Ever feel like your competitors are always ahead of you on Google? Let’s find out why!
The reason for this is straightforward: They are experts at keyword strategy.
But the good news is that without violating any ethical guidelines, you can use their diligence to improve your own SEO.
If you’re asking yourself, “how to steal my competitors’ keywords” without crossing any ethical lines, you’re in the right place.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to ethically “steal” your competitors’ keywords, optimize your content, and gain a competitive edge, with advanced techniques that go beyond what’s commonly found online.
How to identify your competitors?
Before you start “stealing” your competitors’ keywords, the first crucial step is to know who your actual competitors are. And no, it’s not always as clear-cut as you believe.
You should consider the following two categories of competitors:
Direct Competitors – These are the businesses that offer the same goods or services that you do.
If you are a SaaS company providing project management tools, the other project management SaaS providers would be your direct rivals.
Search Competitors – Despite not selling the same product, these websites rank for the same keywords as you.
For instance, if you own a website that provides fitness coaching, you will find blogs, review websites, and even YouTube videos ranking for your target keywords.
So, how do you identify them?
- Google Your Target Keywords – All you need to do is search for your main keywords on Google to see who is at the top. These are the competitors you should be aware of.
- Make use of SEO Tools – Based on similar keyword rankings, platforms such as Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz can assist you in identifying competing domains. Simply enter your website, and they will produce a list of your competitors.
- Look at Google Ads – If any businesses are spending money on advertisements for the keywords you are targeting, chances are they’re your competitors. Take a look at who is showing up in the sponsored search results.
- Look at Industry Listings – You can identify competitors in your industry by using websites such as G2, Capterra, or even directories like Yelp and Clutch.
- Spy on Backlinks – Monitor backlinks to find out which websites are pointing to your rivals. If multiple sources are linking to them, they are likely strong competitors in your niche.
After determining who your competitors are, it’s time to research their keywords and look for ways to outrank them.
Tools for Competitor Keyword Research
Well, now you have identified who your competitors are. Then, it’s time to take a closer look and determine which keywords are generating the most traffic.
The good news? This doesn’t have to be done manually. Some strong SEO tools are available to take care of the laborious tasks for you.
The following are some of the best tools to help you outrank your rivals by ethically “stealing” their keywords:
1.Ahrefs
- One of the best tools for researching competitor keywords is Ahrefs.
- You just need to enter their website into Site Explorer. Now, you will get all the keywords your competitors rank for, their traffic volume, and even their best-performing pages
- To see where their authority is coming from, you can also view their backlinks.
2.SEMrush
- SEMrush has a feature called Organic Research. This lets you analyze the keyword rankings of any competitors.
- It also has a Keyword Gap tool that directly compares your keywords with your competitors. This feature is ideal for identifying opportunities.
3.Ubersuggest
If you’re trying to find a tool that’s inexpensive or free, Neil Patel’s Ubersuggest is a good choice.
Simply enter the URL of a competitor to get keyword suggestions, search volume, and ranking difficulty.
4.Google Keyword Planner
Identifying keywords that competitors are targeting in Google Ads is made easy with Google’s own Keyword Planner.
You can still use it to find useful organic keyword insights, even though its primary purpose is paid search.
5.SpyFu
Finding competitive keyword opportunities is made easier with Moz’s Keyword Explorer.
However, its Link Explorer will reveal which websites are linking to your rivals, which could lead to potential backlink opportunities for you.
How to use these tools effectively?
- Determine the top-ranking keywords used by your competitors. Analyze their highest-traffic pages to determine which keywords they are optimized for.
- Then, check the keyword difficulty. Give priority to keywords that you can actually rank for.
- Determine any gaps in the content. Are there keywords your competitors rank for that you don’t? Those are prime opportunities.
- Look at long-tail keywords. These are less competitive keywords and often easier to rank for.
Thus, with the right tools and strategy, you can start moving up the search results by ethically “stealing” your competitors’ top keywords
How to evaluate and select the Best Keywords?
Now, you have a list of keywords used by your competitors. What comes next? You cannot expect to rank right away by simply copying and pasting them into your content.
When you carefully consider and choose which keywords to target, the real magic happens. Here’s how to separate the noise from the gold:
1.Check Search Volume – Is It Worth Targeting?
Keywords are not all made equal. A high search volume indicates that a lot of people are looking for that particular keyword. But there will be more competition as a result.
Conversely, low-volume keywords won’t generate much traffic but will be simpler to rank for.
So, the sweet spot? A medium-to-high search volume with manageable competition is what you want.
This is where Keyword Competition Analysis comes in handy—it helps you balance potential traffic with ranking difficulty.
2.Assess Keyword Difficulty – Can You Actually Rank for It?
A Keyword Difficulty (KD) score is provided by SEO tools such as Ahrefs and SEMrush. This estimates the difficulty of ranking for a particular keyword.
- High KD (70+): Extremely competitive; stay away unless your website has a lot of authority.
- Medium KD (30–70): Ideal for websites with a decent level of authority.
- Low KD (0–30): Excellent for new websites, easier to rank for.
3.Look at Search Intent – What Does Google Think?
If a keyword doesn’t fit the search intent, it doesn’t matter how good it looks on paper.
Consider this:
- Informational intent: Those seeking clarification on questions like “What is SaaS marketing?”
- Navigational Intent: People looking for a particular brand such as “HubSpot CRM features”.
- Transactional intent: Those who are prepared to purchase. For example, “top project management software for startups”.
- Commercial Intent: People comparing options such as “Ahrefs vs. SEMrush”.
Look for the keyword on the top-ranking pages. If they are primarily blogs, the query is informative. It’s probably a transactional query if they’re product pages. Make sure the intent is reflected in your content!
