Content Gaps: How to Find Topics Your Competitors Rank For, But You Don’t

Learn how to identify content gaps, find topics your competitors rank for, and turn those opportunities into a focused SEO content strategy.

2 min read

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a close up of a piece of paper with a sign on it

Content Gaps: How to Find Topics Your Competitors Rank For — But You Don’t

A content gap exists when your competitors rank for valuable search terms that your website does not cover. These gaps are one of the most reliable sources of organic growth opportunities.

The goal is not to copy competitors. The goal is to identify where they are visible and you are not — then decide whether those topics are worth pursuing.

1. Identify Your True Organic Competitors

Start by looking at who actually appears in Google for your most important commercial and informational keywords. These are your real search competitors, not necessarily the companies you consider business rivals.

2. Extract Their Ranking Keywords

Use professional SEO tools (Ahrefs, Semrush or similar) to pull the organic keywords of your top competitors. Focus on:

  • Keywords they rank for in positions 1–20

  • Keywords with meaningful search volume

  • Keywords that match commercial or high-intent informational queries

3. Find the Gaps

Compare their ranking keywords against your own. The clearest opportunities are:

  • Keywords they rank for and you do not rank for at all

  • Keywords where they rank significantly higher than you

  • Topics they cover in depth while you only touch lightly (or not at all)

These are your content gaps.

4. Evaluate Business Relevance

Not every gap is worth filling. Ask:

  • Does this topic align with our services or products?

  • Is the search intent commercial or close to commercial?

  • Can we create something better or more useful than what currently ranks?

  • Does this topic support topical authority around our core subjects?

Only prioritise gaps that can realistically drive relevant traffic and leads.

5. Turn Gaps into a Content Strategy

For each high-priority gap, define:

  • Target keyword and search intent

  • Recommended content type (pillar page, supporting article, comparison, guide)

  • Suggested title and structure

  • Internal linking opportunities

  • How the page supports existing commercial pages

This turns a list of missing keywords into a clear content roadmap.

What This Means in Practice

Content gap analysis is not about producing more content. It is about producing the right content — the topics that already have demand and where competitors are currently capturing the visibility.

When done properly, it becomes one of the highest-ROI activities in an SEO strategy.

Ready to identify your highest-impact SEO opportunities? Start with a free SEO assessment.