Local SEO search is fiercely competitive. It doesn’t matter if you own a local or national business with many branches in your area; it can be hard to see the localized competition landscape for SEO. However, it is not impossible with competitive analysis. Competitive analysis in SEO allows you to find more competitors and pull their data to beat them in the SEO game.
Remember, Google wants to provide the most relevant results for all users, meaning location plays a significant role in which search queries are displayed. It is now more difficult than ever to determine your SEO competition, as organic results can vary based on the user’s zip code.
To compete in local organic search results, marketers need to accomplish the following:
- Find all the local competitors that are competing for your keywords
- Compare their SEO performance to local competitors
- Find out about your local competitors to help you outperform them
This article will show you how to complete these three steps through a competitive analysis example to help you dominate your local SEO. Here is an in-depth look at how competitive analysis in SEO can be your ticket to local SEO success.
The Best Time to Conduct an SEO Analysis
BrightLocal’s 2020 Customer Survey revealed that 93% of customers used online searches in 2020 to find local businesses. 34% of these searches were performed every day and 73% were performed weekly. This survey only shows that your SEO performance should not depend on a single site. You must compare it with the competition.
Search engine algorithms are constantly changing, new competitors launch, and digital marketers on the other side are working tirelessly to beat you in SEO, so you shouldn’t be slowing down.
Analyzing your competitors regularly to see where you are with them will help you identify areas that need improvement before adversely impacting your rankings.
Here are the key events and processes you should follow when conducting a competitor analysis.
- Writing content: Ensures that your page answers users’ search intent better than your competitors.
- Planning content: It’s an excellent way for search engines to see what your competitors are doing well and then add your spin. You can use SEO competitor analysis to determine how hard it takes to rank high in a particular topic.
- After a sudden drop in rankings: Find out what your competition is doing to rank you higher, what is working and what isn’t in your industry.
- Your page is not ranking well in search engine results: Competitive analysis can help to identify optimization opportunities.
- In case the SERPs have been changed: If you are in the top spot for a particular search term and another website is ahead of you, it is worth using SEO competitor analysis to find its strengths.
How to Do Competitive Analysis in SEO
While there are no hard and fast rules for conducting an SEO competitor analysis, here are some steps that you can take to improve your process:
1. Search for SEO competitors
In any SEO competitive analysis example, finding the competition is the first step to getting localized versions of your target keyword. Without knowing the competition, conducting an SEO analysis of local competitors is difficult. Sometimes it is simple to identify SEO competitors (they can be deduced easily from your daily interactions with them), but other times it isn’t easy. Some websites rank well for keywords related to your interests, and there could be a long list of competitors.
2. Analyze the sites of competitors
After identifying your SEO competitors, analyze their websites in detail. Examine the structure of the websites, the quality of the content, and any other verifications. This analysis will allow you to draw your first conclusions about SEO competitors.
3. Analyze competitor keywords
SEO is built on keywords. If your competitors correctly use keywords, they rank high in search engines. Using this information, you can create your SEO strategy and begin to develop keywords for your website.
4. Check Google My Business details available
You can compare the user reviews on Google my Business account and other details like overall rating, Google Map location pin, etc.
5. Find the backlinks to competitors
Backlinks are another tool for SEO. Analyze the backlinks to competitor sites and determine how many are there, where they came from, etc.
6. Consider other SEO factors
While keywords and backlinks are essential for SEO, they don’t make up most of it. It is crucial to verify the domain authority of the site on Google as well as other search engines like Yahoo, Bing, and Google. This will allow you to do competition analysis. You should also consider the number of pages that search engines have indexed.
7. Analyze competitors’ presence on Social Networks
Social Network activity can significantly impact a company’s reputation in search engines. Active engagement is a sign of the company’s existence and dynamism. Therefore, it is important to analyze your competitors’ social media behavior.
8. Analyze PPC campaigns of competitors
To increase their website traffic, many companies employ paid promotion campaigns. Google Ads is the most popular tool for PPC campaigns. These are the critical elements of your PPC (Pay-Per-Click) strategy.
9. Learn more about SERP metrics
You can use SEO metrics like domain authority, page authority and shares of Facebook to find out how difficult it is to beat your competition.
Realistically, metrics like volume, competition, or keyword difficulty only tell half the story. If your competitors are more trustworthy than you, even a good keyword will not perform. Do your research first, then develop your strategy.
Get Comprehensive SEO Competitive Analysis From ADMS
Analyzing local SEO competition isn’t about copying ideas but comparing them with your strategy. It allows you to draw conclusions and translate them into new actions. Remember that your business is at risk if you copy ideas without thinking. Get professional help.
Advanced Digital Media Services is a digital marketing firm with expertise in SEO in Denver that can help you keep an eye out for changes made by competitors so that you can quickly react to them. ADMS’ approach to competitive analysis in SEO involves looking for new pages, keywords, and a rise in search features like featured snippets to determine the best strategies to improve your local SEO.
Stay ahead of your competitors by keeping an eye on them as sites change and search results evolve. Get in touch with ADMS today to learn more.
