How to find competitive keywords: Tips & Tools
In the ever-evolving digital marketing landscape, it’s important to stay ahead of your competitor's keyword strategies. You can fine-tune your SEO and content strategy by identifying the keywords that drive traffic to their websites. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to find your competitor's keywords, including useful tips and effective tools.
Why it’s important to know competitors’ keywords
Before diving into the strategies, it’s important to understand why competitor keyword analysis is beneficial. Knowing what keywords your competitors are targeting can help:
- Identify gaps:
Look for opportunities your competitors may be overlooking. - Enhance SEO strategy:
Optimize your content for high-traffic keywords. - Provide targeted traffic:
Attract more relevant audiences to your website. - Monitor industry trends:
Stay aware of trending keywords in your niche.
Analyze competitor websites
a. Check the meta tags
Meta Title and Description: Check the meta titles and descriptions of competitor pages for the main keyword. These are generally optimized for search engines.
b. Examine the contents
Headings and Subheadings: Look at the headings (H1, H2, H3) used in the content, as these often contain targeted keywords.
c. Use browser extensions
SEO Tools: Use browser extensions like MozBar or Keywords Everywhere to analyze keyword usage directly on competitor websites.
Use Google search
a. Basic recommendations
Autocomplete feature: Start typing related queries in Google and note the suggested search terms that pop up.
Related searches: Scroll down to the bottom of the results page and search for “related searches” to get additional keyword ideas after searching.
Test the Backlink Profiles
a. Examine backlinks
Use tools like Ahrefs or Moz to check competitors’ backlink profiles. Look at the anchor text used in backlinks to identify targeted keywords.
b. Consider the top pages
Look at the pages that attract the most backlinks, as these are likely optimized for valuable keywords.
Analyze content disclosure
a. Select the top content
Use tools like BuzzSumo to find shared or highly engaged content from your competitors. Explore these success-driven keywords and themes.
b. Traffic sources
Dissect your strategy and understand what keywords drive traffic to competitors’ high-performing pages.
Use Google Keyword Planner for competitor research
Step 1: Go to Google Keyword Planner
Sign in to Google Ads: If you don’t already have an account, you should create one. You won’t have to run ads; just set up an account to access the tool.
Step 2: Identify new keywords
Select “Discover New Keywords”. Enter Competitor Domains: Enter your competitor’s URL in the “Enter a domain” field. This generates keyword ideas based on content and keywords relevant to that site.
Step 3: Analyze Keyword Ideas
Review the generated keywords: Google Keyword Planner will provide a list of keywords relevant to your competitor’s domain.
By leveraging Google Keyword Planner, you can uncover valuable keywords that will enhance your SEO strategy. Ready to start your project with us? Click here to get started!
