How to Analyze Your Competitors’ SEO Strategy Step by Step

Learning how to analyze your competitors’ SEO strategy is one of the most effective ways to improve your website’s search engine visibility, identify keyword opportunities, and develop a stronger content strategy.

Instead of creating content based entirely on assumptions, competitor SEO analysis allows you to understand what is already working in your industry. You can discover which keywords competitors rank for, which pages attract organic traffic, how they build backlinks, and what content strategies they use to achieve better search engine rankings.

However, competitor analysis is not about copying another website’s content or blindly following its SEO practices. It is about identifying opportunities, understanding the competitive landscape, and developing a strategy that provides more value to your target audience.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explain how to perform competitor SEO analysis step by step using Semrush, Ahrefs, Google Search, Google Search Console, and other SEO tools. You will also learn how to analyze competitor keywords, backlinks, content, technical SEO, and website structure.

Whether you are a beginner, blogger, digital marketer, business owner, or SEO professional, this guide will help you understand how to evaluate competitors and turn your findings into actionable SEO strategies.

 

1. What Is Competitor SEO Analysis?

Competitor SEO analysis is the process of evaluating other websites that compete with your website in organic search results.

The objective is to understand their search engine optimization strategies and identify opportunities to improve your own website’s visibility.

A comprehensive competitor SEO analysis typically examines:

• Organic keyword rankings
• Search traffic estimates
• Content strategy
• Backlink profiles
• On-page SEO
• Technical SEO
• Website architecture
• Internal linking
• Search intent
• Content gaps
• SERP performance

For example, suppose you operate a website publishing SEO and digital marketing content.

Your competitors may rank for keywords such as:

• Best SEO tools for beginners
• How to perform an SEO audit
• Keyword research tutorial
• Best website hosting providers
• SEO strategies for small businesses

Analyzing these competitors can reveal which topics attract organic traffic, which keywords you have not targeted, and which content opportunities deserve your attention.

Competitor SEO Analysis vs. General Competitor Analysis

These two concepts are related but serve different purposes.

Factor	Competitor SEO Analysis	General Competitor Analysis
Primary focus	Organic search performance	Overall business performance
Keywords	Organic keyword rankings	Market positioning
Content	Search-focused content	Marketing communication
Backlinks	Link acquisition strategy	Brand partnerships
Website	Technical and on-page SEO	User experience and design
Traffic	Organic search traffic	All traffic channels
Objective	Improve search visibility	Improve competitive positioning

Competitor SEO analysis focuses specifically on understanding how websites compete in search engines.

2. Why Competitor SEO Analysis Is Important

Analyzing competitors provides valuable insights that can help you make better SEO decisions.

2.1 Discover High-Value Keywords

Competitors may already rank for keywords that you have not considered.

By analyzing their organic keyword profiles, you can identify relevant search queries with potential traffic and business value.

For example, a competitor publishing content about email marketing may rank for:

• Email marketing for startups
• Email automation examples
• Best email marketing tools
• How to improve email deliverability
• Email marketing campaign ideas

These keywords can become opportunities for your own website.

2.2 Identify Content Gaps

Content gap analysis helps you discover topics that competitors cover but your website does not.

This is particularly useful when building topical authority.

You can identify:

• Missing blog topics
• Incomplete guides
• Unanswered audience questions
• Outdated content opportunities
• Supporting articles for existing pillar pages

Instead of creating random blog posts, you can build a structured content strategy based on actual competitive insights.

2.3 Understand Competitors’ Backlink Strategies

Backlinks remain an important consideration in SEO.

Analyzing competitor backlinks can reveal:

• Websites linking to competitors
• Industry publications mentioning competitors
• Relevant resource pages
• Guest posting opportunities
• Partnership opportunities
• Digital PR opportunities

This information helps you identify potential link-building opportunities.

However, not every competitor backlink is worth pursuing. Prioritize links that are relevant, credible, and editorially earned.

2.4 Improve Your Existing Content

Competitor analysis can help you improve pages that already exist on your website.

For example, if competing articles include useful comparison tables, detailed tutorials, original examples, and relevant FAQs, you can evaluate whether your own article lacks these elements.

The goal is not to make your article longer than every competitor’s article.

The goal is to make it more useful, accurate, comprehensive, and aligned with search intent.

2.5 Understand Search Intent

Analyzing competing pages helps you understand what Google currently considers relevant for a search query.

You may discover that a keyword predominantly displays:

• Informational articles
• Product comparison pages
• Tutorials
• Commercial landing pages
• Videos
• Community discussions

This helps you select the right content format before investing time in content creation.

2.6 Identify Realistic Ranking Opportunities

If a keyword is dominated by highly authoritative websites, ranking may require significant resources.

However, if smaller websites rank well for relevant queries, the keyword may offer a more realistic opportunity.

Competitor analysis helps you evaluate these possibilities before committing to a content strategy.

3. How to Identify Your SEO Competitors

The first step in competitor SEO analysis is identifying the websites you actually compete with in organic search.

Your direct business competitors are not always your SEO competitors.

A business selling SEO software might compete commercially with other software companies, but its organic search competitors may include blogs, affiliate websites, educational publishers, and digital marketing agencies.

