When trying to find new keywords to target for your business, one of the best places to look is your competition. By analyzing what keywords they are targeting, you can get a good idea of which keywords would be most effective for your business. How do you identify a competitive keyword? We will discuss everything but first, let us cover the basics.
What Is Keyword Competition Analysis?
Regarding SEO, your goal is to rank as high as possible in the search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords. However, you’re not the only one aiming for that top spot. Your competitors are also trying to rank for those exact keywords. It is where keyword competition comes in, which measures how difficult it will be to rank for a given keyword.
The higher the keyword competition, the more difficult it will be to rank for that keyword. Some factors contribute to keyword competition:
The no. of websites competing for that keyword
The quality of those websites
The money and resources they’re willing to invest in SEO
There are some ways to do google keyword competitive analysis. By understanding keyword competition, you can better assess your chances of ranking for specific keywords and make wiser decisions about which keywords to target.
Why You Need To Do Keyword Competition Analysis
As an SEO specialist, part of your job is ensuring that your clients’ website is high on the search engine results pages (SERPs). Have an intelligent understanding of the latest trends and happenings in SEO and what your competitors are doing. Among the best ways to stay ahead of the competition is to perform competitive analysis regularly.
This process involves looking at what your competitors are doing right and where they fall short. By understanding your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses, you can identify areas where you can improve your SEO campaigns. Competitive analysis can be time-consuming, but it’s worth the effort.
Here is why you need to do it.
Understand The Marketplace
One of the main reasons to perform the competitive analysis is to get a better understanding of the marketplace. It will tell you what’s working well for your competitors and where there might be gaps in the market that you can exploit.
Keep An Eye On The Competition
Another reason to do competitive analysis is to keep an eye on your competition. By understanding what they’re doing, you can stay one step ahead and ensure that your campaigns are more effective.
Improve Your Campaigns
Finally, a keyword competition analysis can help you improve your SEO campaigns. You can adapt and enhance your strategies by understanding what’s working well for your competitors.
By understanding your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses, you can identify areas where you can improve your SEO campaigns. If you’re not already doing it, now is the start. Keyword research competitive analysis & website ranking are essential to any marketing plan. It can help you to stay one step ahead of your competition.
How To Find Different Types of Keyword And Analyze Them
After knowing what is competitor keyword research, you must understand that there are different types of keywords you will encounter. We will discuss the four main types of keywords and how to analyze their competitiveness.
1) Broad match keywords – These are the most general keywords used to describe your product or service. They are typically one or two-word phrases and have a high search volume. However, they also have a lot of competition.
2) Phrase match keywords – These are slightly more specific than broad match keywords but still have a high search volume. They tend to be three or four-word phrases and may have some competition.
3) Exact match keywords – These are the most specific keywords you will encounter. They typically have five or more word phrases and a lower search volume. However, they also have less competition.
4) Long-tail keywords – These are the least common ones you will encounter. They are typically six or more word phrases and have low search volume. However, they also have the least amount of competition.
Search Volume And Competition For Keyword Competition Analysis
Now that you understand the different types of keywords let’s discuss how to analyze their competitiveness. When assessing keyword competitiveness, you should consider two main factors: search volume and competition.
1) Search volume – This is the number of people searching for a particular keyword each month. You can find it using a keyword research tool like Google Keyword Planner.
2) Competition – This is the number of people competing for a particular keyword. Find it by searching on Google and looking at the number of results.
The competition for a keyword is usually represented as a %. The higher the %, the more competitive the keyword is. If there are 100,000 results for a keyword and you are in position 10, then your competition would be 1%. However, if there are 1,000,000 results for a keyword and you are in position 10, then your competition would be 10%.
How To Find Keywords You Can Rank For
So now that you understand how to analyze keyword competitiveness, let’s discuss how to find keywords you can rank for. There are different methods that you can use to find keywords that you can rank for while doing a keyword competition analysis:
1) Use a keyword research tool – Several different keyword research tools are available online, such as Google Keyword Planner and KWFinder. These tools will allow you to enter a seed keyword and generate a list of related keywords.
2) Use a competitor analysis tool – There are several different tools available online, such as SEMrush and SpyFu. These tools will allow you to enter a competitor’s URL and generate a list of their most popular keywords.
3) Use Google Suggest – You can use Google Suggest to find long-tail keywords that you can rank for. Simply enter your seed keyword into the Google search bar and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Google will suggest several related keywords that you can use.
4) Use Google Trends – You can use Google Trends to find out which keywords are trending upwards. Simply enter your seed keyword into the Google Trends search bar and look at the results. If a keyword is trending upwards, more people are searching for it each month.
