SEO competitive analysis plays a key role in improving your online visibility. This process helps you understand how your competitors are ranking in search engines and identify the actions needed to outperform their strategies.
Did you know that 75% of internet users never look beyond the second page of Google results ? This highlights how crucial it is to optimize your search engine ranking to appear on the first page. Furthermore, 53% of web traffic comes from organic search , underscoring the importance of a well-thought-out SEO strategy.
By analyzing your competitors, you can discover their top-performing keywords, quality backlinks, and the content opportunities they leverage. This approach allows you to better focus your efforts, attract targeted organic traffic, and improve your conversion rates.
Key points on a competitive SEO analysis
Studying your competitors' SEO helps you to be more visible online.
Find your rivals' effective keywords to attract more visitors.
Use tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to see their links and content ideas.
Check if your site is working properly to provide a good user experience and improve your search engine rankings.
Analyze your competitors every 3 to 6 months to stay up-to-date and improve your plan.
Understanding SEO competitive analysis
What is an SEO competitive analysis?
SEO competitor analysis involves examining your competitors' search engine optimization strategies to better understand their rankings in search engines. This process helps you identify their keywords, backlinks, and high-performing content. You can then adapt your own strategy to improve your online visibility.
For each strategic keyword, note the websites ranking in the top 20 to 30 positions on Google. Then, rank these domains according to their frequency of appearance and assign points based on their position. For example:
75 points for second place.
31.65 points for fifth place.
This method allows you to prioritize your efforts on the most competitive keywords.
Definition and objectives of SEO competitive analysis
A competitive SEO analysis aims to achieve several key objectives. You can track measurable metrics such as conversion rate, bounce rate, and page views per session. This data helps you evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy and identify opportunities for improvement.
Here are some useful types of data:
Data type | Examples of metrics |
|---|---|
Analytics data | Organic traffic, user behavior, conversion rate |
Search Console data | Impressions, clicks, CTR, average position |
Ranking data | Current rankings for strategic keywords |
Technical data | Core Web Vitals performance metrics, loading speed, indexing errors |
By analyzing these metrics, you can prioritize your SEO actions and optimize your pages for better ranking.
Differences with other types of SEO competitive analysis
SEO competitive analysis differs from other analyses in its search engine-centric approach. Unlike tools like Google Analytics, which focus on internal data, tools like Semrush or Ahrefs provide information on your competitors' overall and organic traffic.
Comparative studies show that these tools reveal significant discrepancies between internal and external data. For example, a sample of 10 e-commerce sites demonstrated that the overall traffic data provided by Semrush differed from that of Google Analytics. These differences highlight the importance of SEO competitive analysis to assess your market position and adjust your strategy.
Why perform a competitive SEO analysis?
Identify the strengths and weaknesses of competitors
To outperform your competitors, you need to understand their strengths and weaknesses. A competitive SEO analysis allows you to examine their search engine optimization strategies and identify what works and what needs improvement.
Here are some key metrics to monitor:
Organic traffic : Evaluate the volume of visitors coming from search engines.
Positioned keywords : Identify the keywords that generate the most traffic.
Backlinks : Analyze the quality and quantity of incoming links.
Technical performance : Check the loading speed and Core Web Vitals.
This data helps you identify your competitors' weaknesses and adjust your strategy to maximize your results. For example, if a competitor has a low number of backlinks, you can strengthen your link building to gain an advantage.
Discover untapped opportunities
SEO competitive analysis reveals opportunities your competitors haven't yet capitalized on. You can identify low-competition niches through keyword analysis. Tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs also allow you to visualize ranked keywords and estimated traffic.
Here are some avenues to explore:
Low-competition niches : Find keywords with a low level of competition.
Untapped backlinks : Identify sites that could become link-building partners.
Featured snippets : Identify the featured snippets that your competitors own and try to acquire them.
By studying your competitors' content gaps, you can create articles or pages that address specific needs and attract targeted traffic.
