Story Based Question
Imagine you’re managing SEO for a global e-commerce platform, and you’re planning to expand into new international markets. You know your competitors are already established in those markets, and you’re eager to gain a competitive edge. But you’re unsure of how to assess how your competitors are performing in different regions and how to benchmark your progress against them. You start asking yourself, How do I approach competitor benchmarking in different regions?
Exact Answer
To approach competitor benchmarking in different regions, identify local competitors in each market, analyze their keyword performance, evaluate their backlinks and content strategies, track their site speed and user experience, and compare their regional rankings to adjust your strategy.
Explanation
Competitor benchmarking in international markets isn’t just about looking at how your competitors perform globally—it’s about digging into the specific performance in each region. Each market can have different dynamics, and local competitors may have a huge influence on your SEO strategy. Here’s how to approach benchmarking:
- Identify Local Competitors in Each Market
- Competitors in one country may not be the same in another. For example, an international e-commerce brand may face different competitors in the U.S. than in Japan. It’s crucial to identify the players in each specific region.
- How to Implement: Use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz to identify competitors in each country. Filter the results by country and focus on competitors that are ranking for keywords you’re targeting. Don’t forget to account for both local brands and other international players.
- Analyze Their Keyword Performance
- Understand the keywords that your competitors are ranking for and how their keyword strategy differs from yours in each region. Keywords can vary significantly between markets due to cultural differences or search behavior.
- How to Implement: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner (localized for each market), SEMrush, or Ahrefs to get insights into the keyword strategies of your competitors in different regions. Analyze which keywords they rank for and which drive the most traffic in each market. You might find that certain local terms in Russia or Japan are critical for your rankings in those countries.
- Evaluate Their Backlink and Content Strategies
- Backlinks are one of the most powerful ranking factors. Analyze where your competitors are getting their backlinks from in each region. Similarly, take a close look at the type of content that resonates with users in each market.
- How to Implement: Use backlink analysis tools like Ahrefs or Majestic to identify the top backlinks for your competitors in specific regions. Focus on backlinks from region-specific sites or authoritative local domains. Also, assess the content strategy—what types of blog posts, videos, or landing pages are driving the most engagement and rankings? Are they focusing more on local cultural topics, or are they presenting a more globalized approach?
- Track Site Speed and User Experience
- User experience and site speed are vital for both search engine rankings and customer satisfaction. In some countries, like the U.S., users may tolerate slower load times, but in markets like China or India, site speed can have a huge impact on user engagement.
- How to Implement: Use Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix to test the site speed of your competitors in each region. Also, analyze mobile optimization, as mobile traffic may vary widely depending on the country (China, for example, has high mobile penetration). Look at their site design—are there any specific region-based user experience preferences you need to adapt for?
- Compare Regional Rankings and Adjust Your Strategy
- Comparing how you and your competitors rank in specific regions will help you identify opportunities and gaps in your strategy. This gives you the insights to adjust your approach based on where your competitors are outperforming or underperforming.
- How to Implement: Set up rank tracking tools like AccuRanker or SEMrush to monitor how your site and your competitors rank for regional keywords. Compare these rankings over time to spot trends, such as which countries or regions have the most potential for growth, or where you need to ramp up your SEO efforts.
Example
Let’s say you manage an online store that sells athletic shoes, and you’re planning to enter both the German and Japanese markets. You already have a presence in the U.S. and are doing well with global competitors like Nike and Adidas.
- Identify Local Competitors in Each Market:
You use SEMrush to check out the competitive landscape in Germany and Japan. In Germany, local brands like Puma and Adidas dominate, while in Japan, Asics is a big player. You realize that you’ll need to focus on competing with these regional giants, rather than just looking at global competitors. - Analyze Their Keyword Performance:
You analyze the top-ranking keywords for Puma in Germany and Asics in Japan. You see that in Germany, users search for “sports shoes for runners,” while in Japan, the phrase “running shoes for marathon” is more popular. This helps you tailor your content to match these specific regional keywords. - Evaluate Their Backlink and Content Strategies:
You find that Puma has built strong relationships with German sports bloggers, securing high-quality backlinks from well-known local websites. Asics, on the other hand, has done well in Japan by creating content around specific events like marathons and local sports festivals. You decide to partner with German sports influencers and create content related to marathons in Japan to build relevant backlinks and content. - Track Site Speed and User Experience:
After testing your competitors’ sites in both regions, you find that Puma’s site in Germany loads quickly, while Asics’ site in Japan is optimized for mobile, which is crucial in that market. You optimize your site for mobile and focus on improving load times to stay competitive. - Compare Regional Rankings and Adjust Your Strategy:
You monitor the rankings in both Germany and Japan and realize that your site is ranking well for keywords in the U.S., but in Japan, you’re not performing as well. Based on the competitor analysis, you see the need to create more content around local running events, incorporate Japanese user reviews, and focus on region-specific keywords to boost your rankings in Japan.
Competitor benchmarking in different regions is an essential part of international SEO. By understanding your competitors’ regional strategies, analyzing keywords, backlinks, and user experience, and tracking regional rankings, you can fine-tune your SEO efforts to perform better in local markets. This ensures that you don’t just compete on a global level but also understand the specific dynamics of each country you target.