How to Do a Competitor Gap Analysis
How to Do a Competitor Gap Analysis
A competitor gap analysis compares your site against 2–5 direct rivals to surface the keywords they rank for that you don't, the backlinks they've earned that you haven't, and the topics they cover that you've missed. Run it quarterly — the top 20 gaps usually explain 80% of your rival's SEO advantage.
Find keywords, backlinks, and content your competitors have that you don't — with a repeatable workflow — LemRank.
Frequently asked questions
How many competitors should I include in a gap analysis?
3–5 is the sweet spot. Fewer misses coverage; more creates noise and false-positive gaps.
How often should I re-run the analysis?
Quarterly for most SaaS/agency sites. Monthly if you're in a fast-moving vertical or actively chasing SERPs.
What's the difference between keyword gap and content gap?
Keyword gap is one-keyword-at-a-time. Content gap is topic-cluster-level — it identifies whole content areas you've missed.
Should I include indirect competitors?
Only for content gaps. For keyword and backlink gaps, stick to direct SERP competitors — the ones actually ranking above you.
Can I export gap data?
Yes — LemRank exports all three gap types to CSV or directly to your keyword workspace.