5) Use social media – You can use social media to find out which keywords are being talked about the most. Simply search for your seed keyword on Twitter or Facebook and then look at the results for a keyword competition analysis.
Optimize Your Website For Those Keywords
Once you’ve found a list of keywords that you can rank for, it’s time to start optimizing your website for those keywords. There are different ways that you can optimize your website for keywords:
1) Use keyword-rich titles – When creating titles for your blog posts or pages, include your target keyword. It will let your website rank higher in the search results for that keyword.
2) Use keyword-rich meta descriptions – When creating meta descriptions for your blog posts or pages, include your target keyword. It will serve the same purpose.
3) Use keyword-rich headers – When creating headers for your blog posts or pages, include your target keyword.
4) Use keyword-rich alt tags – When creating alt tags for your images, include your target keyword.
5) Use keyword-rich anchor text – When linking to other websites or pages, use your target keyword as the anchor text.
By following these tips, optimize your website for keywords and improve your chances of ranking high in the search results.
Keyword Competitive Research-Based
When conducting a keyword competition analysis, it’s essential to understand which keywords are most important to your business and how challenging it is to rank for them. It can help you determine which keywords are worth targeting and how best to do so. There are several different ways to measure competition for a given keyword.
The most common is by looking at the number of websites already ranking for that keyword. The more websites ranking, the more difficult it will be to rank for that keyword. Another way is by looking at the search engine results pages (SERPs) for a given keyword. The SERPs will give you an idea of the websites already ranking for that keyword.
With many prominent, well-established websites ranking, it will be more challenging to rank for that keyword. Finally, you can also look at the paid search results for a given keyword. The number of advertisers bidding on a given keyword can give you an idea of how competitive that keyword is. The more advertisers there are, the more competitive it is.
Direct And Indirect Competition
Keyword competition analysis can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect competition.
Direct competition is when another website explicitly targets the same keyword as you. For example, if you are trying to rank for the keyword “purple widgets,” then a direct competitor would be another website that is also trying to rank for “purple widgets.”
Indirect competition is when another website is targeting a similar keyword to the one you’re targeting. If you’re trying to rank for “purple widgets,” an indirect competitor would be a website trying to rank for “blue widgets.” While they’re not explicitly competing with you for the same keyword, they are competing for a similar keyword, which can still make it harder to rank.
Customer Journey
Your customer journey maps the experience your customers have with your brand, from first becoming aware of your product or service to making a purchase and becoming a loyal fan. It is a valuable strategy for understanding the needs and wants of your customers and can help you identify areas in which you can improve their experience.
To create a customer journey map, you will need to understand the following:
– The different stages of the customer journey
– The touchpoints at each stage
– The emotions experienced at each stage
The phases of the customer journey are:
- Awareness
- Interest
- Consideration
- Purchase
- Loyalty/Advocacy
The touchpoints at each stage are:
1-Awareness:
– Advertising
– Word of mouth
2- Interest:
– Search engines
– Social media
3- Consideration:
– Reviews and testimonials
4- Purchase:
– Website
– Checkout process
5- Loyalty/Advocacy:
– Customer service
– Referral programs
The emotions experienced at each stage are:
1- Awareness:
– Curiosity
2- Interest:
– Excitement
3- Consideration:
– Skepticism
4- Purchase:
– Relief
5- Loyalty/Advocacy:
– Pride
Add Value To Your Data For Keyword Competition Analysis
You now have potential search queries for every stage of the customer journey. But, how do you determine which keywords will drive conversions? How do you know if your pages are optimized for the right keywords? To understand what’s going on with your website and your competitors’ websites, you need to take a closer look at keyword difficulty.
Ensure that you’re monitoring the SERP features triggered by those queries (more on later).
1)Tools like Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer can show you the estimated monthly search volume, CPC, and difficulty score for any given keyword.
2)Google Search Console can also help you understand which keywords your website currently ranks for (and how well).
3)You can use a tool like SEMrush to spy on your competitors and see the specific keywords they’re bidding on in paid search.
4)You can also use Google AdWords’ Keyword Planner to get an idea of what keywords are being used to trigger your competitors’ ads.
How To Do A Competitor Keyword Analysis
Collect Your Competitor’s SEO Data
There are many ways to find out what keywords your competitors are targeting. Here are some methods you can use:
- Use a keyword research tool for your keyword competition analysis: It is easy to find your competitor’s keywords. Many paid and free tools are available, such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz. Enter your competitor’s URL into the tool, which will show you the keywords they are ranking for.
- Check their website: Look at your competitor’s website and see what keywords they are targeting. Find this information in their site’s title tags, meta descriptions, and headings.
