Discover how to assess your competitors’ SEO strategies and enhance your website’s performance. Rather than merely imitating their tactics, strive to find superior solutions.

In this week’s “Ask an SEO” segment, Sanjay from Coimbatore asks:

“What aspects should I examine on our competitors’ sites for SEO?”

Thank you for your question, Sanjay. A crucial point to remember when evaluating the SEO practices of one or more competitors is to avoid doing things solely because they do.

If you merely replicate their content, design, internal linking, schema markup, and backlinks, there’s no incentive for search engines to favor your website.

Search engines have no need for duplicate content. Instead, they prioritize resources that provide better or quicker solutions to users.

If you implement features simply because your competitors have them, search engines will likely continue to favor the established leaders. By closely mirroring their success, you’re essentially conceding that their resource is superior.

Instead, concentrate on identifying gaps in their strategy or areas where they fail to address search intent effectively. Additionally, consistently monitor changes to both their sites and your own.

Consider using a spreadsheet or a data visualization tool to create charts and graphs to document your insights. This will streamline your process when justifying specific changes you decide to implement.

What We Analyze on Competitor Websites and What We Overlook

Schema

It’s important to understand that schema markup is a method for communicating the content of your page to search engines. However, schema alone may not directly improve your rankings.

Schema can enhance your chances of achieving rich results, especially if your pages are already performing well. While it is a valuable component of SEO, it should not be viewed as a complete solution.

Numerous tools simplify the implementation of schema markup. Among my favorites are Schema App for WordPress sites, and I have also become quite fond of seoClarity for eCommerce and non-WordPress service websites. The latter even offers a free browser extension.

To analyze your competitors, utilize your preferred tracking tools (such as Semrush, Moz, or Ahrefs) to identify which of them feature snippets in search results. Examine the schema libraries present on their pages and take note of the types of rich results they utilize, categorizing them by page type.

Here are some examples of page types to consider:

• Blog posts
• Product pages
• Category pages
• Landing pages
• FAQs and informational pages

Next, create a column beside each page type to document the current schema libraries you find, noting any:

• Errors
• Warnings
• Unused fields that could be beneficial

In another column, indicate which rich results are being generated. Remember, having schema on a page does not guarantee that a search engine will utilize it.

By conducting this analysis monthly, or whenever specific search engine algorithms are updated, you can track which schema libraries are in use, identify the leading competitors, and determine what might be beneficial (or not).

Once you gather this information, implement the relevant schema for your website. However, remember: do not add schema markup for features that are not present on your page. For example, avoid using breadcrumb schema if breadcrumbs are not displayed.

Overusing schema can lead to complications. Stay alert for deprecated libraries, such as “how to” and “FAQ” schemas.

If other systems and platforms require certain schema, retain it. However, if no one else is using it, consider removing it. There’s more to the marketing ecosystem than just SEO, and relying on a single channel can be detrimental since that channel can vanish without warning.

Content on the Page

If your competitors have comprehensive guides ranking for terms like “blue widgets,” refrain from merely copying their text and headers. Instead, assess the following:

• What information are they missing that is topically relevant and significant for users on that particular page?
• Are there irrelevant headers and paragraphs that do not provide value to the reader?
• Is the information easy to locate upon a quick scan, or are answers hidden within long paragraphs at the bottom of the page?
• How is the text structured, and can you present it in a more effective manner?

The role of a search engine is to deliver the best possible answer and user experience to searchers. Lengthy paragraphs and off-topic text can create a negative experience. You can improve this by being concise, direct, and employing better formatting techniques.

When comparing two items, consider whether it would be beneficial to include a table or chart highlighting their features. Additionally, think about incorporating distinct sections for each item.

If someone is searching for “blue widgets,” particularly in the context of buying, repairing, or determining compatibility with “red whatsits,” they likely already understand what a blue widget is.

Avoid adding a definition of a blue widget simply because your competitors have done so. Instead, prioritize comparisons and relevant information by eliminating unnecessary content at the top of the page.

Providing explanations for concepts that the reader is already familiar with can waste their time. If jargon needs clarification, you can always include an internal link to a dedicated post, allowing readers to explore further and return to the main content. This does not mean you should refrain from creating a “what is” post that explains blue widgets.

