Competitive analysis: how does your SEO score against other companies?

Your website is online, you regularly post new content, yet it feels like your competitors are just that step ahead. Why does their website rank higher in Google with similar products or services?

You will find the answer in a thorough SEO competitive analysis. By comparing how your SEO performance compares with that of other companies, you will discover where there are opportunities and blind spots. This will help you make the right choices for better visibility online.

Why is a competitive analysis SEO crucial?

In a digital market where everyone is fighting to be on that coveted first page of Google, it is not enough to just be 'good' at SEO. You need to know how your SEO performance compared to your competitors. This gives you a concrete picture of where there is room for improvement and where you can seize opportunities that your competitors are missing.

• Increase your chances of ranking higher in search engines
• Discover new keywords competitors are focusing on
• Analyse the link profile and link building strategies of others
• Spot new content ideas and technical improvements

What exactly does an SEO competitive analysis entail?

At a SEO competition analysis research which players are doing well in organic search results in your industry or region. Among other things, you compare:

• The keywords used and their positions
• The quality and quantity of backlinks
• Content structure, length and themes
• Technical SEO aspects such as loading speed and mobile usability

Such an in-depth comparison helps you determine effective SEO strategies and get to work in a targeted way.

How do you tackle a competitive analysis SEO concretely?

Determine who your real competitors are

You often immediately think of local players or companies offering the same products or services. But online, your biggest competitors may be different. Use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs or Google Search to find out which websites score for your most important search terms. Be sure not to look only at big players, as smaller niche websites can also attract relevant visitors.

Analyse their keywords and positions

Get under the skin of your competitors: which search terms are they ranking for? Tools like Ubersuggest, Google Search Console or Moz show you which keywords your competitors focus on, what search volumes are associated with them and how high they rank. Pay attention to variations, synonyms and local search terms that match your offering.

Examine the backlinks and link profile

Backlinks are a decisive factor in SEO performance. The more high-quality and relevant links point to your website, the better you usually rank. Compare the link profile of your competitors:

• How many external websites link to them?
• What is the authority of these websites?
• What type of content is linked the most?
• Where do you get these extra links from?

By analysing their best-scoring pages and link sources, you will discover where you can get a head start with a smart link-building strategy.

Compare content quality

Content is king, but not every king rules equally well. Look critically at your competitors' texts, visuals, videos and other media:

• Are their blog articles more comprehensive or in-depth?
• Are current topics covered?
• How user-friendly and scannable is their content?
• Are they writing for a Flemish audience?

This will help you discover how to sharpen your own content strategy. Perhaps you are still missing some strong evergreen pages, or does it pay off to bet on local stories?

Technical SEO: don't underestimate this factor

Even the best content or strongest backlinks are powerless if your website is slow or unusable on mobile. Use free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse and Mobile-Friendly Test to scrutinise technical problems of yourself and your competitors. Look at things like:

• Website speed
• Responsive design for mobile
• Correct use of metadata such as title and description
• Structure of urls

From analysis to action: boost your SEO

A competitive SEO strategy requires clear action points. After your analysis, document where you can get quick wins and where a long-term approach is needed. Some concrete tips:

• Prioritise well-performing content from competitors and turn this into a better, more valuable version for your target audience.
• Work on your link building: actively engage in guest blogging, collaborations or listings on relevant business directories.
• Optimise technical SEO: improve your load time, set up your site correctly for mobile and use the right meta tags.
• Go deeper into local and relevant search terms where your competitors are not currently aiming.

Realise: SEO is not a sprint, but a marathon. By doing regular competitive analysis, you will not only keep pace but also develop a competitive advantage.

To recap: ready to outdo your SEO results?

By regularly updating your SEO by comparing them with those of other companies, you get a grip on your main strengths and weaknesses. A competitive analysis provides insights that help you not invest blindly, but take targeted steps towards better visibility and more visitors.

Take the first step today: research your competitors, improve where necessary and deploy all SEO cannons for the digital growth of your business. Need help with a competitive linkbuilding-strategy? Find out how we make your website score here