
- Gain insights into backlink strategies
- Discover on-page optimizations that could boost your rankings
This comprehensive approach can make a world of difference in helping your small business stand out in search results.
Step 1: Identify Your Key Competitors
The first step in performing a competitor SEO analysis is to identify your top competitors. Focus on those that rank higher than you on Google for keywords relevant to your industry.
Some tools, like SEMrush or Ahrefs, allow you to enter your website and see who your direct SEO competitors are.
How to Spot Your Real SEO Competitors
Remember, your SEO competitors are not always the same as your traditional business competitors. They’re the websites that rank for the same keywords as you.
For example, a local bakery might see that nearby bakeries are competing for “best cupcakes [city name],” while a major food blog could also be a competitor if it ranks for that same keyword.
Step 2: Analyze Competitors’ Keyword Strategy
Keywords are the foundation of any SEO strategy, so this step is crucial. Analyzing your competitors’ keyword strategy involves identifying the keywords they are ranking for, the keywords they’ve optimized on their pages, and even the content gaps that could be opportunities for you.
Tools and Tactics for Keyword Analysis
Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, and Google Keyword Planner allow you to plug in competitor URLs to discover which keywords they rank for. Focus on keywords that:
- Have a moderate-to-high search volume
- Are relevant to your business but not too competitive
Tapping into the right keywords will help you capture more of the valuable traffic that organic search drives.
Step 3: Examine Content Quality and Gaps
Content is the backbone of your SEO. Start by evaluating the type of content your competitors produce, from blog posts and guides to videos and infographics.
Pay attention to factors like content length, structure, and engagement. Does their content contain multimedia elements? Are they publishing in-depth, valuable information?
Finding Content Gaps
A content gap analysis entails identifying topics that your competitors are covering that you aren’t, as well as areas where your content could go deeper. You can position your business as a go-to resource by filling these gaps.
For example, if competitors are writing about “SEO tips for small businesses,” you might stand out by creating a guide specifically on “Local SEO tips for small businesses.”
Step 4: Assess On-Page SEO Techniques
On-page SEO includes elements like meta titles, descriptions, headers, image alt text, and internal linking. Competitors who consistently rank high in search results are likely to implement strong on-page SEO practices that contribute to their success.
On-Page Factors to Analyze
- Title and Meta Descriptions – Analyze how competitors structure their titles and meta descriptions. Are they optimized with keywords and compelling CTAs?
- Header Tags – Note how they structure their content with headers (H1, H2, etc.). Well-structured headers improve readability and SEO.
- Internal Links – Good internal linking structures guide users (and search engines) through the website and improve overall site authority.
Step 5: Study Their Backlink Profile
Backlinks are still one of the strongest ranking factors. By understanding where competitors are getting their links, you can identify potential sources for your own backlinks.
Strategies for Analyzing Backlinks
Using tools like Moz’s Link Explorer or Ahrefs’ Site Explorer, analyze your competitors’ backlinks. Look for:
- High-authority backlinks – See if they’ve earned links from reputable sites.
- Industry-specific sites – Identify blogs, directories, or websites that could provide links to your content.
For example, a local small business might benefit from building relationships with local blogs or news websites to earn similar backlinks.
Recent stats show that 96.5% of all content gets zero traffic from Google, mainly due to a lack of backlinks, so prioritizing backlink opportunities is critical for SEO.
Step 6: Track Their Technical SEO
Technical SEO refers to aspects of your website’s structure and code that make it easy for search engines to crawl and index.
Check out how your competitors handle elements like page speed, mobile-friendliness, URL structure, and schema markup.
Tools for Technical Analysis
Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to test competitor websites. Look for things like:
- Page Load Time – Is their site loading faster than yours? Google considers load time a ranking factor.
- Mobile Optimization – Is their website mobile-friendly? With mobile-first indexing, this is crucial.
Step 7: Monitor Competitor Engagement on Social Media
While social media doesn’t directly influence SEO, a strong social presence can lead to increased brand awareness, traffic, and link-building opportunities.
Check your competitors’ social media profiles to see what types of content generate the most engagement and shares.
Look for Engagement Metrics
Social signals like shares, comments, and likes indicate the popularity of certain content topics. If you notice a competitor’s post about a topic relevant to your business going viral, consider creating similar content to capture that attention.
Step 8: Use Competitor Insights to Refine Your Own SEO Strategy
Once you’ve analyzed your competitors across all the above categories, it’s time to apply these insights to your own strategy. Prioritize the areas where competitors are outperforming you and look for unique ways to add value.
Developing a Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
While mimicking successful tactics is smart, always look for ways to stand out. Your content, keywords, and outreach should speak uniquely to your audience’s needs and preferences.
Effortlessly Leveraging Competitor SEO Analysis for Success
By following these steps, small businesses can gain valuable insights into their competitors’ strengths and weaknesses.
A detailed competitor SEO analysis not only helps you identify effective strategies but also reveals opportunities to improve your own approach, rank higher, and attract more customers.
If you’re ready to take your SEO to the next level, 2020 Vision Digital can help!
Our expert SEO team specializes in driving results through tailored strategies. Ready to get started and outpace your competition in the digital world?