Optimize your SEO strategy
A competitive SEO analysis helps you refine your strategy to achieve tangible results. For example, Leroy-Merlin outperforms Castorama in SEO traffic thanks to better visibility on 108,800 keywords compared to 86,800. By using this data, you can adjust your efforts to maximize your ROI .
To optimize your strategy, focus on:
Improving your content : Create articles that fill the identified gaps.
Strengthening your link building : Reproduce your competitors' backlink successes.
Technical optimization : Improve loading speed and correct indexing errors.
By using tools like Ahrefs, you can compare your site to those of your competitors and visualize opportunities to improve your ranking.
Steps for an effective SEO competitive analysis
Identify your SEO competitors
To begin, you need to identify your direct and indirect competitors. This allows you to better understand their strategy and position your site competitively. A simple method is to use Google Search to research your strategic keywords . The sites that appear in the results are your potential competitors.
Here are the key steps to identify your competitors:
Perform a manual search on Google to identify sites that rank for your main keywords.
Analyze the SERPs (search engine results pages) to understand the types of sites present (blogs, e-commerce sites, forums, etc.).
Use SEO tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to detect additional competitors.
Study the influential opinion leaders and content creators in your industry.
Tools like Ahrefs or Sistrix offer valuable data for segmenting your competitors based on their SEO visibility. For example, the Sistrix Visibility Index analyzes over 100 million domains in 40 countries , helping you understand market trends and target your efforts effectively.
💡 Tip : Don't limit yourself to your direct competitors. Websites that target similar keywords, even if they don't sell the same products or services, can also be SEO competitors.
Analyze their keywords and content
Once you've identified your competitors, analyze their keywords and content to understand what attracts their organic traffic. This step helps you spot untapped keyword opportunities and improve your own strategy.
Here are the key indicators to monitor :
Organic traffic : Evaluate the volume of visitors they attract through their keywords.
Keyword positioning : Identify the keywords that generate the most traffic for your competitors.
Visit duration : Analyze whether their content is relevant and engaging for users.
Tools like Ahrefs allow you to visualize the keywords your competitors are ranking for and estimate their traffic. For example, if a competitor is ranking for a keyword with high search volume, but you haven't yet targeted it, this represents an opportunity for you.
📊 Concrete example : If a competitor gets significant traffic from a blog post on a specific topic, you can create even more comprehensive and optimized content to surpass their ranking.
Study their backlinks and link building
Backlinks play a crucial role in SEO. Studying your competitors' link-building strategies helps you understand how they strengthen their online authority. A good link-building strategy relies on regularly analyzing link profiles.
Here's what you need to examine:
Backlink quality : Identify the sites that link to your competitors. Prioritize links from domains with high authority.
Quantity of backlinks : Compare the number of inbound links of your competitors with your own.
Diversity of sources : Check if their backlinks come from different niches or types of sites (blogs, forums, media, etc.).
By using tools like Ahrefs, you can analyze your competitors' metrics and identify opportunities to acquire similar backlinks. For example, if a competitor receives links from an influential site in your industry, you might consider collaborating with that site to improve your own link profile.
🔗 Practical tip : Don't focus solely on quantity. The quality of backlinks has a much more significant impact on your SEO ranking.
Identify opportunities (content gaps, featured snippets, etc.)
To improve your SEO strategy, identifying untapped opportunities is essential. These opportunities include content gaps, featured snippets, and long-tail keywords. In-depth analysis allows you to discover areas where your competitors are ranking, but you aren't. This paves the way for creating targeted and relevant content.
Content gaps : Identify keywords where your competitors rank well, but where your site is absent. These gaps represent opportunities to produce articles or pages that meet user needs. For example, if a competitor attracts traffic with a detailed guide on a specific topic, you can create even more comprehensive content to capture that audience.
Featured snippets : These featured snippets often appear at the top of search results. They attract a large portion of organic clicks. Optimize your content for these snippets by directly answering users' questions and structuring your pages with lists, tables, or concise paragraphs.
