Competitor Analysis

SEO & GEO Skills Library · 20 skills for SEO + GEO · Install all:

npx skills add aaron-he-zhu/seo-geo-claude-skills

When to Use This Skill

• Entering a new market or niche
• Planning content strategy based on competitor success
• Understanding why competitors rank higher
• Finding backlink and partnership opportunities
• Identifying content gaps competitors are missing
• Analyzing competitor AI citation strategies
• Benchmarking your SEO performance

What This Skill Does

1. Keyword Analysis: Identifies keywords competitors rank for
2. Content Audit: Analyzes competitor content strategies and formats
3. Backlink Profiling: Reviews competitor link-building approaches
4. Technical Assessment: Evaluates competitor site health
5. GEO Analysis: Identifies how competitors appear in AI responses
6. Gap Identification: Finds opportunities competitors miss
7. Strategy Extraction: Reveals actionable insights from competitor success

How to Use

Basic Competitor Analysis

Analyze SEO strategy for [competitor URL]

Compare my site [URL] against [competitor 1], [competitor 2], [competitor 3]

Specific Analysis

What content is driving the most traffic for [competitor]?

Analyze why [competitor] ranks #1 for [keyword]

GEO-Focused Analysis

How is [competitor] getting cited in AI responses? What can I learn?

Data Sources

See CONNECTORS.md for tool category placeholders.

1. Competitor URLs to analyze (2-5 recommended)
2. Your own site URL and current metrics (traffic, rankings if known)
3. Industry or niche context
4. Specific aspects to focus on (keywords, content, backlinks, etc.)
5. Any known competitor strengths or weaknesses

Instructions

1. Identify Competitors
   If not specified, help identify competitors:
   markdown

   ### Competitor Identification Framework
   
   **Direct Competitors** (same product/service)
   - Search "[your main keyword]" and note top 5 organic results
   - Check who's advertising for your keywords
   - Ask: Who do customers compare you to?
   
   **Indirect Competitors** (different solution, same problem)
   - Search problem-focused keywords
   - Look at alternative solutions
   
   **Content Competitors** (compete for same keywords)
   - May not sell same product
   - Rank for your target keywords
   - Include media sites, blogs, aggregators

2. Gather Competitor Data
   For each competitor, collect:
   markdown

   ## Competitor Profile: [Name]
   
   **Basic Info**
   - URL: [website]
   - Domain Age: [years]
   - Estimated Traffic: [monthly visits]
   - Domain Authority/Rating: [score]
   
   **Business Model**
   - Type: [SaaS/E-commerce/Content/etc.]
   - Target Audience: [description]
   - Key Offerings: [products/services]

3. Analyze Keyword Rankings
   markdown

   ### Keyword Analysis: [Competitor]
   
   **Total Keywords Ranking**: [X]
   **Keywords in Top 10**: [X]
   **Keywords in Top 3**: [X]
   
   #### Top Performing Keywords
   
   | Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic Est. | Page |
   |---------|----------|--------|--------------|------|
   | [kw 1] | [pos] | [vol] | [traffic] | [url] |
   | [kw 2] | [pos] | [vol] | [traffic] | [url] |
   
   #### Keyword Distribution by Intent
   
   - Informational: [X]% ([keywords])
   - Commercial: [X]% ([keywords])  
   - Transactional: [X]% ([keywords])
   - Navigational: [X]% ([keywords])
   
   #### Keyword Gaps (They rank, you don't)
   
   | Keyword | Their Position | Volume | Opportunity |
   |---------|----------------|--------|-------------|
   | [kw 1] | [pos] | [vol] | [analysis] |

4. Audit Content Strategy
   markdown

   ### Content Analysis: [Competitor]
   
   **Content Volume**
   - Total Pages: [X]
   - Blog Posts: [X]
   - Landing Pages: [X]
   - Resource Pages: [X]
   
   **Content Performance**
   
   #### Top Performing Content
   
   | Title | URL | Est. Traffic | Keywords | Backlinks |
   |-------|-----|--------------|----------|-----------|
   | [title 1] | [url] | [traffic] | [X] | [X] |
   
   **Content Patterns**
   
   - Average word count: [X] words
   - Publishing frequency: [X] posts/month
   - Content formats used:
     - Blog posts: [X]%
     - Guides/tutorials: [X]%
     - Case studies: [X]%
     - Tools/calculators: [X]%
     - Videos: [X]%
   
   **Content Themes**
   
   | Theme | # Articles | Combined Traffic |
   |-------|------------|------------------|
   | [theme 1] | [X] | [traffic] |
   | [theme 2] | [X] | [traffic] |
   
   **What Makes Their Content Successful**
   
   1. [Success factor 1 with example]
   2. [Success factor 2 with example]
   3. [Success factor 3 with example]

5. Analyze Backlink Profile
   markdown

   ### Backlink Analysis: [Competitor]
   
   **Overview**
   - Total Backlinks: [X]
   - Referring Domains: [X]
   - Domain Rating: [X]
   
   **Link Quality Distribution**
   - High Authority (DR 70+): [X]%
   - Medium Authority (DR 30-69): [X]%
   - Low Authority (DR <30): [X]%
   
