Understanding what competing law firms are doing online reveals opportunities to differentiate and outperform. Competitor analysis isn't about copying—it's about understanding the competitive landscape, identifying gaps, and developing strategies that give your firm an advantage in search results.
Identifying Your SEO Competitors
Your SEO competitors may differ from your traditional business competitors:
Types of Competitors
- Direct competitors: Similar firms in your market
- National firms: Large firms with local presence
- Directory sites: Avvo, FindLaw, Justia
- Content competitors: Sites ranking for your target keywords
- Aggregators: Lead generation sites
Finding SEO Competitors
- Search your target keywords and note who ranks
- Use SEO tools to identify ranking competitors
- Check local map pack results
- Analyze who appears for different practice areas
Keyword Gap Analysis
Discover keywords your competitors rank for that you don't:
Gap Analysis Process
- Export competitor keyword rankings
- Compare to your current rankings
- Identify valuable keywords you're missing
- Prioritize by search volume and relevance
- Create content to target gaps
Tools for Gap Analysis
- Ahrefs Content Gap
- SEMrush Keyword Gap
- Moz Keyword Explorer
Content Analysis
What to Analyze
- Content types: Blogs, guides, FAQs, videos
- Content depth: Word count, comprehensiveness
- Content topics: What subjects they cover
- Content quality: Writing, accuracy, usefulness
- Content frequency: How often they publish
Identifying Content Opportunities
- Topics they've missed
- Topics you can cover better
- Formats they don't use
- Questions they don't answer
- Local content gaps
Backlink Analysis
Understanding competitor link profiles reveals link building opportunities:
Backlink Metrics to Review
- Total referring domains
- Domain authority distribution
- Types of linking sites
- Anchor text patterns
- Link velocity over time
Link Opportunity Discovery
- Sites linking to competitors but not you
- Directories and listings they use
- Guest post opportunities
- Industry associations
- Local link sources
Technical SEO Comparison
Technical Factors to Compare
- Page speed scores
- Mobile usability
- Core Web Vitals
- Site structure and architecture
- Schema markup implementation
Identifying Technical Advantages
- Areas where competitors are weak
- Technical innovations they use
- User experience differences
- Functionality gaps
Local SEO Analysis
Google Business Profile Comparison
- Categories used
- Review counts and ratings
- Post frequency
- Photo quantity and quality
- Response practices
Local Presence Analysis
- Citation presence and accuracy
- Local content depth
- Location page optimization
- Local link profiles
Paid Search Analysis
Understanding competitor paid strategies informs both PPC and SEO:
- Keywords they bid on
- Ad copy and messaging
- Landing page approaches
- Estimated ad spend
- Ad schedule patterns
Website Analysis
User Experience Factors
- Design quality and professionalism
- Navigation structure
- Call-to-action placement
- Contact accessibility
- Mobile experience
Conversion Elements
- Form designs and placement
- Chat functionality
- Click-to-call implementation
- Trust signals used
- Social proof display
Creating a Competitor Analysis Report
Key Components
- Competitor overview and positioning
- Keyword comparison and gaps
- Content analysis and opportunities
- Backlink profile comparison
- Technical SEO comparison
- Local SEO analysis
- SWOT summary
- Actionable recommendations
Turning Analysis into Action
Priority Actions
- Quick wins: Low-effort, high-impact opportunities
- Content gaps: Topics to create content for
- Link opportunities: Sites to pursue links from
- Technical fixes: Issues to resolve
- Differentiation: Ways to stand out
Ongoing Competitor Monitoring
Competitor analysis isn't a one-time task:
- Set up ranking tracking for competitors
- Monitor new content they publish
- Track their backlink growth
- Watch for website changes
- Review quarterly and adjust strategy
Compete Strategically
Competitor analysis reveals the competitive landscape, but the goal isn't to copy what others do. Use these insights to find your unique advantages—topics you can cover better, audiences you can serve more specifically, and approaches that differentiate your firm.
The most successful law firm SEO strategies combine competitive intelligence with original thinking. Understand what's working for competitors, then find ways to do it better, differently, or in areas they've overlooked. That's how you build sustainable search visibility in a competitive legal market.