Master competitive gap analysis using SE Ranking to streamline reports, keyword tracking, backlink monitoring, and site audits for better SEO results.
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Competition in the digital marketing landscape is fierce. To thrive, you need to not only match your competitors but also surpass them by filling gaps in your SEO strategy.
A competitive gap analysis helps identify opportunities to improve your visibility, content, backlinks, and overall strategy.
With SE Ranking, this process becomes efficient, actionable, and data-driven. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to perform a competitive gap analysis using SE Ranking.
1. Define Your Goals and Competitors
The first step in any competitive gap analysis is setting clear objectives. Are you looking to boost organic traffic, identify new keyword opportunities, or improve your backlink profile? Once your goals are established, identify your competitors.
Use SE Ranking’s Competitive Research Tool to uncover your top competitors in organic and paid search. This tool provides insights into their website traffic, top-performing keywords, and ad strategies, giving you a 360-degree view of their online presence.
Pro Tip: Consider categorizing your competitors into direct competitors (offering the same products/services) and indirect competitors (targeting similar keywords or audiences). This helps prioritize which competitor data is most relevant to analyze.
2. Analyze Competitors’ Keywords
Keywords are the backbone of any SEO strategy. SE Ranking’s Competitive Research Tool and Keyword Suggestion Tool allow you to:
- Identify keywords your competitors are ranking for, both organically and in paid campaigns.
- Discover untapped keyword opportunities to expand your reach.
- Analyze keyword difficulty and search volume to prioritize terms with high ROI.
Look for keyword overlaps to spot areas where you can improve rankings. Additionally, uncover gaps by finding keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t.
Pro Tip: Dive deeper into keyword intent by categorizing them into informational, navigational, and transactional. Targeting the right intent can significantly improve conversion rates.
3. Evaluate Backlink Profiles
Backlinks remain a crucial ranking factor. With SE Ranking’s Backlink Checker, you can:
- Analyze competitors’ backlink profiles, including referring domains and anchor texts.
- Identify high-quality backlinks driving authority to their sites and assess their domain trust scores.
Take this further with the Backlink Gap Analyzer to discover backlinks your competitors have but you lack. These insights, paired with regular backlink monitoring, can guide your link-building efforts and ensure you maintain a healthy backlink profile.
Pro Tip: Look for backlinks from unique domains rather than focusing solely on quantity. Prioritize high-domain-authority links from industry-relevant sites.
4. Examine Content Performance
Content plays a vital role in ranking and engagement. SE Ranking’s Content Marketing Tool helps you:
- Analyze your competitors’ top-performing content, including their most shared and linked-to articles.
- Assess content structure, word count, and keyword usage to identify benchmarks for success.
- Spot gaps in your own content strategy, such as missing topics or under-optimized pages.
Additionally, the SERP Checker provides an on-page comparison of key metrics like readability, meta tags, and keyword density, enabling you to fine-tune your content for better rankings.
Pro Tip: Identify content types that resonate most with your target audience—whether it’s blog posts, infographics, or videos—and prioritize creating similar formats.
5. Assess SERP Features and Share of Voice
SE Ranking’s SERP Checker allows you to:
- Track competitors’ rankings for specific keywords across different locations.
- Monitor enriched SERP features like snippets, FAQs, and video carousels to identify areas where you can compete.
- Measure your Share of Voice to understand how much visibility your website has compared to others in your niche.
By identifying opportunities to capture SERP features, you can increase your click-through rates and improve overall visibility.
Pro Tip: Use filters to pinpoint keywords tied to SERP features, then optimize your pages to capture those features by incorporating structured data and concise, keyword-rich summaries.
6. Local Competitor Analysis (Optional)
If your business serves specific geographic areas, SE Ranking’s Local Marketing Tool is invaluable. Use it to:
- Compare your local rankings to competitors’ rankings for location-specific keywords.
- Analyze customer reviews and Google Business Profile activity to identify areas for improvement.
- Identify location-based keyword opportunities and gaps to better target local customers.
Pro Tip: Create a grid-based map of your local rankings with SE Ranking to visualize your visibility within your service area. This can help pinpoint geographic areas where you’re underperforming.
7. Create an Actionable Strategy
With the insights gathered, it’s time to build a strategy. Combine data on:
- Keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t.
- High-performing content ideas that align with your business goals.
- Backlink opportunities to strengthen your domain authority.
Use SE Ranking’s Content Editor to create SEO-friendly content that addresses these gaps while automating SEO tasks like keyword research, competitor tracking, and report generation to streamline your workflow.
Pro Tip: Develop a content calendar that aligns your keyword, backlink, and content strategies, ensuring a consistent, long-term approach to optimization.
8. Monitor and Adjust
SEO is an ongoing process. Use SE Ranking’s tools to track your progress:
- Rank Tracker: Monitor your keyword performance over time and adjust your strategy as needed.
- Backlink Monitor: Stay updated on your competitors’ new backlinks and disavow toxic links when necessary.
- Regularly revisit the Competitor Analysis Tool to adjust your strategy based on new data.
Pro Tip: Set up automated reports using SE Ranking’s reporting tools to stay informed and share updates with your team or stakeholders.
Final Thoughts: Competitive Gap Analysis Using SE Ranking
Performing a competitive gap analysis is essential for identifying opportunities to grow your online presence.
With SE Ranking, you gain access to a suite of tools that simplify this process, providing actionable insights to improve your SEO strategy.
Whether it’s analyzing keywords, evaluating backlinks, or refining content, SE Ranking equips you with everything you need to outperform your competitors.
Ready to take your SEO strategy to the next level? Start your competitive gap analysis today with SE Ranking’s free trial and unlock the potential of your website.