11 Ways To Do SEO Content Research Beyond Competitor Analysis

Early SEO milestones is perhaps straightforward, however scaling the outcomes wants an upgraded method.

What may that appear to be?

Like startups that provide you with a stable area of interest concept and compete considerably with bigger firms, we web optimization execs and content material strategists have to work more durable to develop distinctive, recent, area of interest methods.

Nonetheless, every time we consider creating methods, we begin what competitors are doing. We begin feeling that we will win this recreation by outperforming our opponents.

Bear in mind: we win when our focus is on profitable the sport and never on find out how to make our opponents lose.

So, right here comes an upgraded method to our web optimization technique – going past competitor evaluation.

Nonetheless, since our web optimization methods closely depend on content material, we’ll focus on content material analysis past competitor evaluation on this weblog.

Now, What Is Content material Analysis Past Competitor Evaluation?

Most of us analyze our opponents to develop content material concepts. It’s straightforward and fast.

However…

What in case your opponents are rating within the high positions however are usually not serving customers’ intent?

What in case your opponents won’t be yielding sufficient site visitors regardless of higher rankings?

What in case your opponents are driving large natural site visitors however not sufficient conversions?

Additionally, there could also be some opponents which are doing extraordinarily effectively relating to content material KPIs serving web optimization development.

You could really feel that if the opponents can obtain such leads to one yr, you may obtain them in six months by copying their methods.

However that’s the place you restrict your self in development. Your opponents’ web optimization and content material groups may additionally be struggling; who is aware of?

That is why your content material analysis should transcend competitor evaluation.

On this method, we don’t have a look at what content material opponents have written.

We don’t wish to copy them or repeat their errors. We wish to work in ways in which truly resonate with our target audiences, geographies, enterprise fashions, and industries.

So, the “content research past competitor evaluation” method helps us carry distinctive and recent views to our content material analysis, creating unbelievable worth for our viewers and shoppers and scaling our web optimization outcomes extensively.

11 Methods Of Content material Analysis Past Competitor Evaluation To Scale web optimization ROI

We’ve 11 methods to make use of this method. Let’s uncover them one after the other with step-by-step processes and examples.

1. Use Semrush

That is our primary step of content material analysis since most of our preliminary purpose is driving natural site visitors.

And since Semrush is helpful for many of our group members at Missive Digital, we log in instantly to begin our content material analysis as a substitute of opponents.

We put seed, precise, long-tail, and extra key phrases to do our content material analysis, relying on the search quantity, key phrase problem, and search intent.

For instance, now we have put “diamond jewellery” into Semrush and can add the filters based on our web optimization technique.

One other content material analysis function of Semrush that we use extensively is Subject Analysis. We select the content material subjects primarily based on which of them relate immediately or not directly to our web site.

2. Use Ahrefs

To do the content material analysis on Ahrefs, we observe the identical steps as Semrush, however right here, we additionally use Content material Explorer.

We filter primarily based on the Web page Visitors and reference domains to establish queries that may carry us site visitors and conversions.

Then, we additionally look at the frequency of republishing, which provides our group an concept of when to schedule it subsequent for content material optimization, contemplating the efficiency.

3. Use Google Information

Whereas auditing the content material, if we understand that the shopper is already writing a number of content material, we strive researching content material concepts by means of Google Information.

Additionally, for some D2C industries like jewellery, the pattern additionally comes from celebrities carrying them – so we maintain an in depth eye on Google Information.

Typically, we choose protecting the information relying on the subjects, whereas different instances, we’ll test if these subjects have any search quantity and may be evergreen to proceed driving us some worth all through.

For instance, the screenshot under exhibits a ‘B’ necklace worn by Selena Gomez in reference to her boyfriend.

We instantly test if there’s any search quantity for “b necklace” on an web optimization device and see the screenshot under:

Bingo! Now, now we have to debate with the shopper’s group for our subsequent content material piece.

4. Use Individuals Additionally Ask, AlsoAsked

Since most B2B IT and SaaS shoppers are extremely technical, we typically battle to grasp the subject and create a content material technique.

Individuals Additionally Ask on Google Search and AlsoAsked.com by Mark Williams-Cook works like a savior throughout our content material analysis.

The one limitation now we have with Individuals Additionally Ask is that it gives a couple of Q&As for a subject till you click on on one, whereas AlsoAsked gives a whole checklist in a single go, which saves you time.

We now have an excessive amount of to study a subject and create content material on, proper?

5. Test Google Tendencies

It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, you’ve acquired one thing or the opposite trending.

In our web optimization {industry}, SearchGPT is trending.

So it’s value writing about it to take the early benefit and seize the site visitors share.

See, lots of people are writing about it:

It’s not nearly writing; people are sharing it on social media, too.

So, it’s value consistently watching what’s trending through Google Tendencies.

6. Hop On ChatGPT Or Gemini

Bear in mind, we’re right here to do content material analysis on ChatGPT or Gemini, not to decide on the titles they counsel.

Here’s a pattern content material analysis immediate that now we have put for a contact heart software program firm on ChatGPT:

And listed below are the responses under:

For the reason that subjects are usually not up to speed contemplating the viewers (“BPO” on this case), primarily based on the above content material concepts, we’ll choose up the seed key phrases or subjects reminiscent of:

• Classes from a Legacy Contact Middle Software program Firm.
• The Contact Middle Software program Market In The BPO Phase.
• Optimizing Your Contact Middle Operations.
• Tips on how to Drive Innovation in Your Buyer Help Division?
• And extra.

