If you want to be known as one of the best in your industry, then it’s a good idea to pay attention to your competition. Not only should you know who they are, but you should also do in-depth analysis about their digital marketing practices. In this way, you can find out which strategies and methods are the most effective and which you can avoid altogether. Here are a few questions that every Singapore business owner should ask themselves when monitoring the competition.

 

Which Keywords Are They Targeting?

 

One of the most valuable things in digital marketing is high quality keywords. If you want to find out which keywords your competitors are using, try a spy tool like SpyFu. These types of programs will show you their list of keywords as well as tell you which are paid and which are organic.

 

Which Keywords Are They Outranking Us For?

 

Once you’ve discovered which keywords your competition is using, you need to know how well you’re performing against them. Try using tools like AccuRanker in order track your progress. The best part about tools like this is that not only do they show you how you’re performing against your competitor’s keywords, but also how they are performing against yours. If you notice that your competitors are outranking you, then you need to consider in what ways you can do better.   

 

Which Pieces of Their Content Is Shared the Most?

 

There’s a good chance that your competitor’s content marketing strategy may be what helps them to outrank you. This is why it’s a good idea to use tools like Buzzsumo. It helps you to find out which of their blog posts are being shared the most on social platforms. And you can filter this content by topic and by brand. Simply enter their URL for a complete list. Another awesome part about tools like Buzzsumo is that they can help you find competition that you didn’t even know existed.

 

When Do They Put Out New Content?

 

Sure, you could always do keyword research after your competitors have already outranked you for them. However, you could also monitor them in real time by setting up special alerts. More specifically, you could use Google Alerts. Enter certain keywords and be alerted whenever your competition, or anyone else, appears on them. Google Alerts is also a great way to track your own brand and manage your reputation.

 

Where Are Their Links Coming From?

 

Singapore business owners should also track their competitor’s links. LinkResearchTool is another tool that serves helpful alerts. It lets you know every time your competitors earn a new link. And if you notice that a certain piece is performing rather well and would like a detailed list of the links they have received, you can use the Majestic tool. Use this list for your own outreach strategy for content that is similar.

 

What Are Their Social Strategies?

 

It’s also a good idea to pay attention to your competitor’s social platforms. What exactly are they sharing? How do they communicate with their followers? Which topics are the most popular? Also, which strategies are failing? The easiest way to do this is to create lists on your Facebook or Twitter accounts. Use a personal account and follow your competitor, organise them into a list and then visit their account regularly. You may also use tools like HootSuite. These will allow you to add your streams to one profile page.

 

What’s Going On With Their Blog?

 

Finally, you should always follow your competitor’s blog. In fact, the easiest way to stay up to date on everything that they post is to subscribe to their newsletter. Set up your inbox so that their emails are placed into specific folders. If you notice that a certain topic performs well, add it to your posting schedule.

 

Conclusion

 

Carefully tracking your competition will ensure that you are up-to-date on everything that’s going on in your industry. It will also help you to better plan your own strategies. It may take time and research, but ultimately, it’s great for creating a stronger brand.