- sumit kumar
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Introduction: You’re Not Alone in This SEO Struggle
Let’s face it — there’s nothing more frustrating than searching your main keyword on Google and seeing your competitor sitting pretty at the top, while your website is lost somewhere on page 3. You’ve worked hard. You’ve published blogs, added keywords, optimized titles… yet they’re winning.
The good news? They’re not smarter — just more strategic with SEO. And with the right steps, you can absolutely outrank them.
This blog is your step-by-step guide to understanding why your competitor ranks higher, and more importantly, what you can do right now to catch up — even surpass them.
1. They Know What the User Really Wants (Search Intent)
Your competitor might be targeting the same keyword as you, but they’re doing it better by understanding search intent.
What You Can Do:
Ask yourself: Is the searcher looking to buy, learn, or compare?
Match your content to that intent.
Use tools like AnswerThePublic or AlsoAsked to find what users are really looking for.
Example: Keyword: Best SEO services in Noida
Wrong intent match: A blog post titled “What is SEO?”
Right intent match: A landing page with service packages, client reviews, and contact info.
2. Their Website is Technically Sound
Google loves websites that are fast, clean, and mobile-friendly.
Red Flags in Your Site:
Slow loading time
Broken links or messy navigation
Not mobile-optimized
What You Can Do:
Run a free audit using Google Search Console or Screaming Frog
Fix broken links, improve internal linking, and clean up site architecture
Make sure it loads fast on mobile and desktop
Tip: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to check your load time. Aim for under 2.5 seconds.
3. They’re Publishing Better Content (That Actually Helps People)
Google rewards websites that provide value. Your competitor might be educating, entertaining, or solving problems better than you.
What You Can Do:
Make your content deep, not shallow
Add real examples, case studies, or even a personal story
Update your old blogs with fresh stats and better formatting
Instead of a boring article like:
“5 SEO Tips You Should Know”
Try this:
“How I Helped a Local Bakery in Delhi Double Website Traffic in 90 Days (With Just These 5 SEO Tweaks)”
4. They Have Better Backlinks (aka Google Trust)
Backlinks = Trust votes. If your competitor has more links from relevant and trustworthy sites, Google sees them as more authoritative.
What You Can Do:
Use Ubersuggest or Ahrefs to check where their backlinks come from
Start building your own:
Guest blogs
Local business directories
Testimonials on industry tools
Collaborations with influencers
Focus on quality, not quantity. One backlink from NDTV or YourStory > 20 spammy links.
5. They’re Winning at Local SEO (Especially if You’re a Local Business)
If your competitor has claimed their Google Business Profile, gathered reviews, and added their NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistently — they’ll show up in “near me” searches more often.
What You Can Do:
Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
Add local keywords like:
“SEO expert in Noida”
“Digital marketing agency near Sector 62”
Encourage happy clients to leave Google reviews
Example: Instead of saying “We offer SEO,” say “We offer best seo services noida, serving clients across Delhi NCR.”
6. They’ve Optimized for AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
Google is changing — now, it prefers direct answers over long-winded pages. That’s why your competitor might be appearing in featured snippets or voice search.
What You Can Do:
Write content in Q&A format
Use clear headings like “What is SEO?” “How does SEO help a local business?”
Use FAQ Schema (your developer can add this or use Rank Math plugin if on WordPress)
7. Their Website Works Great on Mobile
Google switched to mobile-first indexing a while ago. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, your ranking is taking a hit.
What You Can Do:
Test your site on mobile using Chrome’s “Inspect > Mobile View”
Use big, readable fonts and no clutter
Avoid pop-ups that block the screen
Use tools like BrowserStack to see how your site looks on different phones.
8. They’re Using Better SEO Tools
Your competitor is likely using advanced tools to analyze their SEO data, track rankings, and tweak strategies constantly.
What You Can Do:
Start using:
Google Search Console – see what keywords you rank for
Ubersuggest – analyze competitors
Surfer SEO – improve on-page optimization
GA4 – understand user behavior
SEO is not a one-time fix. It’s a weekly routine.
Summary: Here’s Why They’re Winning
SEO Factor | Your Competitor Has It? | You Can Improve This? |
Search Intent Match | ✅ | ✅ |
Strong Backlink Profile | ✅ | ✅ |
Better Page Speed | ✅ | ✅ |
Mobile Optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
AEO Optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
Local SEO Optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
Updated, High-Quality Content | ✅ | ✅ |
Conclusion: Don’t Imitate — Elevate!
If your competitor is ranking higher than you, it’s not because they’re better — it’s because they’re more strategic (for now).
You don’t need to copy them — you need to learn from them, then do better.
Take small, consistent steps:
Fix technical issues
Publish human-friendly, locally relevant content
Build relationships (and backlinks)
Optimize for search and real people
Soon, you’ll be the one at the top, and others will be wondering how you did it.
❓FAQs: Let’s Clear Your Doubts
Q1: How long does it take to outrank a competitor?
A: With consistent efforts, results can start showing in 3 to 6 months. For highly competitive keywords, it may take longer — but local SEO can be faster!
Q2: Is SEO just about keywords?
A: No. SEO now includes technical optimization, content depth, user experience, backlinks, mobile design, and more.
Q3: What if my competitor has a bigger budget?
A: Even small businesses can win SEO by being more agile, more local, and more helpful. Budget isn’t everything — strategy is.
Q4: Do I need to hire an SEO expert?
A: Not always. You can start by learning and implementing the basics. But hiring a pro can help if you want faster, focused results.
Q5: Should I copy my competitor’s keywords?
A: You can research them, but don’t blindly copy. Understand why they rank, then create something better and more useful.