How to Analyze Competitors and Extract the Best Keywords
1. Introduction
Want to outrank your competitors on Google? The secret is competitor keyword analysis! By analyzing what keywords your competitors rank for, you can discover high-traffic, low-competition keywords to improve your SEO strategy.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step methods to identify, extract, and use competitor keywords to boost your search rankings and drive more traffic to your website.
2. Why Analyzing Competitor Keywords is Important
Before diving into keyword research tools, let’s understand why competitor keyword analysis matters.
✅ Identify Winning Keywords – Find keywords that already drive traffic to competitor sites.
✅ Discover Keyword Gaps – Target keywords your competitors missed.
✅ Understand Market Trends – Learn what’s trending in your industry.
✅ Improve SEO Strategy – Optimize your content based on proven keywords.
Competitor analysis saves time and helps you avoid trial-and-error keyword selection.
3. Identifying Your SEO Competitors
3.1 Who Are Your Competitors?
Your SEO competitors are websites ranking on Google for keywords you want to target. They may not always be business competitors, but they compete for the same search traffic.
Types of Competitors:
🔹 Direct Competitors – Businesses selling similar products/services.
🔹 Content Competitors – Blogs, news sites, or review websites ranking for the same keywords.
3.2 Tools to Identify Competitors
Manual Search – Google your main keywords and note the top-ranking sites.
SEO Tools:
- Ahrefs (Site Explorer → Organic Competitors)
- SEMrush (Competitive Research → Organic Research)
- Ubersuggest (SEO Analyzer → Competitor Keywords)
Once you identify competitors, it’s time to extract their best keywords.
4. Best Tools for Competitor Keyword Research
4.1 SEMrush
- Find organic and paid keywords of competitors.
- Use Keyword Gap Analysis to compare your keywords vs. competitors.
4.2 Ahrefs
- Discover which pages bring the most traffic for competitors.
- Use Content Gap Analysis to find missing keyword opportunities.
4.3 Moz Keyword Explorer
- Provides keyword difficulty scores and ranking potential.
4.4 Google Keyword Planner
- Helps find new keyword ideas based on competitor URLs.
4.5 Ubersuggest
- A free tool that shows competitor top-ranking keywords and SEO scores.
5. Step-by-Step Guide to Extracting Competitor Keywords
5.1 Find Your Competitor’s Top-Ranking Keywords
✔ Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to list high-traffic keywords.
✔ Analyze top-performing pages and their keywords.
5.2 Analyze Search Volume and Keyword Difficulty
✔ Look for high-traffic, low-competition keywords.
✔ Use Moz or Ahrefs Keyword Difficulty Scores to assess ranking potential.
5.3 Identify Long-Tail Keyword Opportunities
✔ Find niche-specific long-tail keywords competitors missed.
✔ Use Google Autocomplete and AnswerThePublic for more ideas.
5.4 Check Paid Keywords (PPC Analysis)
✔ Use SEMrush Advertising Research to see paid keywords.
✔ Find profitable search terms competitors invest in.
6. How to Use Competitor Keywords to Improve Your SEO
6.1 Target Low-Competition Keywords
🔹 Focus on keywords with low difficulty but good traffic potential.
6.2 Optimize Existing Content with Competitor Keywords
🔹 Update old blog posts with high-ranking competitor keywords.
6.3 Create Better Content Than Your Competitors
🔹 Use the Skyscraper Technique: Improve and expand on competitor content.
6.4 Improve Your Backlink Strategy
🔹 Use competitor backlink data to get links from similar sites.
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid When Analyzing Competitor Keywords
🚫 Copying keywords without considering search intent.
🚫 Ignoring long-tail keyword opportunities.
🚫 Not updating keyword research regularly.
8. Future Trends in Competitor Keyword Research
🔹 AI-powered keyword research will make analysis faster.
🔹 Voice search keywords will become more competitive.
🔹 Predictive keyword research using machine learning will shape SEO strategies.
9. Conclusion
Competitor keyword analysis is one of the fastest ways to improve your SEO. By using tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush, you can find winning keywords, optimize content, and outrank competitors.
10. FAQs
- How often should I analyze competitor keywords?
At least every 3-6 months to stay updated. - What is the best free tool for competitor keyword research?
Ubersuggest is great for free competitor analysis. - Can I rank for the same keywords as my competitors?
Yes! Optimize better and create higher-quality content.