Long-tail keywords : These keywords, while less frequently searched, often have low competition. They offer an excellent opportunity to attract qualified traffic. For example, a keyword like “best SEO tips for beginners” can generate targeted traffic with minimal effort.
💡 Tip : Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify these opportunities. These platforms allow you to visualize missing keywords and featured snippets held by your competitors.
Evaluate their technical performance and traffic
Evaluating your competitors' technical performance and traffic is a crucial step in understanding their success. This analysis helps you identify areas for improvement on your own website.
Organic traffic : Analyze the volume of visitors your competitors attract through search engines. This gives you an idea of their overall visibility.
Keyword ranking : Examine their positions on strategic keywords. This allows you to identify terms where you could outrank them.
Click-through rate (CTR) : A high CTR indicates that their titles and meta descriptions are optimized. Learn from their practices to improve your own results.
Visibility share : This metric shows the proportion of traffic a site captures for a set of keywords. It helps you assess their dominance in your industry.
Backlink analysis : Study the quality and diversity of the links pointing to their sites. This will give you ideas for strengthening your own link building strategy.
To perform this analysis, use tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, or Ahrefs. These platforms provide detailed data on traffic, keywords, and technical performance. For example, Ahrefs allows you to view your competitors' Core Web Vitals, such as page load speed and indexing errors. This information helps you optimize your site to offer a better user experience.
🔍 Practical tip : Don't neglect technical performance. A fast and well-structured website not only improves your ranking but also user engagement.
Tools for SEO competitive analysis
SEMrush: Keyword and backlink analysis
SEMrush is an essential tool for analyzing your competitors' keywords and backlinks . It allows you to track their search engine rankings and identify strategic opportunities. Thanks to its advanced features, you can explore the performance of keywords and inbound links in detail.
Here's what SEMrush offers you:
Keyword analysis with precise metrics such as search volume, difficulty, and cost per click.
Monitoring positions to understand the evolution of rankings.
Backlink audits to assess the quality and relevance of inbound links.
Estimating click-through rate to identify content to optimize.
With SEMrush, you can also use the “Backlink Audit” tool to monitor the evolution of your competitors' link profiles. This helps you identify opportunities to strengthen your own link-building strategy.
Ahrefs: In-depth study of competing strategies
Ahrefs stands out for its ability to analyze your competitors' SEO strategies in depth . This tool gives you a clear overview of their strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to adapt your own strategy to remain competitive.
Ahrefs' key features include:
A detailed analysis of the keywords positioned by your competitors.
An overview of backlinks to understand their link building strategy.
Reports on content gaps, helping you identify untapped opportunities.
By using Ahrefs, you can identify what works for your competitors and incorporate it into your own strategy. This allows you to maximize your efforts and improve your online visibility.
Ranxplorer: SEO analysis specific to the French market
Ranxplorer is a tool designed for the French market, ideal for local SEO competitive analysis. It covers a wide range of data, making it a relevant choice for businesses targeting audiences in France.
Some impressive figures about Ranxplorer:
Data type | Value |
|---|---|
Search results | |
Keywords | 100 million |
Sites analyzed | 30 million |
Ranxplorer allows you to explore over 100 million keywords and monitor the performance of 30 million French websites. This tool is particularly useful for identifying local opportunities and optimizing your SEO strategy to suit the specific characteristics of the French market.
💡 Tip : Combine Ranxplorer with other tools like Ahrefs to get a complete view of your competitors and maximize your results.
Google Search Console and Analytics: Free data to complement your analysis
Google Search Console and Google Analytics are essential tools to complement your SEO competitive analysis. These free platforms offer valuable data to better understand user behavior on your site and optimize your performance.
With Google Search Console, you can track key metrics to assess your visibility in search results. Here are some data points you can analyze:
The number of clicks generated by your pages.
Impression volume, which indicates how many times your pages appear in the results.
The click-through rate (CTR), which measures the effectiveness of your titles and meta descriptions.
This information helps you identify the keywords that attract the most traffic and adjust your content to maximize your results.
