Want to rank higher locally? Start by analyzing your competitors. Here's how you can quickly uncover strategies that work:
The key? Learn from their strengths, avoid their mistakes, and focus on proven tactics to boost your local SEO.
To get ahead in local SEO, you first need to figure out who you're up against. This involves a mix of manual searches and insights from SEO tools. Your local competitors are the businesses appearing in Google's local pack (the map section with three listings) and organic search results. Once identified, you can analyze their strategies for keywords, backlinks, and Google Business Profile optimization.
The simplest way to start is by thinking like your customer. Open Google and search for your primary service along with your location. For instance, if you own a plumbing business in Denver, you might search for "plumber Denver" or "emergency plumbing Denver." The businesses that show up in the local pack and organic results are your primary competitors.
Try different keyword variations, such as "residential plumbing services Denver" or "Denver water heater repair", to uncover competitors targeting specific niches.
Don’t overlook Google Maps - search your business category there and zoom into your service area. Pay attention to businesses with high ratings, numerous reviews, and prominent visibility. These are likely your strongest competitors. You can also explore directories like Yelp, which organize businesses by category and location, offering another perspective on your competition.
Manual searches give you a customer’s-eye view, but for deeper insights, SEO tools are indispensable.
SEO tools can uncover competitors you might miss during manual searches. They provide detailed data on rankings, keyword usage, and more.
These tools can analyze hundreds of keywords at once, revealing competitors that manual searches might miss.
| Method | Best For | Time Investment | Key Benefits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Search | Seeing what your customers see | 2–4 hours | Provides immediate, real-world insights |
| SEO Tools | Digging into detailed data | 30 minutes setup + ongoing | Tracks rankings, uncovers hidden competitors |
Start with manual searches to understand what your customers experience. Then, leverage SEO tools to validate your findings and uncover additional competitors. From there, you can dive into how these businesses use keywords to dominate local search.
Analyzing your competitors' keyword strategies bridges the gap between identifying relevant search terms and understanding how they're applied across various digital channels. By pinpointing the keywords your competitors use to attract local search traffic, you can uncover opportunities and refine your own SEO efforts.
Digging into your competitors' keyword strategies provides a clear direction for your local SEO game plan. It helps you figure out which terms are worth targeting and how to position your content to compete effectively.
The best results come from combining free tools with premium SEO platforms to gain a complete view of your competitors' keyword targeting.
Once you’ve compiled a list of competitor keywords, the next step is to examine how they’re deployed across digital platforms.
After identifying key terms, it’s time to analyze how competitors use them strategically across their websites and profiles. This involves looking at placement, structure, and content strategy.
One crucial element is identifying keyword gaps - areas where competitors rank, but you don’t. Tools like SEMrush's Keyword Gap feature can help you pinpoint these opportunities, showing exactly where you can expand your strategy to capture more local search traffic [5].
When refining your approach, focus on keywords with solid search volume that align with your services. Group related terms together to build topical authority, which enhances your chances of ranking for multiple related searches. Keep in mind that local keyword research targets location-specific terms rather than broad, nationwide phrases [7].
Backlinks play a vital role in boosting local SEO. By analyzing competitor link profiles, you can uncover ranking factors that drive success in local search.
"Local SEO backlinks are the rank-boosting, traffic-driving assets your small business needs" [9]
Local backlinks help establish trust and authority within specific geographic areas, directly impacting prominence rankings [10]. For example, a local SEO test found that a single high-quality backlink helped a business climb one spot in the local pack and jump from 10th to 3rd in organic results [10]. This highlights the importance of understanding where competitors are getting their backlinks.
Several tools can help you analyze your competitors' backlink strategies and sources:
Look for backlink opportunities on resource pages, industry directories, listicles, expert round-ups, guest post sites, and podcast interviews. Tools like Semrush's Backlink Gap can help identify domains linking to competitors but not to your site [11].
Once you've identified potential backlink sources, the next step is to evaluate their quality.
Not all backlinks are created equal. A single, high-quality backlink can be far more impactful than dozens of low-quality ones. Here's how to assess backlink quality:
Use tools like SEMrush and Moz Link Explorer to monitor competitor backlinks and track when they gain or lose valuable links [8]. This can help you identify new opportunities for your own link-building strategy. Focus on earning editorial backlinks - links that are naturally embedded in high-quality content - as these often represent the best opportunities and can reveal areas where your content strategy may need improvement [13].
Building on earlier strategies for keywords and backlinks, diving into your Google Business Profile (GBP) performance can uncover strengths and areas for improvement in your local market. By studying competitors' GBP listings, you can pinpoint gaps in your approach and discover ways to enhance your local search visibility.
Take a closer look at key elements of competitors' GBP listings that influence local rankings and customer interactions:
Competitor reviews offer a goldmine of information about customer perceptions and how reviews influence local search visibility. By analyzing their review strategies, you can uncover actionable insights:
If managing all these elements feels overwhelming, services like Humble Help (https://humblehelp.studio) specialize in local SEO and GBP optimization. They can assist in implementing these strategies effectively.
Leveraging insights from competitor analysis can significantly refine your local SEO strategy and improve your visibility in local search results. By addressing the opportunities revealed in your analysis, you can strengthen your online presence and outshine your competition.
