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Who are my competitors? Why the list matters and what it looks like
Your competitors are the businesses your buyers weigh you against. The list in your head and the list your buyers have can differ, and every decision about what to publish, what to bid on and what to skip rests on it. About 210 people in the US search "who are my competitors" every month, and many more search for ways to find competitor websites. They want a list they can act on, not a debate about the definition.
This page covers why the list matters, what a finished one looks like, and how to use it in a gap analysis.
Why knowing your competitors matters
A competitor list does four jobs.
- It sets what your buyer compares. A buyer who holds your page next to another weighs price, speed and proof. You cannot answer a comparison you have not seen.
- It decides which gaps are real. A gap is a search your competitors answer and you do not, or one they all leave open. Measured against the wrong names, the same table points to the wrong pages.
- It tells you how big each job is. Writing a page on a search where every competitor has a strong page is a larger job than writing the first page on a search none has covered.
- It keeps the work checkable. When each name comes with the link to the page that competes with yours, anyone can open the page and see what you are up against.
Without the list you are guessing at all four.
What a finished competitor list looks like
A useful list is a table: a name, the page that competes with yours, the search that page answers and that search's US monthly searches. Here is an example for a local marketing business. The searches and their US monthly searches are real figures. The names are made up, and the "link" cells stand for real links.
| Competitor | The page that competes with yours | Search it answers | US searches a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor A | link | rank and rent | 320 |
| Competitor B | link | local seo audit | 260 |
| Competitor C | link | home service leads | 170 |
| Competitor D | link | buyer intent keywords | 90 |
Three things make this table useful.
- The link. It says where to look, so you can check any row.
- The search. It ties the competitor to something your buyers type, not to a general impression of a rival.
- The number. It shows how much demand sits behind the page.
A list that is only names has none of this. You cannot check any name, and you cannot tell which one matters.
How to read the list
- Open each page. A competitor with a strong page for your best searches is the one to watch most closely.
- Compare it with yours. Put the competitor's page next to your page for the same search. The difference is your to-do list.
- Check the surprises. If a name appears that you did not expect, open its page before you decide what it means.
- Look for the empty rows. A search with volume and no competitor page is an open gap, and it goes straight into your competitor gap analysis.
- Read the numbers last. The volume tells you which comparison to make first.
What to do with it
Use the list as the base for everything that follows. The names decide which sites to read for competitor keywords. The pages they have and you lack feed your content gap analysis. The searches none of them answers become the open gaps.
Look at the list again when your offer changes, when you enter a new area or when a competitor launches something new. A list from last year describes last year.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting a gap analysis from names you assumed. The table is only as good as the list under it.
- Reading names without opening the pages. A name does not say what a competitor offers your buyer. The page does.
- Treating the list as fixed. Pages change, so the list changes.
- Naming only the businesses you already know. Your buyers may weigh you against others.
- Using a list with no links. If you cannot open the page behind a name, you cannot judge it.
What to ask a provider
Ask for a link to the competitor page behind every name. A person should check every row before delivery. The full list of asks is on the competitor gap analysis page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find competitor websites?
A name alone is not an answer. A useful answer is a list where each competitor has a link to the page that competes with yours, the search that page answers and the US monthly searches for that search. Ask for those, and treat any shorter list as a start.
What should a competitor list include?
A name, the link to the page that competes with yours, the search it answers and that search's US monthly searches. With those four, anyone can check the list and act on it.
How do I use the competitor list?
Use it to decide which sites to read first, which pages to compare, and which gaps to fill. Start with the competitor that has the strongest page for your best searches.
To see how a finished list sits inside a gap report, open the sample reports, or read how agencies use it for clients.
Checked by a person and delivered within 24 hours, with a link and a search number behind every row.