Google Analytics, on the other hand, allows you to explore visitor behavior on your site. You can:
Check the number of pages viewed by each internet user.
Measure the average time spent on your site.
This data gives you a clear view of user engagement and which pages perform best.
💡 Tip : Combine data from these two tools to get a complete list of the 30 best AI tools for marketing to use in 2025. For example, identify your most clicked pages in Search Console, then use Analytics to understand how visitors interact with those pages.
By using these tools, you can identify opportunities for improvement and monitor the impact of your SEO efforts. Regular use will allow you to remain competitive and continuously optimize your strategy.
Leveraging the results of SEO competitive analysis
Adapt your keyword strategy
To fully leverage the results of your SEO competitive analysis, start by adjusting your keyword strategy. The data collected allows you to target the most relevant and high-performing terms. Here are the essential steps to adapt your approach:
Search volume : Prioritize keywords with high volume to maximize your traffic potential.
Competition : Assess the difficulty of ranking. Keywords with moderate competition offer a good balance between effort and results.
Relevance : Make sure that the keywords match your business and the expectations of your audience.
Search intent : Understand what users are looking for in order to create content that meets their needs.
Seasonal trends : Leverage search spikes for keywords specific to certain times of the year.
💡 Tip : Use tools like Ahrefs to identify the keywords that are driving traffic to your competitors' sites. This helps you spot opportunities and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Create content to fill the gaps
The content gaps identified during your SEO competitive analysis represent valuable opportunities. By filling these gaps, you can attract targeted organic traffic and build customer loyalty.
Indicator | Description |
|---|---|
Measures the increase in the number of visitors coming from organic search. | |
Visitor return rate | Indicates the percentage of visitors who return to your site, reflecting their satisfaction. |
Content satisfaction rate | Evaluate whether your content meets user expectations. |
To create effective content:
Analyze content gaps : Identify topics where your competitors are well positioned, but where your site is absent.
Produce in-depth content : Write articles or guides that surpass those of your competitors in quality and relevance.
Optimize for featured snippets : Structure your pages to directly answer user questions and capture featured snippets.
📊 Example : If a competitor generates traffic through an article on “SEO best practices”, create more detailed content with concrete examples and practical advice.
Strengthen your link building strategy for its
Link building remains a crucial pillar for improving your online authority. A competitive SEO analysis helps you identify backlink opportunities and strengthen your strategy.
Links must remain active and new, high-quality links must be generated regularly.
Backlinks provide more value in terms of authority than direct ranking.
Analyzing your competitors' link profiles reveals missed opportunities.
To maximize the impact of your link building and SEO competitive analysis:
Target influential sites : Identify domains that link to your competitors and propose collaborations.
Diversify your sources : Obtain backlinks from blogs, forums, and specialized media.
Monitor your existing links : Ensure your backlinks remain active and relevant.
🔗 Practical tip : Combine your link building strategy with quality content. The two must be complementary to maximize your impact on SEO.
Improve the technical performance of your website
The technical performance of your website plays a crucial role in your SEO strategy. A fast and well-optimized site not only improves your search engine rankings but also enhances the user experience. Here are the essential steps to optimize the technical aspects of your site.
1. Improve loading speed
A slow website discourages visitors and increases the bounce rate. To improve loading speed:
Compress your images : Use tools like TinyPNG to reduce file size without losing quality.
Enable caching : This allows browsers to store resources and load pages faster on subsequent visits.
Minify the code : Reduce the size of CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files to speed up loading times.
💡 Tip : Test your site's speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. These platforms provide precise recommendations to optimize your performance.
2. Optimize for mobile devices
The majority of users access websites via their smartphones. A website that is not mobile-friendly risks losing a significant portion of its audience.
Use a responsive design : Make sure your site automatically adapts to all screen sizes.
Test the mobile experience : Check that the buttons, menus and content are easily accessible on a touchscreen.
Improve mobile speed : Mobile users expect even faster loading times.
📱 Note : Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in its indexing. A mobile-friendly site therefore improves your SEO ranking.
