Here’s a step-by-step workflow to perform an SEO competitive analysis that actually drives strategy (not just data collection).

Phase 1: Map Your True Competitors

Most businesses have two types of competitors:

• Direct business competitors (sell same product)
• SEO competitors (rank for your target keywords but may sell something different)

Action steps:

1. Find SEO competitors: In Ahrefs/Semrush, enter your domain → Organic Competitors report. Or Google your top 10 target keywords and note which domains appear 3+ times.
2. Prioritize 3–5 "Tier 1" competitors: Pick sites with similar domain authority to yours (within ±20 points). Competing with Wikipedia when you’re DA 25 is unrealistic.
3. Add 1 "Aspirational" competitor: A market leader you want to displace in 12–18 months.

Phase 2: Keyword Gap Analysis (The Goldmine)

Goal: Find keywords they rank for that you don’t.

Action steps:

1. Export their organic keywords: In Ahrefs (Content Gap tool) or Semrush (Keyword Gap), enter your domain + 3 competitors.
2. Filter for opportunity:
   • Volume: >100/month (or relevant to your niche)
   • Keyword Difficulty: Lower than your current DA (if DA 30, filter KD 0–35)
   • Missing/Weak: Keywords where you rank 20+ but they rank 1–10
3. Categorize intent:
   • Informational (how-to, what is)
   • Commercial (best, vs, review)
   • Transactional (buy, discount, free trial)

Quick win: Look for keywords where competitors rank position 5–15 with thin content. These are "low-hanging fruit"—you can outrank them with better depth.

Phase 3: Content Architecture Teardown

Reverse-engineer their content strategy.

Action steps:

1. Top pages audit: In Ahrefs → Top Pages report. What content drives 80% of their traffic?
   • Template: Pattern-matching. Do they dominate with "Ultimate Guides," "Tools pages," or "Comparison posts"?
2. Content quality audit: Manually review their top 5 URLs:
   • Word count (use SEO Minion)
   • Media usage (videos, custom graphics, interactive elements)
   • E-E-A-T signals (author bios, citations, updated dates)
3. Content gaps: Use Screaming Frog (free up to 500 URLs) to crawl their blog. Export title tags. Look for topic clusters you’re missing (e.g., they have 20 articles on "sustainable packing" and you have 2).

Phase 4: Backlink & Authority Analysis

Find where they get authority, then steal it.

Action steps:

1. Referring domains: In Moz/Majestic/Ahrefs, export their linking domains.
2. Filter by quality:
   • DA/DR >40
   • Dofollow links only
   • Exclude obvious spam
3. Identify link patterns:
   • Digital PR: Look for news mentions (HARO responses, data studies)
   • Resource pages: "Best tools for X" or "Student resources"
   • Guest posts: Author bio links (search author name + guest post)
4. Reclamation opportunity: Use Ahrefs' Broken Backlinks report on competitors. If they have broken links to content similar to yours, email those sites: "I noticed you link to [Competitor]'s dead guide on X. We just published an updated 2024 version..."

Phase 5: SERP Feature & Technical Teardown

Analyze how they win the click, not just the rank.

Action steps:

1. Featured snippets: Use Semrush → Domain Overview → SERP Features. Which snippets do they own?
   • Action: Structure your competing content with concise 40–60 word definitions or numbered lists after H2 headers.
2. Page speed benchmarking: Run their top 5 pages through PageSpeed Insights. If their LCP is 4.2s and yours is 1.8s, that’s a competitive advantage—use it.
3. Schema markup: Use Google’s Rich Results Test on their URLs. Are they using Product, Review, FAQ, or HowTo schema? Implement what they have + one extra type.

Phase 6: Build Your Action Matrix

Don’t just collect data—prioritize.

Create a spreadsheet with:

90-Day Sprint Plan:

• Month 1: Close the "quick win" keyword gaps (KD <20, volume >200).
• Month 2: Publish content that beats their top 3 traffic-driving pages (2x depth + multimedia).
• Month 3: Launch link building campaign targeting their high-authority referring domains.

Would you like me to dive deeper into any specific phase? For example:

• Setting up the Excel formulas/templates for the keyword gap analysis?
• Crafting the outreach email to steal broken backlinks?
• Analyzing competitors with much higher DA (how to find the chinks in their armor)?

Or tell me: Are you B2B or B2C, and do you have any SEO tools currently (Ahrefs, Semrush, free tools only)? I can tailor the workflow to your stack.

How to Do an SEO Competitive Analysis: Step-by-Step Guide (2026 Edition)

SEO competitive analysis helps you benchmark your site against rivals, uncover keyword gaps, content opportunities, and weaknesses to exploit. It's essential for outranking competitors in Google's evolving landscape, including AI overviews and LLMs. Aim to do this quarterly or after algorithm updates. You'll need tools like Semrush or Ahrefs (free trials available); free options include Google Search Console (GSC), Google Analytics (GA), and manual searches.

