Competitor backlink analysis reveals what's working in your industry. By understanding where competitors earn links, you can identify opportunities, set realistic goals, and develop effective link building strategies.
Why Analyse Competitor Backlinks?#
Find Proven Opportunities#
Sites linking to competitors may link to you too:
- Resource pages: Already link to similar content
- Industry blogs: Cover topics in your space
- Publications: Write about your industry
These are qualified prospects—they've already demonstrated interest in your niche.
Understand Requirements#
Competitor analysis shows what it takes to compete:
- How many links do competitors have?
- What quality level are their links?
- What tactics are they using?
This informs realistic goal-setting and resource planning.
Discover Content Ideas#
What content earns links for competitors?
- Popular topics that attract references
- Content formats that work in your space
- Angles that resonate with linkers
Use insights to inform your content strategy.
Benchmark Performance#
Track your position relative to competitors:
- Gap size: How far behind or ahead?
- Growth rates: Who's gaining ground?
- Quality comparison: Who has better links?
Identifying Competitors#
Direct Competitors#
Businesses offering similar products/services:
- Known industry competitors
- Companies targeting same customers
- Alternative solutions to same problems
SEO Competitors#
Sites ranking for your target keywords:
- May not be direct business competitors
- Compete for same search visibility
- Often more relevant for link analysis
How to find:
- Search your target keywords
- Note top-ranking sites
- Identify patterns in who ranks
Selecting Competitors for Analysis#
Choose 3-5 competitors based on:
Relevance: Similar business model or content focus Success: Ranking for keywords you want Realism: Achievable to compete with (not always the largest) Mix: Some aspirational, some peer-level
Gathering Competitor Data#
Data Export Process#
Quick start: Use our free backlink checker to instantly access competitor backlink data from Ahrefs, Moz, Semrush, and other tools—all from one page.
For each competitor:
Step 1: Enter domain in tool
- Ahrefs: Site Explorer → Backlinks
- Semrush: Backlink Analytics
- Moz: Link Explorer
Step 2: Export referring domains
- Full list of linking domains
- Include metrics (DR/DA, traffic)
- Note dofollow status
Step 3: Export top pages by links
- Which pages earn most links?
- What content attracts links?
Data to Collect#
| Data Point | Use | |------------|-----| | Referring domains list | Prospect identification | | Domain metrics (DR/DA) | Quality assessment | | Link counts | Volume understanding | | Top linked pages | Content insights | | Anchor text | Strategy understanding | | New/lost links | Trend analysis |
Types of Competitor Analysis#
Link Gap Analysis#
Purpose: Find sites linking to competitors but not you
Process:
- Export your referring domains
- Export competitor referring domains
- Compare lists
- Identify domains linking to competitors only
Tools with gap features:
- Ahrefs: Link Intersect
- Semrush: Backlink Gap
- Moz: Link Intersect
Prioritise by:
- Links to multiple competitors (proven interest)
- Higher quality domains
- Relevant to your content
- Active, maintained sites
Common Link Analysis#
Purpose: Find sites linking to you AND competitors
Value:
- Validate existing relationships
- Identify potential for more links
- Understand industry standard sources
Action: Consider outreach for additional pages/content from these sites.
Quality Comparison#
Purpose: Compare link profile quality
Metrics to compare:
| Metric | Your Site | Competitor A | Competitor B | |--------|-----------|--------------|--------------| | Referring domains | | | | | Avg DR/DA | | | | | % follow links | | | | | Top 10 quality avg | | | |
Insights:
- Are you competing on quality or quantity?
- Where are the gaps?
- What level of quality do you need?
Content Performance Analysis#
Purpose: Understand what content earns links
Process:
- Export competitor top pages by linking domains
- Analyse content types (guides, tools, research, etc.)
- Identify common themes
- Note content gaps you could fill
Questions to answer:
- What format attracts most links?
- Which topics earn links?
- Is there content they don't have that you could create?
