007: How to Keep an Eye on the Competition

How to Keep an Eye on the Competition: Digital Tools and Strategies

Competitor monitoring is the practice of using digital tools to track your rivals’ keywords, backlinks, social media activity, and organic search performance. It is an essential discipline for any business that wants to gain an edge online. The right tools give you actionable data — from keyword gaps to link profiles — so you can make informed decisions rather than guessing what the competition is doing.

Competitor monitoring is not a one-time task — it is an ongoing process that should be built into your regular digital marketing workflow. Ignoring your competitors’ online activity is not a strategy — it leaves you vulnerable to being outranked, out-linked, and out-socialised.

What Is Google Keyword Planner and How Does It Help You Monitor Competitors?

Google Keyword Planner is the go-to competitor monitoring tool for most digital marketers, showing you exactly how many users are searching for terms connected to your business. It is free to use and sits inside Google Ads, making it accessible to any business with a Google account.

Keyword Planner allows you to identify keyword gaps — terms your competitors are ranking for that you are not yet targeting. For example, a chocolate company can use the tool to find out how many users are searching for “chocolate bars UK” and then build content around underserved variations that rivals have overlooked.

• Discover high-volume search terms relevant to your industry
• Identify keywords your competitors are using or missing
• Find long-tail variations to target untapped demand
• Filter results by location, language, and date range

How Does SEMrush Help You Analyse Competitor Traffic and Backlinks?

SEMrush is a comprehensive competitor analysis platform that gives you backlink data, keyword rankings, and traffic estimates for any domain you choose to investigate. It is one of the most detailed tools available for understanding where a competitor’s organic and paid traffic is coming from.

To use SEMrush for competitor monitoring, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the SEMrush domain overview tool.
2. Paste your competitor’s URL into the search bar at the top.
3. Review the organic search traffic, top keywords, and referring domains.
4. Export the backlink report to identify link-building opportunities.
5. Use the keyword gap tool to compare your domain against theirs side by side.

SEMrush surfaces the meticulous keyword details and traffic data that make it possible to understand exactly what is driving a competitor’s visibility — giving you a clear target to aim for in your own campaigns.

What Is Majestic and Why Do Backlinks Matter for SEO?

Majestic is a backlink intelligence tool that lets you analyse the link profile of any domain, revealing the quality and quantity of inbound links that contribute to a competitor’s search engine rankings. Backlinks are a fundamental part of any SEO strategy: if you have a strong backlink profile, you are more likely to appear higher in organic search results.

Majestic is available with a subscription or in a limited free tier. Like SEMrush, you simply paste a rival’s URL into the dashboard to receive a full breakdown of their link profile. The data shows whether you need to put more work into your own link-building to close the gap.

How Can Hootsuite Be Used to Track Competitors on Social Media?

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that provides competitor monitoring across more than 30 social networks from a single dashboard. It is initially free, with a paid trial unlocking more advanced monitoring and reporting features.

Using Hootsuite for competitor monitoring is straightforward:

1. Log in to your Hootsuite dashboard.
2. Add a stream for a competitor’s social profile or a relevant hashtag.
3. Track keyword and hashtag activity to see what content is gaining traction.
4. Monitor engagement metrics to benchmark your own content performance.

• Track keywords and branded hashtags in real time
• Monitor competitor posting frequency and engagement rates
• Identify which content formats perform best in your industry
• Manage your own scheduled posts alongside competitor research

Whether it is tracking keywords or hashtags, Hootsuite provides a multitude of useful assets for staying ahead of competitors in the social space.

Frequently Asked Questions About Monitoring Competitors Online

What is the best free tool for competitor keyword research?

Google Keyword Planner is the best free tool for competitor keyword research. It is accessible through a Google Ads account at no cost and provides search volume data, keyword suggestions, and insight into terms connected to any business or industry.

How often should you monitor your competitors’ digital activity?

Competitor monitoring should be carried out at least monthly for keyword and backlink data, and weekly for social media activity. High-competition industries may benefit from more frequent checks to catch strategic shifts early.

Is SEMrush worth paying for as a competitor analysis tool?

SEMrush is worth paying for if you need detailed competitor traffic estimates, backlink data, and keyword gap analysis in one place. The paid tiers unlock export limits and historical data that are not available in the free version.

What does Majestic measure that other SEO tools do not?

Majestic specialises in backlink data and uses its own proprietary metrics — Trust Flow and Citation Flow — to evaluate the quality and influence of links. These metrics give a more granular picture of link profile strength than many general-purpose SEO tools provide.

Can you monitor competitors on social media for free?

Yes, Hootsuite offers a free plan that allows basic social media monitoring across multiple networks. For tracking competitors’ keywords and hashtags at scale, upgrading to a paid plan provides access to more streams and deeper analytics across the 30+ supported social platforms.