Have you ever wondered why a competitor in your region or niche appears higher than you on Google's search results? It could be that the keywords they use are more relevant to search users' queries. Figuring out which keywords your competitors use is pretty easy with the right online tools, especially those that sift through keyword data and find your rivals' websites quickly. You can use these tools to influence your own SEO marketing strategies, score higher search rankings, and drive more potential customers to your pages. Learn how to do competitor keyword analysis below!
What is Competitor Keyword Analysis?
Competitor keyword analysis is a strategic process that involves researching and analyzing the keywords that competing businesses or websites target in their content and ads. This analysis helps to identify which keywords drive traffic to competitors' sites and can reveal gaps or opportunities for improving your own SEO and digital marketing.
By understanding which keywords are effective for competitors, you can optimize your content, structure ad campaigns, and improve ranking in search engine results to reach a similar or larger audience.
Why Competitor Keyword Analysis is Important
Here are some of the key benefits of competitor keyword analysis:
- Identifying High-Value Keywords: It reveals the specific keywords that bring traffic to competitors, helping you prioritize keywords that are proven to perform well.
- Finding Content Gaps: By analyzing competitors’ keyword strategies, you can identify content opportunities where you could rank for keywords competitors may not be covering.
- Improving SEO and Paid Campaigns: Knowing what keywords competitors use in organic and paid campaigns can refine your own SEO and PPC strategies, making it easier to compete on popular search terms.
- Enhancing Content Strategy: Competitor keyword analysis can inspire new content ideas and topic clusters that align with popular search terms, making content more relevant to target audiences.
- Understanding Audience Intent: It provides insights into the search intent behind certain keywords, allowing you to tailor content or ads to meet specific customer needs and increase conversion rates.
5 Best Tools to Find Competitors' Keywords
Here are a handful of tools for sourcing competitors' keywords:
1. WordStream
If you want to know how to find out what keywords competitors are using, WordStream is for you! This competitor research tool lets you enter a competitor's website URL and discover the keywords they incorporate into their content. WordStream is free to use, and you don't even need to create an account to access its features. Just provide your email, and get started!
2. Ahrefs Site Explorer
Ahrefs Site Explorer is one of the most popular competitor research tools on the internet, and for good reason. Unlike some other tools, you get access to a competitor's full keyword profile instead of just a few keywords, and you can filter results based on various criteria. You can also differentiate between keywords used in organic and paid search campaigns.
3. Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner is another one of the best keyword tools out there. It lets you find competitors' keywords and filter results by average monthly, quarterly, or yearly searches, helping you plan your SEO campaigns. You can also download keyword analysis reports as a Google Sheets or CSV file, making it easy to share insights with your team.
4. Moz Keyword Explorer
Want to know how to identify competitors? Moz Keyword Explorer provides free SEO keyword analysis, helping you determine the right keywords for your campaigns. You can also view insights about competitors' domain authority and overall SEO effectiveness.
5. Semrush
Semrush identifies the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors' campaigns, providing you with real-time intelligence for your own SEO strategies. You can also learn about your rivals' unique audience count, user engagement metrics, site visitor numbers, and other benchmarks.
How to Do Competitor Keyword Analysis
Here's a quick step-by-step guide to find competitors' keywords:
Create a List of Your Competitors
Start by identifying all the businesses in your niche or region that offer similar products or services. Think about both direct competitors—those who sell exactly what you do—and indirect competitors who may offer alternative solutions to the same customer problem. Research online, check social media, or ask your sales team to help build this list. Be sure to include URLs for each competitor so you can easily plug them into keyword analysis tools later.
Understand Your Competitors
Not all competitors are created equal. Take the time to understand each rival’s unique value proposition, target audience, and market positioning. Do they cater to high-end customers while you serve budget-conscious shoppers? Do they focus on a particular service niche that you don’t? Knowing these differences will help you prioritize which competitors are most relevant to your SEO strategy and avoid wasting time on companies that don't directly compete with your brand.
Choose a Competitor Keyword Analysis Tool
With so many keyword analysis tools out there—like Ahrefs and SEMrush —it’s important to pick the one that aligns with your needs and budget. The best competitor analysis tools not only show which keywords your competitors rank for but also how difficult those keywords are to rank for and how much traffic they drive. Take some time to explore the tool's features, such as keyword gap analysis or backlink tracking, to get the most comprehensive insights.
