It is not enough to create great content and optimize it for search engines, we all know that. You also need to understand what your competitors are doing and how you can do it better. Competitive analysis is the process of identifying your competitors, analyzing their strategies, and using that information to improve your own SEO efforts.
In this guide, we will take you through the steps of performing a competitive analysis that will help you outrank your competitors on Google & Co. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to identify your competitors, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and develop a winning SEO strategy.
Step 1: Identify Your Competitors
The first step in performing a competitive analysis is to identify your competitors. Your competitors are not just the websites that rank above you on Google for your target keywords. They are also the websites that are targeting the same audience as you and offering similar products or services.
To identify your competitors, start by searching for your target keywords on Google. Make a list of the top 10 websites that rank for those keywords. To do that do NOT use the same browser that you usually use, make sure that you are not logged-in to any Google accounts, otherwise you will get heavily biased results that are based on your previous search and browsing behavior. To do this I recommend a privacy focused browser like Epic, which always will delete any history when you close the app. Do a comparison on mobile using a browser like Brave. Then, use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify other websites that are targeting the same keywords or audience.
Step 2: Analyze Your Competitors' Content
Once you have identified your competitors, the next step is to analyze their content. Start by looking at the type of content they are creating and how often they are publishing it. Are they creating blog posts, videos, infographics, or something else? How often are they publishing new content?
Next, analyze the quality of their content. Is their content well-written, informative, and engaging? Do they provide value to their audience? Are they covering topics that you have not yet covered on your website?
Step 3: Analyze Your Competitors' Backlinks
Backlinks are still one of the most important factors in SEO. They are links from other websites to your website, and they signal to Google that your website is trustworthy and authoritative. To outrank your competitors, you need to have more and better backlinks than they do.
Start by analyzing your competitors' backlinks. Use tools like Ahrefs or Majestic to see who is linking to their website and what kind of links they are. Look for opportunities to get backlinks from the same websites or to create better content that will attract more backlinks.
Step 4: Analyze Your Competitor's On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to the elements on your website that you can control, such as your page titles, meta descriptions, and content. Analyzing your competitors' on-page SEO will help you identify areas where you can improve your own website.
Start by analyzing your competitor's page titles and meta descriptions. Are they using their target keywords in these elements? Are their titles and descriptions engaging and informative?
Next, analyze their content. Look for ways to improve your own content, such as by adding more information, using better formatting, or including more visuals.
Performing a comprehensive competitive analysis is essential if you want to outrank your competitors on Google. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can identify your competitors, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and develop a winning SEO strategy.
Remember, B2B SEO is a long-term process, and it takes time and effort to see results. But by consistently creating high-quality content, building quality backlinks, and optimizing your website for search engines, you can gradually improve your rankings and outrank your competitors.
In addition to the steps outlined in this guide, it is also important to keep up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and best practices. This includes staying informed about changes to Google's algorithm and adjusting your strategy accordingly.
By putting in the time and effort to perform a comprehensive competitive analysis and implementing a winning SEO strategy, you can achieve higher rankings on Google and attract more traffic to your website.
FAQs about a SEO Competitive Analysis:
Q: How often should I perform a competitive analysis?
A: It is recommended to perform a competitive analysis at least once a year or whenever there are significant changes in your industry or the search landscape.
Q: What tools can I use to perform a competitive analysis?
A: There are many tools available for performing a competitive analysis, including Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, and SpyFu.
Q: Is it necessary to outrank all my competitors?
A: No, it is not necessary to outrank all your competitors. The goal of a competitive analysis is to identify areas where you can improve your SEO strategy and outperform your closest competitors.
Q: How important are backlinks in SEO?
A: Backlinks are a crucial factor in SEO. They signal to Google that your website is trustworthy and authoritative, and they can help improve your rankings.
Q: What is on-page SEO?
A: On-page SEO refers to the elements on your website that you can control, such as your page titles, meta descriptions, and content. Optimizing these elements can help improve your rankings on Google.
See also my B2B Seo Case Study
Resources:
Ahrefs: https://ahrefs.com/
SEMrush: https://www.semrush.com/
Moz: https://moz.com/
SpyFu: https://www.spyfu.com/
Comentários