Analyze Competitors: Step Five in G.E.O.D.A.T.A.

Caleb Turner on February 18, 2025

You’ve gone through steps one through three, and now you’re on a roll to keep the party going. Adopting G.E.O.D.A.T.A isn’t easy work, is it? But Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is becoming a must-have for every content strategy, thanks to the shift towards AI-driven search.

GEO is a framework that helps brands create content that strikes a balance between pleasing both human users and AI-driven search algorithms. So, without further ado, let’s check out the next step in the G.E.O.D.A.T.A. framework—“Analyze Competitors.”

Analyzing competitors will help you gain insights about your rivals and strategies that are working within your industry. The good thing is you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, All you need to do is understand what works. From there, you can refine the approach, which is what you’re going to learn in this article.

Why Competitor Analysis is Essential for Your Content Strategy

There are many brands fighting and competing for visibility, and you’re one of them. With the competition stiffer than ever, AI-driven search engines are reshaping how content is being ranked and delivered.

Keeping an eye on your competitors can bring in several advantages, such as:

  • Identifying tactics that work: Examining and understanding what works for others means you can adopt and adapt strategies that have been proven effective. 
  • Recognizing gaps: No brand is perfect, and you’ll be able to spot the areas where competitors are lacking. Those missing puzzle pieces give your brand an opportunity to fill them.
  • Staying informed: Staying up-to-date on competitors keeps you aware of industry trends and shifts.
  • Enhancing your content strategy: Understanding your competitors’ content strategy will help you refine your approach and improve your search visibility.

Many brands skip out on competitor analysis, but it’ll only isolate your business and prevent you from gaining valuable insights that could improve your online presence.

Steps to Effectively Analyze Competitors

Scoping out your competitors will give you insight into how AI algorithms rank and sort content. With this information, you can tailor your content strategy to keep up with the progressive demands of AI-driven search. 

Identify Key Competitors

First things first, you’ll need to analyze your competitors. But don’t waste your precious time. There’s a process, and it starts by pinpointing who you’re actually going up against.

As a rule of thumb, direct competitors offer similar products or services, and indirect competitors may rank for the same keyword.

How to Find Your Competitors:

  • Search for your primary keywords on Google and AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT to see which brands rank at the top. Here’s an example using ChatGPT:
  • SEO tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can help you discover your competitors.
  • Take a look at industry reports and online discussions for emerging competitors.

Assess Their Online Presence

You’ve identified your competitors, which is the most important step. Now it’s time to start digging into their online presence. You’ll want to look over some key areas to evaluate user engagement, content quality, and website structure.

Key Areas to Look At:

  • Website Design & User Experience: How does their website look? Is it easy to navigate? Is it mobile-friendly?
  • Content Strategy: What type of content do they publish (blog posts, videos, infographics, etc.)?
  • Social Media Activity: How do their social media profiles look? Do they engage with their audience? Which platforms do they use?
  • Brand Messaging: What’s the unique value proposition, and how do they communicate it to their audience?

Explore SEO Strategies

We all know that SEO helps you get seen online, which means it’s definitely worth paying attention to. Check out your competitors’ SEO strategies, and you’ll be able to identify tactics that work and capitalize on them.

Factors to Analyze:

  • Keyword Usage: What keywords are they ranking for? Are they targeting high-intent keywords?
  • Backlink Profile: Where are their backlinks coming from? Can you target a similar source?
  • Meta Descriptions & Title Tags: How are they optimizing on-page SEO elements?
  • Technical SEO: Are their pages fast-loading and optimized for Core Web Vitals?

If this sounds like a lot—we get it. The process can be overwhelming, but using services like SEO Rank Media can help take the load off.

Analyze Content Performance

Content reigns supreme in the digital world, and it’s here to stay. Your competitors are bound to be creating content left, right, and center, so this means you’ll need to understand the type of content that’s performing well for them. That’s because it’ll give you real insight into what your audience wants.

How to Analyze Content Performance:

  • Identify articles, videos, or guides that receive high engagement.
  • Check for recurring content themes or formats.
  • Assess content length, readability, and tone to see what works best.
  • Look at AI-generated responses to see which competitor content is frequently referenced.

Monitor Social Media & Engagement

Social media plays a big hand in modern SEO strategies and shapes how content is shared and ranked. Paying attention to competitors’ social media strategies offers handy insights into audience engagement and brand perception.

Key Social Media Metrics to Track:

  • Post Frequency & Timing: How often do your competitors post, and when?
  • Engagement Levels: Likes, shares, and comments show content effectiveness.
  • Influencer Partnerships: Are they collaborating with industry influencers?
  • User Interaction: How do they respond to customer feedback and questions?

Why the G.E.O.D.A.T.A Framework Is the Way to Go

The G.E.O.D.A.T.A. framework represents a journey of adapting to new AI advancements. But remember, it takes time to understand your audience on a deeper level. Once you do, you’ll be able to create content that strikes a balance between AI-driven search optimization and real human engagement. And this is priceless information when you’re developing your brand.

With SEO Rank Media and the G.E.O.D.A.T.A. framework, you won’t need to relearn SEO all over again. Instead, you’ll have a reliable roadmap and the support you need to get your brand in the spotlight. This is your chance to analyze and gain insight from your competitors, using the information to prepare your business for the next shift in content. Is your brand ready?