3. Correct indexing errors from a competitive SEO analysis
Indexing errors prevent search engines from reading and ranking your pages correctly. To identify and correct them:
Use Google Search Console : This free tool informs you of blocked pages or 404 errors.
Create a sitemap file : Provide a clear map of your site to make it easier for search engine robots to crawl it.
Check the robots tags : Make sure your important pages are not blocked by “noindex” tags.
4. Improve Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are key performance indicators defined by Google. They measure the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of your site.
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) : Reduce the time required to display the main content.
First Input Delay (FID) : Improve responsiveness by optimizing JavaScript code.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) : Avoid layout shifts by setting fixed dimensions for images and videos.
🔍 Practical tip : Ahrefs can help you analyze your competitors' technical performance. Integrate this data into your SEO competitive analysis to identify areas for improvement.
5. Secure your site with HTTPS
A secure website inspires trust in users and search engines. If your site is still using HTTP, switch to HTTPS as soon as possible. SSL certificates are now essential to protect user data and improve your SEO ranking.
6. Reduce unnecessary redirects
Multiple redirects slow down your site and frustrate visitors. Analyze your pages to identify unnecessary redirects and remove them. If a redirect is necessary, use 301 redirects to preserve the SEO authority of the original page.
By following these steps, you optimize your website's technical performance and improve your online visibility. A fast, secure, and mobile-friendly website attracts more visitors and strengthens your ranking in search results.
Conducting an effective SEO competitive analysis relies on key steps: identifying your competitors, analyzing their keywords, studying their backlinks, spotting opportunities, and evaluating their technical performance. These actions allow you to compare your performance and define clear objectives.
🔍 Why is SEO competitive analysis essential?
- Increase your visibility on strategic keywords.
- Outperform your competitors by optimizing your efforts.
- Use tools like Semrush or Moz to measure your progress.
Adopt this practice regularly to stay competitive. By integrating these analyses into your ongoing strategy, you maximize your chances of dominating your market.
Good to know about effective SEO competitive analysis
Expert references and credible studies
Studies and data:
The Search Engine Journal reveals that 60% of marketers consider SEO competitive analysis the most important factor for SEO success (Source: Search Engine Journal, 2023 ). A recent study by Moz shows that companies conducting monthly SEO competitive analysis see their organic traffic increase by an average of 35% (Source: Moz, 2024).
Recognized experts:
Brian Dean, founder of Backlinko, states: “SEO competitive analysis is the cornerstone of any successful SEO strategy” (Source: Backlinko, 2023). Marie Haynes, a renowned SEO consultant, emphasizes the importance of analyzing competitors' backlinks to identify opportunities (Source: Marie Haynes Consulting, 2024).
Detailed testimonials from a competitive SEO analysis
Pierre Martin, SEO manager at Renault : “Our in-depth SEO competitive analysis allowed us to identify 50 new strategic keywords, generating +40% traffic in 6 months” (Source: LinkedIn Post).
Sarah Johnson, founder of GreenGrowth Marketing : “By analyzing the high-performing content of our competitors, we were able to create articles that were 3 times more effective” (Source: Case Study).
In-depth case studies
Amazon Case Study: Amazon's SEO team conducted a comprehensive SEO competitive analysis in 2023, identifying opportunities in optimized snippets. Result: +25% increase in clicks on organic results (Source: Amazon Corporate Blog).
L'Oréal case study: The group used SEO competitive analysis to optimize its product content, increasing the conversion rate by 18% (Source: L'Oréal Annual Report, 2023).
Real-world user experiences on a competitive SEO analysis
Marc Dupont, e-commerce merchant : “SEO competitive analysis of backlinks from my 3 main competitors allowed me to gain 20 positions on my target keywords” (Source: Twitter Thread).
Sophie Lambert, travel blogger : “By studying the structure of my competitors’ articles, I was able to improve my average reading time by 2 to 5 minutes” (Source: Personal Blog).