Step 1: Search for Your Primary Keywords

Open Google and search for keywords relevant to your business or website.

For example, if your website focuses on SEO and digital marketing, search for:

• SEO tools
• Keyword research
• SEO audit
• Website optimization
• Digital marketing strategies
• Best SEO software

Review the websites appearing on the first page.

Step 2: Identify Websites Appearing Frequently

Create a list of websites that repeatedly rank for your target keywords.

These websites are likely to be important organic competitors.

Look for:

• SEO blogs
• Software review websites
• Industry publications
• Affiliate marketing websites
• Digital marketing agencies
• Educational platforms

Step 3: Check Competitor Relevance

Not every website ranking for your keyword is a meaningful competitor.

For example, a government website or large educational institution may rank for an informational keyword but may not represent a direct content competitor.

Prioritize websites that:

• Target a similar audience
• Publish similar content
• Rank for relevant keywords
• Compete for organic traffic
• Cover related topics

Step 4: Use Semrush to Discover Competitors

Open Semrush and navigate to:

SEO → Competitive Research → Organic Research

Enter your website’s domain.

Open the Competitors report.

Semrush will identify websites that share organic keywords with your domain.

You can review:

• Competition level
• Common keywords
• Competitor organic traffic estimates
• Number of organic keywords
• Competitive positioning

Step 5: Create a Competitor List

Organize your competitors into categories.

Competitor Type	Description
Direct SEO competitor	Targets the same audience and topics
Content competitor	Publishes similar educational content
Commercial competitor	Offers similar products or services
Indirect competitor	Competes for related search queries

For most SEO campaigns, focus primarily on direct SEO competitors and content competitors.

Pro Tip: Start with three to five relevant competitors. Analyzing too many websites at once can make your research unnecessarily complicated.

4. How to Analyze Competitors’ Organic Keywords

Organic keyword analysis helps you discover which search queries generate visibility for competing websites.

This is one of the most valuable parts of competitor SEO research.

Step 1: Open Semrush Organic Research

Navigate to:

SEO → Competitive Research → Organic Research

Enter your competitor’s domain.

Select your target country to ensure that the data reflects the relevant search market.

Step 2: Open the Organic Positions Report

The Organic Positions report provides estimated information about the keywords a competitor ranks for.

You can analyze:

Metric	Description
Keyword	Search query
Position	Estimated organic ranking
Search Volume	Estimated monthly searches
Keyword Difficulty	Estimated organic ranking difficulty
URL	Page ranking for the keyword
Traffic	Estimated traffic contribution
Intent	Search intent classification
SERP Features	Special search result features

Step 3: Filter Competitor Keywords

Apply filters to identify useful keyword opportunities.

For example:

• Position: 1–20
• Keyword Difficulty: 0–40
• Search Volume: Greater than 50
• Intent: Informational or commercial

These filters are examples. Adjust them based on your website’s authority, niche, and business goals.

Step 4: Identify Keywords Your Website Does Not Target

Look for keywords that:

• Are relevant to your audience
• Have realistic ranking opportunities
• Generate meaningful search demand
• Are not covered by your existing content
• Match your content capabilities

These keywords may be suitable for new articles or existing content updates.

Step 5: Analyze Competitor Ranking Pages

Click the competitor’s ranking URL.

Evaluate:

• Page title
• Content format
• Search intent
• Content structure
• Internal links
• Backlinks
• Content freshness
• User experience

Understanding why a specific page ranks is more valuable than simply collecting its keywords.

Example: Competitor Keyword Analysis

Suppose your competitor publishes content about website hosting.

Competitor Keyword	Search Intent	Potential Opportunity
Best hosting for WordPress beginners	Commercial	Comparison guide
How to migrate WordPress hosting	Informational	Step-by-step tutorial
Managed WordPress hosting benefits	Informational	Educational article
Bluehost vs Hostinger	Commercial	Comparison article
Best hosting for small businesses	Commercial	Buying guide

Evaluate each keyword before deciding whether to create a new page.

5. How to Perform Competitor Keyword Gap Analysis

Keyword gap analysis identifies search queries for which your competitors rank but your website has limited or no visibility.

It helps you understand where your website is missing opportunities.

Step 1: Open Semrush Keyword Gap

Navigate to:

SEO → Competitive Research → Keyword Gap

Enter:

• Your website domain
• Competitor 1
• Competitor 2
• Competitor 3

Select the appropriate country database.

Step 2: Compare Keyword Rankings

Semrush will compare the keyword profiles of the selected websites.

You can identify:

• Shared keywords
• Missing keywords
• Weak keywords
• Untapped keywords
• Strong competitor keywords

Step 3: Review Missing Keywords

The Missing filter identifies keywords for which competitors rank but your website does not.

These keywords may represent new content opportunities.

However, make sure they are relevant to your website.

Step 4: Review Weak Keywords

The Weak filter identifies keywords where your website performs less effectively than competitors.

These opportunities may be better addressed by improving existing content rather than publishing new articles.

