How to Do SEO Competitor Analysis Ahrefs for Better Rankings

How to Do SEO Competitor Analysis with Ahrefs for Better Rankings

When it comes to improving your website’s search engine rankings, understanding what your competitors are doing can make all the difference. With SEO competitor analysis from Ahrefs, you can uncover valuable insights about your competitors’ strategies, find new keyword opportunities, and refine your own SEO strategy guide.
In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to do competitor analysis in SEO using Ahrefs in a clear, step-by-step way, following expert advice from Search Engine Journal.
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Why SEO Competitor Analysis Matters

Before diving into tools, it’s important to understand why competitive analysis is crucial. SEO isn’t just about optimizing your own website; it’s about outperforming others who target the same audience. By analyzing competitors, you can:

• Discover which keywords are driving traffic to their sites
• Identify backlink opportunities
• Understand content gaps you can fill
• Learn what strategies are working in your niche

Without this insight, you might waste time on strategies that don’t move the needle. Ahrefs makes this process more structured and actionable.

Step 1: Identify Your SEO Competitors

The first step in how to do competitor analysis in SEO is knowing who your real competitors are. These aren’t just businesses in your industry—they are websites ranking for the same keywords as you. Here’s how to find them in Ahrefs:

1. Go to Ahrefs’ Site Explorer and enter your website URL.
2. Navigate to the “Competing Domains” report.
3. Review the list of domains that share keywords with your site.

These are the websites you want to analyze further for their SEO strategy.

Step 2: Analyze Competitors’ Top Keywords

Once you have your competitor list, focus on the keywords that bring them the most traffic. In Ahrefs:

1. Click on a competitor’s site in the Competing Domains report.
2. Go to the Organic Keywords section.
3. Sort by traffic to see which keywords drive the most visitors.

This step helps you identify high-value keywords that you might target or optimize for better performance.

Step 3: Evaluate Competitors’ Content Strategy

Content plays a central role in SEO. Ahrefs allows you to see what type of content your competitors are producing and which pages perform best. To do this:

1. In the competitor’s site report, go to Top Pages.
2. Analyze the page topics, word count, and format (blog posts, guides, product pages).
3. Note which content gets the most backlinks or shares.

This gives you insight into how to create content that can compete effectively.

Step 4: Check Competitors’ Backlinks

Backlinks are a major ranking factor. Understanding your competitors’ backlink profile helps you find new link-building tips and opportunities.
In Ahrefs:

1. Navigate to the Backlink Profile for a competitor.
2. Examine the referring domains, anchor texts, and link types.
3. Look for high-authority sites linking to them that might link to you as well.

Focus on quality over quantity. One authoritative link can be more valuable than dozens of low-quality links.

Step 5: Compare Your Performance Against Competitors

Ahrefs’ Domain Comparison Tool lets you see how your site stacks up against competitors in terms of traffic, keywords, and backlinks. Steps:

1. Go to Domain Comparison in Ahrefs.
2. Enter your domain and your top competitors.
3. Analyze where you are behind or ahead.

This comparison provides a clear roadmap of areas you need to improve to boost your SEO rankings.

Step 6: Identify Content and Keyword Gaps

Finding opportunities where your competitors rank, but you don’t, is critical for creating optimized SEO content that drives traffic.
Ahrefs makes it easy:

1. Use the Content Gap tool.
2. Enter your domain and competitors’ domains.
3. Ahrefs will show keywords that competitors rank for, but you don’t.

Targeting these gaps allows you to create relevant content and capture traffic that your competitors currently dominate.

Step 7: Track Progress and Adjust Strategy

SEO is ongoing. After implementing insights from your seo competitor analysis, it’s important to monitor your performance:

• Track keyword rankings in Ahrefs’ Rank Tracker.
• Monitor backlinks with the Site Explorer Alerts.
• Refine your content and link-building strategy regularly.

Consistent monitoring ensures your website stays competitive and continues improving.

Tips for Effective SEO Competitor Analysis

• Focus on competitors’ ranking for your most important keywords.
• Don’t copy content—use insights to create better, unique content.
• Look for patterns in backlinks, content formats, and keywords.
• Prioritize high-traffic, high-opportunity keywords first.

FAQs About SEO Competitor Analysis with Ahrefs

What is SEO competitor analysis, Ahrefs?

It’s the process of using Ahrefs to study competitors’ SEO strategies, including keywords, backlinks, and content, to improve your own rankings.

How do I identify my SEO competitors?

Use Ahrefs’ Competing Domains report to find websites that rank for the same keywords as you.

Can I do competitor analysis without Ahrefs?

Yes, there are other tools like SEMrush, Moz, or Ubersuggest, but Ahrefs provides the most detailed backlink and content data.

How often should I perform competitor analysis?

Ideally, every 2–3 months or whenever you want to launch a new SEO strategy or campaign.

What is the difference between SEO competitor analysis and content analysis?

SEO competitor analysis covers overall strategies, including backlinks and keywords, while content analysis focuses specifically on the type and performance of published content.