Finding My Competitors Keywords

30 replies
  • SEO
  • |
I know who my competitors are.

I want to know what their keywords are.

How does I figure it out?
#competitors #finding #keywords
  • Profile picture of the author Britt Malka
    Depends on where they put their keywords.

    If they use them in the HTML code of their home page, you can detect them by choosing View Code or View Source.

    If they use them in article marketing on Ezine Articles, you can use the same procedure.

    If they use them for PPC campaigns, I don't know how to detect them. I think there's a Windows app. called Spy something, but not sure.
    Signature
    *** Idea Factory ***
    9 Simple & Fun Ways to Come Up With Ideas for Non-Fiction Books

    >>> Click here to get immediate access <<<

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3261288].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Kirk Ward
    So I read all the words in the HTML and in their Ezine Articles posts.

    How do I tell which words are the keywords they are getting traffic from?
    Signature
    "We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

    Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3261304].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author lloydenterprises
    Hi, You could use the Google Adwords tool, look up your competitions site and see which keyword you think is the most important. Then Google will give you a list of keywords that are relevant to that niche. Also a very good tool is market samurai but i believe it costs money, ive never used it myself.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3261306].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author koolphoto
      I use an seobook tool:

      Free Keyword Density Analyzer Tool

      Another good one is from seochat:

      http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-density/
      Signature

      My name is Ken Katz and I am a Web Designer and Photographer. My motto: "If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse." -Jim Rohn

      Celebrity Portrait Photgapher - My Photography Portfolio.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3261332].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Daniel J
      I agree, use Google Adwords keyword tool (free) and instead of typing in a keyword, type in the URL of your competition (this option is right next to the keyword option) Boom! It will give you a huge lists of keywords that your competition is either targeting or are bringing hits to their site!
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3261334].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author realnetworker
      Originally Posted by lloydenterprises View Post

      Hi, You could use the Google Adwords tool, look up your competitions site and see which keyword you think is the most important. Then Google will give you a list of keywords that are relevant to that niche. Also a very good tool is market samurai but i believe it costs money, ive never used it myself.
      I have used both Google Adwords Keyword Tool and Market Samurai. They are both great. Market Samurai does have a LOT more features. I personally have a copy of Market Samurai and have been very impressed with all the features. They have a free trial period so you can try it before you buy it. Then they sometimes offer a pretty good discount if you buy within a certain amount of time. It does take a bit of learning to use, but they have videos that are very easy to understand. They take you through it step by step.

      I have a direct link to Market Samurai on my website:
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262065].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author eshber
    google adwords keyword tool is great
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3261337].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Quentin
    Try downloading a program called Web Ceo.

    The free version will do all you want.

    Web CEO Indepth Review|Web CEO Discount Coupon Code » Web CEO Download

    Quentin
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3261898].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author robbeh
    Or you could do your own research and test the keywords via PPC... why do others always insist on bumming off others hard work.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262021].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Kirk Ward
      Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

      Or you could do your own research and test the keywords via PPC... why do others always insist on bumming off others hard work.
      Because it's available, and could give me a competitive advantage.
      Signature
      "We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

      Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262026].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author JonWebContent
      Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

      Or you could do your own research and test the keywords via PPC... why do others always insist on bumming off others hard work.
      Researching your competition is "bumming off others hard work"?? If that were frowned upon, there wouldn't be very many successful businesses out there. Smart business building is based off of what your competitors are doing.

      When McDonald's got the Extra Value Meal, did you notice how all of the other fast food joints quickly followed suit and created their own Value Menus? Why? Well, because they had to keep up with their biggest competitor or risk going out of business. Do you think restaurants like Burger King and Wendy's would still be in business if they stuck to their old ways while Micky D's was creating all kinds of new menu items and promotions? No chance.

      When you are copying your competition, you are simply copying copycatted ideas. Your competition copied their competition's ideas before you did. It's like stealing money from someone that got the money from a bank they robbed. Is it really stealing?
      Signature

      Get an affordable and reliable Web Content Writer to help grow your online business.

      Learn how to play WINNING poker from me!

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262044].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author gvannorman
        Originally Posted by JonWebContent View Post

        Researching your competition is "bumming off others hard work"?? If that were frowned upon, there wouldn't be very many successful businesses out there. Smart business building is based off of what your competitors are doing.

        When McDonald's got the Extra Value Meal, did you notice how all of the other fast food joints quickly followed suit and created their own Value Menus? Why? Well, because they had to keep up with their biggest competitor or risk going out of business. Do you think restaurants like Burger King and Wendy's would still be in business if they stuck to their old ways while Micky D's was creating all kinds of new menu items and promotions? No chance.

