Your competitors rank above you for target keywords. They have links you don’t. Some of those links, you could earn too.
Competitor backlink analysis reveals exactly where competitors earn links, which strategies drive their acquisition, and which opportunities remain available for your site. Instead of guessing which publications might link to your content, you study which publications already link to similar content.
For Nashville businesses, this analysis often reveals local link sources, regional publications, and industry directories that competitors discovered first. The good news: if one Nashville company earned a link, another Nashville company in a related space can likely earn one too.
Identifying the Right Competitors to Analyze
Not every ranking competitor deserves analysis. Some outrank you through domain authority accumulated over decades. Others rank for your target keywords incidentally while focusing on entirely different markets. Analyzing the wrong competitors wastes time on unreplicable strategies.
Direct business competitors share your target customers and business model. They sell similar products or services to similar audiences. Their link building strategies probably align with opportunities available to you.
SERP competitors rank for your target keywords regardless of business overlap. A media publication ranking for your commercial keyword operates differently than your business. Analyzing their link profile reveals who links to informational content on your topic, but their link acquisition approach might not translate to your business model.
Aspirational competitors represent where you want to be in three to five years. Studying their link profiles shows what mature companies in your space achieve. This analysis informs long-term strategy even if immediate replication isn’t possible.
Select four to six competitors across these categories. Fewer limits perspective; more creates analysis paralysis.
| Competitor Type | Analysis Value | Replicability |
|---|---|---|
| Direct business | High | High |
| SERP competitor | Moderate | Varies |
| Aspirational | Strategic | Lower |
For each selected competitor, verify they actually compete in your space. A company ranking for your keywords through a single blog post doesn’t deserve the same analysis as a company systematically targeting your entire keyword set.
Gathering Competitor Link Data
Backlink analysis tools provide the raw data. Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz each offer competitor backlink reports with different strengths.
Export complete backlink profiles for each competitor rather than sampling. Comprehensive data reveals patterns that samples miss. Most tools limit exports by plan level, so prioritize competitors if data caps constrain analysis.
Normalize data across competitors for comparison. Different tools report metrics differently. If using multiple tools, convert everything to consistent measurement scales.
Capture temporal data showing when links were acquired. Link building velocity reveals strategy changes, campaign launches, and seasonal patterns. A competitor suddenly acquiring fifty links in a month probably launched a specific initiative worth understanding.
Essential data points for each backlink:
| Data Point | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Linking domain | Identifies the source |
| Linking URL | Shows specific linking page |
| Target URL | Reveals which content earns links |
| Anchor text | Shows linking context |
| Domain authority | Indicates link value |
| Link type | Follow vs nofollow distinction |
| First seen date | Reveals acquisition timing |
Quality matters more than completeness. A slightly less comprehensive dataset you actually analyze beats a massive export that overwhelms your capacity.
Analyzing Link Patterns and Strategies
Raw data transforms into strategy through pattern recognition. Look for themes across competitors’ link profiles that reveal replicable approaches.
Content type analysis identifies what content earns links. Export the target URLs that received links and categorize them. Does original research attract links? Comprehensive guides? Free tools? Visual content? The patterns reveal what works in your space.
| Content Type | Competitor A | Competitor B | Competitor C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog posts | 45% | 52% | 38% |
| Tools/calculators | 22% | 15% | 31% |
| Original research | 18% | 23% | 12% |
| Resources/guides | 10% | 8% | 14% |
| Other | 5% | 2% | 5% |
If competitors earn significant percentages from tools or original research while you focus only on blog posts, you’ve identified a strategic gap.
Source type analysis categorizes where links come from. Industry publications? General media? Niche blogs? Educational institutions? Resource pages? Each source type implies different acquisition strategies.
Anchor text analysis reveals how competitors get described. Natural anchor text profiles feature brand name variations, naked URLs, and generic terms like “click here” alongside keyword-rich anchors. Over-optimized profiles suggest manipulative link building that you shouldn’t replicate.
Geographic patterns identify regional link opportunities. A Nashville competitor earning links from Tennessee business publications, Southeast industry associations, and local university resources shows a local link building strategy. These opportunities likely remain available to other Nashville businesses.
Temporal patterns show strategy evolution. Did link acquisition spike after specific content launches? Did velocity increase after hiring a new marketing team? Timing patterns reveal cause-and-effect relationships between actions and results.
Identifying Replicable Opportunities
Not every competitor link represents an opportunity for you. Some links come from relationships you can’t replicate, sponsorships you can’t afford, or content you can’t match. Effective analysis separates theoretically available opportunities from practically accessible ones.