Analysing Results#
Quantifying the Gap#
Referring domain gap:
- Your referring domains: ____
- Average competitor referring domains: ____
- Gap: ____
Quality gap:
- Your average quality: ____
- Competitor average quality: ____
- Gap: ____
Identifying Patterns#
Common link sources:
- What sites link to most/all competitors?
- What types of sites are these?
- Are there industry standard sources?
Successful tactics:
- Guest posts (look for author bios)
- Digital PR (news mentions)
- Resource links (resource page inclusions)
- Content marketing (link-worthy content)
Content that works:
- Guides and tutorials
- Original research and data
- Tools and calculators
- Industry news and commentary
Realistic Assessment#
Can you compete?
Consider:
- Resource requirements: What would it take to close gaps?
- Time horizon: How long to achieve parity?
- Competitive response: Are competitors continuing to build?
- Realistic targets: What's achievable vs aspirational?
Turning Analysis into Action#
Building Prospect Lists#
From gap analysis:
- Filter gap domains by quality (minimum DA/DR)
- Check for relevance to your content
- Verify link obtainability (do they link externally?)
- Create prospecting spreadsheet
Prospect template:
| Domain | DR | Links to Comp A | Links to Comp B | Contact | Status | |--------|----|--------------|--------------| --------|--------| | site.com | 45 | ✓ | ✓ | email | To contact |
Content Planning#
Based on competitor success:
- Identify content gaps: What do they have that you don't?
- Improve on existing: Can you create better versions?
- Find unique angles: What can you offer that they can't?
Prioritise by:
- Proven link attraction (competitors earned links)
- Alignment with your expertise
- Resource requirements
- Differentiation potential
Strategy Development#
Tactical mix:
- Which tactics work for competitors?
- What can you execute?
- What's achievable with your resources?
Timeline:
- Short-term: Quick wins from gap analysis outreach
- Medium-term: Content creation for link building
- Long-term: Relationship building and brand development
Ongoing Competitive Monitoring#
Regular Tracking#
Monthly:
- New links acquired by competitors
- Changes in competitor velocity
- Notable new link sources
Quarterly:
- Full gap analysis refresh
- Strategy adjustment based on changes
- Benchmark update
Monitoring Setup#
Alert configuration:
- Set alerts for competitor new links
- Track competitor mentions
- Monitor industry publications
Tools:
- Ahrefs Alerts (new backlinks)
- Google Alerts (mentions)
- Mention or Awario (social and web)
Adapting Strategy#
When competitors gain ground:
- Analyse what they're doing differently
- Identify tactics to adopt
- Increase effort if needed
When you gain ground:
- Identify what's working
- Double down on successful tactics
- Maintain momentum
Common Mistakes#
Copying Without Context#
Mistake: Blindly pursuing all competitor link sources
Problem: Some sources may not work for you
Solution: Evaluate each opportunity for relevance and fit
Ignoring Quality Differences#
Mistake: Focusing only on quantity comparison
Problem: 10 great links may outperform 100 weak ones
Solution: Compare quality, not just volume
Analysis Paralysis#
Mistake: Endlessly analysing without acting
Problem: Competitors continue building while you analyse
Solution: Set analysis timeframes, move to action
Unrealistic Comparisons#
Mistake: Comparing to vastly larger/more established competitors
Problem: Creates discouraging, unachievable targets
Solution: Include peer-level competitors in analysis
Summary#
Competitor backlink analysis informs strategic link building:
Why analyse:
- Find proven link opportunities
- Understand competitive requirements
- Discover content ideas
- Benchmark performance
Types of analysis:
- Link gap: Sites linking to them, not you
- Common links: Shared link sources
- Quality comparison: Profile strength comparison
- Content analysis: What earns links
Turning insights to action:
- Build prospect lists from gap analysis
- Plan content based on what works
- Develop tactics based on competitor success
Ongoing monitoring:
- Monthly competitive tracking
- Quarterly strategy review
- Continuous adaptation
The goal isn't to copy competitors—it's to understand the landscape and find opportunities they might have missed.