Step 5: Prioritize Keyword Opportunities

Evaluate missing and weak keywords using:

• Search volume
• Keyword Difficulty
• Search intent
• Business relevance
• Existing content
• Competitor strength

Keyword Gap Analysis Example

Keyword	Your Website	Competitor A	Competitor B	Action
SEO audit checklist	Not ranking	Position 5	Position 8	Create content
Keyword research guide	Position 18	Position 4	Position 6	Improve existing page
Best SEO tools for bloggers	Not ranking	Position 3	Position 9	Create comparison
Technical SEO basics	Position 12	Position 7	Position 5	Update content

Illustrative example, not live ranking data.

What Is the Difference Between Keyword Gap and Content Gap?

Keyword gap analysis focuses on search queries and keyword rankings.

Content gap analysis focuses on missing or insufficient information within your content strategy.

Both techniques are useful, but they answer different questions.

6. How to Analyze Competitors’ Content Strategy

Content analysis helps you understand how competitors create, organize, and optimize their pages to attract organic traffic.

6.1 Analyze Their Top-Performing Pages

In Semrush, open:

Organic Research → Pages

This report identifies pages that contribute to a competitor’s estimated organic search visibility.

Look for:

• Pages with high estimated traffic
• Pages ranking for multiple keywords
• Frequently updated content
• Comprehensive guides
• Comparison articles
• Product reviews
• Category pages

These pages can reveal which content formats perform well in your niche.

6.2 Identify Their Content Types

Classify competitor pages into different formats.

Content Type	Example
Tutorial	How to Perform an SEO Audit
Listicle	Best SEO Tools for Beginners
Comparison	Semrush vs Ahrefs
Review	Semrush Review
Explainer	What Is Keyword Difficulty?
Case Study	How a Website Increased Organic Traffic
Checklist	Technical SEO Checklist
Troubleshooting	How to Fix Indexing Issues

This helps you understand which content formats are relevant to your target keywords.

6.3 Analyze Content Structure

Open a competitor’s top-ranking article.

Review its:

• H1 heading
• H2 and H3 structure
• Introduction
• Main sections
• Examples
• Images
• Tables
• FAQs
• Internal links
• External references
• Calls to action

Identify whether the article fully answers the search query.

6.4 Identify Content Gaps

Look for information that competing pages fail to provide.

Potential content gaps include:

• Missing step-by-step instructions
• Outdated screenshots
• Incomplete explanations
• Lack of practical examples
• Missing comparison tables
• Unclear terminology
• No troubleshooting guidance
• Insufficient audience-specific information

These gaps can help you create more useful content.

6.5 Analyze Content Freshness

Check whether competitors regularly update their articles.

For example, software tutorials and reviews may require frequent updates because interfaces, features, and pricing change.

Identify:

• Outdated information
• Broken links
• Old screenshots
• Discontinued features
• Incorrect recommendations
• Missing recent developments

If you can provide accurate, current information, this may create a content improvement opportunity.

6.6 Analyze Content Depth

Do not compare content solely by word count.

Instead, evaluate whether competitors cover the essential aspects of a topic.

A useful content analysis checklist includes:

Factor	Evaluation
Topic coverage	Does the page answer the main question?
Accuracy	Is the information correct?
Practical value	Does it include examples or instructions?
Readability	Is it easy to understand?
Structure	Are headings logically organized?
Originality	Does it provide unique insights?
Search intent	Does it match the user’s needs?
User experience	Is the page easy to navigate?

Your objective should be to improve usefulness, not simply produce longer content.

7. How to Conduct Competitor Backlink Analysis

Backlink analysis helps you understand how competitors acquire links and which websites reference their content.

Backlinks can contribute to organic search performance, but their quality and relevance matter more than quantity alone.

Step 1: Open Semrush Backlink Analytics

Navigate to:

SEO → Link Building → Backlink Analytics

Enter your competitor’s domain.

Review the backlink overview.

Step 2: Analyze Important Backlink Metrics

Metric	What It Indicates
Referring Domains	Unique websites linking to the competitor
Backlinks	Total links pointing to the website
Authority Score	Semrush’s proprietary domain-level metric
Follow Links	Links that may pass ranking signals
Nofollow Links	Links with nofollow attributes
New Backlinks	Recently discovered links
Lost Backlinks	Links that have disappeared

These metrics help you understand the competitor’s backlink profile.

Remember that third-party authority metrics are estimates, not official Google ranking scores.

Step 3: Identify High-Quality Referring Domains

Open the Referring Domains report.

Look for websites that are:

• Relevant to your industry
• Trusted and credible
• Editorially maintained
• Related to your content
• Potentially interested in your resources

Avoid focusing on irrelevant or low-quality links simply because competitors have them.

Step 4: Analyze Competitors’ Linkable Assets

Identify which competitor pages attract the most backlinks.

Common linkable assets include:

• Original research
• Statistics pages
• Industry reports
• Free tools
• Templates
• Detailed guides
• Infographics
• Case studies
• Useful resources

These pages can help you understand what type of content earns references within your industry.

Step 5: Find Link-Building Opportunities

Create a list of websites that link to multiple competitors.

These websites may be relevant to your content as well.

