Search Marketing
How to Perform an SEO Competitor Analysis: Tools and Techniques

How to Perform an SEO Competitor Analysis: Tools and Techniques

December 16, 2024
4 min read

Conducting an SEO competitor analysis gives you a strategic view of how your competitors are getting their search engine rankings. By understanding what works for them, you can find new opportunities to refine your SEO approach and position your brand the way you want to. This guide explores tools and techniques to perform a well-rounded competitor analysis!

Quick Takeaways

  • Use tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to identify direct and indirect competitors.
  • Target high-traffic keywords that competitors rank for but remain relevant to your goals.
  • Analyze competitor content length, multimedia use, and structure for better user engagement.
  • Study backlinks and anchor text for high-quality link-building opportunities.

Identifying Competitors

To perform an effective SEO competitor analysis, begin by identifying the right competitors. These may include both direct competitors in your industry and indirect ones who rank for the keywords you target.

  • Direct Competitors: Look for companies offering similar products or services in your geographical market or industry niche.
  • Indirect Competitors: Focus on brands ranking for the same target keywords or appealing to a similar audience segment.

Use tools like Google search results, SEMrush, and Ahrefs to reveal competitors that rank highly for your keywords or share a similar audience. This initial assessment sets the stage for your analysis and helps you gauge the scope of the competitive landscape.

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Analyzing Keywords

Competitor keyword analysis shows you the phrases and terms driving their organic traffic. This step can reveal keyword opportunities you may not have considered.

Approaches to Keyword Analysis

  • Start by using SEMrush or Ahrefs to list keywords your competitors rank for, noting terms with high search volume and relevance.
  • Review long-tail keywords they target, which can represent low-competition opportunities with high relevance to your audience.
  • For keyword gaps, compare your website’s ranking keywords to those of competitors and identify relevant terms where they rank but you don’t.

Evaluating keyword focus and intent helps you refine your SEO strategy, making sure that your content targets high-potential terms with clear relevance to your audience.

graphic showing how to conduct an SEO competitor analysis

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Content Quality and Structure

Competitor content analysis offers insight into what types of content perform best within your industry. Examining content quality, length, and structure can guide your approach to developing pieces that engage readers and rank well. Consider these content factors:

Content Length and Depth

Are competitors using short, concise articles or in-depth guides? Length and depth often reflect what performs best for specific keywords.

Use of Headers

Look at how headers, subheadings, and bullet points improve readability and flow. This can indicate the organization that resonates most with readers.

Multimedia and Engagement Features

Note whether competitors include images, infographics, or videos to enhance engagement.

Evaluating these content elements allows you to see trends in structure and multimedia that could benefit your site’s SEO performance.

Backlink Profile and Domain Authority

Backlinks are still one of the most influential ranking factors. Analyzing competitor backlinks can highlight valuable sites and domains where you may also be able to gain links. What to look for:

  • Top Referring Domains: Identify high-authority sites linking to competitors and consider outreach to these sources for your content.
  • Anchor Text Diversity: Evaluate anchor text used in competitor backlinks, as it indicates how they drive keyword relevance and traffic.
  • Broken Link Opportunities: Search for broken links within competitors’ backlink profiles and offer your content as an updated resource.

Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz’s Link Explorer to conduct a thorough analysis of competitor backlink strategies.

Tools for Competitor Analysis

Various tools streamline competitor analysis, offering insights into traffic, keywords, backlinks, and more. The following tools are commonly used for SEO competitor analysis:

  1. Ahrefs: Best for in-depth keyword and backlink analysis, revealing insights into competitors’ most successful pages and keywords.
  2. SEMrush: Provides a full suite for keyword research, traffic analysis, and content gaps between you and competitors. This is the #1 choice among marketing professionals, though it comes with a hefty price tag.
  3. Moz Pro: Offers insights into page and domain authority while allowing for easy competitor tracking and comparison.
  4. SpyFu: Focuses on competitor keyword research, identifying profitable keywords competitors rank for in both organic and paid search.

Each tool has unique strengths and can be integrated into your workflow to build a strong competitor analysis strategy.

graphic showing SEMrush homepage

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How to Analyze Competitors in the B2B Industry

Think about a B2B marketing firm analyzing competitors within the digital advertising space. Using tools like Ahrefs, they identify that their main competitor ranks highly for “SEO strategy for B2B” and “digital marketing trends.”

By focusing on content length, keyword gaps, and backlink opportunities, the firm finds areas to create in-depth guides targeting similar terms while also addressing gaps competitors haven’t covered. They also pursue backlinks from high-authority sites that link to competitors, improving their domain’s authority and visibility.

Why Competitor Analysis Works

Competitor analysis not only highlights areas for improvement in your strategy but also reveals fresh approaches and tactics that align with your business’s SEO goals. With a detailed understanding of competitors’ keywords, content, and backlink profiles, you gain actionable insights to enhance your SEO efforts, build authority, and reach new audiences.

Marketing Insider Group offers a range of services to help businesses stay competitive in our current market. With a focus on effective SEO strategies and content marketing, we equip clients with the tools needed to achieve their goals. Contact us to learn how you can enhance your SEO efforts and drive better results for your business.

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Lauren Basiura

Lauren is a writer for Marketing Insider Group, a top-rated Content Marketing Agency. Connect with her on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on all things MIG.

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