Competitive analysis
Review competitor backlinks
Inspect the relevance and quality of sites linking to competitors, along with the pages they reference. Look for legitimate partnership or content opportunities instead of copying links blindly.
The starting point
Before you begin.
A backlink comparison can reveal organizations that mention relevant businesses or resources. The useful question is why a page linked, not just whether its domain appears in a tool.
The process
How to put it into practice.
- Compare referring websites to the relevant pages of a small competitor set.
- Inspect the linking page and determine why it links: partnership, resource, press coverage, or directory.
- Prioritize genuine opportunities where your business can offer relevant value.
Compare appropriate competitors and inspect actual linking pages. Record the organization, link context, target page, and whether a relationship or resource would make sense for your business. Prioritize outreach only when you have something relevant to offer.
A practical example
What this could look like.
A trade association’s member directory may be a relevant opportunity if your business qualifies for membership.
Review the work.
Keep the evidence behind your decision: the pages you checked, the date range, the data source, and any assumptions. If you make a change, record what changed and check it again using the same method where possible.
Search visibility can move for many reasons, so compare relevant periods and avoid attributing an inquiry or ranking change to one action without supporting evidence.
What to keep in mind.
Avoid buying manipulative links or assuming a domain score proves a link is valuable.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions.
Should I try to get every link a competitor has?
No. Some links are irrelevant, unavailable, paid, or tied to relationships you do not have. Evaluate the context first.
Are directory links always useful?
No. Check whether the directory serves a real audience and whether the listing is accurate and appropriate for your business.
What to do next.
Choose one relevant page or question, document what you find, and agree on the next action before expanding the work. Review the result using the data available to your business.
For the fundamentals, read what SEO is and how it works. If you need hands-on help, explore my SEO services.