Potential strategies include:

• Creating a more useful resource
• Reaching out to relevant publishers
• Offering original research
• Contributing expert insights
• Developing industry partnerships
• Creating genuinely useful tools

Example: Competitor Backlink Analysis

Competitor Page	Backlink Source	Potential Opportunity
SEO statistics article	Marketing publication	Publish original statistics
Keyword research guide	SEO resource website	Create a comprehensive guide
Free SEO tool	Educational website	Develop a useful tool
Industry case study	Digital marketing blog	Publish an original case study

The objective is to earn relevant backlinks through valuable content and genuine relationships.

8. How to Analyze Competitors’ On-Page SEO

On-page SEO refers to the optimization of individual pages to help search engines understand their content and help users navigate them effectively.

Analyzing competitor on-page SEO can reveal useful practices and potential improvements.

8.1 Analyze Page Titles

Check how competitors structure their title tags.

Look for:

• Primary keyword usage
• Search intent alignment
• Clear value propositions
• Relevant modifiers
• Appropriate length
• Readability

Do not copy competitor titles directly.

Instead, create a title that accurately represents your content and gives users a compelling reason to visit.

8.2 Analyze Meta Descriptions

Review competitor meta descriptions.

Consider whether they:

• Explain the page’s purpose
• Include relevant keywords naturally
• Communicate benefits
• Encourage clicks
• Match search intent

Google may generate a different search snippet depending on the query, so meta descriptions do not always appear exactly as written.

8.3 Review Heading Structure

Analyze how competitors organize content through headings.

Check whether:

• The H1 accurately describes the page
• H2 headings cover major topics
• H3 headings organize subsections
• Headings are descriptive
• The structure is logical

Use this analysis to improve readability and topic coverage.

8.4 Evaluate Internal Linking

Check how competitors connect related content.

Look for:

• Links to pillar pages
• Supporting articles
• Related tutorials
• Product pages
• Category pages
• Contextual links within paragraphs

A well-organized internal linking structure helps users discover related information.

8.5 Review Image Optimization

Analyze how competitors use images.

Check:

• Image relevance
• Image quality
• Descriptive filenames
• Appropriate alt text
• Image dimensions
• Compression
• Placement within content

Use original, relevant images wherever possible.

8.6 Analyze User Experience

Evaluate:

• Mobile responsiveness
• Navigation
• Content readability
• Page layout
• Accessibility
• Intrusive pop-ups
• Advertisement placement
• Ease of finding information

A page that provides a better user experience may have an advantage in attracting and retaining visitors.

9. How to Evaluate Competitors’ Technical SEO

Technical SEO helps search engines crawl, render, index, and understand website content.

Competitor technical analysis can reveal how their websites are structured and identify potential technical considerations for your own site.

9.1 Check Website Indexation

Search Google using:

site:competitor.com

This provides a rough indication of pages indexed for the domain.

However, the results are not a complete or precise indexation report.

For more detailed analysis, review publicly accessible pages and technical signals.

9.2 Analyze Page Speed

Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights:

https://pagespeed.web.dev/

Enter a competitor’s URL.

Review:

• Core Web Vitals
• Loading performance
• JavaScript execution
• Image optimization
• Layout stability
• Mobile performance

The same process can be used to benchmark your own website.

9.3 Review Core Web Vitals

Google’s Core Web Vitals include:

Metric	What It Measures
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)	Loading performance
Interaction to Next Paint (INP)	Responsiveness
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)	Visual stability

Use these metrics to identify performance issues that may affect user experience.

9.4 Analyze URL Structure

Check whether competitors use descriptive and organized URLs.

For example:

competitor.com/seo/keyword-research/

A logical URL structure helps users understand where a page fits within the website.

9.5 Check Robots.txt and XML Sitemaps

Review publicly accessible files such as:

competitor.com/robots.txt

competitor.com/sitemap.xml

These files can provide insights into the website’s crawling instructions and content organization.

Do not assume that every competitor uses the same sitemap location.

9.6 Analyze Canonical Tags

Canonical tags help indicate the preferred URL when duplicate or similar pages exist.

Review canonical implementation where relevant.

Look for:

• Self-referencing canonicals
• Duplicate page handling
• URL parameter management
• Preferred page versions

Use the findings to identify technical considerations for your own website.

9.7 Evaluate Mobile Optimization

Open competitor pages on mobile devices or use browser developer tools.

Review:

• Responsive layout
• Navigation
• Text readability
• Interactive elements
• Image scaling
• Page loading
• Mobile usability

Mobile experience is an important part of website usability and performance.

10. How to Analyze Competitors’ Website Structure

Website architecture determines how pages are organized and connected.

Analyzing competitor structure helps you understand how they organize topics and distribute internal links.

10.1 Identify Main Categories

Review the competitor’s navigation menu.

Identify major categories such as:

• SEO
• Digital Marketing
• Web Hosting
• Email Marketing
• AI Tools
• Website Development

These categories may reveal how the competitor organizes its content.

10.2 Analyze Topic Hierarchy

Look for relationships between pillar pages and supporting articles.

For example:

SEO

• Keyword Research
• Technical SEO
• On-Page SEO
• Link Building
• SEO Tools
• SEO Audits

This structure can help you develop a logical topical hierarchy.