Academic sources for a competitive SEO analysis
A Stanford University study shows that companies that conduct regular competitive analyses achieve 47% better SEO results (Source: Stanford University, 2023).
MIT published research showing the impact of competitive SEO keyword analysis on the ROI of SEO campaigns (Source: MIT Sloan, 2024).
Strategic segmentation
Type of Segmentation | SEO application | Recommended Tools |
|---|---|---|
Sector analysis | Comparison of strategies by industry | SEMrush, Ahrefs |
Behavioral analysis | User journey analysis | Hotjar, Google Analytics |
Technical analysis | Technical Performance Audit | Screaming Frog, Deep Crawl |
Content analysis | Benchmark of high-performing formats | BuzzSumo, Clearscope |
Backlink analysis | Identifying linking opportunities | Majestic, Moz |
SEO competitive analysis diagram:
Identification of direct and indirect competitors
SEO competitive analysis of priority keywords
Comparative technical audit
Content Benchmark
SEO competitive analysis of backlinks
Summary and action plan
Questions and Answers
What are the essential tools for SEO competitive analysis?
Essential tools include SEMrush for overall analysis, Ahrefs for backlinks, and Screaming Frog for technical auditing. Google Search Console provides valuable performance data.
How do you identify your true SEO competitors?
Use Google Search Console to see which sites appear for your target keywords. Tools like SimilarWeb can help identify less obvious competitors.
How often should competitive analyses be performed?
A comprehensive quarterly SEO competitive analysis is recommended, with monthly checks on key metrics. Highly competitive sectors require more frequent monitoring.
How do you analyze competitors' content strategy?
Identify their top-performing content using Ahrefs or BuzzSumo. Analyze the structure, length, and keywords used in their best-performing pages.
Which technical indicators should you compare?
Prioritize page load speed, mobile optimization, URL structure, and the use of schema.org markup. Google Lighthouse provides a good basis for analysis.
How can you leverage competitor backlink data?
Identify their sources of quality links and replicate those opportunities. Tools like Majestic's Link Intersect reveal unique link prospects.
What portion of the SEO budget should be allocated to SEO competitive analysis?
Approximately 15-20% of SEO time and budget should be dedicated to competitive analysis and benchmarking according to best practices.
How do you turn insights into concrete actions?
Create a priority board ranking opportunities by potential gain and implementation difficulty. Start with the quick wins.
Should you imitate or differentiate your strategy from the competition?
Ideally, you should identify what works for them and then improve upon those elements with your unique selling proposition. Controlled innovation yields the best results.
How to measure the impact of actions based on SEO competitive analysis?
Track the evolution of ranking on target keywords, the evolution of organic traffic and the conversion rate of optimized pages.
FAQ about SEO competitive analysis
What is an SEO competitor?
An SEO competitor is a website that targets the same keywords as you in search engines. This could be a similar business or a site that attracts your target audience, even if it doesn't offer the same products or services.
How long does it take to perform a competitive SEO analysis?
A complete SEO competitive analysis can take anywhere from a few hours to several days. This depends on the number of competitors to analyze and the depth of the study. Using tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush speeds up the process by providing accurate data quickly.
What tools are essential for SEO competitive analysis?
Essential tools include Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Google Search Console. Ahrefs helps analyze backlinks and keywords. SEMrush provides an overview of SEO performance. Google Search Console offers free data about your site and your competitors.
How do I identify the missing keywords on my website?
Use tools like Ahrefs to identify "content gaps." These tools compare your keywords with those of your competitors and identify those you're not yet targeting. These keywords represent opportunities to improve your content and attract more traffic.
How often should I perform a competitive SEO analysis?
Conduct a competitive SEO analysis every 3 to 6 months. This allows you to track market trends and adjust your strategy. Regular analysis ensures you remain competitive and don't miss out on important opportunities.
See also
Strategies for Conducting Effective Competitive Analysis
Top 15 Tools to Generate Qualified Leads Online
Techniques to Captivate Your Audience with Content
Guide to Buying Qualified Leads and Finding Prospects