   **Top Linking Domains**
   
   | Domain | DR | Link Type | Target Page |
   |--------|-----|-----------|-------------|
   | [domain 1] | [DR] | [type] | [page] |
   
   **Link Acquisition Patterns**
   
   - Guest posts: [X]%
   - Editorial/organic: [X]%
   - Resource pages: [X]%
   - Directories: [X]%
   - Other: [X]%
   
   **Linkable Assets (Content attracting links)**
   
   | Asset | Type | Backlinks | Why It Works |
   |-------|------|-----------|--------------|
   | [asset 1] | [type] | [X] | [reason] |

6. Technical SEO Assessment
   markdown

   ### Technical Analysis: [Competitor]
   
   **Site Performance**
   - Core Web Vitals: [Pass/Fail]
   - LCP: [X]s
   - FID: [X]ms
   - CLS: [X]
   - Mobile-friendly: [Yes/No]
   
   **Site Structure**
   - Site architecture depth: [X] levels
   - Internal linking quality: [Rating]
   - URL structure: [Clean/Messy]
   - Sitemap present: [Yes/No]
   
   **Technical Strengths**
   1. [Strength 1]
   2. [Strength 2]
   
   **Technical Weaknesses**
   1. [Weakness 1]
   2. [Weakness 2]

7. GEO/AI Citation Analysis
   markdown

   ### GEO Analysis: [Competitor]
   
   **AI Visibility Assessment**
   
   Test competitor content in AI systems for relevant queries:
   
   | Query | AI Mentions Competitor? | What's Cited | Why |
   |-------|------------------------|--------------|-----|
   | [query 1] | Yes/No | [content] | [reason] |
   | [query 2] | Yes/No | [content] | [reason] |
   
   **GEO Strategies Observed**
   
   1. **Clear Definitions**
      - Example: [quote from their content]
      - Effectiveness: [rating]
   
   2. **Quotable Statistics**
      - Example: [quote from their content]
      - Effectiveness: [rating]
   
   3. **Q&A Format Content**
      - Examples found: [X] pages
      - Topics covered: [list]
   
   4. **Authority Signals**
      - Expert authorship: [Yes/No]
      - Citations to sources: [Yes/No]
      - Original research: [Yes/No]
   
   **GEO Opportunities They're Missing**
   
   | Topic | Why Missing | Your Opportunity |
   |-------|-------------|------------------|
   | [topic 1] | [reason] | [action] |

8. Synthesize Competitive Intelligence
   markdown

   # Competitive Analysis Report
   
   **Analysis Date**: [Date]
   **Competitors Analyzed**: [List]
   **Your Site**: [URL]
   
   ## Executive Summary
   
   [2-3 paragraph overview of key findings and recommendations]
   
   ## Competitive Landscape
   
   | Metric | You | Competitor 1 | Competitor 2 | Competitor 3 |
   |--------|-----|--------------|--------------|--------------|
   | Domain Authority | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Organic Traffic | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Keywords Top 10 | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Backlinks | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   | Content Pages | [X] | [X] | [X] | [X] |
   
   **Domain Authority Comparison (Recommended)**
   
   When domain-level comparison is needed, run the [domain-authority-auditor](../../cross-cutting/domain-authority-auditor/) for each competitor to get CITE scores:
   
   | Domain | CITE Score | C (Citation) | I (Identity) | T (Trust) | E (Eminence) | Veto |
   |--------|-----------|-------------|-------------|----------|-------------|------|
   | Your domain | [score] | [score] | [score] | [score] | [score] | [pass/fail] |
   | Competitor 1 | [score] | [score] | [score] | [score] | [score] | [pass/fail] |
   | Competitor 2 | [score] | [score] | [score] | [score] | [score] | [pass/fail] |
   
   This reveals domain authority gaps that inform link building and brand strategy beyond keyword-level competition.
   
   ## Competitor Strengths to Learn From
   
   ### [Competitor 1]
   - **Strength**: [description]
   - **Why It Works**: [analysis]
   - **How to Apply**: [action item]
   
   [Repeat for each competitor]
   
   ## Competitor Weaknesses to Exploit
   
   ### Gap 1: [Description]
   - Who's weak: [competitors]
   - Opportunity size: [estimate]
   - Recommended action: [specific steps]
   
   [Repeat for each gap]
   
   ## Keyword Opportunities
   
   ### Keywords to Target (Competitor overlap)
   | Keyword | Volume | Avg Position | Best Strategy |
   |---------|--------|--------------|---------------|
   | [kw] | [vol] | [pos] | [strategy] |
   
   ### Untapped Keywords (No competitor coverage)
   | Keyword | Volume | Difficulty | Opportunity |
   |---------|--------|------------|-------------|
   | [kw] | [vol] | [diff] | [description] |
   
