Spying on Competitors to Find Content Gaps

I’ll admit it – I’m a bit of a snoop when it comes to my competitors. But hey, what self-respecting SEO professional isn’t? After all, if you want to beat the competition, you’ve got to know what they’re up to, right?

That’s why I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to spy on my competitors’ keyword strategies. Because let’s be real, the keywords they’re ranking for could be the very same ones that your customers are searching for. And if you’re not optimizing for those terms, you’re leaving a lot of potential traffic (and leads) on the table.

So, how do you go about spying on your competitors and uncovering those all-important content gaps? Well, buckle up, my friends, because I’m about to take you on a journey into the world of competitive keyword analysis.

Step 1: Identify Your Top Competitors

The first step in this espionage mission is to figure out who your top competitors are. And I don’t just mean the businesses that offer similar products or services – I’m talking about the ones that are dominating the search engine results pages (SERPs) for the keywords you’re trying to rank for.

As the YouTube video suggests, you can use a tool like Spyfu to get a good sense of who your SERP competitors are. Just plug in your website, and Spyfu will give you a list of the brands that are competing with you the most in the search results.

Once you’ve got that list, you can start digging into their keyword strategies. And let me tell you, it’s like peeking behind the curtain of their entire content operation.

Step 2: Uncover Their Keyword Goldmine

Now that you know who your top competitors are, it’s time to start uncovering the keywords they’re ranking for. And there are a few different tools you can use to do this:

According to HubSpot, some of the best options include Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, and Semrush. These tools will give you a comprehensive look at the keywords your competitors are targeting, their search volumes, and how difficult it might be for you to outrank them.

One of the things I really like about Semrush is that it even lets you do a keyword gap analysis to see where you’re falling short compared to your competitors. It’s like having a cheat sheet for your content strategy!

Step 3: Analyze and Prioritize

Okay, so you’ve got your list of competitor keywords – now what? Well, it’s time to start analyzing and prioritizing. After all, you can’t just create content for every single keyword on the list (unless you have an army of writers at your disposal, that is).

The first thing I like to do is sort the keywords by search volume and difficulty. That way, I can focus my efforts on the ones that are going to give me the biggest bang for my buck. You know, the ones with high search volume but relatively low competition.

But it’s not just about the numbers, either. I also like to look at the search intent behind the keywords. Are people looking to make a purchase? Or are they just in the research phase? Knowing that can help me create content that’s truly valuable and relevant to my audience.

Oh, and speaking of your audience, don’t forget to create some detailed buyer personas. That way, you can make sure your content is hitting the mark with the right people.

The Big Reveal: Finding and Filling Content Gaps

Alright, now that you’ve got your competitor keyword research all dialed in, it’s time for the grand finale: finding and filling those content gaps.

As the video explains, this is where you identify the keywords that your competitors are ranking for that you’re not. And then you create content that’s specifically designed to outrank them.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But won’t that be a ton of work?” And you’re not wrong. Creating high-quality, optimized content takes time, effort, and a whole lot of creativity. But trust me, it’s worth it.

Because when you fill those content gaps, you’re not just stealing traffic away from your competitors – you’re also positioning yourself as the go-to authority in your industry. And that, my friends, is the key to long-term success in the world of SEO.

So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to put on your spy hat and start uncovering those content gaps. Who knows, you might just find the secret to dominating the SERPs.

Oh, and one more thing: if you’re looking for an SEO agency that can help you with all this competitive analysis and content creation, be sure to check out MCR SEO. They’re the experts when it comes to spying on the competition and coming out on top.