How to Use Local SEO Tools for Competitor Analysis

Digital Marketing

Feb 25, 2025

Unlock the secrets of local SEO with competitor analysis tools to enhance your visibility and optimize your strategies effectively.

Competitor analysis is key to improving your local SEO. It helps you identify gaps, find keyword opportunities, and learn what works in your area. Here’s how to get started:

Google Maps: Search like a customer to find top competitors in your area.
Key Tools: Use tools like BrightLocal, SpyFu, and Ahrefs to analyze rankings, reviews, and backlinks.
Google Business Profile (GBP): Study competitors’ profiles for categories, reviews, and content strategies.
Citations & Backlinks: Audit competitors’ citations and backlinks to spot missed opportunities.
Rank Tracking: Monitor local search rankings with tools like Local Falcon or BrightLocal.

Quick Comparison of Tools for Local SEO

| Tool | Purpose | Key Feature | Cost/Month |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| BrightLocal | Rank tracking, GBP analysis | Local search grid | $29–$79 |
| SpyFu | SEO and keyword analysis | Competitor keyword gaps | $39–$299 |
| Ahrefs | Backlink analysis | 3 trillion+ backlink index | $129–$449 |
| <a href="https://whitespark.ca/local-citation-finder/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-framer-link="Link:{"url":"https://whitespark.ca/local-citation-finder/","type":"url"}" data-framer-open-in-new-tab="">Whitespark</a> | Citation management | Competitor citation comparison | $33–$124 |

Local SEO Checkup: How to Use Bright Local to Improve Rankings

Finding Local Competitors

Identifying your local competition is a crucial step in leveraging competitor insights effectively.

Google Maps Search Methods

Kickstart your competitor research by mimicking customer searches on Google Maps. Instead of narrowing your focus to specific cities, try broader service-based searches like "plumbers" or "dentists" to uncover which businesses dominate the local map pack.

When reviewing map results, pay attention to:

Businesses appearing in the top 3 map pack spots
Service categories listed
The number and quality of reviews

Keep track of competitor details in an organized way:

| Analysis Element | What to Track |
| --- | --- |
| <strong>Business Name</strong> | Name as shown on Google Maps |
| <strong>Map Pack Position</strong> | Ranking position (1-3 or lower) |
| <strong>Review Count</strong> | Total number of Google reviews |
| <strong>Primary Category</strong> | Main business category |
| <strong>Secondary Categories</strong> | Additional service categories |
| <strong>Profile Details</strong> | Photos, posts, Q&As, and attributes

Best Tools for Competitor Research

Using specialized tools can uncover deeper insights about your competition. For instance, BrightLocal's Local Search Results Checker lets you:

See search results from various locations
Track competitors' ranking trends
Monitor local pack performance
Analyze Google Business Profiles in detail

"Competitive analysis is an integral part of any marketing campaign because it keeps your business ahead of your competition and allows you to maintain a consistent web presence." - Ann Smarty, Brand and Community Manager, InternetMarketingNinjas

Here are some tools to enhance your tracking:

BrightLocal's Local Search Grid: This tool highlights competitor visibility across your service area, helping you identify businesses that consistently rank high.
GS Location Changer: Allows you to check competitor rankings from different locations without being physically present.
SpyFu: Compares your SEO performance to competitors and identifies gaps in your strategy.

To ensure you're analyzing relevant competitors, focus on businesses that:

Rank well for multiple local keywords
Appear prominently in both Maps and organic search results
Actively maintain their Google Business Profiles
Target similar service areas and customer demographics

Google Business Profile Review

Analyzing competitors' Google Business Profiles can offer valuable insights to help boost your local search rankings.

Business Details Analysis

Take a closer look at your competitors' business information. Focus on the following:

| Profile Element | What to Analyze |
| --- | --- |
| <strong>Business Categories</strong> | Primary and secondary category selections |
| <strong>Business Description</strong> | Highlighted services and key selling points |
| <strong>Service Areas</strong> | Geographic coverage and target regions |
| <strong>Operating Hours</strong> | Availability, including special hours |
| <strong>Attributes</strong> | Unique features and characteristics

Well-optimized profiles often align with better local search visibility. Once you've reviewed these details, move on to how competitors handle customer interactions and content.

Customer Feedback and Content

Understanding how competitors manage reviews and content can help refine your own approach.

Review Management Strategy

Look at how often and how well they respond to reviews.
Identify common customer concerns and compliments.
Pay attention to trends in their overall ratings.

Content Assessment

Check how frequently they post and the types of content they share.
Review the quality and variety of their images.
See how they manage the Q&A section.
Track any promotions or events they feature.

"Responding to reviews shows that you value your customers and the feedback that they leave about your business." - Google

Profile Analysis Tools

Using the right tools can make competitor analysis faster and more effective. Here are a few options:

GMB Everywhere Chrome Extension

Helps uncover category choices.
Audits reviews and provides basic health checks.
Offers insights into post performance.

Localo's GMB Audit Tool

This tool has helped businesses like PH Promoto secure top 3 rankings in Yorkshire by pinpointing optimization opportunities. It evaluates:

Profile completeness.
Competitor visibility factors.
Local ranking opportunities.
Gaps in content optimization.

GBP Audit Tools

Offers detailed health checks.
Provides competitive benchmarking.
Tracks performance metrics.
Suggests actionable improvements.

As noted in the Victorious SEO Blog (2025), regular updates and active management of the Q&A section are key to maintaining a strong local presence and engaging potential customers.

Citations and Backlinks

Citations and backlinks play a key role in local SEO. Below are steps, metrics, and tools to help you analyze and improve your citation and backlink strategies.

