How to Find Competitors in SEO

Finding competitors is an important part of SEO. Before writing an article or trying to rank for a keyword, you should know which websites are already appearing in Google search results.

Competitor research helps you understand what other websites are doing, what information they are providing, which keywords they are targeting, and what users expect to find.

You do not need to copy your competitors. The purpose of competitor research is to learn from the search results and find ways to create more useful, accurate, and original content.

For example, suppose you want to write an article about “What is DNS”

Before writing the article, search for this keyword on Google. You will see different websites explaining DNS. These websites are your SEO competitors for this particular search.

Some websites may be technology blogs. Others may be educational websites, networking websites, cloud companies, or reference websites.

Even if these websites do not offer the same products or services as you, they are competing with your page in Google search results.

What is Competitor

An SEO competitor is a website that is competing with your website in search engine results for the same keyword or search topic.

For example, imagine that you have a website that publishes cybersecurity tutorials.

You want to rank for the keyword “What is a firewall”

You search this keyword on Google and find several websites ranking on the first page.

Those websites are your SEO competitors for this keyword.

Your competitors may include

Cybersecurity websites

Technology blogs

Networking websites

Educational websites

Universities

Software companies

Cloud companies

Wikipedia and other reference websites

The important thing is that these websites are competing for the same search traffic.

Business Competitors and SEO Competitors

Business competitors and SEO competitors are not always the same.

A business competitor is usually a company that sells similar products or services.

An SEO competitor is a website that competes with your page in search results.

For example, imagine you operate a web development company.

Another web development company in your city is your business competitor.

However, if you want to rank for the keyword “How to create a website”, your SEO competitors could include

WordPress

Wix

Web development blogs

YouTube videos

Educational websites

Coding websites

These websites may not provide the same business service as you, but they are competing for the same search query.

This difference is very important when doing SEO competitor research.

Why Should You Find Competitors

Finding competitors before creating content can save time and help you build a better SEO strategy.

It helps you understand what Google is currently showing to users.

It also helps you understand what users may expect from your content.

There are several important reasons to research competitors.

Understand Search Intent

Search intent means the reason why someone searches for something on Google.

For example, someone searching for “What is SEO” probably wants an explanation.

Someone searching for “best SEO tools” may want to compare different tools.

Someone searching for “Ahrefs login” probably wants to access Ahrefs.

These searches have different purposes.

Competitor research can help you understand search intent by looking at the pages Google is already ranking.

For example, suppose you search for “How to install Kali Linux”.

If most results are detailed step by step tutorials, this tells you that users probably want instructions rather than a short definition.

If you create a page that only contains a few sentences about Kali Linux installation, it may not satisfy the same search intent.

Find Important Topics

Competitor research can show you which topics are commonly covered.

For example, suppose you want to write about “Google Ads Fundamentals”.

You check several competing pages and find that they discuss

What Google Ads is

How Google Ads works

Campaigns

Ad groups

Keywords

Search intent

Bidding

Budgets

Ad assets

Conversions

Performance tracking

These topics can help you understand the overall subject.

You can then create your own article that explains these concepts in simple language.

You should not copy the competitor’s paragraphs.

You should research the topic and write your own explanation.

Find Keyword Opportunities

Competitor research can also help you discover related keywords.

Suppose your main keyword is “John the Ripper”.

While researching competing pages, you may discover related searches such as

John the Ripper tutorial

John the Ripper commands

John the Ripper password recovery

John the Ripper installation

John the Ripper examples

John the Ripper wordlist

These related keywords can give you ideas for sections in your article or for future articles.

You can investigate these keywords using tools such as Google Search Console, Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Semrush, or Moz.

Find Content Gaps

A content gap is information that users may need but competing pages do not explain well.

For example, imagine you search for “What is DNS”.

You check five articles.

Most of them explain

DNS definition

How DNS works

DNS records

DNS servers

But none of them gives a simple  example.

This could be an opportunity for your article.

You could explain DNS using a simple example.

When you type a website name into your browser, your computer needs to find the IP address of the server hosting that website.

DNS helps translate the domain name into the IP address that computers can use to communicate with the server.

This example can make the concept easier for beginners.

How to Find Competitors

Finding competitors is not difficult.

You can start with Google.

First choose the keyword you want to target.

