Competitor research and analysis may seem like a copycat activity, but it is not (at least
not entirely). It is about understanding what your competitors are doing. It is about
examining their keyword and linking strategies while realizing their current strengths
and weaknesses. The bottom line is that you are trying to understand what is making
your competitors rank.
This activity may comprise elements of emulation, but what you are really trying to do
is be better than your competition. Being better (in a general sense) means providing a
site with more value and better perception. In an SEO sense, it means understanding
all the things that make your competitors rank.
When learning about your competition, it is good to examine their past and present
activities, as well as implement ways to track their future activities. Although many
tools are available for you to use to learn about your competition, for most of your work
you can get by with the free tools that are available. This chapter emphasizes the free
tools and research that you can use in your work.
Finding Your Competition
Before you can analyze your competitors, you need to know who your competitors are.
How do you find your biggest competitors? One way to do this is to find sites that rank
for your targeted keywords. The sites that sell or provide products and services similar
to yours are your competitors.
There is a catch if you’re relying only on keywords, though. How do you know whether
you are targeting the right keywords? What if you miss important keywords? You may
be starting off in the wrong direction. This makes it all the more important to do your
keyword research properly. No tool or activity will ever be perfect. You have to start
somewhere.
not entirely). It is about understanding what your competitors are doing. It is about
examining their keyword and linking strategies while realizing their current strengths
and weaknesses. The bottom line is that you are trying to understand what is making
your competitors rank.
This activity may comprise elements of emulation, but what you are really trying to do
is be better than your competition. Being better (in a general sense) means providing a
site with more value and better perception. In an SEO sense, it means understanding
all the things that make your competitors rank.
When learning about your competition, it is good to examine their past and present
activities, as well as implement ways to track their future activities. Although many
tools are available for you to use to learn about your competition, for most of your work
you can get by with the free tools that are available. This chapter emphasizes the free
tools and research that you can use in your work.
Finding Your Competition
Before you can analyze your competitors, you need to know who your competitors are.
How do you find your biggest competitors? One way to do this is to find sites that rank
for your targeted keywords. The sites that sell or provide products and services similar
to yours are your competitors.
There is a catch if you’re relying only on keywords, though. How do you know whether
you are targeting the right keywords? What if you miss important keywords? You may
be starting off in the wrong direction. This makes it all the more important to do your
keyword research properly. No tool or activity will ever be perfect. You have to start
somewhere.