When I start a keyword analysis, I almost always jump straight to competitors. I don’t start guessing what I should write about, but first look at what’s already working in the same industry and use that as a foundation for my own content.
The goal isn’t to collect thousands of keywords, but to find relevant content ideas that actually have a chance of generating visibility.
What is keyword analysis?
Keyword analysis essentially means finding out which search terms people use to find information, services or products – and which of those are actually realistic for your own website.
For me, keyword analysis isn’t a one-off Excel exercise or a list of search volumes. It’s a way to understand:
- which topics Google already rewards content for
- what type of content works within a given industry
- where your own website actually has a chance to compete
In this article I walk through my own way of doing keyword analysis using competitors – not theory or textbook models.
Keyword analysis is sometimes also called keyword research, and in practice they refer to the same thing even if the terms vary.
If you want to understand how keyword analysis fits into a broader picture, I’ve put together the fundamentals in a separate guide to search engine optimisation (SEO).
Search intent
Keyword analysis isn’t just about words – it’s about the purpose behind a search. Some searches show that the user wants to learn something (e.g. what is keyword analysis), while others show that the person is looking for a service or solution.
That’s why I always assess separately:
- whether the search is informational (guides, explanations)
- or transactional (services, purchasing, contact)
This directly affects what type of content is right for the keyword – a blog post, guide or service page.
The best keyword tools
Below are the tools I use in keyword analysis. I don’t use all of them every time – I choose based on what I’m analysing and where I am in the process.
| Tool | What I use it for | When it works best |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Competitor analysis, Content Gap, keyword themes | When I want to quickly see which keywords competitors actually rank for |
| Semrush (try for free) | Keyword Gap, SERP analysis | A good alternative to Ahrefs, especially if the client already uses Semrush |
| Google Search Console | Own search terms and visibility | When I’m analysing data for an existing website |
| Google Keyword Planner | Approximate search volume check | When I want to confirm whether a topic has any demand at all |
| Google search results | Search intent and content types | When I want to understand what content Google favours for a given search |
| AlsoAsked | Question clusters and searcher intent | When I’m building a FAQ section or want to understand how topics connect |
| Keywordtool.io | Long-tail keywords and variations | When I’m looking for more keyword variants, especially from Google autocomplete |
Keyword analysis with Ahrefs
I did this competitor keyword analysis using Ahrefs, but the same principle works with Semrush’s Keyword Gap feature.
I’ve been doing keyword analyses continuously as part of client projects and my own websites since 2019 when I started working with search engine optimisation. The process has been shaped over the years into something that works for me. It works across virtually all industries and markets, for both small and large websites.
1. Choosing competitors
I start by adding a few players from the same industry into the SEO tool (e.g. Ahrefs or Semrush). I prefer:
- personal brands
- expert sites
- blogs with a lot of content
The most important thing is that the websites are actually on the same playing field as my own. I’d rather choose personal brands and expert sites than large generic portals, because they better show what content actually works in a specific niche – not just who has the most links or the biggest budget.
2. The Content Gap / Keyword Opportunities report
The next step is to go to the Content Gap or Keyword Opportunities report.
This report shows keywords that competitors rank for, but I don’t.
Remember to:
- select the correct country (e.g. United Kingdom)
- compare the right domains
Sometimes the report shows zero results. That’s not an error – it’s often a sign that:
- competitors don’t share many common keywords
- the industry is small or heavily personal-brand-driven
That too is valuable information.
In practice, keyword analysis for Google is about understanding why Google shows certain types of pages for certain searches – not just who happens to be at the top of the list.
3. Manual review of competitors
Even if there aren’t many shared keywords, I always review competitors’ visibility manually as well.
I pay particular attention to:
- blog articles that rank well
- guides and checklist-style content
- service pages
- location-specific pages
At this stage I’m trying to understand:
what content Google considers to work in this industry.
4. Identifying interesting keyword themes
At this point I’m not focusing on individual keywords yet, but on themes.
For example:
- SEO audit
- search engine visibility
- keyword analysis
- AI optimisation
- SEO services
Particularly interesting are keywords that:
- appear across multiple competitors
- directly connect to my own expertise
- have the potential to appear in AI Overviews results
Even a small search volume isn’t automatically a bad thing, if the keyword is highly relevant.
5. Checking search volumes
Once I’ve gathered a list of interesting keywords, I put them into Keyword Explorer and check:
- search volumes
- language (in this case English)
- approximate competition level
At this stage I don’t cut aggressively.
If a keyword supports my own expert brand, it stays on the list.
6. What do I start writing about first?
Since there are rarely an enormous number of keywords, I don’t stress too much about prioritisation. Instead I ask myself:
- what I want to write about
- what supports my services
- where I actually have something to contribute
In this example, the first content topics would be:
- SEO audit
- Search engine visibility
- AI optimisation
- Keyword analysis
These topics:
- are based on competitor data
- respond to real demand
- support long-term visibility
This is how keyword analysis turns into a concrete content plan – without unnecessary over-analysis.
A well-executed keyword analysis ultimately shows up in business results. When content is based on real demand and the right search intent, the website doesn’t just gain visibility – it attracts the right visitors, with a reason to be there.
Keyword analysis vs keyword research
Keyword analysis is a practical step focused on finding concrete content opportunities, often based on competitor data.
Keyword research is a broader process that maps out the full keyword potential of an entire website or business. Keyword mapping comes after that: deciding which keywords belong to which pages.
Frequently asked questions about keyword analysis
Keyword analysis is another term for keyword research. In both cases the goal is to understand which search terms are worth optimising content for and what content matches the searcher’s intent.
It depends entirely on whether it’s done as part of a larger SEO project or as a standalone piece of work. A simple keyword analysis isn’t expensive, but a thorough analysis requires time and experience.
Pricing is influenced by factors such as industry, competitive landscape and how deep the analysis goes. A cheap analysis is often just a list of keywords, a valuable analysis tells you what is actually smart to do next.
The easiest way is to start with competitors, look at which keywords they rank for and assess what content could respond to them better or from a different angle.