A competitor link gap analysis reveals opportunities—sites that link to your competitors but not to you. This template provides a systematic approach to finding and prioritising these opportunities.
Phase 1: Setup
Identify Competitors
Select 3-5 competitors who:
- Rank for your target keywords
- Are similar in size/scope
- Have established backlink profiles
| Competitor | Domain | Why Selected |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 |
Gather Data
For each competitor, export:
- Referring domains list
- DA/DR for each domain
- Link count per domain
- Anchor text (optional)
Tools:
- Ahrefs: Referring Domains report
- Semrush: Backlink Analytics
- Moz: Link Explorer
Phase 2: Data Consolidation
Master Domain List
Combine all competitor referring domains into one master list:
| Domain | Links to Comp 1 | Links to Comp 2 | Links to Comp 3 | Links to You | DA | Gap? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| example1.com | ✓ | ✓ | 45 | Y | ||
| example2.com | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 52 | N | |
| example3.com | ✓ | ✓ | 38 | Y |
Identify Gap Domains
Gap domain criteria:
- Links to 1+ competitors
- Does NOT link to you
- Meets minimum quality threshold
Filter: Links to Competitor(s) = Yes AND Links to You = No
Phase 3: Gap Analysis
Gap Domain Summary
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total unique referring domains (all competitors) | ___ |
| Domains linking to you | ___ |
| Gap domains (link to competitor, not you) | ___ |
| Gap percentage | ___% |
Gap by Competitor
| Competitor | Their Referring Domains | Also Link to You | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor 1 | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Competitor 2 | ___ | ___ | ___ |
| Competitor 3 | ___ | ___ | ___ |
Shared Link Analysis
| Linking Domain Pattern | Count |
|---|---|
| Links to all competitors, not you | ___ |
| Links to 2+ competitors, not you | ___ |
| Links to 1 competitor only | ___ |
Priority: Domains linking to multiple competitors represent strong opportunities.
Phase 4: Quality Assessment
Gap Domain Scoring
Score each gap domain for prioritisation:
| Domain | DA | Relevance (1-5) | Traffic | Link Type | Priority Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Priority Scoring Formula
Priority Score = (DA/20) + (Relevance × 2) + (Traffic Score) + (Type Bonus)
Traffic Score:
- High traffic: +2
- Medium traffic: +1
- Low traffic: 0
Type Bonus:
- Guest post possible: +2
- Resource page: +1.5
- Editorial potential: +1
Priority Categories
| Priority | Score Range | Action |
|---|---|---|
| A (Highest) | 12+ | Pursue immediately |
| B (High) | 9-11 | Include in next campaign |
| C (Medium) | 6-8 | Secondary outreach |
| D (Low) | Under 6 | Only if time permits |
Phase 5: Opportunity Categorisation
By Link Type
Categorise gap opportunities by how competitors got the link:
| Category | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Guest posts | ___ | Content contribution |
| Resource pages | ___ | List inclusion |
| Editorial mentions | ___ | PR/coverage |
| Directories | ___ | Listing opportunities |
| Partnerships | ___ | Business relationships |
| Other | ___ |
By Industry/Topic
| Industry/Topic | Count | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
By Difficulty
| Difficulty | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Easy (directories, profiles) | ___ | Quick wins |
| Medium (outreach required) | ___ | Standard effort |
| Hard (high competition, selective) | ___ | More effort needed |
Phase 6: Action Planning
Quick Wins
Low-effort gap opportunities:
| Domain | Opportunity | Action Needed |
|---|---|---|
Content Opportunities
Gaps requiring content creation:
| Domain | Content Needed | Competitor's Content |
|---|---|---|
Relationship Opportunities
Gaps requiring relationship building:
| Domain | Relationship Needed | Approach |
|---|---|---|
Phase 7: Outreach Planning
Priority Outreach List
| Rank | Domain | Contact | Strategy | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 5 |
Strategy Notes
| Strategy | Domains | Key Message |
|---|---|---|
| Guest post pitch | ___ | |
| Resource suggestion | ___ | |
| Content promotion | ___ | |
| Partnership inquiry | ___ |
Phase 8: Tracking
Progress Tracker
| Week | Outreach Sent | Responses | Links Won | Gap Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| 4 |
Gap Closure Rate
Gap Closure Rate = Links Won from Gap / Total Gap Domains Pursued
| Period | Gap Domains Pursued | Links Won | Closure Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | |||
| Month 2 | |||
| Month 3 |
Useful Formulas
For Spreadsheet Analysis
Identify gap domains:
=IF(AND(OR(A2="Y",B2="Y",C2="Y"),D2="N"),"GAP","")
Count competitors linking:
=COUNTIF(A2:C2,"Y")
Priority score:
=(E2/20)+(F2*2)+G2+H2
Analysis Tips
What to Look For
High-value opportunities:
- Sites linking to multiple competitors
- High DA sites in your niche
- Active sites that publish regularly
- Sites with clear content needs you can fill
Red flags to avoid:
- Sites that only link to competitors due to specific relationship
- Links from competitor-owned properties
- Links that required specific content you can't replicate
- Outdated or abandoned sites
Competitive Intelligence
Note while analysing:
- What content earned competitor links?
- What strategies are competitors using?
- What can you do better?
- What angles haven't been covered?