        When you are copying your competition, you are simply copying copycatted ideas. Your competition copied their competition's ideas before you did. It's like stealing money from someone that got the money from a bank they robbed. Is it really stealing?
        Comparing McDonald's value meal to keywords is a good example. Here is how I look at it. If you are running a successful blog in the same niche as I am, then I would want to know where you are getting your backlinks and everything. What anchor text your using, what density your using. Everything that you are doing, I would want to know. Not because I want to copy you, but I want to know what I have to do to beat you. You are competition. Not only that its all out there for the taking.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262052].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author robbeh
        Originally Posted by JonWebContent View Post

        Researching your competition is "bumming off others hard work"?? If that were frowned upon, there wouldn't be very many successful businesses out there. Smart business building is based off of what your competitors are doing.

        When McDonald's got the Extra Value Meal, did you notice how all of the other fast food joints quickly followed suit and created their own Value Menus? Why? Well, because they had to keep up with their biggest competitor or risk going out of business. Do you think restaurants like Burger King and Wendy's would still be in business if they stuck to their old ways while Micky D's was creating all kinds of new menu items and promotions? No chance.

        When you are copying your competition, you are simply copying copycatted ideas. Your competition copied their competition's ideas before you did. It's like stealing money from someone that got the money from a bank they robbed. Is it really stealing?
        First of all...yes, stealing money from someone that got the money from a bank they robbed is still stealing...worst analogy ever

        Secondly, I understand what you're saying...that's not my point. I know everyone one does that and people can make a good living out of it. Even large corporations do it all the time. I was simply trying to state, why does everyone insist on following?

        It's laziness..

        Where did McDonalds get the value menu idea? Right, they created it. Leader.

        Where did all the other chains get it from - McDonalds. Right, they are still in business. Follower.

        Who has sold 100's of billions of burgers? Who dominates their industry? Right, the leader.

        Robbeh
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262126].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author spudnick
          Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

          First of all...yes, stealing money from someone that got the money from a bank they robbed is still stealing...worst analogy ever

          Secondly, I understand what you're saying...that's not my point. I know everyone one does that and people can make a good living out of it. Even large corporations do it all the time. I was simply trying to state, why does everyone insist on following?

          It's laziness..

          Where did McDonalds get the value menu idea? Right, they created it. Leader.

          Where did all the other chains get it from - McDonalds. Right, they are still in business. Follower.

          Who has sold 100's of billions of burgers? Who dominates their industry? Right, the leader.

          Robbeh
          Sorry robbeh, but there is no way the argument you are trying to make will ever hold up. For one, history has proven it wrong and will continue to do so forever. I am not trying to be nasty - just academic.

          One of the most important aspects of being in business is having a firm understanding of who your competitors are, what their strategies are, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and trying to predict what they will do next.

          This is just sound business sense and forms the foundation of every industry and every class you are likely to take on business.

          Think about it like a game of chess. Would you play a game of chess, blindly following your own path? Or would you factor your opponents position and likely subsequent moves into eveery single decision you make?

          I know how I play chess.
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262169].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Daniel Deegan
          What you call laziness I call leverage. Time is more valuable then money. If I can reduce the amount of time I spend on a certain task and still get good results I'm going to do that as long as it's legal and ethical to me. I look at learning from your competitors more along the lines of modeling those who are already successful.

          Modeling works amazingly well in so many areas of life not just business. For example I started playing a game on xbox live called monday night combat. I checked out a few youtube videos of some top players and watched how they played the game...

          An hour later I hopped on xbox live to play the game my self and instantly my performance improved. I was using little tactics and techniques I picked up from the videos I just watched.

          I saved a bunch of time in my own improvement by copying what these great players learned through months of grinding it out...

          I've had the same thing occur for affiliate campaigns, with writing, etc...Play smart and learn from the best when possible is my philosophy.

          Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

          First of all...yes, stealing money from someone that got the money from a bank they robbed is still stealing...worst analogy ever

          Secondly, I understand what you're saying...that's not my point. I know everyone one does that and people can make a good living out of it. Even large corporations do it all the time. I was simply trying to state, why does everyone insist on following?

          It's laziness..

          Where did McDonalds get the value menu idea? Right, they created it. Leader.

          Where did all the other chains get it from - McDonalds. Right, they are still in business. Follower.

          Who has sold 100's of billions of burgers? Who dominates their industry? Right, the leader.

