Level up your SEO with an effective content gap analysis

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Content Gap Analysis: Finding Keywords your Competitors Rank for
   1. Using Ahrefs’ Site Explorer tool
   2. Entering Competitors' URLs or Domains
   3. Setting the Mode: Prefix or Domain Search
   4. Filtering Search Results
   5. Refining the Search by Adding More Competitors
3. Content Gap Analysis for Content Refresh: Updating Old Articles
   1. Identifying Relevant Pages Ranking High in Google Search
   2. Finding Sub Topics for Upgrading Old Articles
   3. Using Content Gap Analysis to Generate an Outline for New Posts
4. Consolidating Content: Merging Similar Articles
   1. Comparing and Analyzing Performance of Multiple Articles
   2. Integrating Points from Lesser Performing Articles
   3. Redirecting Lesser Performing Articles
5. Conclusion

✨ Data-Driven Blog Topics with Content Gap Analysis

If you're looking to enhance your content marketing strategy, then content gap analysis is the way to go. In this guide, we will explore the powerful techniques of content gap analysis and how it can sharpen your content marketing efforts. We will delve into three hyper-effective strategies that can provide a significant boost to your website's traffic and ultimately help you dominate your niche. So, let's dive in and discover the secrets of content gap analysis!

🎯 Finding Keywords your Competitors Rank for

The first step in content gap analysis is to identify keywords that your competitors rank for, but your website doesn't appear in the top 100 Google search results. By understanding the keywords your competitors are targeting, you can uncover hidden opportunities to improve your own content strategy. Here's how you can conduct a content gap analysis using Ahrefs' Site Explorer tool:

1. Using Ahrefs' Site Explorer tool: Access the powerful Site Explorer tool on Ahrefs to perform in-depth keyword research.

2. Entering Competitors' URLs or Domains: Enter the URLs or domains of your competitors to analyze their content and keyword rankings.

3. Setting the Mode: Prefix or Domain Search: Depending on the structure of your competitors' URLs, choose the appropriate mode (prefix or domain search) to ensure accurate analysis.

4. Filtering Search Results: Apply filters to refine the search results and identify keywords where your competitors rank in the top 10 but your website doesn't appear in the top 100.

5. Refining the Search by Adding More Competitors: Expand your analysis by adding more competitors to uncover even more keyword opportunities.

🔄 Content Gap Analysis for Content Refresh: Updating Old Articles

Another valuable application of content gap analysis is to refresh your old articles with updated and relevant information. By identifying top-ranking pages for your target keyword, you can uncover subtopics that can be included in your refreshed articles. Follow these steps to improve the quality and relevance of your old content:

1. Identifying Relevant Pages Ranking High in Google Search: Use Ahrefs' organic keywords report to identify relevant pages that rank between positions 5-10 for your target keyword.

2. Finding Sub Topics for Upgrading Old Articles: Analyze the top-ranking pages and extract subtopics that can be integrated into your updated article.

3. Using Content Gap Analysis to Generate an Outline for New Posts: Utilize the capabilities of content gap analysis to create an outline for a new article, leveraging the keywords that top-ranking pages for the parent term are ranking for.

🔀 Consolidating Content: Merging Similar Articles

If you find yourself writing on the same topic multiple times, content gap analysis can help you consolidate your content and eliminate competition between your own pages. By comparing the performance of multiple articles on the same topic, you can merge the best-performing ones and create a more comprehensive and authoritative piece of content. Here's how you can implement this strategy:

1. Comparing and Analyzing Performance of Multiple Articles: Input the URLs of your articles into the content gap analysis tool to determine which one is performing better in Google search.

2. Integrating Points from Lesser Performing Articles: Evaluate the lesser performing articles and identify valuable points or insights that can be integrated into the more dominant article.

3. Redirecting Lesser Performing Articles: Implement 301 redirects to guide users and search engines to the consolidated and more impactful article.

In conclusion, content gap analysis is a valuable technique that can fill the gaps in your content marketing strategy. By understanding the keywords your competitors rank for, updating old articles with fresh information, and consolidating similar content, you can harness the power of data-driven insights to maximize your organic keyword rankings and establish your authority in your niche. So, leverage the potential of content gap analysis and take your content marketing efforts to new heights.

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Created by Ahrefs, a leading SEO tool that helps you grow your search traffic, research your competitors, and dominate your niche.