# Competitor Backlink Analysis: How to Analyse and Learn from Competitors

Learn to analyse competitor backlinks effectively. Discover link opportunities, understand competitive gaps, and inform your link building strategy.

Canonical: https://backlinkgrid.com/backlink-audit/competitor-analysis


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**:
1. Search your target keywords
2. Note top-ranking sites
3. 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](/tools/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**:
1. Export your referring domains
2. Export competitor referring domains
3. Compare lists
4. 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**:
1. Export competitor top pages by linking domains
2. Analyse content types (guides, tools, research, etc.)
3. Identify common themes
4. 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**:

1. Filter gap domains by quality (minimum DA/DR)
2. Check for relevance to your content
3. Verify link obtainability (do they link externally?)
4. 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**:

1. **Identify content gaps**: What do they have that you don't?
2. **Improve on existing**: Can you create better versions?
3. **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

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## 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.

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## What to Read Next

- [How to Audit Backlinks](/backlink-audit/how-to-audit)
- [Prospecting Guide](/outreach/prospecting)
- [Content That Earns Links](/link-building/content-that-earns-links)