Capture the signal
Map the field
We identify your true search competitors, the domains winning your queries, not just the business rivals you already know.
Competitor & SERP Analysis
Find the gaps your rivals leave open
Your competitors are showing you the way. We map exactly where rivals win, where they are exposed, and the fastest gaps for you to take, across both the classic search results and the new AI answer layer. Then we hand you a plan to move.
Grab the snowball. Give it a spin, and watch it grow as you scroll. Just like your share of voice.
43%
name AI search a core 2026 strategy
14%
actually track AI citations
2
search surfaces we track: SERP + AI
Gap-first
we find the fastest openings
The short answer
What is SEO competitor and SERP analysis?
Competitor and SERP analysis is the practice of studying who wins for the searches that matter to you, how they win them, and where they are exposed. It turns your rivals and the search results themselves into a map of the fastest opportunities you can take.
In 2026 there are two surfaces to read, not one. The classic SERP, with its listings, snippets, People Also Ask and feature boxes, and the AI answer layer, where ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity decide which sources to cite. Most teams only watch the first. Only around 14% track AI citations, even though 43% call AI search a core strategy, so the gap is wide open.
It sits in our first pillar, capture the signal, alongside our keyword and topic research, and it feeds the briefs behind our SEO and AI search work. See the full Data, SEO & AI Search pillar.
The method
How we find your fastest gaps
Six connected stages that turn the competitive field into a prioritised list of openings. We read both search surfaces, then hand you the moves that pay off soonest.
Read the SERP
Classic results
What ranks for each query, plus which snippets, People Also Ask and feature boxes decide who gets the clicks.
Read the AI layer
Who AI cites
Who gets quoted in AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity for your category, the surface most rivals are ignoring.
Find the gaps
Keyword, content & link gaps
The terms, topics, citations and links competitors have and you do not, the openings hiding in plain sight.
Prioritise
Score the openings
Every gap ranked on value and how quickly you can win it, so the plan starts with the fastest wins.
Compound
Plan & monitor
You get a clear roadmap, then we track share of voice across both surfaces so you keep gaining ground.
The scope
What our competitor & SERP analysis includes
Everything needed to turn the competitive landscape into a plan, from the classic SERP to the AI answer layer.
SEO competitor analysis
A clear read on who really competes for your queries, how strong they are, and where they are weak.
SERP feature analysis
Which snippets, People Also Ask and feature boxes win each query, so you target what actually earns clicks.
Keyword gap analysis
The valuable terms rivals rank for and you do not, ranked by how quickly you could take them.
AI citation & share of voice
Who AI engines cite for your category, and how your share of voice compares, the surface most rivals miss.
Content gap analysis
The topics and questions competitors cover and you do not, mapped into briefs you can act on.
Backlink gap analysis
The authoritative sites linking to rivals but not to you, a ready-made list of targets to earn.
Competitor rank tracking
Ongoing monitoring of where you and your rivals move, across both classic and AI results.
Competitive benchmarking
Visibility, authority and share-of-voice scores that show exactly where you stand in the field.
Opportunity roadmap
A prioritised plan of the fastest, highest-value gaps to take, ready to brief and build.
The shift
Your rivals watch one SERP. We watch two
Search is no longer a single list of links. There is the classic results page, and there is the AI answer layer that increasingly decides who gets seen. Win one and miss the other, and you are only half visible.
Here is the opening: only around 14% of marketers track who AI engines cite, even though 43% say AI search is a core 2026 strategy. We monitor both surfaces, so we can show you exactly where a competitor is exposed and how to take that ground first.
The output is not a dump of data. It is a ranked list of the fastest gaps, with the moves to close them.
43%
of marketers name AI search a core 2026 strategy, so the competition for citations is starting now.
14%
actually track who AI engines cite, so monitoring the answer layer is a real, current edge.
2 surfaces
the classic SERP and the AI answer layer, watched together so nothing about a rival is hidden.
The proof
What knowing the field unlocks
Our recent competitor data suggests what knowing the field can unlock, and because share of voice compounds, the gains tend to grow the longer we run.