Develop the “what is” post for individuals new to the industry or those purchasing their first blue widget. This content remains relevant to your website if you sell, repair, or offer guides for these products as a publisher. However, it is unnecessary for readers who already possess that knowledge.

By eliminating irrelevant information and ensuring that all content on the page aligns with the title and H1 tag, you enhance the user experience compared to your competitors, which may ultimately lead to improved SEO traffic.

Backlinks

Backlinks have diminished in importance compared to the past. While they still play a role in SEO, not all backlinks carry the same weight.

Simply replicating your competitors’ exact link profiles or types of links won’t provide an advantage; instead, focusing on quality backlinks and acquiring unique ones will. This is often where link builders and auditors make mistakes.

The principle of prioritizing quality over quantity has always been crucial for long-term stability. While churn-and-burn sites may opt for a quantity-over-quality approach, along with AI-generated content, such strategies typically do not endure.

Here’s what we examine after generating backlink reports. My preferred tool is Majestic SEO for its robust database, but there are numerous options available. Choose the one that you find most user-friendly. Many of the tools mentioned also provide helpful comparison charts.

• Links You’re Missing: Identify competitors who have secured high-quality, relevant links, such as citations in industry publications. Also, look for organic features on niche blogs and websites frequented by your target audience. These are essential links since they connect to the same topic and audience, making them valuable. Metrics like domain authority or authority scores are merely tool-generated figures and do not accurately reflect link quality. Disregard them.
• Unique Links: Seek out websites and influential platforms, such as podcasts and webinars, that feature original content relevant to your business. Start building relationships with these sources to gain visibility. You could offer to be a guest on their show or provide a resource that they may find useful for their content. Acquiring a link that your competitors lack can offer a competitive edge. If everyone else has the same links, obtaining them may not be difficult and may not provide significant benefits. While it may not hurt you, it likely won’t add much value.
• Paid Links: Be aware that many companies and link-building service providers resort to purchasing links. You might notice authors covering a wide range of topics, from health supplements to home decor, often mixing big brands with smaller companies to obscure their strategies from search engines. However, search engines are more perceptive than we assume regarding these paid links. As they analyze link patterns, those sites will face consequences. If you discover a competitor paying for links, you could report them to Google, but it’s unlikely to yield results.

When developing your link-building strategy, focus on where your competitors are featured and why, rather than solely on their existing backlinks.
This analysis can inspire content ideas you haven’t yet explored or highlight topics for which you can create more effective pages. Concentrate on obtaining high-quality features and strive to secure those links.

Robots.txt and Site Architecture

One aspect I analyze in competitors is their crawl and architecture strategies. I examine which folders and pages they prioritize, the keywords and topics they emphasize, and what they seem to deem unimportant.

This information can help you identify their major revenue sources and generate ideas for new PPC campaigns when your paid media teams are ready to test different markets.

You might uncover new phrases and keywords that haven’t yet made it into your strategies, along with improved methods for structuring your own site.

• Robots.txt: This file reveals their priorities regarding folder organization and site structure for crawling.
• Meta Robots: This provides insight into which pages are intended for SEO and which ones they do not prioritize.
• Sitemaps: By checking their sitemaps, you can identify which pages are updated most frequently and understand their priorities, allowing you to track the performance of those pages over time.
• Breadcrumbs: Analyzing breadcrumbs can show you the keywords they aim to rank for, reflecting the terminology their customers use, as well as how they organize their products, topics, or services.

There are countless other factors to explore.

As you assess your competitors’ SEO strategies, remember that focusing solely on replicating their success may lead you to overlook opportunities to create something better and more original.

Search engines typically only require one version of a given site. If you can provide a superior user experience—sometimes by minimizing text or using a design that avoids unnecessary hero images—you could surpass them in the rankings.

I hope this information is helpful, and thank you for your excellent question!

At SEO Guru NYC, a leading local SEO company in New York, we specialize in helping businesses enhance their online visibility through effective SEO strategies. By applying the insights shared in this article, you can better understand how to analyze competitors and refine your own SEO efforts. Our team is dedicated to providing tailored solutions that meet your specific needs, ensuring you stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape. Reach out to us to learn how we can help you optimize your website and achieve your marketing goals!