For example

What is a firewall

Now search this keyword on Google.

Look at the websites appearing in the organic search results.

Do not look only at the first result.

Check several relevant pages.

Create a list of the websites and pages that are ranking.

Then analyze those pages.

Step 1 Choose Your Target Keyword

Before finding competitors, you need a keyword.

For example

What is cyber security

What is DNS

What is a firewall

Kali Linux installation

Google Ads fundamentals

Excel formulas

What is SQL injection

Suppose your target keyword is “What is cyber security”.

Search that keyword on Google.

The websites that appear in the organic results are potential SEO competitors for your article.

Step 2 Check the Google Search Results

Look carefully at the search results.

• Check the page titles.
• Check the descriptions.

Look at the type of pages that are ranking.

For example, you may find

• Beginner guides
• Detailed tutorials
• Educational articles

Videos

• Official documentation
• University resources
• Technology websites

This tells you what type of content Google is showing for the keyword.

Step 3 Open the Ranking Pages

Open several relevant pages from the search results.

Do not just read the first paragraph.

Look at the complete page.

• Check the introduction.
• Check the headings.
• Check the examples.
• Check the images.
• Check the videos.
• Check the FAQs.
• Check the links.

Check whether the information is current.

Also check whether the page is easy to understand.

Step 4 Study the Content Structure

Look at how competitors organize their information.

For example, suppose you are researching the keyword “What is a firewall”.

A competitor may have sections such as

• What is a firewall
• How does a firewall work
• Types of firewalls
• Firewall examples
• Advantages of firewalls
• Limitations of firewalls
• Firewall versus antivirus

These headings can help you understand the major areas users may want to learn about.

You can create your own structure based on your research.

Your article should still be original.

Step 5 Study the Introduction

The introduction is important because it gives readers an immediate understanding of the topic.

Ask yourself

• Does the competitor explain the topic clearly
• Does the introduction answer the user’s question
• Is the language easy to understand
• Does the page explain what the reader will learn

For beginner focused content, simple language is usually easier for readers to understand.

Step 6 Study the Headings

Headings help organize content.

Suppose you are researching “TCP IP”.

You find that competing articles commonly discuss

What is TCP IP

TCP IP model

Application layer

Transport layer

Internet layer

Network access layer

TCP

IP

TCP IP example

You can use this research to make sure your article covers important parts of the topic.

You should also look for questions that competitors have not answered clearly.

Step 7 Check the Content Length

Content length can give you useful information, but do not assume that longer content is always better.

For example, one competitor may have 3000 words while another has 1200 words.

The 3000 word article is not automatically better.

The important question is whether the content answers the user’s question properly.

A useful article should contain enough information to satisfy the search intent.

Do not add unnecessary words simply to increase the word count.

Step 8 Check Examples

examples can make technical concepts easier to understand.

Suppose your article is about firewalls.

Instead of only writing that a firewall controls network traffic, you can explain a practical situation.

Imagine an office has 50 computers connected to the internet.

The company wants to prevent unauthorized connections from reaching its internal network.

A firewall can inspect network traffic according to configured rules and allow or block traffic based on those rules.

This gives the reader a better understanding of how the technology can be used in .

Step 9 Check Images and Videos

Look at the visual content used by competitors.

Check whether they use

• Screenshots
• Diagrams
• Charts
• Videos
• Infographics
• Step by step images

Visual content can be particularly useful for technical tutorials.

For example, an article about Kali Linux installation can use screenshots showing important installation steps.

An article about DNS can use a simple diagram showing how a domain name is resolved.

The purpose should be to help the reader understand the topic.

Step 10 Check FAQs

Look at the questions competitors answer near the end of their articles.

For example, an article about DNS may answer

• What is DNS
• Why is DNS important
• What is a DNS server
• What is DNS cache
• Can DNS affect website speed

These questions can help you understand what readers commonly want to know.

You can answer relevant questions in your own article.

Do not add unrelated questions just to make the page longer.

Step 11 Check Internal Links

Internal links connect one page of a website to another page on the same website.

Competitor research can show you how websites organize related topics.

For example, a cybersecurity website may connect an article about network security to pages about

• Firewalls
• VPNs
• IDS
• IPS
• Network monitoring
• Wireless security

This creates a connected group of related content.