0+
Gap terms found
A first analysis routinely surfaces a hundred-plus terms rivals rank for that you could take.
0%
More share of voice
Closing the right gaps grows how often you appear against the category leader, on both surfaces.
0 days
To a clear roadmap
You have a prioritised, ready-to-build plan of openings within the first month, not a vague report.
Recent programmes
What knowing the field unlocked
A snapshot of recent client competitor programmes, and how they have rewarded the brands behind them.
RetailKeyword gap
120+ gap terms found
A gap analysis surfaced over a hundred terms rivals ranked for and they did not, reshaping the roadmap.
B2B SaaSAI layer
Out-cited a rival
Tracking the AI answer layer showed where a competitor was being cited, and exactly how to take the citation.
ServicesOngoing
Share of voice up
Monthly SERP and AI monitoring steadily grew their share of voice against the category leader.
Why Snowball
Intelligence you can act on, not just admire
We are a data-first agency. Competitor and SERP analysis is not a slide deck that gathers dust; it is the opening move that points our SEO, AI search and content work at the gaps worth taking.
-
Both surfaces, always
We watch the classic SERP and the AI answer layer together, so no part of a rival is hidden from you.
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Gaps, ranked by speed
You get the fastest, highest-value openings first, not an overwhelming dump of competitor data.
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Real competitors, not assumptions
We find who actually wins your searches, which is often not the rivals you would expect.
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A plan, not a PDF
The output is a prioritised roadmap your team can brief and build straight away.
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One connected system
Analysis, content and SEO from one team, so the gaps we find are the gaps we close.
The signal
The openings behind every move
Competitive analysis is part of our first pillar, capture the signal. The gaps it finds aim every other thing we do, so momentum compounds.
Sharper SEO
Keyword and SERP gaps tell us the exact pages to build and improve, so SEO targets open ground.
Better content
Content gaps become briefs, so writers fill the holes rivals have left wide open.
Smarter AI search
Knowing who AI cites shows us exactly which citations to go and earn for you.
Start here
Ready to take the gaps?
Get a free competitor audit and we will show you who really wins your searches, where they are exposed across both search surfaces, and the fastest gaps for you to take.
Get your free competitor auditGood questions
Competitor & SERP analysis FAQs
What is SEO competitor analysis?
It is the practice of studying who wins for the searches that matter to you, how they win them, and where they are exposed. It turns rivals and the search results into a map of the fastest opportunities you can take, across both classic results and AI answers.
Who counts as a competitor in search?
Your search competitors are whoever ranks and gets cited for your target queries, which is often not your obvious business rivals. A publisher, a marketplace or a niche blog can own your SERP. We find the domains actually winning your searches.
What is a keyword gap?
A keyword gap is a valuable term competitors rank for that you do not. Mapping these gaps is one of the quickest ways to find content and ranking opportunities, because the demand and the proof that it can rank already exist.
Do you analyse AI Overviews and who AI cites?
Yes, and it is a core part of the work. We track who gets cited in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity for your category and how your share of voice compares. Only around 14% of marketers do this, so it is a genuine edge. It pairs with our AI search work.
What is SERP analysis?
SERP analysis is reading the results page itself: what ranks, and which features (snippets, People Also Ask, images, local and review modules) shape who gets the clicks. It tells us what a winning page for each query actually needs to look like.
How often should competitor analysis be done?
A deep analysis at the start sets the roadmap, then lighter monthly monitoring keeps it current. Search results and the AI answer layer shift constantly, so ongoing tracking of share of voice is how you keep gaining ground rather than losing it.
What do you deliver?
A prioritised opportunity roadmap: your real competitors, the keyword, content, link and AI-citation gaps, and the fastest, highest-value moves to take, ready to brief and build. Plus ongoing share-of-voice tracking if you want it.
How much does competitor and SERP analysis cost?
An initial analysis and roadmap is scoped one-off, and ongoing monitoring runs within a retainer. We recommend a level after a free competitor audit, so you only invest in what will move. Start a project for a tailored figure.