10 Simple Methods to Analyze Keyword Competition

Posted on October 10, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

Keywords form the backbone of most search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. They are the terms and phrases Internet users use in search engine queries, so how you use them can determine how easily your business can be found online.

When determining the best keywords for your website, you might think it’s enough to conduct keyword research. While it does help with finding relevant and high-quality keywords, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Another crucial step you should consider is a keyword competition analysis.

In this SEO guide, you will learn what keyword analysis is in the context of competitor research, as well as how it differs from keyword research.

What is keyword competition?

Keyword competition refers to how easily you rank for a specific search term or phrase. It’s a crucial metric because, in your area, you likely have competitors optimizing for the exact search phrases. The more businesses use the same keywords, the harder and pricier it becomes to rank for those terms.

A keyword analysis helps determine the best SEO strategy for your website. It provides insights into your competitors and which terms they’re targeting, helping you find the most efficient and cost-effective way to raise your search rankings.

For example, it makes sense to target keywords most people use, but your competitors are likely following this strategy, too. For this reason, some businesses target so-called “low-hanging fruits,” keywords that may not have high search volumes but are easier to rank for.

How can you analyze keyword competition?

Here are 10 simple SEO tips to effectively analyze keyword competition:

Use Google search results

Google is one of the best places to start, whether you’re doing keyword analysis or competitor research. Go to Google, type your desired keyword, and see what comes up. The results will tell you who you’re competing with and give you an idea as to what your strategy should be.

You can also click on the top results and look around their websites. Examine what they do with their content, titles, and meta descriptions to get ideas on how to improve your own SEO efforts.

Check your competitors’ domain authority

Domain authority (DA) usually scores websites from one to 100 and shows their likelihood of ranking in the search results. As any SEO guide will tell you, the stronger your site, the higher its DA.

Using tools like Ahrefs and Moz’s Link Explorer, check the DA of websites that are ranking for your keywords. If your competitors’ websites have a much higher DA than yours, you’ll likely struggle to rank for that search term.

Use tools to examine keyword difficulty

Tools like SEMRush and Ahrefs also feature a keyword difficulty score, usually from one to 100. A higher score typically means it’s tougher to rank. Analyzing your desired keywords through such tools can help you understand competition before you commit resources to ranking for them.

Review your competitors’ backlinks

The links from other websites to yours are called backlinks, and Google uses them to determine your site’s trustworthiness. A site with plenty of backlinks is likely to rank high in the search results.

Check your competitors’ backlinks using tools like Ahrefs and Majestic SEO. The more backlinks this competitor has, the harder it might be to rank for the same keywords they use. One way to compete is by building quality backlinks to your site through tactics like guest posting, influencer outreach, and creating high-quality content.

Examine your competitors’ content quality

During your keyword research, do not focus on just the keywords. You should also look at the quality of your competitors’ content.

If their content is weak, outdated, or irrelevant, you may outrank them by populating your site with better-made posts. This tactic will not only put you on Google’s good side, but it will also make you more credible in potential customers’ eyes.

Assess your competitors’ meta tags

Meta tags are code elements describing your website’s contents. They include the meta title, which is the title of your website as it appears in search results, and the meta description, which gives users a short overview of what to expect upon clicking on your link.

Ideally, these tags should entice users to visit your website and contain your desired keywords. During your competitor research, examine how they use keywords in their meta tags. If they are neglecting these elements, you might outrank them by crafting more compelling titles and descriptions for your pages.

Evaluate local search results

Since you’re focused on local SEO, you should check how particular search terms perform in your geographic area. Google’s search results can vary based on location, so ensure your keyword analysis looks at the results from your exact location.

You may even use tools like BrightLocal or a virtual private network (VPN) to simulate searches from other cities or regions. This tactic is especially helpful if your business has offices in multiple areas.

Look at bids on Google Ads

Google Ads can be a great way to see which keywords are competitive. High competition on Google Ads means that businesses are willing to pay to appear for that term.

Google’s Keyword Planner can give you insights into certain terms’ average cost-per-click (CPC). A high CPC points to high competition.

Use Google Trends

Google Trends shows how popular search terms are over time. Enter your desired keyword to see if interest is falling or rising, which will then help you spot opportunities.

For example, if your primary keyword is declining in popularity, you might want to focus on a new set of terms that are trending upwards. If you notice an increase in popularity, you might want to create content around it before the competition becomes too fierce.

Consider long-tail keywords

Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific phrases that attract relevant traffic while featuring lower competition. For example, instead of “HVAC technician,” a long-tail term could be “best HVAC technician in Los Angeles.”

