Why You Should Track Competitor Keyword Rankings

Ah, the age-old question that keeps SEO enthusiasts up at night: should I spy on my competitors? Well, my friends, I’m here to tell you that the answer is a resounding yes! Tracking your competitors’ keyword rankings is not just a nice-to-have, but a must-have if you want to stay ahead of the game.

As the wise folks at HubSpot put it, “Keywords are a crucial part of any SEO strategy.” And you know what they say, “Keep your friends close, but your competitors closer.” Okay, maybe that’s not the exact saying, but you get the idea.

Understanding the Power of Competitor Keyword Analysis

Let’s dive in, shall we? Competitor keyword analysis is the process of uncovering the keywords your industry rivals are ranking for, with the ultimate goal of creating content that outshines them in the search engine results pages (SERPs). Think of it as a friendly game of “who can dominate the Google throne.”

As the experts at Serpple explain, this analysis helps you “understand how difficult it will be to outrank a competitor” and pinpoint opportunities where you can swoop in and claim the top spot. It’s like a treasure hunt, but instead of buried gold, you’re hunting for those elusive, high-converting keywords.

The Tools of the Trade

Now, you might be thinking, “But how do I even find my competitors’ keywords?” Fear not, my friend, for there are plenty of nifty tools at your disposal. Let’s take a quick look at some of the top options:

• WordStream: A free and easy-to-use tool that gives you a instant list of your competitors’ keywords. It’s the SEO equivalent of a quick Google search.
• Google Keyword Planner: A powerful (and free!) tool from the search engine overlords themselves, allowing you to filter and sort your competitors’ top keywords.
• Spyfu: A comprehensive (and paid) tool that not only shows you your competitors’ keywords, but also their top competitors, inbound links, and more.
• Ahrefs and Semrush: Premium tools that offer a wealth of data on your competitors’ keyword profiles, including position changes, top-ranking pages, and keyword difficulty.

As the experts at Spyfu point out, these tools can help you “uncover the keywords your competitors are ranking highly for” and create a targeted content strategy to outperform them.

Putting It All Together

Alright, you’ve got your competitors’ keywords in hand, now what? Time to put on your content creation hat and get to work! The key is to identify the keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t, and then create content that aims to outrank them.

As the Semrush team suggests, you can create a wide range of content to achieve this, from blog posts and product pages to video tutorials and infographics. The goal is to provide your audience with the information they’re searching for, while simultaneously outmaneuvering your competition.

But don’t just take my word for it. The gurus at MarketBrew also emphasize the importance of tracking your competitors’ monthly search volume, backlinks, and domain authority to inform your content strategy. It’s like having a cheat sheet to the SEO game.

The Bottom Line

In the cutthroat world of digital marketing, keeping tabs on your competitors’ keyword rankings is the equivalent of having a superpower. It allows you to stay one step ahead, create content that resonates with your target audience, and ultimately, dominate the SERPs.

So, what are you waiting for? Head on over to MCR SEO, the premier SEO agency in Manchester, UK, and let’s get started on your competitor keyword tracking journey. Trust me, your website (and your sanity) will thank you.