   ## Content Strategy Recommendations
   
   Based on competitor analysis:
   
   1. **Create**: [Content type] about [topic] because [reason]
   2. **Improve**: [Existing content] to match/exceed [competitor content]
   3. **Promote**: [Content] to sites like [competitor's link sources]
   
   ## Action Plan
   
   ### Immediate (This Week)
   1. [Action item]
   2. [Action item]
   
   ### Short-term (This Month)
   1. [Action item]
   2. [Action item]
   
   ### Long-term (This Quarter)
   1. [Action item]
   2. [Action item]

Validation Checkpoints

Input Validation

• Competitor URLs verified as relevant to your niche
• Analysis scope defined (comprehensive or specific focus area)
• Your own site metrics available for comparison
• Minimum 2-3 competitors identified for meaningful patterns

Output Validation

• Every recommendation cites specific data points (not generic advice)
• Competitor strengths backed by measurable evidence (metrics, rankings)
• Opportunities based on identifiable gaps, not assumptions
• Action plan items are specific and actionable (not vague strategies)
• Source of each data point clearly stated (~~SEO tool data, ~~analytics data, ~~AI monitor data, user-provided, or estimated)

Example

# Competitive Analysis: HubSpot

## SEO Strategy Overview

HubSpot dominates marketing keywords through a combination of:
1. **Massive content moat** - 10,000+ blog posts
2. **Free tools as linkbait** - Website grader, email signature generator
3. **Educational brand** - Academy, certifications, courses
4. **Topic cluster model** - Pioneered the pillar/cluster approach

## What Makes Them Successful

### Content Strategy

**Publishing Volume**: 50-100 posts/month
**Average Word Count**: 2,500+ words
**Content Types**:
- In-depth guides (35%)
- How-to tutorials (25%)
- Templates & examples (20%)
- Data/research (10%)
- Tools & calculators (10%)

**Top Performing Content Pattern**:
1. Ultimate guides on broad topics
2. Free templates with email gate
3. Statistics roundup posts
4. Definition posts ("What is [term]")

### GEO Success Factors

HubSpot appears in AI responses frequently because:

1. **Clear definitions** at the start of every post
   > "Inbound marketing is a business methodology that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them."

2. **Quotable statistics**
   > "Companies that blog get 55% more website visitors"

3. **Comprehensive coverage** - AI trusts their authority

### Linkable Assets

| Asset | Backlinks | Why It Works |
|-------|-----------|--------------|
| Website Grader | 45,000+ | Free, instant value |
| Marketing Statistics | 12,000+ | Quotable reference |
| Blog Ideas Generator | 8,500+ | Solves real problem |

## Weaknesses to Exploit

1. **Content becoming dated** - Many posts 3+ years old
2. **Generic advice** - Lacks industry-specific depth
3. **Enterprise focus** - Underserves solopreneurs
4. **Slow innovation** - Same formats for years

## Your Opportunities

1. Create more specific, niche content they can't cover
2. Target long-tail keywords they ignore
3. Build interactive tools in emerging areas
4. Add original research they don't have
5. Focus on GEO-optimized definitions in your niche

Advanced Analysis Types

Content Gap Analysis

Show me content [competitor] has that I don't, sorted by traffic potential

Link Intersection

Find sites linking to [competitor 1] AND [competitor 2] but not me

SERP Feature Analysis

What SERP features do competitors win? (Featured snippets, PAA, etc.)

Historical Tracking

How has [competitor]'s SEO strategy evolved over the past year?

Tips for Success

1. Analyze 3-5 competitors for comprehensive view
2. Include indirect competitors - they often have innovative approaches
3. Look beyond rankings - analyze content quality, user experience
4. Study their failures - avoid their mistakes
5. Monitor regularly - competitor strategies evolve
6. Focus on actionable insights - what can you actually implement?

Messaging Comparison Framework

Messaging Matrix

Narrative Analysis Framework

Value Proposition Comparison

**[Competitor Name]**
- Promise: what they promise the customer will achieve
- Evidence: how they prove it (data, testimonials, demos)
- Mechanism: how their product delivers (the "how it works")
- Uniqueness: what they claim only they can do

Positioning Strategy Frameworks

Positioning Map (2x2 Matrix)

Positioning Statement Reverse-Engineering

For [target audience], [product] is the [category] that [key benefit] because [reason to believe].

Competitive Battlecard Template

Quick Reference Card Structure

Reference Materials

• Battlecard Template — Quick-reference competitive battlecard for sales and marketing teams
• Positioning Frameworks — Positioning maps, strategy matrices, and differentiation frameworks

Related Skills

• domain-authority-auditor — Compare CITE domain authority scores across competitors for domain-level benchmarking
• keyword-research — Research keywords competitors rank for
• content-gap-analysis — Find content opportunities
• backlink-analyzer — Deep-dive into backlinks
• serp-analysis — Understand search result composition
• memory-management — Store competitor data in project memory
• entity-optimizer — Compare entity presence against competitors