Target Keywords Your Competitors Overlook
A keyword gap analysis helps you identify search terms your competitors rank for that you don’t. These are prime opportunities to improve your visibility. Focus on geo-specific phrases like "plumber near downtown Chicago" or "best pizza delivery in Brooklyn." Tools designed for keyword gap analysis can pinpoint these opportunities for you.
"Competitor analysis plays a central role in this process by uncovering what nearby businesses are doing effectively - and where gaps exist. Understanding these aspects helps create a roadmap for improving visibility and outperforming others in the same market." – Dakshraj Enterprise, Digital Marketing, AI and Tech [18]
Use these insights to create new pages or optimize existing content. Pay special attention to keywords your competitors have recently lost - these represent immediate opportunities to capture traffic they’re no longer effectively targeting.
Strengthen Your Backlink Profile
Analyzing your competitors’ backlinks reveals which authoritative websites help boost their rankings. Focus on acquiring links from high-authority domains that link to multiple competitors but not to you. Research shows that the top-ranking page on Google typically has 3.8 times more backlinks than pages ranked #2 to #10, making backlinks a critical factor [11].
To attract backlinks, create content that others naturally want to share - think data-driven reports, in-depth guides, infographics, and expert interviews. Local link building is especially important; 76% of people who search for a nearby service on their smartphones visit a business within a day [19].
Diversify your backlink sources by targeting local blogs, news outlets, community directories, and industry forums. Strengthen relationships with domains that already link to both you and your competitors for even more opportunities.
Enhance Your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Use insights from your competitor analysis to optimize your own Google Business Profile. If competitors post weekly, consider posting more frequently to stand out. Businesses that include photos on their profiles receive 42% more requests for directions on Google Maps and 35% more clicks to their websites than those that don’t [1].
Look for gaps in your competitors' profiles, such as missing sub-categories or inconsistent posting, and fill those gaps in your own profile. Analyze their review patterns to determine how often you should encourage customer feedback to stay competitive. Regularly track metrics like keyword rankings, website traffic, and review volume to measure the success of your optimizations.
Key Tools for Competitor Analysis
Several tools can help you monitor and refine your local SEO efforts. BrightLocal offers specialized tracking to monitor your competitors’ local search performance over time. Their research consistently highlights Google Business Profile optimization as one of the most valuable local SEO services [1].
SEMrush provides powerful backlink gap analysis, allowing you to compare your domain with up to four competitors and categorize backlinks for strategic planning. Tools like GMB Everywhere can track changes to competitors’ Google Business Profiles, such as updates to categories or posting frequency. Pair these insights with Google Keyword Planner to stay on top of new keywords your competitors are targeting.
These tools make it easier to make consistent, data-driven adjustments to your local SEO strategy.
Professional Local SEO Services
Competitor tracking is an ongoing process, and professional services can help you stay on top of it. Companies like Humble Help (https://humblehelp.studio) specialize in local SEO and Google Business Profile optimization. They combine AI-driven insights with human expertise to simplify your marketing efforts. Their services include dynamic website creation, local SEO strategies, and Google Maps optimization - all tailored for small businesses competing in local markets.
Professional services are especially useful for maintaining consistent optimization. They can monitor competitor changes, adapt your strategy, and handle technical improvements that require expertise. This allows you to focus on running your business while ensuring your local SEO remains effective and competitive.
To excel in local SEO, you need a clear understanding of your competitors' strategies, strengths, and weaknesses. Regular competitor analysis is a critical piece of this puzzle. It helps businesses stay ahead, maintain a strong online presence, and uncover opportunities to boost local search visibility. Here's a breakdown of the key areas to focus on as you refine your local SEO approach:
If you're looking to analyze local SEO competitors without investing in expensive tools, here's a straightforward approach:
Start by searching for local keywords that relate to your business. Check out the top-ranking competitors in your area and take a close look at their Google Business Profiles (GBP). Pay attention to their visibility, the number and quality of customer reviews, and how engaged they are with their audience.
Then, dive into their website content. Look for patterns like frequently used keywords, popular blog topics, and their overall SEO strategies. To dig a little deeper, free tools like Ubersuggest can give you insights into their keyword rankings and traffic metrics.
Don't forget to check out their social media activity. Observe how they interact with their followers, respond to customer inquiries, and promote their services.
By keeping an eye on these areas, you'll uncover useful strategies and ideas to enhance your own local SEO game.
When you're analyzing a competitor's backlinks for local SEO, pay attention to a few essential factors that can make a big difference:
By examining these aspects, you can uncover how your competitors are strengthening their SEO and find opportunities to enhance your own strategy.
To get the most out of your Google Business Profile (GBP) and climb the local search rankings, it’s smart to start by taking a closer look at your competitors' profiles. Check out the business categories they’ve chosen, how often they post, the type of content they share, and the quality of their images. These details can give you a clearer idea of what connects with your audience.
Dig into the keywords they’re ranking for - there’s a good chance you’ll uncover some opportunities you’ve overlooked. Add those to your own GBP to strengthen your profile. Also, pay attention to customer reviews on their profiles. What do people love? What do they complain about? Learning from this feedback can help you fine-tune both your messaging and your offerings.
Lastly, keep an eye on engagement trends. Understanding what grabs attention in your area can guide your strategy. With these insights, you can refine your GBP to stand out, attract more local customers, and boost your visibility in search results.
Discover strategies to elevate your business.