7. Monitor Social Media

Sure, we’re all energetic on social media, so we will use it for our content material analysis. Nonetheless, we’re not contemplating opponents on social media for the time being.

This viral X thread impressed us to put in writing a weblog:

Equally, this text on content material analysis was impressed by my recent post on LinkedIn:

These are examples of self-created social media content material that may be became blogs.

Nonetheless, you may maintain monitoring the kinds of content material that get probably the most visibility and engagement on social media – be it LinkedIn, Instagram, X, or another platform.

Flip them into your blogs or webinars, however don’t neglect to say them because it’s their authentic content material concept.

8. Dive Into Business-specific Analysis Research

Probably the most distinctive option to analysis content material concepts is to learn your industry-specific analysis research extensively. And there’s no one option to do it.

For instance, for one of many ecommerce consulting firms, we will get numerous content material concepts from HBR’s eCommerce pricing test:

• Why Ought to Ecommerce Manufacturers Cease Providing Free Delivery?
• X Advantages of No Free Delivery or Conditional Delivery.
• Free Delivery vs. Conditional Delivery.

Within the under examine by Broadridge on Digital Transformation, the under can turn into the subject clusters, and every can have its personal spoke-like content material subjects.

For instance, if we take Unleashing Synthetic Intelligence, we will choose up so many subjects out of only one graphic:

9. Test Business-Particular Boards/Communities

Most of our clientele contains IT firms, and now we have used IT boards and communities like StackOverflow for content material analysis.

For instance, we will provide you with the under subject clusters when protecting Flutter for the non-technical and technical goal audiences:

• Flutter animation widgets.
• Flutter dependency administration.
• Why add Firebase to your Flutter app?
• And extra.

Equally, there will probably be many such boards or communities of your shopper or employers out there to peek into for such content material concepts, aside from aggressive evaluation.

10. Google website:reddit.com “my subject”

One such distinctive concept by Kunjal Chawhan is to Google website:reddit.com “my subject,” and let’s see what content material concepts appear to be for a few subjects:

Trying on the above screenshot, under are the subjects that we will positively create:

• X Most In style Social Media Platforms for Ecommerce.
• Tips on how to Use Video Podcasts to Drive Ecommerce Gross sales?
• Tips on how to Increase Ecommerce Gross sales When Digital Advertising Appears Costly?
• And extra.

So sure, Kunjal’s means of content material analysis is superb, and from that, you may equally Google:

website:“your {industry}’s main website” “subject”

For instance:

• website:searchenginejournal.com “ai content material”
• website:quora.com “ai content material”
• website:practicalecommerce.com “gross sales”

Let’s transfer on to the final however not the least technique of content material analysis, aside from opponents.

11. See What Competing Websites Have NOT Lined

Now you would possibly marvel, “Weren’t the above content material analysis methods aside from opponents evaluation?”

Sure, they’re the methods to analysis content material concepts aside from what opponents have written.

However right here, I’m making an attempt to make a degree the place you must see precisely what oblique competing websites are NOT writing about regardless of concentrating on the identical {industry}, key phrase clusters, and viewers.

What’s an oblique competing website?

An oblique competing website is a web site that ranks for the {industry} and search queries of your target market however just isn’t precisely your product/service competitor. This generally is a market, publishing website, or product evaluate website.

Let’s take a web site, “leadsquared.com,” for oblique aggressive evaluation and choose the queries that rank after fiftieth positions and have a key phrase problem of lower than 29.

Choose these queries and search on Google: website:leadsquared.com “gross sales funnel vs gross sales pipeline”.

Now, you’ll see that the website has no content on that topic; you can create that if that falls under your product/service offering and can target your audience and industry.

In short, you can cover the below topics:

• Sales funnel vs. sales pipeline.
• Sales funnel vs. marketing funnel.
• Sales funnel vs. flywheel.
• And more.

Just ensure these content topics align with your offerings to bring maximum ROI.

How Will Content Research Beyond Competitor Analysis Contribute To SEO Efforts?

When you go beyond competitor analysis for content research, you discover a few benefits:

• You innovate – With innovative content ideas, you can experiment and build better strategies that can bring unbelievable results. Also, with AI taking the space predominantly, businesses are looking for innovation in their business and marketing. So when you innovate, you may get better attention and even resources.
• You get niche opportunities – Instead of just focusing on what competitors are doing, you go deeper into understanding your target audience and explore new content ideas that your competitors might have missed. In such scenarios, you get better results since competition is reduced.
• You create unique, audience-specific content – My LinkedIn post saw great engagement because it resonated with its audience. This opened us to something unique and specific to the pain point of SEOs and content strategists: content ideation to scale SEO results with a not-so-usual approach. Such content helps us build authority in the market, which is essential today to becoming market leaders.
• You capitalize on emerging trends – Being an early adopter of something has huge potential for success. When you create your content strategy focused on what’s new or trending in your industry before it becomes mainstream, you get the most eyes right from the beginning and even repeat eyes going forward.
• You build better engagement and loyalty – You can extend beyond blogs, a traditional way of driving SEO results. Videos, whitepapers, case studies, user-generated content, and many more content formats can take the lead in building user engagement and brand loyalty through SEO.
• You earn backlinks – Yes, such unique content may require less effort to build backlinks since it can earn them.

Stop looking at competitors for content research; try using these fresh and unique ways to drive better content ROI.

Just remember two things: Competitors are not always right, and you are not necessarily required to look upon them when developing your SEO content strategies.

You can copy and paste your competitors’ strategies to achieve certain SEO milestones, but creating history requires an upgraded approach. What say?

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