8 Step Guide: Identifying Your Online SEO and Ads Competitors

Identify, Create, Optimize and Monitor Your SEO and Ad campaigns

Competitors

When it comes to mastering search engine optimization (SEO) and paid search strategies like Google Ads, one of the most crucial steps is identifying your true competition. It’s not just about knowing your business rivals in general but understanding who is competing for the same online visibility through both organic SEO and paid advertising. If you want to gain an edge, knowing which companies dominate the search results for your target keywords—and who’s paying for premium ad space—is key. In this post, we’ll guide you through an 8-step process to identify your top 5 competitors by analyzing both organic and paid Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). This will give you a comprehensive view of who’s vying for the attention of your potential customers.

Step 1: Conduct a Basic Google Search for Each Term

- Start by performing a Google search for each of your top 3 to 5 search terms one at a time.
- For each search term, examine the entire SERP, focusing on both organic results (non-paid listings) and paid results (ads).

Tip: Make sure you’re using an incognito or private browsing window to avoid personalized results that might skew the competitive landscape.

Step 2: Identify Paid Competitors (Ads Section)

- At the top of the SERP, you’ll often see ads marked as “Ad” or “Sponsored.” These businesses are paying for Google Ads to appear for this keyword.
- Write down the businesses listed in the ads section, as they are investing in competing for visibility with this keyword. Repeat this process for all 3 of your search terms.

Key Action: Take note of recurring businesses that appear in multiple search terms’ ads. These companies are likely serious competitors for your target customers.

Step 3: Identify Organic Competitors (Top Organic Results)

- Look just below the ads to find the top organic search results (the ones Google ranks based on SEO). Typically, the top 5-10 results are the most important competitors.
- Write down the domain names (URLs) of the top 5 organic results for each search term.

Key Action: Repeat this process for all 3 to 5 of your search terms. Identify any businesses that appear consistently in the top organic results for multiple keywords. These are likely your most relevant organic competitors.

Step 4: Pay Attention to Featured Snippets and Answer Boxes

- Look for featured snippets (information boxes at the top of search results that answer a question) and People Also Ask boxes (FAQs).
- If a competitor appears in these, they are likely doing well in capturing high visibility for your search terms.

Note: For more on featured snippets you can read 38 Google SERP Results You Need to Know About

Key Action: Make a note of any business that frequently appears in these special search features across your 3 keywords. Their presence here shows they have strong content strategies and are likely a top competitor.

Step 5: Check Google Maps or Local Pack Results (If Applicable)

- For locally focused businesses, you’ll often see a Google Maps/Local Pack (a map with 3-4 local businesses) when you search for location-based terms.
- Note the businesses listed here, as they are your top local competitors.

Key Action: Perform searches that include geographic terms, like “[Your search term] + [Your location]” (e.g., “Med Spa in Dallas”). If the same competitors appear across multiple location-based terms, they’re likely strong local competitors.

Step 6: Competitor Analysis Tools for Deeper Insights

- Use Cruxdata platform to analyze and monitor your top competitors' SEO.
- Focus on the top-ranking competitor websites to discover overlap for multiple keywords and keywords they rank for that are your top targets.

Key Action: Pay attention to websites that appear consistently across all 3 search terms in these tools. These are likely your top online competitors.

Step 7: Evaluate Content and Offerings

- Visit the websites of the top competitors you’ve identified in both paid and organic search results. Look at their offerings, content, and customer engagement.
- Pay attention to whether these competitors provide blogs, guides, videos, or other content types that make them more visible to your target audience.

Key Action: Rank these competitors based on how closely their services align with yours. At this stage, the competition is about whether a potential customer would click on their listing and find a solution to their problem, regardless of whether the solution is as effective as yours. Consider how directly they compete with you in attracting and converting the same audience.

Step 8: Finalize Your Top 5 Competitors List

- Based on the frequency and prominence of appearances across paid ads, organic results, featured snippets, local pack results, and competitor tools, finalize the list of your top 5 competitors.
- These competitors should be companies that consistently appear across multiple search terms and different sections of the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

Key Action: Make a final ranking of your top 5 competitors by combining all the insights gained from steps 1-7. These businesses are the ones most actively competing for the same customers you are targeting.

By following this structured approach, you’ll be able to identify your most relevant competitors across both paid and organic search, gaining a clear understanding of who you’re up against in the SEO and advertising landscapes. Success in SEO and Google Ads requires ongoing monitoring and optimization. Services like Cruxdata’s AI Marketing Copilot offer the ideal blend of AI-powered tools and personalized insights, tailored to your business by marketing professionals.

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