Competitor Backlink Analysis: Steps, Tips and Best Practices for 2025

What if I told you that the key to winning isn’t just about fighting harder but fighting smarter? That’s where competitor backlink analysis comes in. It’s not some magical SEO voodoo; it’s a methodical process of uncovering your competitors’ backlink secrets, learning what’s working for them, and using that knowledge to supercharge your strategy.

In this blog post, we’re not stopping at the basics. I’m breaking down the steps, introducing you to powerful tools and templates, and sharing proven techniques to help you analyze backlinks like a pro. And I’m not just throwing generic advice your way—you’ll see real-world examples and practical tips drawn directly from my experience in the trenches of SEO.

Whether you’re curious about the nitty-gritty of assessing link quality or figuring out how to replicate a competitor’s backlink success (without looking like a copycat), I’ll guide you with clarity, confidence, and maybe a dash of humor to keep things interesting.

Ready to turn your competitors’ strengths into your ultimate advantage? Buckle up, because we’re diving deep into the world of backlinks—step by step, tool by tool, strategy by strategy. Keep reading, and by the end of this, you won’t just understand competitor backlink analysis; you’ll own it.

What is Competitor Backlink Analysis?

In simple terms, competitor backlink analysis is the process of reviewing and understanding where your competitors’ backlinks are coming from, the types of content attracting these links, and the strategies they’re executing to build their backlink profiles. It allows you to benchmark your performance against others in your field and identify areas where you can gain a competitive advantage.

However, while this can be useful, I don’t rely heavily on simply replicating competitor backlinks. In my opinion, SEO isn’t about mimicking what others are doing—it’s about creating a unique, customized approach that stands out. Copying competitors won’t necessarily bring the same results, as SEO success depends on factors unique to each website.

How to Identify Organic Competitors

For Established Businesses: Before you begin your backlink competitor analysis journey, keep in mind that there are three primary, secondary, and indirect competitors. For example, primary competitors offer the same products or services as you and target a similar audience. They’re often direct competitors with similar business models, pricing, and goals.

Here’s the process to find your direct organic SEO competitors using Ahrefs:

Enter Your Domain in Site Explorer: Go to Ahrefs Site Explorer and input your website URL. Next, navigate to the “Organic competitors” report:

This report shows websites that rank for similar keywords to yours.

Following, Analyze Overlap and Shared Keywords: Review the “Common Keywords” column to see how many keywords you and your competitors both rank for.

Focus on domains with high keyword overlap, as they are your primary organic competitors.

Segment Competitors: Identify primary competitors (high overlap in core keywords), secondary competitors (partial overlap), and indirect competitors (targeting similar audiences).

For NEW Websites: If you’ve just launched your website and haven’t yet ranked for any keywords, you’ll need to identify competitors manually. This occurs when you enter your target keywords into search engines and examine the SERPs. In this case, you’ll likely encounter a mix of primary, secondary, and indirect competitors because sometimes search engines display a variety of websites related to your query, some of which may not directly compete with your business.

For example, if you’re running an eCommerce store that sells a specific product, you might see Amazon or popular affiliate websites ranking for the same product keywords.

Yes, these websites appear in the search results but they’re not necessarily organic competitors in the traditional sense. For instance, Amazon has vast resources and ranks for countless keywords, while affiliate sites might promote multiple brands and products rather than directly competing with you in the market.

Similarly, you might encounter websites that sell your product but are focused on a broader range. For instance, a retailer that includes your product among thousands of unrelated items isn’t a primary competitor—they simply share some of the same keywords without focusing solely on your niche.

In these cases, it’s essential to filter results to find those that are most similar to your business model and target market. This way, you can focus on true organic competitors that share your audience, objectives, and niche, rather than general platforms or broad-scope retailers that don’t offer a comparable product experience.

Finally, as a business owner, if you already know of some direct competitors, you can use SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to analyze their backlink profiles by simply entering their domains.

However, it’s essential to ensure that the competitor has a strong online presence before diving into a backlink analysis. Your competitors might be well-established in your industry but lack a robust SEO strategy or a quality backlink profile. In such cases, they may be a fit as a business competitor but not an ideal benchmark for SEO and digital strategy.

Page vs. Domain-Level Competitors

This is an important distinction in search engine optimization that helps you organize your competitive analysis and better understand who you’re up against, either on a specific keyword or across an entire site.

Page-Level Competitors

What They Are: Page-level competitors are websites that compete with you on specific pages for individual keywords or topics. They may not be direct competitors across your entire business or even in your niche but happen to rank for the same terms.

Example: Imagine you have an SEO agency and write a blog post targeting the keyword “How to Optimize Blog Posts for SEO” to attract potential clients interested in improving their website’s content strategy.

For this specific keyword, you might find page-level competitors that aren’t SEO agencies but have content on the same topic. These could include Hubspot, Ahrefs, or Neil Patel’s blog.

In this case, none of these examples competes directly with your SEO agency on a domain level, they each rank for the same keyword on a particular page. This means they’re competing for the same audience search intent on that specific topic, even if their primary business goals differ.