10.3 Analyze Internal Link Distribution

Use an SEO crawler such as Screaming Frog to crawl publicly accessible pages.

Official website: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/

You can examine:

• Internal links
• Crawl depth
• Page titles
• H1 headings
• Status codes
• Canonical tags
• URL structures

This helps identify how important pages are connected.

10.4 Identify Orphan Page Opportunities

Orphan pages are pages that have no internal links pointing to them.

If a competitor has important pages that are poorly connected, it may indicate an opportunity to improve your own content architecture.

However, a page’s visibility can also come from external backlinks or other discovery mechanisms.

10.5 Develop Your Own Content Architecture

Use competitor insights to create a website structure that is clear and useful.

For example:

SEO & Digital Marketing

• SEO Tools
• Keyword Research
• Technical SEO
• Content Optimization
• Competitor Analysis
• Link Building
• SEO Tutorials

Build internal links between relevant pages instead of publishing isolated articles.

11. How to Use Semrush for Competitor SEO Analysis

Semrush provides several tools for conducting competitor research within one platform.

Official website: https://www.semrush.com/

Semrush Competitor Analysis Workflow

Tool	Primary Purpose
Domain Overview	Analyze competitor search visibility
Organic Research	Discover organic keywords and ranking pages
Keyword Gap	Identify missing and weak keywords
Backlink Analytics	Analyze backlink profiles
Backlink Gap	Compare referring domains
Position Tracking	Monitor keyword ranking changes
Site Audit	Evaluate your website’s technical SEO

Step 1: Open Domain Overview

Enter a competitor’s domain into Domain Overview.

Review its estimated:

• Organic traffic
• Organic keywords
• Backlink profile
• Authority Score
• Paid search visibility

These metrics provide a broad overview of its search performance.

Step 2: Analyze Organic Research

Open Organic Research.

Identify:

• Top organic keywords
• Highest-traffic pages
• Ranking changes
• Keyword trends
• SERP features

Export relevant keyword and page data.

Step 3: Use Keyword Gap

Compare your domain with multiple competitors.

Identify missing and weak keywords.

Filter the data based on relevance, search volume, and keyword difficulty.

Step 4: Use Backlink Analytics

Analyze competitors’ backlink profiles.

Identify referring domains, high-value backlinks, and pages attracting links.

Step 5: Use Backlink Gap

Compare your website’s referring domains with competitors.

Identify websites linking to competitors but not your domain.

Evaluate these domains for relevance and potential outreach opportunities.

Step 6: Organize Your Findings

Export the relevant data into a spreadsheet.

Create separate tabs for:

• Competitor overview
• Organic keywords
• Keyword gaps
• Content analysis
• Backlink analysis
• Technical SEO
• Action plan

This makes the research easier to review and implement.

12. How to Use Ahrefs for SEO Competitor Research

Ahrefs is another popular SEO platform for analyzing competitors’ organic search performance and backlink profiles.

Official website: https://ahrefs.com/

12.1 Analyze Competitor Domains

Open Site Explorer and enter your competitor’s domain.

Review:

• Organic keywords
• Estimated organic traffic
• Top-ranking pages
• Referring domains
• Backlink profile
• Organic competitors

12.2 Explore Organic Keywords

Open the Organic Keywords report.

Look for keywords that:

• Are relevant to your niche
• Have reasonable search demand
• Have realistic competition
• Match your content capabilities

12.3 Analyze Top Pages

Use the Top Pages report to identify pages receiving estimated organic traffic.

These pages may reveal:

• Successful content formats
• High-value topics
• Popular product comparisons
• Informational content opportunities
• Search intent patterns

12.4 Use Content Gap

Ahrefs’ Content Gap tool helps identify keywords that competing websites rank for but your website does not.

Enter your website and competing domains.

Review the results and prioritize keywords based on your SEO goals.

12.5 Analyze Backlinks

Open the Backlinks report.

Review:

• Referring domains
• Anchor text
• Link placement
• Link type
• Linking page relevance
• Competitor pages receiving links

This helps you understand the competitor’s link profile and identify potential opportunities.

Semrush vs. Ahrefs for Competitor SEO Analysis

Feature	Semrush	Ahrefs
Organic keyword research	Yes	Yes
Competitor keyword gap	Yes	Yes
Backlink analysis	Yes	Yes
Content opportunity discovery	Yes	Yes
Technical SEO auditing	Yes	Yes
Keyword tracking	Yes	Yes
Competitor domain analysis	Yes	Yes

Both tools provide valuable insights.

The best choice depends on your workflow, budget, and the features you need.

13. How to Analyze Competitors Using Google Search

Google Search is useful for manually validating competitor research and understanding the actual search results.

SEO tools provide estimates, but Google shows the pages users currently encounter.

13.1 Analyze Search Result Titles

Search for your target keyword.

Review the titles of the ranking pages.

Ask:

• What keywords do they target?
• What value do they communicate?
• What content format do they use?
• Are the titles specific?
• Do they address the search intent?

Use this information to develop better titles for your own content.

13.2 Review Search Intent

Observe the dominant results.