- Look at their PPC campaigns: If your competitor runs a PPC campaign, they will likely target specific keywords. Use a tool like Spyfu to see what keywords they are bidding on.
- Use Google AdWords Keyword Planner: This free tool from Google allows you to see the average monthly search volume for specific keywords. Enter your competitor’s URL into the tool, and it will show you the keywords they are targeting.
- Check their social media accounts: Look at your competitor’s social media accounts to see what keywords they use. Find this information in their posts’ hashtags, descriptions, and titles.
- Conduct a Google search: Conduct a Google search for your competitor’s brand or product name. You will have an idea of the keywords they are targeting.
Once you have gathered this information for your keyword competition analysis, you can start to analyze their keywords to see how challenging it would be to rank for them. There are a few different methods you can use to do this:
- Check the search results: Conduct a Google search for each of your competitor’s keywords and look at the results. If your competitor ranks in the top 3 results, it will be difficult to outrank them. However, if they are further down in the results, you may have a better chance of ranking higher.
- Check the competition: Use Ahrefs or SEMrush to check the number of backlinks and referring domains each keyword has. The more backlinks and referring domains a keyword has, the more difficult it will be to rank for that keyword.
- Check the search volume: Use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner or SEMrush to determine each keyword’s monthly search volume. The higher it is, the more challenging it will be to rank for that keyword.
Once you have analyzed your competitor’s keywords, you can create your keyword list. Try to target less competitive keywords with a higher monthly search volume. It will improve your chances of ranking in the top results.
Identify Softer Target Competitors In Your Keyword Competition Analysis
In some cases, you may want to target a competitor that is not as strong as your current competitors. These are called “soft target” competitors. You may want to target a soft target competitor for many reasons. For example, they may be less established in the market, making it easier for you to compete against them.
To find a soft target competitor, you can use a tool like Spyfu. Enter your competitor’s URL into the tool, which will show you a list of their competitors. From there, you can choose a less established competitor in the market.
Identify High ROI Keyword Opportunities
Once you have enlisted your competitor’s keywords, it’s time to find the most valuable ones for your site. To do this, you will want to identify keyword opportunities that have a high ROI. Here are some factors to consider:
- Search volume: The first factor you will want to consider is the search volume for the keyword. It is the number of people searching for the keyword each month. Use a tool (Google AdWords Keyword Planner) to find the search volume for specific keywords.
- Competition: The second factor you will want to consider in your keyword competition analysis is the competition for the keyword. It is the number of people bidding on the keyword in Google AdWords. Use a tool like Spyfu to find the competition for specific keywords.
- CPC: The third factor you will want to consider is the CPC for the keyword. It is the cost-per-click of the keyword in Google AdWords. Use Spyfu to find the CPC for specific keywords.
- Search intent: The fourth factor you will want to consider is the search intent for the keyword. It is what people are looking for when they search for the keyword. There are four types of search intent:
– Navigational: People are looking for a specific website or brand.
– Informational: People are looking for information about a topic.
– Transactional: People are looking to buy something.
– Commercial: People are looking for a product or service to buy. Use Google AdWords Keyword Planner to check out the search intent for specific keywords.
- SERP features: The fifth factor you will want to consider is the SERP features for the keyword. The number of searches has featured snippets, voice search results, and other rich results. You can use a tool like SEMrush to find the SERP features for specific keywords in your keyword competition analysis.
After considering all of these things, you can identify keyword opportunities that have a high ROI. These keywords have a high search volume, low competition, high CPC, and high SERP features.
Figure Out How To Beat Them
Now that you have enlisted your competitor’s keywords, it’s time to figure out where you can beat them. To do this, you will want to look at the SERP features for each keyword. There are many SERP features, but here are some of the most common:
- Featured snippets: These results appear at the top of the search results. They are usually pulled from a website’s content and display information about a topic.
- Voice search results: These are results that appear when someone uses a voice search engine like Siri or Alexa.
- Rich results: These are results that include images, videos, and other media.
- Local pack results: These are results that appear for local searches. They usually include a map and the addresses of businesses in the area.
- Universal results: These are results that appear for searches that include a website’s name. They usually have the website’s logo and contact information.
To find where you can beat your competitors, you will want to look at each keyword’s SERP features and determine where you have an advantage. For example, if you have a featured snippet for a keyword, you can beat your competitors who do not have a featured snippet. It is a sign of a smart keyword competition analysis.
Off-page SEO Factors
In addition to on-page SEO, many other factors can affect your website’s ranking in the search results. These are called off-page SEO factors.