You can use a similar logical approach on your own website.

Step 12 Check External Links

Look at the external sources used by competitors.

Good educational content may link to reliable sources such as

• Official documentation
• Government websites
• Universities
• Standards organizations
• Official software websites
• Original research

External links can help readers find additional information.

However, you should not add links simply because a competitor has them.

Use reliable sources that are relevant to your own content.

Step 13 Check Backlinks

Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to a page.

Competitor backlink research can help you understand how other pages have attracted links.

Tools such as Ahrefs and Semrush can help you investigate backlinks.

For example, suppose a competitor’s cybersecurity guide has links from educational websites and technology blogs.

This may show that the topic has the potential to attract references.

You should focus on creating useful content that people have a reason to reference rather than trying to copy every competitor backlink.

 Example of Competitor Research

Imagine that you want to create an article about “Kali Linux Installation”.

You search Google for the keyword.

You find several pages ranking for the topic.

• Now you start analyzing them.
• You discover that many pages explain
• Kali Linux requirements
• Download process
• Installation methods
• VirtualBox installation
• VMware installation
• Bootable USB installation
• Installation steps
• Common problems

After studying these pages, you realize that beginners may also need information about choosing the correct installation method.

You could therefore create a section explaining the difference between

Virtual machine installation

USB installation

Dual boot installation

You can also provide official download information and explain important requirements.

This gives your article additional practical value.

Another  Example

Suppose you want to write an article about “Excel formulas”.

You search Google and analyze competing pages.

You find articles covering

SUM

AVERAGE

COUNT

IF

VLOOKUP

XLOOKUP

MAX

MIN

CONCAT

You then think about what a beginner actually needs.

Instead of only listing formulas, you could provide a simple example for each formula.

For example, suppose an Excel sheet contains student marks.

The SUM formula can be used to calculate total marks.

The AVERAGE formula can calculate average marks.

The MAX formula can find the highest marks.

The MIN formula can find the lowest marks.

This approach makes the content more practical for learners.

Another  Example for a Local Website

Suppose you run an IT training academy in Pakistan.

You want to rank for “computer courses in Pakistan”.

You search Google and identify competing websites.

You examine their pages.

You find that they provide information about

• Course names
• Course duration
• Course fees
• Course syllabus
• Training location
• Certificates
• Contact information

You can use this research to understand what information prospective students may want.

You can then create a clear course page containing accurate information about your own academy.

The goal is not to copy another academy’s content.

The goal is to make your own page useful and complete.

Competitor Analysis Table

You can create a simple table while researching.

After completing this table, you can identify areas where your article can provide additional value.

What Should You Improve

After studying competitors, ask yourself several questions.

• Can I explain the topic more clearly
• Can I provide a better  example
• Can I correct outdated information
• Can I explain difficult terms in simpler language
• Can I provide useful screenshots
• Can I add a helpful diagram
• Can I answer important questions that are missing
• Can I organize the article better
• Can I provide reliable sources

These questions help turn competitor research into an actual content strategy.

Competitor Research Using Google

Google itself is a useful competitor research tool.

Suppose your keyword is

“Google Ads”

Search the keyword and examine the results.

You can also search related questions.

For example

• What is Google Ads
• How does Google Ads work
• How much does Google Ads cost
• How to use Google Ads
• Google Ads for beginners

These searches can help you understand different user questions around the same topic.

The People Also Ask section can also provide useful question ideas when it appears in search results.

Competitor Research Using Google Search Console

If you already have a website, Google Search Console can provide information about your own search performance.

You can see queries that generated

• Impressions
• Clicks
• Click through rate
• Average position

You can use this information to find keywords where your website is already appearing.

For example, suppose your article is ranking around position 15 for a keyword.

You can study the pages ranking above your page and compare their content with yours.

You may discover that your page needs clearer explanations, better organization, additional useful information, or stronger internal linking.

Competitor Research Using SEO Tools

Professional SEO tools can make competitor research faster.

Ahrefs can help you investigate competitor keywords, pages, and backlinks.

Semrush can help you investigate competitor domains, organic keywords, and keyword gaps.

Moz provides tools for keyword and competitor research.

Google Keyword Planner can help you research keywords and search demand.

You do not need every tool.

Beginners can start with Google Search and Google Search Console.