Recommended Tools

• Paid (Best for Depth):

  Tool	Strengths	Pricing (2026 Est.)
  Semrush	Keyword gaps, organic research, backlinks, AI visibility	$130+/mo
  Ahrefs	Backlinks, content gaps, site explorer	$19+/mo

• Free/Low-Cost: GSC, GA4, Google Keyword Planner, PageSpeed Insights, Screaming Frog (free tier), BuiltWith (tech stack).

Step 1: Identify Your Competitors (10-15 mins)

Don't assume business rivals are SEO rivals—focus on SERP dominators.

• List 10-20 seed keywords (e.g., branded, high-intent terms like "best CRM software 2026").
• Search incognito in Google for each; note top 10 domains repeatedly appearing (ignore giants like Wikipedia unless relevant).
• Use tools:
  • Semrush: Enter your domain in Organic Research > Competitors tab—sort by common keywords.
  • Ahrefs: Site Explorer > your domain > "Competing Domains."
• Select 3-5 top organic competitors. Export to a Google Sheet.

Actionable Tip: Track baseline metrics like Domain Authority (DA) via Moz free checker.

Step 2: Analyze Keywords & Gaps (20-30 mins)

Find what they rank for that you don't.

• In Semrush/Ahrefs Keyword Gap tool: Input your domain + 3 competitors.
  • Filter: "Missing" (they rank, you don't), top 10 positions, volume >500, KD <40 (easy wins).
  • Export 50-100 keywords; prioritize by intent (informational, commercial, transactional).
• Check Organic Research for their top keywords, position changes (new/lost), and SERP features (snippets, PAA).
• Manual: Google "site:competitor.com" + your seed keywords for overlaps.

Actionable Tip: Create clusters (e.g., "CRM features" group). Target 10 quick-win long-tails first.

Step 3: Audit Content Performance (30-45 mins)

Reverse-engineer their top pages.

• Semrush/Ahrefs Top Pages report: Note traffic drivers (e.g., guides >2k words with videos).
• Manual review (top 5 pages/competitor):
  • Titles/metas: Keyword front-loaded? Clickbait-free?
  • Content: E-E-A-T signals (author bios), depth, visuals, internal links, freshness.
  • Gaps: Use Content Gap tool; spot thin/outdated pages.
• Tools: Screaming Frog for on-page (H1s, schema); Ahrefs Content Explorer for formats.

Actionable Tip: Benchmark word count (aim 1.5x theirs for depth). Plan 5 content pieces filling gaps.

Step 4: Compare Backlink Profiles (15-20 mins)

Links are still king—focus on quality.

• Semrush/Ahrefs Backlink Analytics/Gap:
  • Compare referring domains, dofollow links, anchor text.
  • "Lost" links: Outreach for recovery.
  • Gap: Domains linking to all competitors but not you—prioritize DA 40+ relevant sites.
• Manual: Export intersects; mimic tactics (e.g., guest posts, data studies).

Actionable Tip: Target 10 links/week via email outreach templates: "Saw you linked to [rival's similar page]; here's my updated version with fresh data."

Step 5: Technical & Performance Benchmark (20 mins)

Fix what they overlook.

• Core Web Vitals/Speed: Google PageSpeed Insights on top pages (aim LCP <2.5s).
• Crawl with Semrush Site Audit or Screaming Frog: Indexation, mobile UX, schema, duplicates.
• Other: HTTPS, sitemaps (check robots.txt), tech stack (BuiltWith.com).
• 2026 Focus: AI/LLM visibility—Semrush Brand Performance for ChatGPT/Google AI mentions.

Actionable Tip: Fix your top issues first (e.g., compress images for 20% speed gain).

Step 6: Traffic, SERPs & Action Plan (15-20 mins)

Holistic view.

• Semrush Traffic Analytics: Compare sources, trends, bounce rates.
• SERP Features: Filter tools for snippets/videos; optimize with schema/FAQs.
• Synthesize in Sheet:

  Category	Competitor Strengths	Your Gaps	Actions (30-Day)
  Keywords	Top 10 for "CRM pricing"	Missing 20 terms	Create 3 guides
  Backlinks	500 RD from .edu	Low tech sites	Outreach 20

• Set KPIs: +10% SoV, 5 new top-10 keywords.

Template: Use Semrush's free Competitor Report or Google Sheets (tabs: Keywords, Content, Links).

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Over-relying on 1 tool—cross-check Semrush/Ahrefs.
• Ignoring AI search (test prompts in Perplexity/ChatGPT).
• No follow-up—track weekly in Position Tracking.

This process takes 2-3 hours initially. Repeat monthly for top competitors.

What's your website or niche? Who are your main suspected competitors? Do you have access to Semrush/Ahrefs (or prefer free tools)? Let me know for a customized template or deeper dive into one step!