- Backlinks: Backlinks are links from other websites to your website. They are a vote of confidence from other websites. With more backlinks, your website will rank higher in the search results.
- Social signals are likes, shares, and comments from social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. They show that your content is being shared and liked by people. The more social signals you have, the higher your website will rank in the search results.
- Domain authority: Domain authority measures how well your website will rank in the search results. The higher your DA, the higher your website will rank.
- Page speed: Page speed is the amount of time it takes for your website to load. The quicker your website loads, the higher it will rank in the search results.
- Mobile-friendliness: How well your website works on mobile devices is mobile-friendly. The more mobile-friendly your website is, the higher it will rank in the search results.
To improve your off-page SEO, you will want to focus on getting more backlinks and social signals. You can do this by creating great content that people want to share and promoting your content on social media and other websites. You should know this while doing a keyword competition analysis.
On-page SEO Factors
On-page SEO is optimizing your website’s content and code to make it more visible to search engines.
- Title tags: Title tags are the titles of your web pages. They should be unique and describe the topic of your page.
- Meta descriptions: Meta descriptions are short descriptions of your web pages. They should be unique and describe the topic of your page.
- Header tags: Header tags structure your web page’s content. It would be best if you used them to make it easy for people to scan your page and find the information they’re looking for.
- Keywords help search engines match your web page to relevant searches.
- Alt text: Alt text is the text that describes an image. It would be best if you used it to help search engines understand what the image is about.
- XML sitemaps: XML sitemaps are files that list all of the pages on your website. They facilitate search engines to find and index your pages.
- Robots.txt: Robots.txt is a file that tells search engines how to index your website. It would be best to use it to ensure that search engines can find all your pages.
- Canonicalization: Canonicalization ensures that there is only a one-page version. It is essential because search engines may index multiple page versions, which can hurt your ranking.
To improve your on-page SEO, you will want to ensure that your web pages are well-optimized for the keywords you’re targeting. You can include the keywords in the title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and alt text. Ensure that your XML sitemaps and robots.txt files are up-to-date. It is good for your keyword competition analysis.
Keyword Research Tips
- Use keyword research tools: The best keyword competition analysis tools like the Google Adwords Keyword Planner and Moz’s Keyword Explorer can help you find keywords that are relevant to your business.
- Look for long-tail keywords: Long-tail keywords are more specific and less competitive than short-tail keywords. They tend to be more effective because they’re more targeted.
- Find keyword ideas from your competitors: You can use tools like SpyFu and SEMrush to see what keywords your competitors are targeting.
- Use negative keywords: Negative keywords are words or phrases you don’t want to target. They can help you filter out irrelevant searches.
To do keyword research, you will want to use keyword research tools to find relevant keywords. You should also look for long-tail keywords and find keyword ideas from your competitors. Additionally, you can use negative keywords to filter out irrelevant searches.
Local SEO Tips
- Optimize your website for local keywords: Include the city or region in your title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags.
- Create local content: Write blog posts or create videos about local news or events.
- Get listed in local directories: Submit your website to local directories like Yelp and Foursquare.
Compete And Win
Regarding keyword competition analysis, it’s not enough to just be better than your competitors. You need to be different.
- Find your unique selling proposition: What differentiates your business from your competitors?
- Target neglected keywords: Keywords relevant to your business but have low competition can be incredibly effective.
- Create original content: Original content is one of the best ways to stand out from competitors.
- Promote your content: Once you’ve created great content, promote it on social media and other websites.
You need to find your unique selling proposition and target neglected keywords to compete and win. You should also create original content and promote it on social media and other websites.
Monitor Your Progress
- Use Google Analytics: Google Analytics is a free tool that allows you to track your website’s traffic and performance.
- Monitor your keywords: Use a tool like Google Adwords Keyword Planner or Moz’s Keyword Explorer to track the ranking of your keywords.
- Check your backlinks: Use a tool like Majestic or Ahrefs to check the number and quality of your backlinks.
- Measure your conversion rate: Use Google Analytics to see how many people are taking the intended action on your website (e.g., signing up for a newsletter, buying a product, etc.).
To monitor your SEO progress, you should use Google Analytics and track your keywords. You should also check your backlinks and measure your conversion rate.
Conclusion
A keyword competition analysis is determining which keywords your competitors are targeting and how difficult it would be for you to rank for those keywords. The first step is to identify your top competitors. Use different tools to find the keywords they’re targeting. Determine how tough it is for you to rank for each keyword.
By understanding your competition, you can make informed decisions about which keywords to target and how to best optimize your website for those keywords. Thus, a keyword competition analysis is an integral part of any SEO strategy. Thanks a lot for reading this article!
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