For example, searching for “best CRM software” may display product comparisons and review articles.

Searching for “what is CRM software” may display informational guides.

This distinction helps you determine the appropriate content format.

13.3 Explore People Also Ask

The People Also Ask section can reveal questions that users have about the topic.

Use these questions to identify:

• Missing content sections
• Supporting blog topics
• FAQ opportunities
• Related search intent

13.4 Analyze Related Searches

Related searches at the bottom of Google can help you identify connected topics.

These suggestions can be added to your keyword research database.

13.5 Search for Competitor Brand Mentions

Use search operators to explore competitor visibility.

Examples:

“Competitor Brand” SEO

“Competitor Brand” review

“Competitor Brand” alternatives

“Competitor Brand” case study

These searches may reveal:

• Brand mentions
• Reviews
• Partnerships
• Industry discussions
• Customer experiences
• Editorial references

Such information can provide additional context about competitor positioning and reputation.

14. How to Create a Competitor SEO Analysis Spreadsheet

A structured spreadsheet helps organize competitor research and convert findings into actionable decisions.

14.1 Competitor Overview Sheet

| Competitor | Domain | Organic Keywords | Estimated Traffic | Referring Domains | Main Content Categories |
|—|—|—:|—:|—|
| Competitor A | example-a.com | — | — | SEO, Marketing |
| Competitor B | example-b.com | — | — | Hosting, SEO |
| Competitor C | example-c.com | — | — | AI, Digital Marketing |

Populate this sheet using your chosen SEO tools.

14.2 Keyword Gap Sheet

Keyword	Search Volume	KD	Competitor Ranking	Your Ranking	Action
SEO audit checklist	—	—	—	—	Create
Keyword research guide	—	—	—	—	Improve
Best SEO tools for beginners	—	—	—	—	Create
Competitor backlink analysis	—	—	—	—	Evaluate

14.3 Content Analysis Sheet

Competitor URL	Target Keyword	Content Type	Content Gap	Improvement Opportunity
Competitor URL 1	SEO audit	Tutorial	Missing technical checks	Add practical checklist
Competitor URL 2	Keyword research	Guide	Limited examples	Add detailed examples
Competitor URL 3	SEO tools	Comparison	Outdated information	Update tool information

14.4 Backlink Analysis Sheet

Referring Domain	Competitor	Linking Page	Link Context	Opportunity
Website A	Competitor A	Resource page	SEO resources	Evaluate outreach
Website B	Competitor B	Industry article	Expert reference	Build relevant resource
Website C	Competitor C	Statistics page	Data citation	Create original research

14.5 SEO Action Plan Sheet

Opportunity	Priority	Action	Expected Outcome	Status
Missing keyword	High	Publish new article	Improve organic visibility	Planned
Weak ranking page	High	Update existing content	Improve rankings	Planned
Backlink opportunity	Medium	Relevant outreach	Earn quality links	Planned
Technical issue	High	Fix crawl/indexing issue	Improve accessibility	Planned
Content gap	Medium	Expand supporting sections	Improve topic coverage	Planned

This spreadsheet turns competitor SEO analysis into a practical workflow rather than a collection of disconnected observations.

15. How to Turn Competitor Insights Into an SEO Strategy

Competitor analysis is valuable only when you use the findings to improve your website.

Here is how to convert your research into an actionable SEO strategy.

Step 1: Prioritize Keyword Opportunities

Organize keywords based on:

• Relevance
• Search intent
• Search volume
• Keyword difficulty
• Competitor strength
• Business value

Prioritize opportunities that offer the strongest combination of relevance and realistic ranking potential.

Step 2: Decide Whether to Create or Update Content

For each keyword opportunity, determine whether you should:

• Create a new article
• Update an existing article
• Expand an existing section
• Create a supporting article
• Improve internal linking
• Consolidate overlapping content

This prevents unnecessary content duplication.

Step 3: Develop a Content Calendar

Create a content calendar based on keyword opportunities.

For example:

Priority	Topic	Content Type	Target Keyword
1	SEO competitor analysis	Tutorial	Competitor SEO analysis
2	Keyword research guide	Educational	Keyword research for beginners
3	SEO audit guide	Tutorial	Complete SEO audit
4	Backlink analysis guide	Educational	Competitor backlink analysis
5	SEO tools comparison	Comparison	Best SEO tools

This helps you maintain a consistent publishing schedule.

Step 4: Improve Content Quality

Use competitor research to identify what your content should cover.

However, do not simply replicate competitors’ headings or examples.

Develop your own explanations, practical examples, insights, and recommendations.

Step 5: Strengthen Internal Linking

Connect new articles with relevant existing content.

For example, a competitor SEO analysis article can link to:

• Low-competition keyword research
• SEO audit tutorial
• Keyword clustering guide
• On-page SEO guide
• Backlink analysis guide

This helps users navigate related topics and supports your website’s content structure.

Step 6: Develop a Link Acquisition Strategy

Identify competitor backlink opportunities.

Create useful content that gives relevant websites a reason to reference your resources.

Focus on quality, relevance, and editorial value rather than link quantity.