Why It Matters: Analyzing page-level competitors is valuable for understanding immediate competition on particular keywords. You can identify what content strategies, keyword targeting, and backlinks these pages use, which can help you optimize your page to outrank them.

For example, if you’re running an eCommerce store selling skincare products and want to build backlinks to your product category pages, you could focus on finding competitor backlinks directed to similar commercial pages (like “Moisturizers” or “Serums” category pages). Reaching out to the sites linking to these commercial pages can be more effective for securing links, as these pages generally aren’t linked to naturally as often and may be open to link-building deals or placements.

To do this

Open Ahrefs: Log in to your Ahrefs account and go to Site Explorer. In the search bar, enter the domain of the competitor you want to analyze and click Search. On the left-hand sidebar, under Pages, select Best by Links. This report will display the pages on the competitor’s site that have the most backlinks pointing to them.

The Best by Links report will show you each page’s URL, Referring Domains (number of unique websites linking to the page), Backlinks (total number of backlinks), and Traffic (estimated organic traffic).

If you want to focus on commercial or informational content, you can apply filters. For example, filter URLs containing specific keywords like “product,” “category,” “blog,” or “guide” to isolate certain types of pages.

If you’re only interested in dofollow backlinks, you can use the filter for Link Type and select Dofollow to see only pages with valuable dofollow links.

However, if your goal is to understand a competitor’s content strategy and see which pages naturally attract backlinks, it’s better to filter competitor backlinks that point to their informational content. Informational pages like “How to Choose the Best Face Serum” or “Benefits of Vitamin C for Skin” generally attract more organic backlinks because they provide value-driven, educational content.

Domain-Level Competitors

What They Are: Domain-level competitors compete with you across their entire website, either offering similar products, services, or content and targeting the same audience.

Example: If you’re a health-focused online store, a similar site might be a domain-level competitor since they sell a range of health products, targeting the same customer base as you. These are businesses that compete with you broadly and consistently across many keywords.

Why It Matters: Domain-level competitor analysis is essential for strategic insights into your industry’s top players. You can study their overall SEO strategies, including their content focus, site structure, and backlink profile.

How to Get the Most out Of It

In my comprehensive guide on link-building for beginners, I’ve highlighted an important point: not all backlinks are created equal. When you examine a competitor’s backlink profile, it’s crucial to remember that just because a backlink exists, it doesn’t mean it’s valuable or worth pursuing. Some links may come from low-quality sites or unrelated niches, which could negatively impact your SEO if you try to replicate them.

Quick Wins

Firstly, it’s essential to decide whether you want to focus on quick wins or invest in a long-term strategy. For those interested in rapid results, focusing on competitors’ backlinks that are likely purchased through guest posts or niche edits can be a straightforward and effective route. In many cases, the signs are obvious—consistent anchor text on target keywords, placements on industry-relevant blogs, or partnerships with niche-specific websites. In such a case, you can reach out to the same website owners or editors to explore similar backlink options, potentially securing high-quality links with minimal time investment.

Long-Term Strategy

For a long-term strategy, it’s highly effective to go beyond common link-building techniques. Instead, I would recommend that you focus on understanding the types of topics or linkable assets (free tools, infographics, templates, etc) that your competitors develop to earn backlinks organically (without paying for links).

One powerful technique for this is the Skyscraper technique. You identify popular, high-performing content that already attracts a substantial number of backlinks, then create an even more comprehensive, updated, or visually appealing version of it.

The goal is to surpass the existing content in value, making your version the go-to resource on the topic. Once your improved content is live, you can reach out to sites linking to the original article and suggest they link to your enhanced version instead.

In addition to creating standout content, implementing advanced link-building strategies like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and Digital PR can further support long-term growth.

For example, if you want to find out whether your competitors receive backlinks through HARO link-building, keep in mind that HARO links often have anchor texts that include the brand name, expert name, or a keyword related to authority (e.g., “according to [Brand Name]” or “expert opinion from [Company]”). This helps spot backlinks likely generated through expert contributions.

Pro Tips

To fully leverage competitor backlink analysis, consider additional factors that can give you a competitive edge. Here’s a closer look at the elements you should be paying attention to:

Anchor Text Variations: Understanding the anchor text your competitors use can reveal their link-building strategies and how they’re signaling to search engines. If you see highly relevant keyword anchors, they may be actively targeting those keywords, which can indicate the terms they’re trying to rank for.

Pay attention to a mix of branded and keyword-rich anchor texts as well as natural phrases. A balanced anchor text profile helps you understand which keywords to prioritize and the tone of language that works effectively for high-quality backlinks.

Target Pages: Identify the specific pages your competitors are focusing on, whether it’s their homepage, category pages, blog posts, or product pages. This will help you understand their content priorities and what types of pages earn the most valuable links. For example, if a competitor is heavily linking to their category or product pages, it could indicate they’re boosting pages directly related to revenue.

