SEO Content: Competitor Research

Guides competitor research for SEO, content, backlinks, and positioning. Use when planning content, auditing articles, building links, or evaluating market position.

When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.

Research Types

Type	Purpose	Output
Keyword/topic	Topics competitors rank for; gaps	Keyword opportunities; content ideas
Content	Structure, length, gaps vs top rankers	Length target; H2 structure; content gaps
Backlink	Link profile; sites linking to competitors	Link gap; outreach targets
Pricing	Competitor pricing, positioning	Pricing context; differentiation
SEO metrics	Organic traffic, rankings vs competitors	Benchmark; opportunity areas

Competitor Keyword / Topic Analysis

Method	Practice
Reverse engineering	Analyze competitor titles, H1, URL; identify topics they rank for
SERP overlap	Keywords with overlapping top-ranking pages → same cluster; #4–10 = opportunity
site: operator	`site:competitor.com` to see indexed pages
Tool	Ahrefs, Semrush—competitor keyword overlap, gap analysis

Output: Keyword opportunities; topics competitors cover that you don't.

Competitor Content Analysis

Element	Check
Word count	Top 10 average; length target for your content
H2 structure	Topics covered; structure to adopt
Content gaps	What top rankers cover that you miss
Keyword placement	Primary keyword in title, H1, first 100 words
Format	Lists, tables, FAQ; match or improve

Use when: Auditing or creating articles; see article-page-generator for Research Phase integration.

Competitor Backlink Analysis

Action	Purpose
Compare profiles	Your backlinks vs competitors
Link gap	Sites linking to competitors but not you
Opportunity	Outreach to those sites; content they might link to

Tools: Ahrefs, Semrush—Link Intersect, competitor backlink reports. See backlink-analysis.

Competitor Pricing

Use	Practice
Positioning	Where you sit vs competitors
Differentiation	Value prop when price differs
Alternatives pages	Who to include; how to position

See pricing-strategy, alternatives-page-generator.

Output Format

Competitors identified
Research type (keyword, content, backlink, pricing)
Findings (gaps, opportunities, benchmarks)
Recommendations (content to create, links to pursue, positioning)

Related Skills

keyword-research: Competitor reverse; keyword discovery
article-page-generator: Competitor article analysis in Research Phase
content-strategy: Competitor analysis for topic mapping
content-optimization: Competitor length and structure as reference
backlink-analysis: Competitor backlink comparison; link gap
seo-monitoring: Competitive comparison; organic vs competitors
alternatives-page-generator: Competitor selection; comparison framing
migration-page-generator: Competitor migration paths
pricing-strategy: Competitor pricing context
affiliate-marketing: Find affiliates promoting competitors
directories: Competitor info for directory submissions