Step 7: Track Results

Use Google Search Console and your preferred SEO platform to monitor performance.

Track:

• Organic clicks
• Impressions
• Average ranking positions
• Keyword visibility
• Organic traffic
• Content engagement
• Conversions

Use these results to refine your strategy.

16. Common Competitor SEO Analysis Mistakes

Competitor research can become ineffective when you focus on the wrong metrics or draw conclusions without sufficient evidence.

16.1 Copying Competitors’ Content

Copying another website’s content does not create a competitive advantage.

Instead, identify missing information and develop original content that provides greater value.

16.2 Analyzing Only Domain Authority

Domain Authority and similar metrics are third-party indicators.

They are not official Google ranking factors.

A competitor’s high authority score does not mean every page is impossible to outrank.

Evaluate page-level relevance, content quality, backlinks, and search intent.

16.3 Ignoring Search Intent

A competitor may rank because its content matches a particular search intent.

Publishing a different content format may make ranking difficult even if your article contains more information.

Always evaluate the search results before creating content.

16.4 Focusing Only on Backlinks

Backlinks are important, but SEO also involves content quality, technical accessibility, relevance, and user experience.

Do not assume that acquiring more backlinks alone will solve your ranking problems.

16.5 Treating Estimated Traffic as Exact Data

SEO tools estimate organic traffic based on keyword rankings and search volume.

These estimates may differ considerably from actual website analytics.

Use them for comparative analysis rather than treating them as exact traffic figures.

16.6 Ignoring Smaller Competitors

Smaller websites can provide valuable insights.

They may rank for specific long-tail keywords that larger competitors overlook.

Analyze websites based on relevance and search performance rather than brand size alone.

16.7 Analyzing Too Many Competitors

Researching dozens of websites can create unnecessary complexity.

Start with a small group of relevant competitors and expand your analysis when needed.

16.8 Failing to Take Action

Collecting data without implementing changes does not improve SEO.

Every competitor analysis should result in specific actions, such as creating content, updating pages, improving internal links, or addressing technical issues.

17. Advanced Competitor SEO Analysis Techniques

Once you understand the basics, you can use more advanced techniques to discover additional opportunities.

17.1 Analyze Competitors’ Content Refresh Strategies

Identify pages competitors regularly update.

Review whether updates involve:

• New information
• Updated examples
• Improved content structure
• New screenshots
• Updated product details
• Additional supporting sections

Use these observations to develop your own content maintenance strategy.

17.2 Analyze Featured Snippet Opportunities

Search for keywords where competitors appear in featured snippets.

Review the format of the snippet:

• Paragraph
• List
• Table

Determine whether your content can answer the query more clearly and concisely.

However, featured snippets are not guaranteed, even when content is structured appropriately.

17.3 Analyze SERP Features

Review search result features for important keywords.

These may include:

• Featured snippets
• People Also Ask
• Video results
• Image results
• Local results
• Knowledge panels
• Discussions and forums

SERP features can influence how users interact with search results and which content formats are useful.

17.4 Identify Competitors’ Seasonal Content

Some keywords experience seasonal demand.

For example:

• Black Friday SEO strategies
• Holiday email marketing campaigns
• Christmas ecommerce marketing
• Annual SEO trends
• New-year marketing planning

Use Google Trends and historical search data to identify seasonal opportunities.

Publish seasonal content early enough to allow search engines to discover and evaluate it.

17.5 Analyze Competitors’ Content Distribution

SEO is not limited to organic search.

Review whether competitors distribute content through:

• Newsletters
• Social media
• YouTube
• Industry communities
• Guest publications
• Partnerships

These channels may help them attract traffic, engagement, and backlinks.

You can develop a distribution strategy for your own content based on audience relevance.

17.6 Analyze Competitor Brand Search Demand

Some competitors attract branded search traffic.

Use Google Trends and keyword research tools to examine changes in brand-related search interest.

This can provide insights into brand visibility and marketing activity.

However, branded search trends alone do not reveal the complete effectiveness of a competitor’s marketing strategy.

18. How to Track Competitor SEO Performance

Competitor SEO analysis should be performed periodically rather than as a one-time activity.

Search performance changes as competitors publish content, acquire backlinks, update pages, and target new keywords.

18.1 Monitor Organic Keyword Changes

Use Semrush or Ahrefs to monitor changes in competitor keyword rankings.

Look for:

• New keywords
• Improved rankings
• Lost rankings
• Declining visibility
• Newly ranking pages

These changes can reveal emerging topics and content opportunities.

18.2 Monitor Competitor Content Updates

Review important competitor pages periodically.

Check whether they have:

• Published new articles
• Updated existing guides
• Added new categories
• Expanded product comparisons
• Created new landing pages

This helps you understand how competitors evolve their content strategies.

18.3 Monitor Backlink Growth

Use backlink analysis tools to identify new referring domains.

Evaluate whether competitors are earning links through:

• Original research
• Industry publications
• Digital PR
• Guest contributions
• Partnerships
• Resource pages

Focus on understanding the underlying strategy rather than merely tracking backlink numbers.

18.4 Track Your Own SEO Improvements

Ultimately, the objective is to improve your website’s performance.

