How to Conduct Competitive Research
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Every time Google updates its algorithm, it presents a new set of obstacles for webmasters and SEOs alike to overcome. Whether it is a change in SERPs (search engine results pages), position, PageRank, or inbound links, one thing is immediately clear: it takes a huge toll on us to live in fear that our website will drop into complete obscurity. Instead of scurrying to fix your website every time an update happens, there may be some things we can do proactively to make sure that our organic search optimization efforts aren’t entirely wasted every three or four months.
First and foremost, you should be aware that during the first week or so of an update, many things will fluctuate before evening out. So if your site suddenly drops 50 places or tanks completely, there is no reason to hit the bottle just yet. There is something you should be doing in the meantime however, and that is research. Do keyword research, web statistics tracking, and continue to monitor position reports in other search engines to understand the entire picture. Because Google commands such a huge share of the search engine market, it’s hard not to be fazed when a shakeup or shakedown occurs, but you really shouldn’t panic.
While there are many different elements to good SEO, one element that doesn’t get enough credit on its own standing is competitive research. What is competitive research? It is the study of your competition, more specifically, the competition that is beating you out of top position in the SERPs. In this article, I want to point out a few techniques you can use to concentrate on beating out your competition for top positioning.
Good research involves good research tools. Successful SEO efforts are not necessarily about the project itself, but rather how well the website’s SEO relates to the other websites around it in the scope of its relevant keywords, and how well it receives popular “votes” from other websites. This is what creates the pecking order of SERPs, so to speak. Competitive research is very important when you are attempting to get a good position in a search engine because you have to know everything about your enemy, so to speak. Any marketer will tell you that strategic planning in regards to your competition is one of the first steps to determining what your target audience is looking for, especially in a highly saturated market.
I’m not necessarily talking about studying your particular industry as a whole, especially not initially, but your direct competition, as well as the top dogs. And as much as you might like to just blow everyone out of the water, more often than not it is a step by step stair-climbing process; sometimes it’s more like watching paint dry or your fingernails grow. If you target your immediate competitors first, then you have a better chance of not only working you way to the top but also feeling pretty good about your progress with measurable results. Biting off more than you can chew is not only inviting disappointment, but you could be setting yourself up for complete failure.
Next: Beginning Your Research: Where do You Rank? >>
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