          Robbeh
          Signature

          ****************************************
          Spy & Track Winning Facebook Ads

          Spy & Track
          Winning Google Content Network Ads
          Spy & Track Winning Bing & Google PPC Search Ads
          â„¢ACP - Click Here For Details
          ****************************************

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262179].message }}
          • Profile picture of the author robbeh
            Originally Posted by Daniel Deegan View Post

            What you call laziness I call leverage. Time is more valuable then money. If I can reduce the amount of time I spend on a certain task and still get good results I'm going to do that as long as it's legal and ethical to me. I look at learning from your competitors more along the lines of modeling those who are already successful.

            Modeling works amazingly well in so many areas of life not just business. For example I started playing a game on xbox live called monday night combat. I checked out a few youtube videos of some top players and watched how they played the game...

            An hour later I hopped on xbox live to play the game my self and instantly my performance improved. I was using little tactics and techniques I picked up from the videos I just watched.

            I saved a bunch of time in my own improvement by copying what these great players learned through months of grinding it out...

            I've had the same thing occur for affiliate campaigns, with writing, etc...Play smart and learn from the best when possible is my philosophy.
            Ok I've done enough highjacking of this guys thread - I was simply trying to state people should try and lead more than follow. You clearly don't get it and you'll do fine - but if you only ever model yourself after others and your competition you can only be as good as them at best...never better.

            Sorry Kirk,

            Robbeh
            {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262241].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author Daniel Deegan
              I actually agree with you Robbeh. I just feel modeling is a good starting point to build from. It's one way to shave some time in leveling the playing field.

              You are right though in that to get to the NEXT level you can't use the same line of thinking or ideas that got you to your current level...I'm all for innovation and brining something fresh to the table...(after you got firm footing in your foundation of course)

              Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

              Ok I've done enough highjacking of this guys thread - I was simply trying to state people should try and lead more than follow. You clearly don't get it and you'll do fine - but if you only ever model yourself after others and your competition you can only be as good as them at best...never better.

              Sorry Kirk,

              Robbeh
              Signature

              ****************************************
              Spy & Track Winning Facebook Ads

              Spy & Track
              Winning Google Content Network Ads
              Spy & Track Winning Bing & Google PPC Search Ads
              â„¢ACP - Click Here For Details
              ****************************************

              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262506].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author Kirk Ward
              Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

              Ok I've done enough highjacking of this guys thread - I was simply trying to state people should try and lead more than follow. You clearly don't get it and you'll do fine - but if you only ever model yourself after others and your competition you can only be as good as them at best...never better.

              Sorry Kirk,

              Robbeh
              Knowing what your competition is doing and taking advantage of that knowledge is not stealing. Business is like warfare, and knowledge of your "enemy" (competition) can be used to advantage. Merely copying can allow you to fall into a trap. Knowing where they are and how they got there will give you an idea of where they're going. Understanding their business model is a basic concept of strategic planning.
              Signature
              "We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

              Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262512].message }}
            • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
              Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

              Ok I've done enough highjacking of this guys thread - I was simply trying to state people should try and lead more than follow. You clearly don't get it and you'll do fine - but if you only ever model yourself after others and your competition you can only be as good as them at best...never better.

              Sorry Kirk,

              Robbeh
              I get it. I understand exactly what you are saying...but real life blows your theory away. I can prove my point in one word.

              MICROSOFT

              If you don't get it, look at their history. Find where they have been the "true innovator" you won't find very many examples. Find where they have taken the lessons of others, out developed them, out-hustled them, and out-marketed them, and you will find thousands of examples.

              Your greatest sports legends "modeled" themselves after their own heroes. They learned from them, innovated, and worked hard.

              Trying to uncover your competitors strategies is a very similar tactic. You are trying to find effective methods to market against them. You will take your findings and put your own unique twist into them, you will out-hustle them, out-market them, and if you're good, you will win the battle. You will become known as the leader in your area. (You do consider Microsoft a leader, don't you?)

              On the primary question, I use the Google Adwords External keyword tool as mentioned earlier. I do not only put in the URL of someone I'd consider a competitor, but a wide array of sites in the niche and up a level in the market. Once I uncover a series of phrases there, I'll then move over to Market Samurai to do further analysis and work to uncover other phrases.

              Do I consider it stealing? Not in any manner. I'm simply reviewing the information they have publicly published. I expect they can and will do the same thing to me.
              Signature
              Brain Drained...Signature Coming Soon!
              {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262516].message }}
              • Profile picture of the author Kirk Ward
                Originally Posted by Barry Unruh View Post

                On the primary question, I use the Google Adwords External keyword tool as mentioned earlier. I do not only put in the URL of someone I'd consider a competitor, but a wide array of sites in the niche and up a level in the market.
                Old codgers are blind ... I didn't absorb the instructions to use the Google Adwords Tool and insert the URL of a competitor. Thanks for the reminder.

