Want to improve your SEO? Start by analyzing your competitors’ organic search traffic. This helps you find market trends, keyword opportunities, and content gaps to refine your strategy. Here’s how:
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Use Tools Like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Similarweb
- Ahrefs: Backlink analysis, keyword data, and traffic insights.
- Semrush: Keyword tracking, position monitoring, and traffic analytics.
- Similarweb: Benchmark competitor performance and audience demographics.
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Identify Your Competitors
- Search your target keywords manually or use tools like Semrush to find domains ranking for similar terms.
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Analyze Traffic, Keywords, and Backlinks
- Track top-performing pages, keyword overlap, and backlink strategies for actionable insights.
Quick Comparison of Tools
| Tool | Key Features | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Backlink analysis, Rank Tracker | $129/month |
| Semrush | Keyword research, content analysis | $119.95/month |
| Similarweb | Traffic trends, audience demographics | Varies |
Monitor the Traffic of Competitors Websites
Top Tools for Tracking Competitor Search Traffic
To analyze competitor traffic effectively, choosing the right tools is key. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best platforms available.
Ahrefs
Ahrefs is a powerhouse for backlink analysis, boasting a database of over 40 trillion backlinks . It helps pinpoint organic competitors, explore their content strategies, find low-competition keywords with high traffic potential, and monitor organic share of voice using its Rank Tracker .
"No tool will give you your competitor’s exact traffic data. However, it’s still well enough to see what works for them, copy their best ideas, or set realistic benchmarks." – Mateusz Makosiewicz, Marketing researcher and educator at Ahrefs
Semrush
Trusted by more than seven million marketers , Semrush offers an impressive suite of over 45 tools for competitor analysis. Some of its standout features include:
| Feature | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Keyword Research | Access a database of 20 billion keywords |
| Position Tracking | Keep tabs on SERP changes and rankings |
| Content Analysis | Group keywords semantically for better insights |
| Custom Reporting | Generate white-label PDF reports |
Freddy Hunt, Director of SEO and Content Marketing at Oneupweb, shares his experience: "We chose Semrush because the keyword tracking was much more accurate than our previous tools and the interface was very intuitive."
Similarweb
Similarweb provides an overview of website performance, making it ideal for benchmarking competitors, studying audience demographics, and analyzing traffic trends . However, its accuracy drops for sites with fewer than 10,000 monthly visits . That said, its comparison mode can still deliver useful directional insights .
When deciding which tool to use, consider your specific goals and budget. Pricing starts at $119.95/month for Semrush’s Pro plan and $129/month for Ahrefs .
How to Track Competitor Search Traffic
Find Your Main Competitors
Your competitors in search results may not always be the same businesses you directly compete with. Instead, focus on organic competitors – those ranking for the same keywords, even if their business model differs .
Here’s how to pinpoint them:
- Search your target keywords manually. For example, if you’re in the DIY space like diycraftsy.com, search for terms like "DIY furniture" and note which domains consistently appear in the top 10 results .
- Leverage tools like Semrush’s Organic Research Competitors report. This tool identifies domains competing for similar keywords and ranks them using a "Competition Level" metric based on keyword overlap .
Once you’ve identified these competitors, dig deeper into their traffic and keyword strategies.
Check Traffic and Keywords
Did you know the top organic search result typically gets over 22% of clicks, while results below the sixth position often drop below 5% ? Knowing this, analyzing competitor performance becomes essential.
Here’s a breakdown of what to track and the tools to use:
| Analysis Type | Tool | Key Metrics to Track |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Performance | Semrush Keyword Gap | Ranking positions, keyword overlap |
| Content Strategy | Ahrefs Site Explorer | Traffic distribution, top-performing pages |
| Search Intent | Both Tools | Keyword types, audience targeting |
For example, Venngage’s website shows how effective this analysis can be. Their "template" subfolder alone drives 260,000 monthly search visits, accounting for 9.9% of their total organic traffic. Their top-performing content revolves around brochure and infographic templates .
Keep an eye on these metrics over time to spot trends and opportunities.
Track Traffic Changes
Monitoring how your competitors’ traffic changes over time can reveal trends and strategies worth replicating. Tools like Semrush Traffic Analytics let you track traffic patterns month-over-month and year-over-year .
"Your competitors are a goldmine of information you can use to improve your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy." – Si Quan Ong, Content Marketer @ Ahrefs
For instance, analyzing Nike‘s traffic showed a drop from 48.5 million visits in April 2023 to 38.9 million in April 2024 . This kind of data helps you identify what’s working – or not working – for your competitors.
Key areas to monitor include:
- Monthly traffic trends
- New keyword rankings
- Shifts in content strategy
- Changes in backlink profiles
If you notice a big traffic change, dig deeper. Look into their recent content updates, potential algorithm changes, or shifts in their backlink strategy . This insight can inform and sharpen your own SEO approach.
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In-Depth Analysis Methods
Explore advanced techniques to understand the strategies driving your competitors’ success.