These search terms are less frequently used. But because they are incredibly targeted and specific, they can attract high-quality leads that usually take minimal effort from your end to convert.

Conducting a keyword analysis on your competitors’ websites does more than uncover valuable insights into their SEO strategies. It also helps you determine how to optimize your own website for better local search visibility.

If you find these steps overwhelming, consider working with a local SEO agency instead of doing them yourself. A local SEO company’s team of experts understands the best tactics and practices for optimizing your website and can provide SEO tips and support tailored to your business’s specific needs. With their assistance, you’ll have time to concentrate on how to lead your business to success.

Accelerate Business Growth with SEO Automation

Posted on October 7, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

With so many potential customers using the Internet, you need a website to represent your business and engage clients online. But your competitors know this, too, so how do you stand out and attract your potential customers to your page?

The answer is search engine optimization (SEO).

SEO increases your website’s ranking on the results page of search engines like Google, making it more likely to be seen and visited by Internet users. However, SEO does become more complex as your website gets bigger and more sophisticated.

One of the best ways to address this issue is by investing in SEO automation.

What is SEO automation?

SEO automation involves using intelligent tools to handle repetitive tasks that are otherwise done manually. These tools often use algorithms, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) to automate tasks like keyword research, content optimization, and backlink analysis.

The primary goal is to save time and resources while keeping your website competitive in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Even SEO agencies are using automation to increase the speed, accuracy, and scalability of SEO campaigns. Instead of spending hours deciphering how to improve a website’s performance, they can leverage tools to obtain key insights that maximize outcomes for clients.

Does automating SEO benefit businesses?

The short answer is yes. Here are some of these benefits:

Save time and resources

SEO is a continuous process that requires dedicated time and effort. Online trends and search engine algorithms can change overnight, and failing to adapt your SEO strategy can result in decreased website rankings and wasted resources.

Automation enables tools to handle repetitive tasks while human teams focus on more critical processes, such as developing and implementing strategies for stronger rankings.

Ensure consistency and accuracy

SEO is long-term, and it usually takes months of consistent effort to see results. Unfortunately, manual efforts can be prone to errors. Sometimes, you might even forget certain tasks, such as adding critical elements to your content.

Automated tools can analyze and monitor data without missing a beat, as well as ensure that crucial steps like on-page optimization and SEO audits are done regularly and accurately.

Improve keyword targeting

Whether it’s SEO for local businesses or multinational corporations, keyword targeting is crucial to a campaign. Automated tools can help identify valuable search terms, track keyword rankings, and provide recommendations to improve your website content’s performance.

These capabilities are especially crucial in SEO for local businesses. Unlike general search engine optimization, increasing local search rankings requires specific keywords relevant to your business’s location and target audience.

Streamline SEO audits

An SEO audit uncovers issues like broken links and duplicate content that may be weighing down your website’s performance and search ranking. Although effective, manual audits often become more tedious with larger and more complex websites.

Automated tools can perform SEO audits on big websites faster. They can also provide general recommendations to enhance your site’s performance.

Scale as your business grows

Your website will change as your business expands, and so should your SEO efforts. Automated tools can adapt to these changes, making optimizing your website easier and more efficient as your business and its needs evolve.

Additionally, automation allows you to handle multiple websites simultaneously, making it an excellent solution if your business has more than one online platform.

What are examples of SEO automation tools?

There are various SEO tools available in the market, each with unique features and capabilities. Here are some of the most popular and which even the best SEO agencies use:

SEMrush

One of the most popular and comprehensive SEO tools right now, SEMrush allows users to automate site audits, keyword research, and competitor analysis, among other tasks. It also delivers beginner-friendly insights that are easy to implement.

Ahrefs

Although it specializes in backlink analysis, Ahrefs is capable of automating rank tracking and keyword research. It also provides great insights into improving a website’s off-page SEO, critical for increasing domain authority and search visibility.

Moz Pro

This comprehensive tool automates tasks like keyword tracking, site audits, and on-page optimization. It features an intuitive interface, making it compatible with users who don’t want to be bogged down by overly technical details.

BrightLocal

This is a powerful tool in SEO for local businesses. It can automate local SEO audits, track local rankings, and help manage business listings across critical platforms like Google My Business (GMB).

Automation offers incredible SEO benefits for enterprises of any size, but especially for small and medium businesses with large and sophisticated websites. When leveraged properly, automated SEO tools can help maintain efficiency, consistency, and accuracy in your SEO strategy while saving valuable time and resources.

However, it’s worth noting that automated tools alone cannot provide the deep insights into competitors and user experience that SEO experts deliver. Whether for an SEO guide, tailored strategy, or customer-focused campaign, partnering with an experienced SEO agency is still the go-to for most businesses today.