High replicability indicators:
- Links from sites that link to multiple competitors (they accept outreach)
- Links from resource pages and directories (application-based)
- Links from industry publications that accept contributions
- Links from sites with clear content themes you can match
- Links from pages that curate multiple sources on a topic
Low replicability indicators:
- Links from personal relationships (investors, friends, family)
- Links from paid sponsorships disclosed or undisclosed
- Links from company partnerships and integrations
- Links from news coverage of company-specific events
- Links from sites that only link once per company
Create a replicability score for each link opportunity:
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Site links to 2+ competitors | +3 |
| Site accepts guest contributions | +2 |
| Clear content theme you can match | +2 |
| Resource or list format | +2 |
| Editorial content (news/features) | +1 |
| Single competitor link | -1 |
| Appears sponsored | -3 |
| Personal relationship evident | -3 |
Focus outreach on opportunities scoring highest. Time invested in low-replicability targets rarely converts.
Building Your Opportunity List
Transform analysis into an actionable target list. This list becomes your link building roadmap.
Segment opportunities by strategy type:
Guest posting targets include publications where competitors contributed content. The publication accepts outside contributors; you need compelling pitches.
Resource page targets include curated lists and directories where competitors appear. These sites actively collect relevant resources; you need content worth including.
Broken link targets appear when competitor links point to 404 pages. You can offer replacement content for dead resources.
PR targets include publications that cover competitors’ news and research. These journalists and editors write about your space; you need newsworthy angles.
Partnership targets include sites that link through business relationships. These require relationship development beyond simple outreach.
For each target, document:
- URL and contact information
- Type of opportunity
- What content or angle would work
- Priority score
- Status (not started, pitched, in progress, converted)
This becomes a living document driving link building execution. Regular updates track progress and reveal which strategies convert best.
Executing Against Competitor Insights
Analysis without execution accomplishes nothing. Convert insights into campaigns.
Content gap campaigns address topics where competitors earn links but you lack content. If three competitors earn significant links from comprehensive guides on a specific topic and you have nothing on that topic, creating superior content becomes a priority.
Source replication campaigns target specific sites linking to competitors. If a respected industry publication links to two competitors’ research, they clearly link to industry research. Creating original research and pitching that publication follows naturally.
Strategy adoption campaigns implement approaches competitors use successfully. If a competitor earns links through annual industry surveys, launching your own annual research initiative replicates the strategy while differentiating content.
Outperformance campaigns target content where you can create something definitively better. If competitors earn links to mediocre content, superior content with strategic outreach can capture those links.
Prioritize campaigns by:
- Gap size (how many competitor links exist in this area)
- Your capability (can you realistically execute this strategy)
- Resource requirements (what investment does this demand)
- Timeline to results (how long until links might materialize)
Avoiding Common Analysis Mistakes
Copying blindly replicates competitor mistakes alongside successes. Some competitor links come from manipulative tactics, some from outdated strategies that no longer work, and some from spam that will eventually result in penalties. Evaluate quality before replicating.
Focusing only on total numbers misses strategic insights. A competitor with fewer links from higher-quality sources often outperforms one with more links from low-quality sites. Quality analysis matters more than quantity counting.
Ignoring your differentiation leads to generic competition. Competitors link profiles suggest opportunities, but your unique strengths determine which opportunities you can actually win. A competitor earning links from technical content when your strength is brand storytelling suggests a mismatch.
Analysis paralysis prevents execution. Perfect understanding of competitor strategies accomplishes less than imperfect understanding followed by action. Set analysis time limits and transition to execution.
One-time analysis misses strategy evolution. Competitor link profiles change continuously. Quarterly reviews reveal new strategies, new sources, and shifts in approach. Build ongoing monitoring into your workflow.
Measuring Progress Against Competitors
Track link metrics over time to measure whether you’re closing gaps.
Absolute metrics:
- Total referring domains
- Domain authority
- New links per month
- Links from top-tier sources
Relative metrics:
- Link gap with each competitor
- Share of links from mutual targets
- Ranking positions for target keywords
- Organic traffic comparison
A simple competitive dashboard might track:
| Metric | Your Site | Competitor A | Competitor B | Gap to Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Referring domains | 450 | 890 | 620 | -440 |
| DA 50+ links | 28 | 67 | 45 | -39 |
| New links (monthly avg) | 12 | 31 | 19 | -19 |
| Links from target sources | 8/25 | 18/25 | 12/25 | -10 |
Monthly or quarterly updates show progress. Closing gaps validates strategy; widening gaps signals needed adjustments.
The ultimate measure isn’t link metrics but business outcomes. Improved rankings, increased organic traffic, and higher revenue from organic channels indicate whether link building efforts, informed by competitor analysis, actually work.
Competitor backlink analysis removes guesswork from link building. Instead of theorizing about what might work, you study what demonstrably works in your space. That foundation of evidence transforms link building from speculation into strategy.
Sources
- Ahrefs Blog: “Competitor Backlink Analysis: The Complete Guide” (https://ahrefs.com/blog/competitor-backlink-analysis/)
- Moz: “Competitive Link Analysis” (https://moz.com/blog/competitive-link-analysis)
- Semrush Blog: “How to Perform a Competitor Backlink Analysis” (https://www.semrush.com/blog/competitor-backlink-analysis/)
- Search Engine Journal: “Competitor Backlink Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide” (https://www.searchenginejournal.com/competitor-backlink-analysis/)