As your SEO work becomes more advanced, specialized tools can provide additional data.

What Is a Keyword Gap

A keyword gap occurs when competitors rank for keywords that your website does not currently rank for.

For example, imagine your website has an article about “Cybersecurity”.

• A competitor may rank for
• Cybersecurity basics
• Cybersecurity types
• Cybersecurity tools
• Cybersecurity careers
• Cybersecurity threats

But your website only ranks for “Cybersecurity basics”.

The other relevant keywords could provide ideas for new content.

This does not mean you should create an article for every keyword.

First determine whether the keyword is relevant and whether there is a real user need.

What Is a Content Gap

A content gap is different from a keyword gap.

A keyword gap focuses mainly on search terms.

A content gap focuses on information that is missing or poorly explained.

For example, several competing pages may rank for “How does DNS work”.

They may all explain the technical process but fail to provide a simple example.

That missing explanation can be considered a content opportunity.

Do Not Copy Your Competitors

This is one of the most important rules of competitor research.

You should never copy another website’s article and change a few words.

Do not copy

• Paragraphs
• Images
• Unique examples
• Tables
• Explanations
• Branding

Other people’s original work

Instead, research the topic yourself.

Read several reliable sources.

Understand the subject.

Then explain it in your own words.

Add useful examples and information that genuinely help the reader.

Common Competitor Research Mistakes

Only Checking One Competitor

Do not make decisions based on one website.

Study several relevant results.

Only Looking at Word Count

More words do not automatically mean better content.

Focus on usefulness and search intent.

Copying Competitor Headings

Headings can give you topic ideas, but your article should have its own logical structure.

Ignoring Search Intent

Always understand what users are trying to accomplish.

Ignoring Content Quality

Do not assume that a page ranks because it has the most words or keywords.

Look at the complete user experience.

Ignoring Outdated Information

Technology changes quickly.

Always verify important information before publishing.

Trying to Beat Every Competitor

You do not need to compete with every website on the internet.

Focus on relevant keywords and topics that match your website.

A Simple Competitor Research Checklist

Before writing an SEO article, ask yourself

• What is my main keyword
• Who is ranking for this keyword
• What type of content are they publishing
• What search intent does the keyword have
• What topics do the competitors cover
• What questions do they answer
• What information is missing
• Are their examples useful
• Is their information current
• What keywords are related to the topic
• What internal links do they use
• What external sources do they reference
• Can I provide a clearer explanation
• Can I provide a useful  example
• Can I make the content easier for beginners
• Can I add useful images or diagrams
• Can I provide reliable sources
• Can I create something original

Complete Competitor Research Process

A simple SEO competitor research process looks like this.

• Choose your keyword
• Search the keyword on Google
• Identify relevant ranking pages
• Study the search intent
• Analyze several competing pages
• Check their headings
• Check their topics
• Check their examples
• Check their images
• Check their FAQs
• Check their internal links
• Check their external sources
• Research related keywords
• Find keyword gaps
• Find content gaps
• Create your own content structure
• Write original content
• Add useful examples
• Add reliable sources
• Optimize the page for users and search engines
• Publish the content
• Monitor its performance
• Update the content when necessary

Final Example

Suppose you want to publish an article called “What Is a Firewall”.

Your competitor research shows that existing pages explain the definition and different firewall types.

You decide to create an article that explains

• What a firewall is
• How a firewall works
• Why firewalls are important
• Types of firewalls
• An office example
• Firewall versus antivirus
• Advantages
• Limitations
• Common questions
• Basic security practices
• Reliable references
• Your article is not simply a copy of the competitors.

You have used competitor research to understand the topic, search intent, and user expectations.

You then created your own educational resource.

Final Takeaway

Finding competitors is an important part of SEO because it helps you understand the search results before you create content.

• Your competitors can show you
• What users are looking for
• What topics are important
• What keywords are related
• What questions people ask
• What content is already available
• What information may be missing
• What type of content is ranking
• The most important lesson is that competitor research should not be used for copying.
• Use it to understand the search landscape.
• Research the topic properly.
• Find gaps.
• Provide accurate information.
• Use simple explanations.
• Add  examples.
• Create original content.

The goal of SEO competitor research is to understand the competition and use that knowledge to build a useful resource for your readers.