Citation Audit Steps

Start by reviewing your competitors' citations in business directories. Make sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone number) is consistent everywhere.

| Citation Element | What to Check |
| --- | --- |
| <strong>NAP Consistency</strong> | Ensure details match across all directories |
| <strong>Citation Types</strong> | Both structured (directories) and unstructured (blogs, news) |
| <strong>Citation Quality</strong> | Domain Authority of the listing sites |
| <strong>Coverage Gaps</strong> | Identify missing high-value directories |
| <strong>Accuracy</strong> | Verify current business information

"Whitespark's Local Citation Finder is a valuable resource that should be in the toolkit of every local SEO. It is one of the best ways to understand how many citations a business has and whether your efforts to make the business more prominent are working".

Once your citations are accurate, shift focus to analyzing how competitors build their backlink profiles.

Backlink Assessment

Studying competitor backlinks can reveal valuable link-building opportunities.

"Ahrefs is simply the best all-in-one SEO tool on the market. It's impossible to be a top tier SEO without it. At the rate they keep releasing new powerful features, no one else can catch up".

Key metrics to evaluate include:

Domain Authority
Industry Relevance
Link Placement
Anchor Text Distribution
Freshness and Activity

For example, Omnisend experienced a 250% boost in organic traffic in 2023 by strategically analyzing backlinks with Ahrefs.

Citation and Link Tools

Here’s a breakdown of tools that can help you manage citations and backlinks:

| Tool | Primary Use | Key Feature | Monthly Cost |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| <strong>Ahrefs</strong> | Backlink Analysis | 3 trillion+ backlink index | $129–$449 |
| <strong>Whitespark</strong> | Citation Finding | Competitor citation comparison | $33–$124 |
| <strong><a href="https://seranking.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-framer-link="Link:{"url":"https://seranking.com/","type":"url"}" data-framer-open-in-new-tab="">SE Ranking</a></strong> | Link Building | Backlink tracking | $65–$250 |
| <strong><a href="https://moz.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-framer-link="Link:{"url":"https://moz.com/","type":"url"}" data-framer-open-in-new-tab="">Moz</a></strong> | Domain Authority | Link Explorer | $49–$299 |

Focus on citation sources with high Domain Authority and those frequently used by competitors.

Even citations without direct links can contribute to local SEO success. Aim to build a diverse mix of structured and unstructured citations while ensuring your NAP information is consistent across all platforms.

Search Ranking Analysis

Track local search rankings to understand your performance and spot areas for improvement.

Rank Tracking Setup

To set up rank tracking, start by identifying your target keywords and their localized variations. Pay close attention to the Google Map Pack, which draws about 70% of clicks.

Here’s how to get started:

Use location spoofing to simulate searches in specific areas and group your target keywords by service or location.
Organize targeted groups for particular services or geographic zones.
Add local competitors to benchmark your performance.
Set up automated weekly reports to keep tabs on progress.

Once everything is in place, analyze the trends in your rankings to measure how effective your setup is.

Performance Patterns

By tracking ranking trends, you can assess how well your SEO efforts are working. Updates like the December 2021 Google Vicinity update and the March 2022 local algorithm update have reshaped local rankings, especially by reducing the influence of keyword stuffing.

| Ranking Factor | Impact | Key Metrics |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reviews | 15.44% of rankings | Volume and sentiment |
| GBP Optimization | High | Category selection, description |
| Citation Quality | Medium | NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency |
| Local Content | High | On-page optimization

Rank Tracking Tools

After reviewing your performance patterns, use specialized tools to fine-tune your tracking and compare results.

"Local Falcon is the original multipoint local rank tracker to monitor the coverage area strength of a Google Business Profile. The reporting is unique, powerful and easy to understand; but the data visualizations are just incredible." - Yan Gilbert, Google Platinum Product Expert and Local SEO Consultant

| Tool | Key Features | Best For |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Local Falcon | Visual geo-grid mapping, AI analysis | Multi-location businesses |
| BrightLocal | Full SEO suite, review management | Small to medium businesses |
| Whitespark | Local pack tracking, $20/month price | Budget-conscious businesses

"If you do Local SEO, the Local Rank Tracker will be one of your 'I can't live without this tool' tools. It's flat out gorgeous and by far the best visual representation of rankings of any tool on the market." - Greg Gifford, SearchLab

To get the most out of these tools, track Google Local Pack and organic rankings separately. This approach helps you pinpoint where competitors may have the edge and guides you in refining your strategy. Use filters for keyword groups and locations to uncover detailed insights.

Conclusion

Key Takeaways

Analyzing local SEO competitors plays a crucial role in improving your visibility in local search results. By carefully studying your competitors' strategies, you can identify areas to improve your own approach. Focus on optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) and creating high-quality local content to stay ahead.

Actionable Insights

Use these targeted strategies to refine your local SEO efforts:

| Focus Area | Recommended Actions | Benefits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Competitor Research | Pinpoint 5–10 main keywords and analyze top-ranking rivals | Understand who you’re competing with |
| Profile Optimization | Examine GBP details like categories and descriptions | Identify ways to improve your profile |
| Citation Strategy | Audit competitor citations and replicate strong examples | Boost your local authority |
| Reviews Approach | Track competitors’ review quantity and sentiment | Build trust through better customer signals

Visionary Marketing’s Expertise

For professional help with local SEO competitor analysis, Visionary Marketing offers tailored solutions. Their services include in-depth competitor research, GBP optimization, and rank tracking. With their expertise in technical SEO and local strategies, they help businesses achieve better rankings and measurable outcomes.

"Keep your friends close, and your competitors closer when it comes to local SEO – observing their strategies helps keep your tactics ahead of the curve"

This mindset highlights the importance of continuously analyzing competitors to maintain and enhance your local search rankings.