In the competitive Australian digital landscape, guessing what content to write is a recipe for wasted budget. By analysing your competitors' content strategy at scale, you can identify exactly what topics drive their traffic, which pages earn the most backlinks, and where the 'content gaps' lie that your business can exploit.
This guide will move you beyond looking at a single blog post to performing a bird's-eye analysis of your entire competitive set. We’ll show you how to find the patterns that lead to conversions so you can out-rank and out-value them in the search results.
Prerequisites
Before we dive in, ensure you have the following:- A list of 3-5 direct competitors: These are businesses offering the same services as you in Brisbane or across Australia.
- An SEO Tool: We recommend Semrush or Ahrefs for 'at scale' data. (Free tools like Google Keyword Planner can work for basics, but lack the competitive intelligence features needed for scaling).
- Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel: To organise and filter your data.
- Your ABN and Business Details: Useful if you need to set up trial accounts for these tools.
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Step 1: Identify Your True Search Competitors
Don’t just list the person down the street. Your search competitors might be national directories (like Yellow Pages) or educational sites (like Wikipedia). What you should see: Open your SEO tool and enter your domain. Look for a 'Competitors' or 'Organic Research' tab. You will see a scatter plot or list showing domains with the highest keyword overlap with your site.Step 2: Export Top Performing Pages
Instead of looking at keywords first, look at pages. This tells you which content formats work.- Enter a competitor's URL into your SEO tool.
- Navigate to the 'Top Pages' report.
- Filter by 'Australia' to ensure the data is relevant to our local market.
- Export this list to a CSV file.
Pro Tip: Look for pages that have a high 'Traffic %' but a low 'Keyword' count. This usually indicates a very high-intent page that is ranking for a few massive, high-value terms.
Step 3: Categorise Content Themes
Open your exported CSV in Google Sheets. Create a new column called 'Category'. Label each of your competitor's top 50 pages. Common categories include:- Product/Service Pages
- Educational Blog Posts
- Case Studies
- Tools/Calculators (e.g., 'Stamp Duty Calculator')
- Comparison Pages (e.g., 'X vs Y')
Step 4: Perform a Content Gap Analysis
This is the most critical step for scaling. Most SEO tools have a 'Keyword Gap' feature.- Input your domain and up to four competitors.
- Select 'Organic Keywords'.
- Look for the 'Missing' or 'Untapped' filter. This shows keywords your competitors rank for in the top 10, but you don't rank for at all.
Step 5: Analyse Content Length and Structure
Pick the top 5 'Missing' keywords. For each, look at the competitor's page that ranks #1.- Word Count: Are they writing 500-word blurbs or 2,000-word guides?
- Headings: What sub-topics are they covering in their H2s and H3s?
- Visuals: Are they using original photography, infographics, or videos?
Step 6: Evaluate Backlink Profiles per Page
Content doesn't rank on words alone. Check the 'Referring Domains' for the competitors' top pages. If a competitor has a page ranking #1 for 'Best Plumbers Brisbane' with 50 unique Australian backlinks, you know that you’ll need more than just good writing; you’ll need a digital PR strategy to compete.Step 7: Assess Content Freshness and Update Frequency
Look at the publication dates. If the top-ranking content across all competitors is from 2021 or earlier, there is a massive opportunity for you to swoop in with '2024 updated' content. Google loves freshness, especially for industries with changing regulations or trends.Step 8: Identify the 'Conversion Hook'
Visit the competitor pages manually. What is their Call to Action (CTA)?- Are they offering a free PDF download?
- Is there a 'Get a Quote' button fixed to the header?
- Do they use a chatbot?
Step 9: Look for 'Low Hanging Fruit' (Featured Snippets)
Identify keywords where a competitor holds the 'Position Zero' (the featured snippet box). Analyse the formatting they used. Is it a numbered list? A table? A short paragraph? You can often 'steal' this spot by providing a clearer, more concise answer in the same format.Step 10: Map Out Your Content Calendar
Take your findings and create a 3-month plan. Prioritise content that:- Has high search volume in Australia.
- Has a high 'Content Gap' (you don't have it, they do).
- Has lower keyword difficulty.
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Callouts
⚠️ Warning: Do not use AI to simply rewrite competitor content. Google's 'Helpful Content' updates are designed to reward original insight. Use competitors for inspiration, but add your own local Brisbane expertise or unique case studies to add value. 💡 Pro Tip: Use a tool like 'AnswerThePublic' alongside your competitor data. This helps you find the specific questions Australians are asking about your competitors' topics, allowing you to create more comprehensive FAQs.---
Troubleshooting
"My competitors are massive national brands and I can't compete with their authority."- Solution: Go hyper-local. While a national brand might rank for 'Conveyancing Services', you can win by creating superior content for 'Conveyancing Services in Chermside' or 'Brisbane CBD'. Local relevance is a powerful ranking factor.
- Solution: Tools are estimates. If a page is prominently featured in their main navigation, it likely converts well even if it doesn't rank for high-volume 'vanity' keywords. Don't ignore it.
- Solution: Filter your CSV by 'Keyword Difficulty' (KD). Focus only on keywords with a KD of less than 30 for your first few months. These are easier to rank for quickly.
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Next Steps
Now that you have a list of topics and a clear understanding of what makes your competitors successful, it’s time to start creating.- Draft your first 'Gap' article: Aim to make it 20% better than the competitor's version.
- Optimise for Local SEO: Ensure your Brisbane location is mentioned naturally within the content.
- Track your progress: Use Google Search Console to see if you start appearing for these new terms.
Need a hand with the heavy lifting? Analysing data at scale can be time-consuming. Contact the team at Local Marketing Group at https://lmgroup.au/contact and we can perform a professional Competitive Content Audit for your business.