Keyword Gap Analysis

Keyword gap analysis is the process of comparing your site’s rankings with those of competitors to find keywords they rank for and you do not, or where they rank much higher. It turns competitor data into a practical list of content and optimisation opportunities.

Written by Paul Hoda, SEO consultant since 2005. Last updated 8 November 2026.

How keyword gap analysis works

SEO tools such as Ahrefs and Semrush keep large databases of which pages rank for which keywords. A keyword gap tool lets you enter your domain and several competitors, then sorts the keywords into groups such as:

  • Missing: competitors rank and you do not rank at all.
  • Weak: you rank, but lower than competitors.
  • Shared: you and competitors both rank.
  • Unique: only you rank.

The missing and weak groups are usually where the opportunities are. The term is often used interchangeably with content gap analysis, although a content gap can also cover topics and formats, not just keywords.

Why it is useful

  • It shows demand you are not meeting, based on what already ranks in your market.
  • It reveals topics or product lines competitors have covered and you have overlooked.
  • It highlights existing pages that need improving because they sit just behind competitors.
  • It gives a more grounded starting point than brainstorming alone.

How to run a keyword gap analysis

  1. Choose the right competitors. Use sites that rank for your target searches, not just businesses you compete with offline. Your search competitors may include publishers, directories or marketplaces. See SEO competitor analysis.
  2. Run the comparison. Enter your domain and three to five competitors, and set the right country database, such as the UK.
  3. Filter the results. Remove competitor brand names, irrelevant topics and keywords with no link to your business. Filter by position, for example competitors in the top ten.
  4. Check intent. Look at the results page for promising terms to understand the search intent and the type of page that ranks.
  5. Group and prioritise. Cluster similar terms and rank them by relevance, business value, keyword difficulty and volume.
  6. Decide the action. For each group, choose whether to create a new page, expand an existing page or improve on-page optimisation and internal links.
  7. Map and track. Add the targets to your keyword mapping and monitor rankings over the following months.

Example

An online garden furniture shop compares itself with three rivals. The analysis shows competitors rank for terms around rattan furniture covers and how to clean teak, while the shop has neither. It also shows the shop ranks on page two for corner sofa sets while competitors rank on page one. The actions are a new category for covers, a care guide for teak and an improved corner sofa category page with better copy and internal links.

Common mistakes

  • Treating every missing keyword as a target, including irrelevant ones.
  • Comparing against sites far larger than yours and setting unrealistic goals.
  • Copying competitor pages instead of creating something better or different.
  • Forgetting that tool data is estimated and may miss niche or new terms.
  • Running the analysis once and never repeating it as the market changes.

Key Takeaways

  • Keyword gap analysis finds terms competitors rank for that you do not.
  • Use competitors that rank in search, not only offline rivals.
  • Filter out irrelevant terms and check intent before acting.
  • Each gap leads to a new page, an improved page or better internal links.
  • Repeat the analysis regularly, as rankings and competitors change.

Related Terms

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