                This is getting to be pretty helpful. Even the discussion Robbeh kicked off helped a bit by forcing me to stay focused on my original plan of researching the competition and seeing what I could do on my own site.
                Signature
                "We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

                Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)
                {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262569].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author JonWebContent
          Originally Posted by robbeh View Post

          First of all...yes, stealing money from someone that got the money from a bank they robbed is still stealing...worst analogy ever

          Secondly, I understand what you're saying...that's not my point. I know everyone one does that and people can make a good living out of it. Even large corporations do it all the time. I was simply trying to state, why does everyone insist on following?

          It's laziness..

          Where did McDonalds get the value menu idea? Right, they created it. Leader.

          Where did all the other chains get it from - McDonalds. Right, they are still in business. Follower.

          Who has sold 100's of billions of burgers? Who dominates their industry? Right, the leader.

          Robbeh
          McDonald's does not dominate the industry. They may be the industry leader, but Burger King, Wendy's, etc are doing pretty darn well for themselves too.

          Researching your competition does not make someone a follower. It makes them smart. You can improve upon their ideas.

          This is what everyone in all walks of life do. In football, you see this all the time. One coach will create a certain style of offense. A year later, another coach will improve upon that offensive system. The spread offense that's become so popular is just an improved spin-off of some old 1970's style offenses that were commonly run in college.

          Everyone copies someone else in some way. While you claim McDonald's is the industry leader and 100% original........they did not invent the hamburger. Their main seller was not invented by them. I'm fairly certain they didn't even invent the fast food burger joint. Wasn't White Castle actually the first fast-food burger joint?

          What did McDonald's do? They improved upon someone else's idea. They made a burger people like at low cost, served up quickly.

          Burger King, Wendy's, etc.... They all followed suit. Each adding some sort of menu item the other fast-food joints weren't. Wendy's had baked potatoes, for example.

          Then Micky D's got the Extra Value meal. The rest then just copied, like they had to. They had no other choice.

          Once one company started adding certain items, they all tried outdoing each other. Salads, wraps, different side items, etc...

          Oh, and that Dollar Menu that Micky D's has now.........guess what? They copied that from the other fast-food joints that had 99 cent menus.

          McDonald's is no more original than its competitors. Everyone copies something. It's just that the industry leaders are the ones that one-up the competition.
          Signature

          Get an affordable and reliable Web Content Writer to help grow your online business.

          Learn how to play WINNING poker from me!

          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262740].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author gvannorman
    Market Samurai has a free 30 day trial. It is well worth the money that you will spend. Also, try SEOQuake. It can give you keyword density for any webpage.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262041].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author gvannorman
    Back to the topic on hand. If you really want to know what your competitors keywords are. Use SEOQuake for FireFox or whatever browser you use. If you want to analyze these keywords get Market Samurai its a great piece of software and its well worth the money.

    Also, if you want beat your competition at their own game. Then do not model your business after theirs, but figure out what they do and go one step further. Just remember that there are no short cuts to success.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262270].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author gvannorman
    Kirk

    Just keep in mind that knowing what you competitor is doing and following them will not get you above them. You need to think outside the box and go above and beyond them.

    Good Luck
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262650].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Kirk Ward
      Originally Posted by gvannorman View Post

      Kirk

      Just keep in mind that knowing what you competitor is doing and following them will not get you above them. You need to think outside the box and go above and beyond them.

      Good Luck
      Thanks Norman,

      Knowing competitor keywords is just one part of the equation. How they are used, where they are placed, what the actual product is, how it is delivered, how it is perceived,, and much, much more, come into play.

      It comes down to design and implementation of the entire model.

      I'm quite surprised that Robbeh thinks that keywords is the end all and be all answer to everything, and that copying a competitor's keywords is the only technique I will be using or considering. It's like the five blind men describing an elephant. Is it a wall, a snake, a palm leaf, a rope or a tree? If you only focus on one part, your ideas will be limited.

      Kirk
      Signature
      "We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

      Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3264704].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jaegirl75
    Good tips for spying - thanks!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3262679].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author jushuaburnham
    I am also looking ideas on how to spy my competitors, thanks for this great thread.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3263206].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JonAlfredsson
    Market Samurai and Google Adword Tools are among the best tools you can use.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[3263505].message }}

Trending Topics