How to Analyse Competitor Content for Local SEO

Last Updated on 25 September 2025 by Dorian Menard

Want to improve your local SEO strategy? Start by analysing your competitors.

Competitor analysis helps you discover what works for others and how to do it better. Here’s how:

• Identify Competitors: Search using your services and location (e.g., "dentist Perth"). Focus on businesses that rank high on Google Maps and organic search results.
• Use Tools: Tools like Google Business Profile, Google Analytics, local ranking trackers and geo-grid trackers can uncover competitor strengths.
• Analyse Content: Check their website structure, keyword use, and local content. Look at pages, headings, and posts for location-specific information.
• Find Content Gaps: Use "People Also Ask" and local council sites to uncover missed topics.
• Improve Your Pages: Add suburb-specific details, local stats, and customer testimonials to stand out.

Local SEO Tutorial – The Ultimate Guide To Ranking Locally

Finding Your Local Search Competitors

Here’s how to identify and evaluate your local competition effectively.

Using Search Results to Spot Competitors

Start by running searches just as your potential customers would. Use an incognito browser and search for your main services along with location-specific terms. For instance, if you’re a dentist in Perth, try searching "dentist Perth" or "dental clinic Perth CBD."

Pay attention to these sections in the search results:

• Google Maps: Look at the top 3 local results.
• Organic Results: Review the first two pages of results.
• Related Searches: Check the suggestions at the bottom of the page.

Focus on businesses that consistently show up across different searches related to your services. These are likely your most prominent local competitors.

Once you’ve identified key competitors, you can dig deeper using specialised tools.

Best Tools for Research

Using the right tools can make competitor research much easier. Here are some essential ones to consider:

Focus on competitors located within your immediate service area. For most local businesses in Australia, this usually means those within a 5-10 kilometre radius, though this can vary depending on industry and population density.

When using these tools, prioritise competitors that appear consistently across multiple local search terms. These businesses often have strong local SEO strategies that are worth studying.

Keep in mind that regular monitoring is crucial, as search rankings can change with shifts in the market.

See our 5 steps to identify local competitors guide for a deeper process!

Analysing Competitor Content Methods

Take a closer look at how competitors approach local SEO by examining their website structure, keyword usage, and local content strategies.

Website Structure Review

Understanding how competitors organise their websites can provide insights into effective local SEO practices.

• Navigation Structure: Check if they have clear navigation to location-specific pages, include service area descriptions, create suburb-focused landing pages, or use local directory listings.
• URL Structure: Look for patterns like:
  • domain.com.au/location/service
  • domain.com.au/suburbs-we-service
  • domain.com.au/city-name-service
• Internal Linking: Assess how they link between local service and location pages, especially cross-references between suburbs. This can reveal how they connect local keywords with their site structure.

Local Keyword Research

Competitors’ keyword strategies can highlight their geographic focus and content priorities. Here’s what to analyse:

By studying these elements, you can understand how competitors position themselves for local audiences—use our local keyword research guide to support your process.

Local Content Review

Reviewing the depth and focus of competitors’ local content can uncover opportunities to improve your strategy.

• Location Pages: Look for detailed local information, references to landmarks, coverage of nearby suburbs, and the use of local statistics.
• Google Business Profile Posts: Examine how often they post, the types of content they share, use of local imagery, and how they engage with customers. This is a service we offer as part of our Google Business Profile management service!
• Area-Specific Content: Check for content that highlights community involvement, participation in local events, area-focused case studies, or testimonials from specific suburbs.

These insights can guide you in refining your local SEO efforts to gain a competitive edge.

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Content Gaps and Missing Topics

Finding Missed Local Topics

To spot untapped local content opportunities, look for gaps in what competitors are covering.

• Check Google’s “People Also Ask” and “Related Searches” for your target suburbs to discover topics that aren’t being addressed. Explore local council sites and community boards, and check out our local SEO content examples for inspiration.
• Focus on emerging neighbourhoods and smaller communities that may not be well-represented online.
• Explore local council websites and community boards for insights like:
  • New infrastructure projects
  • Upcoming property developments
  • Regulatory changes
  • Community initiatives or events

Measuring Content Success

To understand what resonates with local audiences, analyse how competitor content performs. Here’s a breakdown:

These metrics help you pinpoint what works and where improvements can be made.

Building Better Local Pages

To stand out from competitors, create detailed and engaging local content:

• Add Rich Location Context:
  • Include information on local demographics, landmarks, and recent developments.
  • Highlight notable facilities and business districts.
• Customise for Service Areas:
  • Address specific challenges for older vs newer suburbs.
  • Factor in seasonal needs and local council regulations.
  • Offer tailored solutions for each area.
• Increase Content Depth:
  • Develop suburb guides with up-to-date statistics—our how to write location-specific blog content guide will help.
  • Share area-specific case studies and customer testimonials.
  • Include before/after project galleries with clear location details.

Using Research to Improve Local Rankings

Updating Current Content

Use competitor insights to strategically improve your existing pages. Focus on these key areas:

• Content Depth: Expand thin pages with detailed suburb information, recent updates, and local statistics.
• Keyword Optimisation: Add location-specific keywords identified through competitor analysis.
• Local Context: Strengthen references to the local area and build quality local citations (see our list of 20 free best Australian citation sites to use for SEO) — and make sure to avoid common local citation mistakes.

Prioritise updates based on how well the page is performing and its potential to drive results:

These updates lay the groundwork for creating custom location pages to improve your local rankings further.

Building Location Pages

Use competitor insights to craft location pages that stand out and provide real value to local users.

Local Authority Signals: Build detailed suburb profiles by including:

• Demographic data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Local market trends and data
• Development plans from local councils
• Community event calendars

Service Area Specifics: Clearly define service areas by detailing suburb boundaries, distance to the CBD (in kilometres), transport links, and key precincts.

Local Trust Indicators: Enhance credibility by showcasing:

• Testimonials from customers in the area
• Partnerships with local businesses
• Highlights of community involvement
• Galleries of recent projects, including exact locations

Don’t forget to enhance local trust signals with structured data—learn more in our ultimate guide to local schema validation.

Measuring Results

After making updates and launching new pages, track performance to understand the impact.

Key metrics to monitor:

Use tools like Google Business Profile insights and local search analytics to monitor:

• Time spent on location pages
• Click-through rates from search results
• Enquiry form submissions by suburb
• Direction requests from your Google Business Profile

Conclusion: Making Competitor Analysis Work

Main Points

Competitor analysis is a key part of improving local SEO. Here’s how to approach it:

Thorough Research: Examine essential elements like site structure, keyword use, content quality, and user engagement. Pay particular attention to:

• Local page organisation
• Location-specific keywords
• User interaction and rankings

Actionable Steps: Turn your findings into focused strategies:

• Add detailed location information to your content
• Create suburb-specific pages
• Build strong local trust signals
• Keep a close eye on performance metrics

These steps help establish a system for continuous monitoring and improvement in your local SEO efforts.

Regular Updates

Implementation Tips:

• Plan quarterly deep-dive analyses of your competitors’ best-performing pages.
• Keep a record of successful content strategies for each service area you target.

Related Blog Posts

• 5 Steps To Identify Local Competitors
• How To Write Location-Specific Blog Content
• How To Audit Competitor Google Business Profiles
• Local SEO Content Examples for Australian Businesses