Making your small or medium business's website more visible online is one of the best ways to attract customers to your front door. However, getting it to appear on the first page of the search results is easier said than done.
For starters, the Internet is a highly competitive place, and you're not the only business out there vying for the same potential customers' attention. But did you know that your competitors are also some of your best resources for boosting your Google rankings and dominating the search results? That's where a content gap analysis comes in.
Creating valuable and high-quality content is key to the success of your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. Search engines like Google answer users' queries by recommending web pages containing relevant content. The more relevant pages your site has, the more often it will appear in search results, driving more traffic and potential customers to your business.
Content gap analysis helps you identify the topics and keywords your competitors are ranking for but that you are not. It also notes content SEO strategies that work for your competitors, such as how they format their blog posts, which you can adopt for your website.
For instance, imagine you own a plumbing business and see that your competitor's website has popular blog posts teaching readers how to use common plumbing tools. You can create similar blog posts and optimize them for relevant keywords to increase your chances of ranking higher and reaching more potential customers.
A content gap analysis can be done manually, but doing so can be too time-consuming. Fortunately, certain tools can simplify the process. Here are the steps you should not ignore:
Your first step is to evaluate the content currently on your site. Using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Search Console, do a site audit and check which pieces of content are working and which aren't. In particular, you should examine the following:
Pages with high traffic
Keywords you're currently ranking for
Pages with low engagement
A site audit is necessary to understand where your content stands, allowing you to compare it accurately with your competitors' websites.
After getting a clear picture of your content, it's time to look at your competitors. To start, you should first pinpoint who they are.
Your competitors aren't necessarily those you compete with in your area. Instead, they could be the businesses ranking high for your keywords. You can find them by searching Google or using keyword research tools like Ahrefs and Ubersuggest.
List down your competitors and visit their websites. Take note of their content, paying attention to these:
Popular topics. Identify the questions they're answering or the customer pain points they're addressing.
Content format. Go over the types of content on their site, such as whether they publish blog posts, infographics, or video tutorials.
Keywords. Use SEO tools to analyze the keywords they're ranking for, which you aren't yet targeting.
However, just because a certain tactic worked for your competitor doesn't guarantee it'll work for you, too. What's important is to take note of what your rivals are doing and use them to inspire your content SEO strategy.
Using the information you've gathered so far, create a list of the topics and keywords your competitors cover that aren't on your website. These are gaps in your content that, when covered, could help improve your search ranking. For example, if your rival has a blog on "commonly ignored early signs of plumbing issues" and you don't, that's a content gap you should consider filling.
Here are factors to consider to prioritize gaps in your content:
Search volume. Choose topics that people—especially your target audience—are searching for.
Relevance. Focus on subjects that are relevant to your brand and what you offer.
Competition level. If you're new to content SEO, it's best to target low-to-medium difficulty keywords.
Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush have keyword research features that can help you gain the information you need for this step.
Now that you've identified what's missing, you should create new content and optimize existing ones. Once again, your content should fill recognized gaps and center around high-performing keywords.
Suppose you've already created content on a topic or keyword; you can improve it based on your competitor's tactics. For example, if your rival's blog post on "how to fix a leaky faucet" has high engagement, consider revisiting and updating yours with more practical tips or adding visuals. You may also enhance your content's on-page SEO elements, such as title tags and meta descriptions, to get more juice out of them.
Remember that your goal isn't to copy your competitors' content but to use it as inspiration and make it your own. Your website should have a unique voice and offer valuable information that sets you well apart.
Don't forget your content after publishing or updating it. Track its performance using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Examine the following metrics:
Organic traffic. This refers to the number of visitors your site gets from search engine results.
Keyword rankings. This metric shows you where your content ranks for specific keywords.
Engagement. Metrics like bounce rate and time on page offer insights into how many people went into your page and stayed long enough to read your content.
If something isn't working, look for ways to refine it. Sometimes, all it takes is to make small changes, such as linking your content internally, to create dramatic outcomes. A content gap analysis can have a powerful impact on your SEO efforts' overall success. Thankfully, it doesn't require a significant budget or a big team to accomplish, and there are tools available to see it through to completion.
But what if you have no time to research or create content or don't know where to begin? Consider hiring a professional SEO agency. Such a company can take care of all aspects of your content strategy, from keyword and competitor research to content creation and on-page SEO.
Start boosting your site's visibility through a solid content SEO strategy today!
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