How to Master Local SEO Competitor Analysis and Gain a Competitive Edge

In the highly competitive world of digital marketing, success doesn’t just come from optimising your own website. It often hinges on how well you understand your competition. And when it comes to local SEO competitor analysis, most businesses are only scratching the surface.

Why Local Competitor Analysis Matters More Than Ever

Ranking in local search isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about outperforming the businesses around you. With Google’s local algorithm increasingly favouring relevance, proximity and prominence, the question is no longer, “Are you optimised?” but “Are you more optimised than your competitors?”

This is where analysing your local competitors comes into play. By identifying what your top-ranking competitors are doing right (and where they’re falling short), you gain valuable intelligence to refine your own strategy, fill content gaps, and ultimately attract more qualified local leads.

Key Areas to Focus on When Analysing Competitors

Here’s a breakdown of the most crucial elements to evaluate when conducting a competitor analysis for local SEO:

1. Google Business Profile (GBP)

Your Google Business Profile can make or break your local visibility. Start by reviewing your competitors’ listings:

• Are they using their primary keyword in the business title?
• Do they post regularly?
• What are the quality and frequency of reviews?
• Are they making use of all GBP features (e.g., FAQs, products, services)?

Google rewards complete, active profiles. If your rivals are leveraging features you’re not, it’s time to catch up. Or better yet, get ahead.

2. Local Citations and NAP Consistency

Citations across online directories send strong local signals to Google. Use tools such as BrightLocal or Whitespark to track where your competitors are listed and ensure your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) details are consistent everywhere.

Outperforming your competition here is often as simple as building higher-quality, more consistent citations.

3. On-Page SEO and Content

Closely examine the structure and content of your competitors’ top-performing local pages:

• Are they optimising for local intent?
• Do they include location-specific keywords in headings, meta tags and body content?
• What kind of content are they publishing? Blogs, location landing pages, FAQs?

If their content is richer, more helpful, or more specific to the area than yours, it’s worth considering how to raise your own content game.

Dig Deeper: Going Beyond the Basics

While many businesses focus on surface-level metrics, real opportunities lie beneath the obvious. Here’s how to get a deeper read on other similar companies in your area through local SEO competitor analysis:

1. Review Profiles

Don’t underestimate the power of online reviews. Analysing competitor reviews reveals:

• Strengths that customers rave about (so you can match or exceed them)
• Recurring complaints (so you can position yourself as the better choice)

Try creating content that directly addresses these insights. For example, if customers love a competitor’s fast turnaround time, highlight your speed and reliability across your website and GBP.

2. Backlink Profiles

High-quality backlinks boost credibility and rankings. Use tools such as Ahrefs or SEMrush to explore your competitors’ backlink sources. Are they listed in local news articles, industry blogs or business directories?

This gives you a roadmap for link-building outreach. If a publication links to them, there’s a chance they’d be open to linking to you, too, especially if your content adds more value.

3. User Experience and Site Performance

Google values user experience. A fast-loading, mobile-friendly site with clear calls to action can help improve rankings and conversion rates. Compare your site with your competitors:

• Are their pages faster?
• Is their navigation smoother?
• Are they providing a better mobile experience?

Improving your technical SEO and user journey can often give you the edge without changing a single word of content.

Tools That Can Help

Conducting a thorough local SEO competitor analysis can be time-consuming, but it’s far easier with the right tools. Here are a few to consider:

• BrightLocal – for local citation audits and GBP insights
• SEMrush/Ahrefs – for backlink and keyword analysis
• Google’s PageSpeed Insights – to assess site performance
• GMB Everywhere – for analysing competitor GBP listings directly in search results

These platforms allow you to monitor, measure, and out manoeuvre your rivals effectively without the guesswork.

Turn Insights into Action

Knowing what your competitors are doing is only half the battle. The real magic happens when you act on that information:

• Fill in content gaps
• Get listed in missed directories
• Improve your GBP
• Gain better backlinks
• Provide a better user experience

Treat online competitor analysis as a regular part of your optimisation cycle, not a one-time task. Your competitors won’t stand still, so neither should you.

At Springhill Marketing, we don’t just track your competitors; we help you beat them. With our expert-led online competitor analysis, we’ll uncover exactly what’s holding your rankings back and build a data-driven strategy that gets you noticed by the right people in the right place at the right time. Get in touch with our team and start turning local searchers into loyal customers.