Competitive Research Framework (SEO + Content)

1. Identify True Competitors

Start by figuring out who’s actually competing for your audience’s attention (not just who you think your competitors are).

How to do it:

• Search your main keywords in Google and see who shows up on page 1–2.

  
  

• Use tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, or SimilarWeb to pull their top-ranking pages and traffic estimates.

• Prioritise sites ranking for the same intent (not just the same industry).

Tip: Make a shortlist of your top 5–7 competitors — real competitors are the ones stealing your rankings, not necessarily your market rivals.

2. Analyse Their SEO Strategy

Things to check:

• Number of ranking keywords and traffic (Ahrefs / Semrush)

• Their top pages (what brings most of their organic traffic)

• Keyword gaps (topics they cover that you don’t yet)

• Site structure (how their categories and subfolders are organised)

• Domain Authority (DR/DA) and backlink profile quality

Goal: Find what they do consistently well that’s driving visibility.

3. Review Their Content Approach

What to look for:

• Content formats (guides, listicles, tools, case studies, FAQs)

• Posting frequency

• Content quality (depth, E-E-A-T signals, tone)

• Use of visuals (infographics, tables, videos)

• Schema usage (FAQ, HowTo, Article, etc.)

Goal: Understand their content “style” and how they satisfy user intent better.

4. Check Their Link-Building Patterns

Look for:

• Referring domains (volume + quality)

• Anchor text diversity

• Guest posts, PR mentions, or industry partnerships

• Broken backlinks you could reclaim

Goal: Spot opportunities to build similar (or stronger) authority signals.

5. Audit Their User Experience (UX)

Quick checks:

• Core Web Vitals (PageSpeed Insights)

• Mobile responsiveness

• Page layout & readability

• Internal linking structure

• CTAs and lead-gen placements

Goal: See if they’re winning because the experience is just easier/faster.

Tools to Use

• Semrush / Ahrefs → keyword, traffic, backlinks, content gap

• Google Search → manual SERP competitor discovery

• Screaming Frog → site structure + on-page optimisation

• PageSpeed Insights → speed + Core Web Vitals

• SimilarWeb / BuiltWith → traffic + tech stack insights

What You’ll Get Out of It

• A clear list of content gaps to close

• Keywords to target that are already proven

• Insights into why they outrank you (better content, better links, faster UX)

• Ideas to build more linkable, higher-value content