Why Analyze Local Competitors?
Local SEO is a zero-sum game for the top positions. Only three businesses appear in the local pack. Understanding your competition helps you:
Identify What's Working
If a competitor consistently outranks you, they're doing something right. Analysis reveals their strategies so you can adapt.
Find Gaps & Opportunities
Competitor weaknesses are your opportunities. Maybe they have poor reviews, an incomplete GBP, or slow response times. Exploit these gaps.
Set Realistic Benchmarks
Understanding competitor metrics (review count, rating, etc.) sets realistic targets. You know what level you need to reach to compete.
Anticipate Market Changes
Monitoring competitors alerts you to market changes: new players entering, existing players improving, or shifts in customer preferences.
Identifying Your True Competitors
Your local SEO competitors might not be who you think. Here's how to identify them:
Search Your Keywords
Search your primary keywords from various locations. Who appears in the local pack? These are your true competitors—the businesses customers see when they search.
Check Different Search Variations
Competitors may vary by keyword. You might compete with different businesses for "emergency plumber" vs. "plumbing contractor." Map out competitors for each keyword cluster.
Geographic Variations
Use geo-grid tracking to identify who competes with you across your service area. Different competitors may dominate different neighborhoods.
Direct vs. Indirect Competitors
- Direct: Same services, same area (your main focus)
- Indirect: Different services but same customer need (worth monitoring)
- Future: Businesses expanding into your market (early warning)
GBP Competitor Audit Checklist
For each major competitor, audit their Google Business Profile:
Basic Information
- Primary category (does it match yours?)
- Secondary categories (how many? which ones?)
- Business name (keywords included?)
- Business description (quality, keywords?)
- Hours accuracy and special hours
Visual Content
- Total photo count
- Photo quality and variety
- How recent are photos?
- Owner-uploaded vs. customer photos
- Video content (if any)
Reviews
- Total review count
- Average rating
- Review velocity (how many per month?)
- Response rate and quality
- Recent review trend (improving or declining?)
Engagement
- Posting frequency
- Post types (updates, offers, events)
- Q&A activity
- Products/services listed
- Attributes set
Competitor Review Analysis
Competitor reviews are a goldmine of intelligence:
What Customers Love
Read positive reviews to understand what customers value. If competitors get praised for "fast response time," that's a customer priority you should match or beat.
What Customers Hate
Negative reviews reveal competitor weaknesses. If they consistently get complaints about "rude staff" or "long wait times," these are opportunities to differentiate.
Unmet Needs
Look for requests or wishes in reviews: "I wish they offered..." or "If only they would..." These unmet needs are opportunities for your business.
Response Quality
How do competitors respond to reviews? Generic copy-paste? Thoughtful personalization? Poor response quality is an easy area to outperform.
Sentiment Trends
Is competitor sentiment improving or declining? A declining competitor creates opportunity; an improving one signals a threat.
Building Your Competitive Strategy
Match Table Stakes
Some things are baseline requirements. If all top competitors have 100+ photos, 500+ reviews, and complete profiles, you need to meet these minimums to compete.
Differentiate Where Possible
Don't just match—exceed. If competitors respond to reviews in 48 hours, respond in 24. If they post weekly, post twice weekly. Be meaningfully better.
Exploit Weaknesses
Prioritize areas where competitors are weak:
- Low review count? Aggressively build reviews
- Poor response rate? Respond to every review
- Few photos? Build a comprehensive photo library
- Inactive posting? Maintain consistent posting schedule
Monitor and Adapt
Competition is dynamic. Set up regular monitoring:
- Weekly: Check for new reviews and ranking changes
- Monthly: Review GBP changes and posting activity
- Quarterly: Deep competitive audit
Focus on Controllables
You can't control competitor actions, only your own. Build the best possible GBP, deliver great service, and earn genuine positive reviews. Long-term excellence beats short-term tactics.