4.Identify Long-Tail Keywords – Less Competition, More Conversions
Consider using long-tail keywords like “best SEO strategies for B2B SaaS” or “SEO strategies for local businesses” rather than general terms like “SEO strategies.”
These draw highly targeted traffic, are easier to rank for, and are more specific.
5.Analyze Competitor Weaknesses – Find Easy Wins
Your rivals may sometimes rank for keywords that they haven’t properly optimized. Perhaps their information is out of date, lacks depth, or isn’t well-structured.
That’s your opportunity to seize that ranking spot with superior, more recent content.
The best keywords are the ones that make sense for your business and that you actually have a chance to rank for. Prioritize keywords that align with your audience, have reasonable competition, and match the intent of your content.
How to implement competitor’s keywords into your strategy?
Now that you have identified, analyzed, and selected the best competitor keywords. It’s time to start using them now!
It won’t work to just cram them into your content. Google is too intelligent for that. Rather, incorporating these keywords into your SEO strategy requires a strategic approach.
1.Optimize Your Existing Content
Check if you already have pages that could rank for these keywords, before creating new content.
- When appropriate, naturally incorporate competitor keywords into blog posts to keep them updated.
- Make sure that the target keywords are included in the H1, H2, and H3 headings.
- Improve meta titles and descriptions to increase their keyword density and clickability.
- Enhance internal linking by establishing connections between new keyword opportunities and high-ranking pages.
2.Create New High-Quality Content
- Make better, more valuable pages than your competitors for keywords, which you do not yet have content.
- Compose in-depth blog posts that offer more insights than the top-ranking pages currently in existence.
- To rank for multiple search queries, use a mix of keyword variations.
- Answer common questions using People Also Ask and FAQs.
- To stand out, incorporate captivating images such as comparison tables, videos, and infographics.
3.Leverage Keyword Clusters
- Group related keywords together known as keyword clustering rather than concentrating on just one.
- If you’re aiming for “best CRM for small business,” you should also include:
- “affordable CRM for startups”
- “top customer relationship management tools”
- “best CRM software for sales teams”
This raises your chances of showing up in various search results and helps you rank for multiple variations.
4.Use Competitor Keywords in PPC Campaigns
If your competitors are naturally ranking for specific keywords, it’s likely that they are also using PPC (Google Ads) to target them.
- To get some of their traffic, place an ethical bid on their branded keywords.
- Test competing keywords in your advertisements to see which ones result in the highest conversion rates.
- For maximum visibility, combine organic & paid strategies.
5.Build Supporting Content & Pillar Pages
If pillar content is being used by your competitors to rank, then you need to create a more authoritative, well-structured version.
For Example:
Competitor Blog: “SEO Tips for Small Businesses” (1,500 words)
Your Blog: “The Ultimate Small Business SEO Guide: Strategies, Tips & Tools” (3,500+ words, expert insights, real examples)
In this manner, you not only match their content but also surpass it in terms of quality and depth.
6.Monitor & Adjust
Once you’ve implemented competitor keywords, monitor your traffic and rankings.
- To view the performance of your pages, use Google Search Console.
- Verify your content’s rankings using Ahrefs or SEMrush, and make any necessary adjustments.
- Keep an eye on competitors. If they update their content, stay ahead of the game by improving yours.
Ethical Considerations and Best Practices
Now, let’s discuss ethics. Because when we use the phrase “stealing” competitor keywords, in reality, we’re not engaging in any dubious activities.
Actually, analyzing competitors is a standard SEO practice as long as you do it the right way.
Here’s how to use competitors keywords in an ethical way while maintaining Google’s favor:
1.Don’t Just Copy, Improve
Finding the keywords used by your competitors is just the beginning. You won’t succeed if you just replicate their content or strategy. Rather:
- Produce more in-depth and superior content than they currently have.
- Provide original insights that your competitors overlooked.
- To truly add value, use case studies, original research, and expert opinions.
2.Avoid Direct Plagiarism
Originality is highly valued by Google, and copying content word-for-word is strictly prohibited.
Don’t simply rephrase a blog post that performs well for your competitors. Offer a fresh perspective.
If a competitor ranks for “Best SEO Tools for 2025,” go a step further with “Best SEO Tools for 2025 with Real Test Results.”
3.Respect Branded Keywords in PPC Campaigns
It’s common but challenging to bid on a competitor’s brand name in Google Ads. e.g., running ads for “Ahrefs” when people search for it.
- Use comparative content like “Ahrefs vs. SEMrush – Which One is Better?”.
- Avoid misleading consumers by pretending to be that brand.
4.Don’t Engage in Black Hat Tactics
Some marketers employ unethical techniques and conduct excessive competitor research, such as:
- Data scraping from their website.
- Draining their budget by clicking on their advertisements.
- Putting up fake reviews to damage their reputation.
These strategies may appear alluring. However, they will backfire severely. It will tarnish your reputation and possibly have your website penalized.
5.Prioritize User Experience & Value
As Google’s algorithms become more sophisticated, rankings now take into account more than just keywords.
- Don’t just write for search engines; write for people
- Use images and information to make your content more engaging.
6.Monitor and Adjust Without Copycatting
Continue monitoring your competitors. However, rather than always following their lead, look for ways to set yourself apart.
- Try long-form content if they emphasize short-form.
- Introduce video content if their pages are primarily text-based.
Conclusion
To sum up, if you’ve been wondering how to steal my competitors’ keywords and use them to your advantage, the key lies in smart research and strategic implementation.
You can outrank the competition while maintaining your integrity by identifying competitors, extracting valuable keywords, and creating superior content.