Identify Patterns and Trends
Keyword research isn't just about finding the most popular terms—it's about spotting trends that can give you a competitive edge. Many tools provide historical keyword data that reveals the popularity and search volume of specific keywords over time. Are certain keywords trending upwards? Do others spike during specific seasons like holidays or back-to-school periods? Use this information to plan content and campaigns that capitalize on these trends, helping you stay one step ahead of the competition.
Track Your Competitors Regularly
SEO is not a one-time task—it’s an ongoing process. Once you learn how to find competitors' keywords, keep monitoring them to stay ahead. Track your rivals' SEO strategies to see if they adjust their keyword focus, introduce new content strategies, or double down on particular search queries. Regular monitoring ensures you can adapt your approach and maintain your competitive edge in the search rankings.
Metrics to Look at During Competitor Keyword Analysis
Search Volume
Search volume indicates how many times a keyword is searched. Typically, search volume represents the average number of searches per month. For example, if a keyword has a search volume of 3,000, it means the keyword was searched, on average, about 3,000 times per month. High-volume keywords can drive significant traffic, but they often come with stiff competition. Balance your keyword strategy with a mix of high-volume and long-tail keywords to maximize visibility and conversions.
Keyword Difficulty
Keyword difficulty measures how challenging it is to rank for a specific term. Highly competitive keywords may require more effort and authority, like extensive backlink building and high-quality content. Depending on your site, it’s probably best to look for medium-difficulty keywords where you have a strong chance to compete effectively.
Search Intent
Understanding why users search for a keyword is just as important as knowing its volume. Search intent falls into 4 categories: informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial. Informational content meets users in the research stage while commercial content meets users near the end of the funnel, when they’re ready to purchase or become a lead. Aligning your content with the right intent ensures your pages’ content match what users are looking for.
Cost-per-click
CPC is typically used for paid advertising. However, it gives you an idea of how much advertisers are willing to pay for a keyword. High CPC often signals strong commercial intent, meaning users searching for these terms are more likely to convert. By targeting high-CPC keywords organically, you can capture valuable traffic without paying for ads, boosting your SEO strategy’s effectiveness.
Manually Analyze Your Competitors' Websites
Keyword research tools only provide part of the story. For full competitor analysis, review your rivals' websites and see where and how they incorporate keywords. For example, do competitors use keywords in blog posts? Where in a blog post? How many times do they use keywords in content? If a company ranks high on a search engine results page, it's not just the keywords they use but how they use them.
Figure out whether rivals incorporate keywords in headers, meta descriptions, image alt texts, tags, and other online elements. You might have to check this information manually if a keyword analysis tool doesn't provide it. We love the MozBar Chrome extension for this!
Pay attention to your competitors' website layouts and other elements that might influence their search rankings. Internal links, external links, sitemaps, and other factors are just as important for SEO as keyword usage. You should also analyze your competitors' content itself. Google and other search engines now favor credible and authoritative content that is well-sourced and fulfills the needs of the search user. So read through web pages, blog posts, and other content types to learn how your rivals engage with both website visitors and search bots.
Key Insights from Competitor Keyword Analysis
- Improve Search Rankings – Researching competitor keywords and adapting them for your campaigns can help you outrank rivals on search engine results pages (SERPs). Higher rankings mean greater visibility and more potential customers finding your business.
- Strengthen Your SEO Strategy – Understanding which keywords drive traffic to your competitors’ websites can refine your SEO approach, helping you create more targeted content that attracts the right audience.
- Identify Keyword Opportunities – Analyzing competitor keywords can reveal valuable terms you’re not yet targeting. These keyword gaps present opportunities to optimize your content and capture untapped traffic.
- Differentiate Your Approach – Instead of just copying competitor keywords, use them to inspire unique content that sets your brand apart. Find keyword variations and new angles that align with your brand voice and business goals.
Find Competitors' Keywords: Final Word
If another company in your niche or location appears higher on search engines than you do, it could be because of the keywords they use. Using competitor analysis research tools will identify these keywords and provide inspiration for your SEO campaigns, helping you rank higher on search engine results pages.
Competitor keywords can be complicated, especially if you've never researched them before. Working with a full-service digital marketing agency will streamline this process, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your campaigns. Want to know how to find competitors' keywords? Symphonic does all the hard work for you, so you can rank higher than your rivals and make more informed SEO decisions. Start by contacting us to request an SEO audit now!
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