7 Spam Activities to Avoid to Prevent Search Engine Penalties

Posted on October 2, 2024January 28, 2025 by bigjawdigital

As a small to medium business (SMB) building your website’s online visibility, you should be careful about engaging in spammy SEO tactics—even unintentionally. Unethical SEO practices can lead to penalties that can severely harm your website’s Google rankings and make your business less visible to potential customers.

Here are seven common spammy tactics that can result in search engine penalties and SEO tips for steering clear of them:

Keyword stuffing

Even though keywords are crucial in most on-page SEO strategies, overloading your content with too many is a big no-no. As far as search engine algorithms go, quality and relevance trump quantity. Keyword stuffing, or using keywords an excessive number of times, can actually harm your search ranking instead of improving it.

Imagine yourself reading this sentence: “We are the best electricians in California, offering electrician services in California to those who need cheap electricians in California for residential electrical services.” It sounds bad, unnatural, and confusing, leading to poor user experience.

To avoid keyword stuffing, focus on writing for your human audience rather than for search engines. Use your targeted keywords within the context of your content and as you would in a normal conversation. Remember that Google aims to provide the most relevant and valuable results for its users, so prioritize creating high-quality, user-friendly content.

Buying links

Backlinks, which are when other websites link back to your site, are one of Google’s top ranking factors. They are considered a strong signal of authority because other websites are essentially vouching for your content. This is why some businesses buy backlinks, thinking that more links can increase their authority and rankings. However, Google sees this as a shady and manipulative tactic and will penalize your website for it.

Instead of buying backlinks, earn them legitimately by creating high-quality content that will be used as a resource or reference by other sites. You can also engage in organic approaches like networking within your industry, guest blogging, and sharing your expertise on social media to build your authority and attract natural backlinks.

Duplicate content

Duplicate content is the same content on multiple web pages—whether your own or on different websites. Although unintentional duplicate content is possible, some businesses intentionally use it to manipulate search rankings. Either case can confuse search engines about which version to rank, leading to penalties.

Do your best to create original content for each page of your website. To minimize the risk of duplicate content, you should also run your copy or blog posts through plagiarism checks. If you need to repeat information—with product descriptions on e-commerce pages, for example—differentiate each piece of content by paraphrasing or adding unique value.

Cloaking

This practice means the content shown to search engines differs from what appears to users. For example, the site might present keyword-rich content to search engines but direct users to a page that doesn’t match the search terms. This deceptive tactic violates search engine guidelines and can sink your Google ranking.

Instead of trying to trick users or search engines, create content that satisfies your human audience and follows SEO updates and best practices. Make sure your pages provide the value they promise based on the keywords they’re optimized for.

Hidden text or links

Some websites hide text or links by making them the same color as the page background, rendering them invisible to everyone but search engines. This tactic allows the website owner to stuff their pages without disrupting user experience, thinking the extra keywords and links would benefit their search rankings. However, Google considers this practice deceptive and incapable of offering real value to site visitors.

To avoid this issue, create content that speaks directly to your audience. Ensure that all elements of your website, including text, media, and design, are visible, easy to read, and comprehensible.

Thin content

This type of content has little useful or relevant information for site visitors. It could be auto-generated content or pages stuffed with keywords but do not offer anything valuable. Thin content can frustrate users and may cause them to leave the page, increasing the website’s bounce rates.

When creating content for your website, focus on providing information that will genuinely help users. Find out what questions and concerns your potential customers have, and provide answers through your content. This way, visitors will want to stay on your website and consider you as a credible source of information.

Doorway pages

A doorway page is a low-quality page created specifically to rank for specific keywords and act as a “door” that leads users to a different page on your website. These pages are often thin and offer little value. For example, a website might create a doorway page for the keyword “HVAC repair in Houston.” Instead of providing high-quality content related to the keyword, the page redirects users to the main HVAC services page. This tactic is considered deceptive and can lead to Google ranking penalties.

To avoid getting penalized, do not create pages for the sole purpose of capturing traffic. Instead, make sure each page in your website delivers usable, informative, and engaging content. This not only satisfies search engine requirements, but it also keeps site visitors happy.

Navigating the world of SEO may seem overwhelming, especially when you consider search engine penalties. However, remember that good SEO is about building trust—with both your audience and search engines. Keep your content genuine, valuable, and relevant, and always follow ethical SEO tips and best practices. Chances are, you’ll soon see steady growth in your Google rankings without resorting to black-hat tactics.

Tag: seo guide