How to Learn SEO Information on Competitors

An honest look at your competition is not wrong -- it's ethical spying.

A great trait of the Internet is the free availability of a lot of information. However, this free availability of information also makes competition among businesses that much more head-to-head. Since most businesses, even many smaller ones, have jumped on the bandwagon by creating their own business websites, no longer does an employee from one business need to craft a master recognizance plan to gain sensitive information about competitors. All he needs to do, at the very minimum, is go online and access a few simple tools.

Things You'll Need

• the Internet.

Instructions

1. Visit the competitors sites. This is the most simple approach to discover valuable information about what your competitors are saying -- and using -- to gain an edge in the marketplace. Look for repeated keywords, phrases and any special offers. If your competitors are ahead of you in the game, try using the the phrasing that they use, and, if you can afford it, do better than their special offers.

2. Use search engines. Both Google and Yahoo! Site Search respond to simple commands that draw up information about competitor websites. For example, the book, "SEO Warrior," lists the following commands to type into search engines: "inurl:www.competitorURL.com" or "inanchor:www.competitorURL.com." So, for example, if you were to research WhiteHouse.gov, you would type "inurl:www.whitehouse.gov" into the search engine.

3. Use a free third-party site. Alexa shows popularity rankings for competitor sites. Once you've entered a competitor's site into the Alexa search engine, you'll see a subheading, "Sites Linking In." Click on this link and you'll discover what websites are linked to your competitor's site. This information will tell you who is interested in your competition, and how you should adjust your SEO. Try another free website, myseomadesimple.com.

4. Try paid third-party software. While the book, "SEO Made Simple" notes that purchasing software isn't absolutely necessary, it does cite how this software can save you time and effort in collecting competitor SEO information.

5. Scour social media. The website "Search Engine Journal" lists searching social media sites of competitors as a fine way to get a competitive edge. Look for a topical community associated with your competitor and how that community reacts to your competitor's message. Glean keywords frequently used among this community and in your competitor's outreach.

References

• "SEO Warrior"; John I. Jerkovic; 2009
• "SEO Made Simple"; Michael Fleischner; 2011
• "The Art of SEO"; Eric Enge, Stephan Spencer, Rand Fishkin, Jessie C. Stricchiola; 2009
• Search Engine Journal; How to Find SEO Competitor Keywords, Social Media & Backlinks; Ann Smarty; 2008