- Your search competitors are whoever ranks for your services, which may not be the firms you lose deals to.
- Compare like for like: their best service page against yours, for the same search.
- Most gaps come down to four things: a dedicated page, depth of content, reviews and links from other sites.
- End with three to five actions, not a report. Re-check every quarter.
What a website competitor analysis is for
A website competitor analysis compares your site with the sites that win the searches you want, so you can see why they're ahead and what it would take to close the gap.
It usually starts with a trigger: a rival appears above you for your main service, a prospect mentions a competitor they found on Google, or an AI assistant recommends someone else when asked for a supplier like you. Those are the right moments to do it, because you have a specific question to answer.
The goal isn't to copy anyone. It's to understand what Google and buyers are rewarding in your market, then do it better, in your own way.
Step 1: Find your real search competitors
Your search competitors aren't always your business competitors. The firm you lose tenders to might have a poor website, while a directory, a national player or a much smaller specialist outranks you for your main service.
- List the searches that matter. Five to ten searches a buyer would use to find you: your main services, with the location or sector where it matters ("managed IT support for law firms", "CNC machining [region]"). Our guide to keyword research helps you choose them.
- Search each one in a private browser window, so your own history doesn't skew the results. Note who appears in the top results, the map results if there are any, and the AI Overview if one shows.
- Count appearances. The sites that appear for several of your searches are your real search competitors. Pick the three or four that show up most.
- Set aside sites you can't fairly compete with, such as national directories or marketplaces. Note them, but compare yourself with businesses like you.
Then ask a different question: when you ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity to recommend a supplier like you, who does it name? If competitors appear and you don't, read our guide to AI SEO.
Step 2: Compare the pages that rank
For each search, open the competitor's ranking page next to your equivalent page. Compare like for like.
| Check | Their page | Your page | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Is there a page just for this service? | A dedicated page usually beats a general "Services" page | ||
| Title tag and H1 | Do they use the words people search for? | ||
| Depth: what's included, who it's for, process, pricing approach, FAQs | Thin pages rarely beat detailed ones | ||
| Proof: reviews, case studies, accreditations, named clients | Trust signals on the page | ||
| Call to action | How easy is it to enquire? | ||
| Freshness | Is it recently updated? | ||
| Speed on mobile | Test both in PageSpeed Insights |
Read their page as a buyer would. Often the difference is plain: their page answers the questions a buyer has before they get in touch, and yours doesn't.
Step 3: Compare content beyond the service pages
Look at what else the competitor publishes that you don't.
- Guides and answers: do they have articles that answer the questions your buyers ask? Those pages attract searches early in the buying process and link through to service pages.
- Case studies: detailed, specific examples of work, by sector. See how to write a case study.
- Location or sector pages: if they serve specific areas or industries, do they have a genuinely useful page for each, or thin copies?
- Topics you don't cover at all. These are your content gaps.
Don't aim to match their volume. Aim to cover the questions that lead to enquiries better than anyone.
Step 4: Compare reviews and local signals
If your buyers search locally, or Google shows map results for your services, local signals matter as much as your website.
- Google Business Profile: number of reviews, average rating, how recent the reviews are, whether the owner replies, categories chosen, photos and posts.
- Directory listings: are they listed on the main business directories and sector bodies you're missing from? See free business directories.
- Consistency: is their name, address and phone number the same everywhere?
A competitor with three times your reviews and a reply to every one has an edge that no amount of page editing will close. Our guides to the Google review link and setting up your Google Business Profile cover how to catch up.
Step 5: Compare links and mentions
Links from other reputable sites are still one of the signals Google uses to judge trust. You can't see every link a competitor has without a paid tool, but you can learn a lot for free:
- Search for their brand name and look at who mentions them: trade press, associations, partners, suppliers, local news, event pages.
- Check their "partners", "accreditations" and "as featured in" pages. Each one points to a site that probably links to them.
- Note the ones you could also earn, such as membership of the same trade body, a supplier's partner directory or a sector award.
Link tools show a fuller picture if you have one, but the question is the same: where do they get mentioned that you don't?
Step 6: Turn the gaps into actions
Collect what you found in one table, then choose three to five actions. Not twenty.
Competitor analysis template
| Search | Who ranks above you | Why they're ahead | Our action | Effort | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [service + area] | [Competitor A] | Dedicated page with pricing approach and FAQs; ours is a paragraph on /services | Build a full service page | M | [Name] | [Date] |
| [service + sector] | [Competitor B] | Three sector case studies; we have none | Write two case studies | M | [Name] | [Date] |
| [service] near me | [Competitor C] | 140 reviews vs our 12 | Add the review request to job sign-off | L | [Name] | [Date] |
Prioritise the gaps that sit closest to enquiries: a missing service page or weak reviews will usually matter more than a blog post.
What competitor analysis can't tell you
Be careful about reading too much into what you see.
- Correlation isn't cause. A competitor's page may rank for reasons you can't see, such as years of links or a strong brand.
- Don't copy content. Rewriting a competitor's page adds nothing new, and Google's guidance is to create helpful, original content written for people.
- Results vary. Rankings differ by location, device and over time. Check from the place your buyers search, and look at trends rather than one day's results.
How often to do it
Do a full website competitor analysis once a year, and a light check every quarter: run your main searches, note any new names, and see whether your actions moved you. Re-run it whenever a new competitor starts appearing above you.
Questions
How do I do a competitor analysis for my website?
List the searches that matter to you, find who ranks for most of them, then compare their ranking pages, wider content, reviews and links with yours. Finish with three to five actions to close the biggest gaps.
What is SEO competitor analysis?
It's comparing your site's search visibility with the sites that rank for the searches you want, to understand why they're ahead. It covers pages, content, technical health, reviews and links.
How do I find out who my competitors are online?
Search for your main services in a private window and note which sites appear for several searches. Those are your search competitors, even if they're not the firms you meet in sales.
Why is my competitor ranking above me?
Usually because they have a dedicated, detailed page for the search, more and better reviews, more links and mentions from relevant sites, or a faster, better-structured site. Comparing your pages side by side normally shows which.
Is there a free competitor analysis template?
Yes: the table in this guide. List each search, who ranks above you, why, and the action you'll take, with an owner and a date.
Every guide is checked against the platform it describes before it’s published, and re-checked when the platform changes.