How to use Semrush to analyze competitors and create better content?

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kalakako

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Hi everyone,

I want to learn how to properly use Semrush to analyze competitor websites and then create better, optimized content for my own site.

What’s your practical workflow for competitor research, keyword extraction, and content planning using Semrush?

Looking for real methods that actually work. Thanks!
 
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kalakako said:
Hi everyone,

I want to learn how to properly use Semrush to analyze competitor websites and then create better, optimized content for my own site.

What’s your practical workflow for competitor research, keyword extraction, and content planning using Semrush?

Looking for real methods that actually work. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I start by monitoring on competitors’ top pages, grab their best keywords, and then use that to create content that fills the gaps
 
Instead of chasing volume, target the areas where your opponent is getting traffic but is weak. That's where you get the quickest results.
 
Here’s a short, practical workflow that actually works in Semrush:


1️⃣ Find Real Competitors
Use Organic Research → Competitors to see who ranks for your target keywords.


2️⃣ Extract Top Keywords
Open a competitor’s domain → check Top Pages and export high-traffic keywords.
Filter by:


  • Low/medium keyword difficulty
  • High intent (commercial/informational)
  • Stable traffic trend

3️⃣ Keyword Gap Analysis
Use Keyword Gap Tool to find keywords competitors rank for — but you don’t.


4️⃣ Analyze Their Content Structure
Open top-ranking pages and study:


  • Headings (H1, H2, H3)
  • Word count
  • Internal links
  • FAQs
  • Search intent match

5️⃣ Create Better Content
Improve on:


  • Depth & clarity
  • Updated data
  • Better structure
  • Add FAQs + schema
  • Strong internal linking

6️⃣ Optimize Before Publishing
Use SEO Writing Assistant for on-page optimization.


Focus on search intent + topical authority — not just word count.
 
kalakako said:
Hi everyone,

I want to learn how to properly use Semrush to analyze competitor websites and then create better, optimized content for my own site.

What’s your practical workflow for competitor research, keyword extraction, and content planning using Semrush?

Looking for real methods that actually work. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Well, if they are not careful, you can find their whole backlink architecture and copy that.

But usually the highest cpc niches will try to use every trick in the book to hide any backlink by blocking ahref and such bots.

If they do not cover, then @Abdul Waheed has covered the basics
 
kalakako said:
Hi everyone,

I want to learn how to properly use Semrush to analyze competitor websites and then create better, optimized content for my own site.

What’s your practical workflow for competitor research, keyword extraction, and content planning using Semrush?

Looking for real methods that actually work. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Hey! I recommend that you first figure out who your biggest competitors are, and then use Semrush to look at their best sites and keywords. Look for holes in their content and arrange your posts around subjects where you can provide something new. Always put your results in a clear order so you can always turn them into optimal content that works.
 
kalakako said:
Hi everyone,

I want to learn how to properly use Semrush to analyze competitor websites and then create better, optimized content for my own site.

What’s your practical workflow for competitor research, keyword extraction, and content planning using Semrush?

Looking for real methods that actually work. Thanks!
Click to expand...
You need to search for the competition on your niche, then steal their best keywords and their best backlinks.
 
Semrush works best when you stop treating it like a magic tool. I start by analyzing top competitors’ traffic and top pages, noting keywords they rank for. Then I pick gaps they’re weak on, check search intent, and plan content that’s more detailed, up-to-date, and structured better than theirs.
 
Abdul Waheed said:
Here’s a short, practical workflow that actually works in Semrush:


1️⃣ Find Real Competitors
Use Organic Research → Competitors to see who ranks for your target keywords.


2️⃣ Extract Top Keywords
Open a competitor’s domain → check Top Pages and export high-traffic keywords.
Filter by:


  • Low/medium keyword difficulty
  • High intent (commercial/informational)
  • Stable traffic trend

3️⃣ Keyword Gap Analysis
Use Keyword Gap Tool to find keywords competitors rank for — but you don’t.


4️⃣ Analyze Their Content Structure
Open top-ranking pages and study:


  • Headings (H1, H2, H3)
  • Word count
  • Internal links
  • FAQs
  • Search intent match

5️⃣ Create Better Content
Improve on:


  • Depth & clarity
  • Updated data
  • Better structure
  • Add FAQs + schema
  • Strong internal linking

6️⃣ Optimize Before Publishing
Use SEO Writing Assistant for on-page optimization.


Focus on search intent + topical authority — not just word count.
Click to expand...
I'd also add cluster analysis to the top organic pages section of Semrush. You can often find entire clusters of pages there that most competitors don't have. This allows you to collect traffic with virtually no competition.In highly specific niches, this is rare, but in low-competition ones, I often notice it when analyzing competitors through Semrush or Ahrefs.
 

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kalakako said:
Hi everyone,

I want to learn how to properly use Semrush to analyze competitor websites and then create better, optimized content for my own site.

What’s your practical workflow for competitor research, keyword extraction, and content planning using Semrush?

Looking for real methods that actually work. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Honestly, Semrush is too comprehensive a tool for anyone to describe ALL the ways to analyze competitors with it.
Briefly, this is how I usually do it in Semrush:
1. I find the main, highly competitive keyword in the niche.
2. Using this keyword, I find the top competitors (with the most traffic).
3. Next, I analyze each competitor by:- semantics- pages receiving the most traffic- link structure
Based on this, I decide what content to create.
I can often extract the semantics from all the top competitors into one file, remove duplicates, and thus compile the most comprehensive and well-developed semantics for my project. I do the same for competitors' link structure.
 
Check competitors’ top pages and keywords, find gaps in their content, use Semrush to track search volume and difficulty, then create content that’s more detailed, updated, and better optimized.
 
I usually start with Semrush’s Domain Overview to see competitors’ top pages and keywords. Then I use the Organic Research and Keyword Gap tools to identify keywords they’re ranking for that I can target. For content planning, I analyze top-performing pages’ structure, word count, and intent, then create content that’s more comprehensive or better organized. Keeping a spreadsheet to track opportunities and progress makes the workflow much easier to manage.
 
I usually start by entering competitor domains into Semrush. From there, I check top pages, keywords, and backlink sources too. So you can try that too.
For me, extracting high-traffic keywords with low difficulty and creating better content around them worked best.
 
Use SEMrush to analyze competitors by entering their domain in Organic Research to find their top keywords and pages. Export those keywords, identify gaps with Keyword Gap, and create more detailed, optimized content targeting those terms. Track your rankings using Position Tracking.
 
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