Industries: Another critical aspect is understanding which industries or types of sites are linking to your competitors. As we know, links from sites within the same industry or related niches often carry more weight with search engines. If your competitor receives links from blogs, news sites, or industry publications, this can signal which types of sites you should also consider targeting to build relevant and authoritative backlinks.

For instance, if you’re building links for an eCommerce store, identifying whether competitors target specific products or collection pages can be incredibly informative. If your competitor’s backlinks point to collection pages, they may be trying to boost SEO performance on pages that contain multiple products, often leading to higher conversion rates. Alternatively, if product pages are prioritized, this may indicate a focus on ranking individual products directly.

How to Filter Relevant Opportunities Among Thousands

Of course, when you see that your competitor has hundreds or even thousands of backlinks, it does not mean that you should consider all of them. you can quickly narrow down to the most impactful backlinks in your competitor’s profile.

My advice to you: never choose links based solely on metrics like MOZ DA, Majestic TF/CF, or similar score-based measurements. These metrics can give an idea of a site’s authority but often miss the mark on what truly matters—real, organic impact. Instead, focus on links that come from sites with genuine organic traffic, a steady traffic history, and high relevance to your niche. A link from a site with active readers and real authority in your industry holds far more weight than any high-DA link without an engaged audience.

How to Find a Competitor’s Backlinks and Analyze Them?

Right now, two major players dominate the field: SEMrush and Ahrefs. Ahrefs is my preferred choice for backlink analysis because of its robust features, including the ability to filter referring domains or backlinks by organic traffic. This feature alone is invaluable, as it allows me to prioritize backlinks from high-traffic domains, which are often more valuable for SEO. Ahrefs also offers in-depth metrics on each link’s quality, domain authority, anchor text, and target page, giving a full view of how competitors structure their backlink strategies.

For those who need a more affordable option, Ubersuggest is available, although it comes with limitations. While it’s a decent tool for basic backlink insights, it doesn’t offer the same in-depth filtering options, such as sorting by organic traffic, and lacks the detailed analysis features that Ahrefs and SEMrush provide. If you’re starting out or have a limited budget, Ubersuggest can help, but it may not fully support more advanced backlink strategies.

How Often Should I Perform a Competitor Backlink Analysis?

The frequency of competitor backlink analysis can vary depending on your industry’s competitiveness, but generally, performing a backlink analysis once per month is a solid benchmark. In fast-paced industries—like technology, finance, or eCommerce—competitors may acquire new backlinks frequently. The monthly analysis allows you to stay updated on fresh links, target valuable sources, and adjust your link-building strategy to match or surpass your competition.

In less competitive niches, a quarterly analysis might suffice. However, checking in monthly ensures that you’re always aware of any sudden shifts in your competitors’ link profiles, especially if they launch new campaigns or content that attracts high-authority backlinks.

How Do I Compare My Backlinks to My Competitors’?

Comparing your backlinks to your competitors’ is known as backlink gap analysis. This method identifies where your competitors have earned backlinks that you haven’t, highlighting potential link-building opportunities for your website.

SEMrush and Ahrefs offer dedicated backlink gap analysis features. You simply input your website and your competitors’ URLs, and the tools will display a side-by-side comparison of linking domains.

What Should I Do if I Find Toxic Backlinks?

If you find toxic backlinks in your competitors’ backlink profiles, you can just bypass them. Toxic backlinks can harm a site’s SEO by signaling to search engines that the site is associated with low-quality or spammy content. if your competitors have numerous toxic backlinks and are still ranking well, it could indicate temporary rankings or an upcoming drop if search engines identify these links. Use this knowledge to monitor competitors’ rankings while also running regular backlink audits on your site to detect and disavow any toxic links.

What Are Common Mistakes?

I think several common mistakes can limit the effectiveness of your strategy. But the most critical mistake to avoid is copy-pasting your competitors’ backlinks, expecting the same results. Just because a backlink works for one site doesn’t mean it will have the same impact on yours.

Can I Automate Competitor Backlink Analysis?

No, fully automating competitor backlink analysis isn’t realistic if you want meaningful, actionable insights. Yes, SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz can gather backlink data quickly, but true analysis requires a human touch to finalize the findings effectively.

Should I Consider Nofollow Links of My Competitors?

Yes, you can consider nofollow links of your competitors. But it’s essential to know that sites that link to your competitors with nofollow tags, are likely to do the same for you. While this isn’t a strict rule, it generally indicates that these sites have policies or practices that limit link equity transfer.

That said, nofollow links aren’t entirely without value—they can still drive traffic, build brand awareness, and occasionally contribute to SEO indirectly. However, the effort involved in securing links from these sites may be high, with lower chances of obtaining a valuable dofollow link. It’s often more effective to focus on high-quality, dofollow link opportunities first while still keeping an eye on these sources for potential engagement.

Does Broken Link Building Still Work?

Yes, broken link building can still work, but I find it to be a time-consuming and often less effective approach. In many cases, other link-building methods, such as guest posting or resource page link-building, can be more efficient and deliver stronger results. Broken link building isn’t entirely without value, but if you’re looking for a high-impact strategy with a more predictable return, there are often better options to pursue.