Competitor backlink analysis that turns their links into your plan
We reverse engineer where your competitors earn links and filter out what you cannot copy. You get a prioritized list to act on or order straight away.
A competitor backlink analysis shows where the sites outranking you get their links. It also shows which links you can realistically earn and in what order. We review each competitor's profile by hand, run a link gap analysis against your site and deliver a prioritized list. Reports start at $149 for one competitor, delivered in 3 to 5 days.
Raw exports from SEO tools list thousands of rows. Our job is to cut that down to the opportunities that are relevant, attainable and worth your budget.
Replicable links only
We remove links you cannot copy, such as their partner links, press about them and expired placements.
Prioritized, not dumped
We rank opportunities by authority, relevance and effort, so you know where to start.
Ready to act on
Work the list in house, or turn chosen opportunities straight into outreach orders with us.
Competitor Backlink Analysis pricing
Prices in USD. Subscribe to a monthly spend and save 10% on every order.
1 Competitor
Price (USD)- Full backlink profile review
- Top 50 replicable link opportunities
- Anchor and link type breakdown
- PDF report
3 Competitors
Price (USD)- Link gap across 3 competitors
- Top 150 replicable opportunities
- Prioritized by DR and relevance
- PDF and CSV report
5 Competitors + Plan
Price (USD)- Link gap across 5 competitors
- Top 250 opportunities
- 90 day link building plan
- Strategy call
What does a competitor backlink analysis reveal?
A competitor backlink analysis reveals 5 things: the link gap, link types, linkable pages, anchor patterns and link velocity.
- The link gap. Sites that link to 2 or more competitors but not to you, often the fastest source of relevant opportunities.
- Link types. The mix of guest posts, resource pages, digital PR, directories and community mentions behind their authority.
- Linkable pages. Tools, guides or data pieces that attract links, which you can build better versions of.
- Anchor patterns. Their anchor mix shows what a natural profile looks like in your niche.
- Link velocity. Their count of new referring domains per month, which sets a realistic target for you.
How do we score each link gap opportunity?
We score each opportunity on 4 criteria and drop any domain that fails the first one. This is the rubric we apply in every report.
| Criterion | Threshold we apply | Effect on priority |
|---|---|---|
| Replicability | The link type is open to you, such as a guest post, resource page or niche edit | Fails: removed from the list |
| Competitor overlap | Links to 2 or more of the competitors analyzed | Raised to top priority |
| Topical relevance | The site covers your industry or a close neighbor | Required for high priority |
| Organic traffic | Stable or growing traffic in Ahrefs | Lowered when traffic is collapsing |
The result is a ranked list in which every row carries a reason, not a raw export.
What do you get from our competitor backlink analysis service?
Our competitor backlink analysis service delivers 50 to 250 replicable opportunities, depending on the package.
| Package | Price | Opportunities | Cost per opportunity | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 competitor | $149 | Top 50 | $2.98 | Anchor and link type breakdown, PDF report |
| 3 competitors | $349 | Top 150 | $2.33 | Prioritized by DR and relevance, PDF and CSV |
| 5 competitors plus plan | $549 | Top 250 | $2.20 | 90 day link building plan and strategy call |
Delivery takes 3 to 5 days. Our guide to building a link building plan shows how the findings fit a quarterly schedule.
How do we run a backlink gap analysis?
We run a backlink gap analysis in 6 steps, from competitor selection to delivery.
- Select competitors. We confirm which sites outrank you for your target keywords. They are not always the brands you think of first.
- Pull data. We gather backlink data for each competitor and your own site.
- Map the gap. We find domains linking to competitors but not to you, and note overlap.
- Filter by hand. A person removes unreplicable links, spam and sites outside your niche.
- Score. We rank what remains with the rubric above.
- Deliver. You receive the report, files and, on the top tier, a 90 day plan and call.
Start with a link audit when your own profile might contain problems, so the plan builds on a clean base.
Which competitor links can you replicate?
You can usually replicate guest posts, links in existing articles and resource page links. Partner links and network links are rarely worth chasing.
| Link type | Replicable? | How to pursue it |
|---|---|---|
| Guest posts on niche blogs | Usually | Pitch the same sites through blogger outreach |
| Links inside existing articles | Often | Request a placement through niche edits |
| Resource and list pages | Often | Suggest your page as an addition |
| News coverage | Sometimes | Create your own story through digital PR |
| Partner, sponsor or supplier links | Rarely | Look for similar partnerships of your own |
| Network or spam links | No | Ignore |
How do you turn the analysis into links?
To turn the analysis into links, send the top rows to outreach in order of priority. Guest post targets become blogger outreach orders, existing article targets become niche edits, and story led gaps feed a digital PR campaign.
Here is a worked example. A $349 report on 3 competitors, then 6 DR 30+ guest posts ($612) and 4 DR 50+ guest posts ($1,144), totals $2,105. Being on a competitor's list does not guarantee a site links to you. Publishers decide, and prioritization puts your effort where the odds are best.
See how an order works
From order to live link in four steps. You get an email update at each step and an unbranded report at the end.
Related guides
How to Create a Link Building Plan That Moves Rankings
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How to Do Keyword Research for SEO: A 5 Step Guide
Learn how to do keyword research the practical way: find seed terms, judge intent and difficulty, cluster keywords and map them to pages that can rank.
SEO Metrics: What to Track, What to Ignore and Why
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Competitor Backlink Analysis questions
What is competitor backlink analysis?
Competitor backlink analysis is the study of the backlinks behind the sites that outrank you, to see where their authority comes from. The useful part is the filtering. It finds which links you can realistically earn, ranks them by value and effort and turns them into a plan, not a raw spreadsheet.
How is a backlink gap analysis different?
A backlink gap analysis focuses only on domains that link to one or more competitors but not to you. It is one part of a full competitor review. Sites linking to 2 or more of your competitors are often the strongest targets, because they have already shown interest in your topic.
Which package size fits: 1, 3 or 5 competitors?
Three competitors suit most businesses, because patterns become clear without the list growing too large. One competitor suits a quick check or a tight budget. Five competitors suit crowded markets, or buyers who want the 90 day plan and a strategy call to guide the work.
Which tools do you use?
We use third party backlink indexes such as Ahrefs and cross check where needed, since no single tool sees every link. The tools supply the data, and a person does the filtering and prioritization. That manual step removes the spam, unreachable links and irrelevant domains that make raw exports hard to use.
Can you build the links you find?
Yes. Clients often pass shortlisted opportunities straight to us as outreach orders. Guest post targets become blogger outreach, existing content targets become niche edits and news style gaps become digital PR. You are never obliged to order, and the report is yours to use however you like.
Is copying competitor links a good strategy?
It is a strong starting point, not the whole strategy. Matching the links that clearly help competitors closes the gap. Overtaking them usually also takes links they lack. Use the analysis for quick, relevant wins, then add original content or digital PR to build an edge competitors cannot copy.
Start building links in minutes
Place your first order in minutes. We email you at every stage and send an unbranded report when links go live. No contracts, no minimums.