Use Google Search Console to monitor:

• Organic clicks
• Search impressions
• Average positions
• CTR
• Ranking keywords
• Page performance

Use Google Analytics to monitor organic sessions and conversions.

18.5 Create a Competitor Monitoring Schedule

Activity	Frequency
Review important competitor keywords	Monthly
Analyze competitor content updates	Monthly
Review keyword gaps	Monthly or quarterly
Analyze backlink opportunities	Monthly
Evaluate technical SEO benchmarks	Quarterly
Update content strategy	Quarterly
Review overall SEO performance	Monthly

Adjust the frequency based on your industry and the pace of competitive changes.

19. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is competitor SEO analysis?

Competitor SEO analysis is the process of evaluating competing websites’ organic keyword rankings, content strategies, backlinks, technical SEO, and website structure to identify opportunities to improve your own search visibility.

2. How do I analyze my competitors’ SEO strategy?

Start by identifying your organic search competitors. Then analyze their keywords, ranking pages, content structure, backlinks, on-page SEO, and technical SEO. Use tools such as Semrush and Ahrefs to collect data and convert your findings into an SEO action plan.

3. What are the best tools for competitor SEO analysis?

Semrush and Ahrefs are popular tools for competitor keyword research, backlink analysis, organic traffic estimation, and content gap analysis. Google Search, Google Search Console, Google Trends, and PageSpeed Insights can also provide valuable insights.

4. How do I find my SEO competitors?

Search for your primary target keywords on Google and identify websites that frequently rank for them. You can also use Semrush’s Organic Research or Ahrefs’ Site Explorer to discover websites competing for similar organic keywords.

5. What is keyword gap analysis?

Keyword gap analysis compares your website’s keyword rankings with those of competing websites. It identifies keywords your competitors rank for but your website does not, helping you discover potential content and optimization opportunities.

6. How can I analyze competitors’ backlinks?

Use backlink analysis tools such as Semrush Backlink Analytics or Ahrefs Site Explorer. Review referring domains, linking pages, backlink relevance, and competitor pages that attract links. Use these insights to identify ethical link-building opportunities.

7. How do I find competitors’ top-performing content?

Use Semrush’s Organic Research Pages report or Ahrefs’ Top Pages report. These reports estimate which competitor pages attract the most organic traffic and can help you discover successful content topics and formats.

8. How often should I perform competitor SEO analysis?

A basic competitor SEO review can be conducted monthly, while a comprehensive analysis may be performed quarterly. The ideal frequency depends on your industry, competition, and publishing schedule.

9. Can I perform competitor SEO analysis for free?

Yes. You can use Google Search, Google Search Console, Google Trends, Google Keyword Planner, and free SEO tool features. Paid platforms generally provide more extensive keyword, backlink, and competitor data.

10. What is the difference between competitor SEO analysis and keyword research?

Keyword research focuses on discovering and evaluating search queries for your website. Competitor SEO analysis is broader and examines keywords, content, backlinks, technical SEO, and other competitive factors to understand how competing websites perform.

11. Should I copy my competitors’ SEO strategies?

No. Competitor analysis should help you understand opportunities and industry practices. Develop your own strategy based on your audience, website strengths, business goals, and content quality rather than copying competitors.

12. How do I identify content gaps in competitor websites?

Analyze their top-ranking pages, keyword profiles, and content categories. Identify relevant topics they cover that your website does not, along with questions and problems that their existing content fails to address adequately.

13. What metrics should I track during competitor SEO analysis?

Important metrics include organic keyword rankings, estimated organic traffic, keyword difficulty, referring domains, backlink quality, content performance, search intent, and technical SEO indicators. Prioritize metrics that support your SEO objectives.

14. Is competitor SEO analysis important for new websites?

Yes. It helps new websites identify realistic keyword opportunities, understand search intent, discover relevant content topics, and build a structured SEO strategy instead of competing immediately for highly difficult keywords.

15. What should I do after completing competitor SEO analysis?

Organize your findings into a prioritized action plan. Identify keywords to target, existing pages to improve, new articles to publish, internal links to add, backlink opportunities to pursue, and technical issues to resolve. Then monitor performance and refine your strategy.

20. Conclusion

Understanding how to analyze your competitors’ SEO strategy can help you make smarter decisions about keyword research, content development, link building, and website optimization.

Instead of relying entirely on assumptions, competitor SEO analysis allows you to identify what is working within your industry and discover opportunities that your website has not yet explored.

Start by identifying your organic search competitors. Analyze their keyword rankings, top-performing pages, content gaps, backlink profiles, on-page SEO, and technical performance.

Use tools such as Semrush and Ahrefs to collect competitive data, but validate important findings through Google Search and your own website analytics.

Most importantly, turn your research into action.

Prioritize relevant keywords, improve existing content, create useful supporting articles, strengthen internal linking, and develop a sustainable backlink strategy.

Remember: The goal of competitor SEO analysis is not to become a copy of another website. It is to understand the competitive landscape, identify opportunities, and create a better experience for your audience.

With consistent research and implementation, competitor analysis can become an important part of building long-term organic visibility and sustainable SEO growth.

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