Study Backlinks and Referrals
Examining competitors’ backlinks can reveal link-building opportunities you can replicate. Patrick Stox, Product Advisor at Ahrefs, highlights:
"A competitor link analysis is an assessment of the link profiles of major competitors where you look at their link building strategies to gain insights"
Here’s what to focus on when analyzing backlinks:
| Analysis Area | What to Look For | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Link Types | Directory listings, guest posts, journalist mentions | Pinpoints opportunities you can pursue |
| Anchor Text | Branded terms, topic keywords, coined phrases | Shows how competitors position their content |
| Referring Domains | Industry sites, local listings, news outlets | Spotlights potential outreach targets |
For instance, Ahrefs found that a competitor’s SEO copywriting guide earned backlinks by coining a term ("APP" method). Inspired by this, they created their own unique terminology, which helped attract organic backlinks .
Find Missing Content Topics
Content gap analysis using tools like SEMrush can help identify topics your competitors are overlooking.
Key areas to investigate:
- Content depth: Look for shallow topics competitors cover and expand on them.
- Content formats: Check if competitors stick to one format, leaving others untapped.
- Publishing frequency: Track how often they update their content.
- Audience targeting: Spot market segments competitors are neglecting.
For example, a business insurance company realized competitors were focused on basic insurance topics. They seized the opportunity to create detailed content on cyber liability insurance and partnered with IT companies to secure credible backlinks .
After identifying content gaps, keep an eye on how your SEO efforts impact rankings.
Track SEO Changes
Keeping tabs on competitor SEO updates can help you stay ahead. The Victorious Team explains:
"A competitive backlink analysis is a review of your competitors’ backlinks to discover fresh tactics and new links for your website and establish a link velocity"
Key elements to monitor:
- Technical updates: Look for improvements in site structure, page speed, or mobile optimization.
- Content structure: See how competitors adapt their content for featured snippets and voice search.
- Local SEO: Track shifts in local search strategies.
- SERP features: Observe which rich results competitors are targeting.
For example, SurveyMonkey excelled with featured snippets by structuring content around specific questions like "How to create a free online survey." This tactic helped them dominate SERP features for key terms .
Using Competitor Data to Improve SEO
Update Keywords and Audience Focus
Leverage competitor keyword insights to identify high-impact search terms worth targeting. Si Quan Ong, Content Marketer at Ahrefs, puts it this way:
"Knowing your competitors’ keywords is the easiest form of keyword research. If your competitors rank for or target particular keywords, it might be worth it for you to target them, too."
Take Mailchimp as an example. They strategically organize content to rank for terms like "what is digital marketing" and "digital marketing definition", which helps them establish authority in their niche .
Here are some ways to refine your keyword strategy:
| Action Item | Implementation | Expected Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Topic Clustering | Group related keywords under broader topics | Build authority and minimize content overlap |
| Search Intent Analysis | Review how competitors meet user needs | Develop more focused, user-relevant content |
| Keyword Gaps | Spot terms competitors overlook | Attract untapped search traffic |
Use this data to not only improve your keyword strategy but also elevate your content and site performance.
Improve Content and Site Speed
Understanding why competitors outperform you can reveal opportunities to close the gap. As Nikki Brandemarte, Sr. SEO Strategist at NP Digital, explains:
"Look at which pages and topics are driving the highest amount of nonbrand traffic to your competitors. This can reveal emerging trends that can be leveraged within your industry, or help determine which content on your own website should be prioritized to maximize organic traffic."
Focus on these areas:
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Content Refinement
Use tools like Surfer SEO or Frase to analyze competitor content and uncover areas for improvement . -
Technical Optimization
Evaluate site performance metrics such as:- Page load speeds
- Mobile responsiveness
- Use of schema markup
- Rich snippet opportunities
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User Experience
Improve navigation by creating structured, interlinked pages for seamless browsing.
These steps not only enhance your content but also improve how users and search engines interact with your site.
Keep Tracking Results
Once you’ve implemented improvements, regular tracking is key to maintaining progress. Monitor keyword rankings, SERP features, and overall visibility on an ongoing basis . Be sure to analyze performance across different browsers, languages, and locations to get a clear picture of your competitive standing .
For additional guidance on applying data-driven SEO techniques, check out Growth-onomics (https://growth-onomics.com).
Summary
Analyzing competitor search traffic offers practical insights to improve your SEO efforts and strengthen your position in the market. Tools like AhrefsBot, which ranks as the second most active web crawler among SEO professionals , highlight the dependability of competitive analysis tools.
Here are some key areas to focus on:
| Insight Category | Purpose | Key Actions |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic Patterns | Pinpoint successful content tactics | Develop content targeting untapped opportunities |
| Keyword Performance | Find high-impact search terms | Optimize for keywords driving competitor success |
| Technical Elements | Benchmark site performance | Improve site speed and user experience |
| Content Gaps | Identify missed topics | Create content to address these gaps |
"Ahrefs is simply the best all-in-one SEO tool on the market. It’s impossible to be a top tier SEO without it. At the rate they keep releasing new powerful features, no one else can catch up."
