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Seriously need someone to explain this to me

by junilerick
16 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Maybe it's just me but it seems that doing thorough competition analysis is something that is being severely underplayed in SEO.

Almost every guide tells you when analyzing your competition, besides the usual on-page factors (url, title, h1/h2/h3 tags, etc) you just need to check the quantity of links and their PR.

I find it strange when guides say "yeah, when I see sites with PR0 and only a few hundred backlinks, I know I can beat them easily!" or something similar to that considering that's exactly what the guide tells you to do, as well.

Furthermore, if link wheels and pyramids are so powerful then isn't it likely that your competitors are doing it, as well? And if you don't do a thorough job of inspecting the backlinks, maybe even the tier 2 backlinks in some cases, then how does your analysis accurately reflect the true strength of your competition?

Am I missing something here or are these factors just not as important as I think?
#explain
  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    I think people spend too much time worrying about competition. You have to realize, most people don't have anyone doing SEO for them. If you know SEO, then you can easily swoop in and take over spots, even if they have higher PR, and a lot of backlinks. Most sites with 1-2K back links... I can beat with 200. It just really depends on the strength, your on site optimization, and how much work you put into it.
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    • Profile picture of the author junilerick
      Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

      I think people spend too much time worrying about competition. You have to realize, most people don't have anyone doing SEO for them. If you know SEO, then you can easily swoop in and take over spots, even if they have higher PR, and a lot of backlinks. Most sites with 1-2K back links... I can beat with 200. It just really depends on the strength, your on site optimization, and how much work you put into it.
      Well, most niche sites that I'm thinking of creating have competition with EMDs, meaning they must know a thing or two about SEO themselves.
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    • Profile picture of the author Tad 100
      Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

      I think people spend too much time worrying about competition. You have to realize, most people don't have anyone doing SEO for them. If you know SEO, then you can easily swoop in and take over spots, even if they have higher PR, and a lot of backlinks. Most sites with 1-2K back links... I can beat with 200. It just really depends on the strength, your on site optimization, and how much work you put into it.
      Straight to the point. Agree 100% and suggest to listen to this.
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  • Profile picture of the author junilerick
    Are there any other warriors that have some insight on the subject?
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  • Profile picture of the author bigcat1967
    I will say this. I was watching video of Matt Cutts and he says that social networking plays a lot into this. You can optimize your site - that's fine, but that's not the only thing to be concerned about. Just getting the word out via social media is what counts.
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  • Profile picture of the author cashcow
    Originally Posted by junilerick View Post

    Maybe it's just me but it seems that doing thorough competition analysis is something that is being severely underplayed in SEO.
    I totally agree! Very few books or guides will tell you the indepth analysis that you must do in order to get a good understanding of what you are up against. Why? Because it's not "sexy" - it's a lot of work and quite complicated. People want to hear stuff like "if it has under 50,000 competing websites then it's good" so the people writing the guides are just giving out what most people want.

    Lee
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    • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
      Originally Posted by cashcow View Post

      I totally agree! Very few books or guides will tell you the indepth analysis that you must do in order to get a good understanding of what you are up against. Why? Because it's not "sexy" - it's a lot of work and quite complicated. People want to hear stuff like "if it has under 50,000 competing websites then it's good" so the people writing the guides are just giving out what most people want.

      Lee
      I disagree with you guys... I think people spend too much time analyzing the competition instead of balling up and getting it done, despite competition.
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      • Profile picture of the author junilerick
        Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

        I disagree with you guys... I think people spend too much time analyzing the competition instead of balling up and getting it done, despite competition.
        I think it depends on the type of website that is being built.

        If you're just pumping out a load of micro niche sites, then perhaps over-analyzing may be unnecessary. But on the other hand, if you're going to be building large or authoritative sites that may take lots of time and resources, then wouldn't it be a good idea to analyze the competition thoroughly so it won't end up a complete waste of time?
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        • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
          Originally Posted by junilerick View Post

          I think it depends on the type of website that is being built.

          If you're just pumping out a load of micro niche sites, then perhaps over-analyzing may be unnecessary. But on the other hand, if you're going to be building large or authoritative sites that may take lots of time and resources, then wouldn't it be a good idea to analyze the competition thoroughly so it won't end up a complete waste of time?
          It is only a waste of time if you don't know what you're doing or don't want to dedicate time into it. I know that any niche I get into, regardless of competition, I'm getting that baby ranked.
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          • Profile picture of the author junilerick
            Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

            It is only a waste of time if you don't know what you're doing or don't want to dedicate time into it. I know that any niche I get into, regardless of competition, I'm getting that baby ranked.
            That probably means you're much more experienced than me then. I neither have the experience, time, or resources to rank for some of the more competitive keywords. Hopefully one day I'll share your confidence

            BTW, what is your experience with link building methods such link wheels or pyramids?
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      • Profile picture of the author cashcow
        Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

        I disagree with you guys... I think people spend too much time analyzing the competition instead of balling up and getting it done, despite competition.
        Interesting... I usually attack my keywords by knowing the competition ahead of time so I have a general idea of how many and what types of links I need to get. Do you just use the same backlinking plan for every keyword reguardless then?

        Lee
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  • Profile picture of the author netw6000
    Hello:

    I rarely will analyze a competitor's website. Why? Because I already know from the # of competing websites figure for that keyword phrase whether or not I can beat them - or attain my goal of getting on the first page of google. Link building takes enough time already, you shouldn't waste time with useless analysis when you could be spending your time linkbuilding and other more constructive stuff.
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    • Profile picture of the author ASCW
      Furthermore, if link wheels and pyramids are so powerful then isn't it likely that your competitors are doing it, as well? And if you don't do a thorough job of inspecting the backlinks, maybe even the tier 2 backlinks in some cases, then how does your analysis accurately reflect the true strength of your competition?
      If you analyze the competition and you find that they AREN'T doing this (which is usually true) then that's when (and why) you get excited.

      You'd think that everyone would be doing this - but that's simply not true - and when you do your research and find they aren't using methods - that's when you know you can swoop in and take the number 1 spot. Because you have these methods and they don't.
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    • Profile picture of the author junilerick
      Originally Posted by netw6000 View Post

      Hello:

      I rarely will analyze a competitor's website. Why? Because I already know from the # of competing websites figure for that keyword phrase whether or not I can beat them - or attain my goal of getting on the first page of google. Link building takes enough time already, you shouldn't waste time with useless analysis when you could be spending your time linkbuilding and other more constructive stuff.
      I have to say I disagree with this. The number of competing pages can only be taken as a general gauge - a preliminary screening. It's true that search terms with many competing pages are usually more competitive and vice versa, but that's not always the case. Most importantly, the amount of pages competing says nothing about the competitiveness on first page.

      There are many terms which show low volumes of competing web pages, especially when related to education, where getting onto first page is essentially impossible. Same things goes for search terms that are brand names.
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  • Profile picture of the author ElectroArticles
    I'm jumping between #10 and #11 for a keyword with more than 100,000 searches on google.co.uk a month - The competition is fierce, but mine is an authority site and WILL beat them over the course of the next year
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  • Profile picture of the author Saito
    I'm curious to know exactly WHAT it's important to look at, and what I would DO with that information.

    For example, I can find out that many of my competitors' sites don't have their title tags right, or other onsite optimization they missed. But so what? I'm going to do that right on my site, regardless.

    And about competition's links and their quality...it seems the solution to everything is just get more quality links. A previous poster mentioned the other sites' total # of links is not that important.

    So what's left to learn from analyzing a competitor, (besides finding out which sites they got to link to them) that I would actually NEED to KNOW when I start linkbuilding for my site?
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