How do you identify gaps in your link analysis?

1 What are link gaps?

Link gaps are the differences between your backlink profile and your competitors' backlink profiles. They can be positive or negative, depending on whether you have more or less links than your rivals from relevant and authoritative sources. Link gaps can also be specific to certain pages, keywords, or topics, depending on your goals and target audience. Link gaps can affect your ranking, traffic, and conversions, so it is important to find and close them as much as possible.

2 How to find link gaps?

The first step to finding link gaps is to conduct a thorough link analysis of your own site and your competitors' sites. You can use tools such as Ahrefs, Moz, or SEMrush to collect and compare data on the number, quality, diversity, and relevance of your backlinks. Additionally, you can segment your analysis by domain authority, anchor text, link type, or content type to gain more insights. To identify the gaps, you should look for patterns, trends, and anomalies in the data. For instance, you can check for competitors who have more or better links than you from the same or similar sources; competitors with links from sources that you don't have or have very few of; competitors with links to pages or keywords that you don't have or have low ranking; and competitors with links from different or new sources that you haven't explored or considered.

3 How to close link gaps?

Once you have identified the link gaps, you need to devise a plan to close them and improve your link profile. Depending on the type and size of the gap, there are various strategies that you can use to do this. For instance, replicating your competitors' links by using tools like Ahrefs' Link Intersect or Moz's Link Explorer to find sources and analyze their authority and relevance. You can then contact them using email templates, social media, or other channels. Additionally, creating better content than your competitors is a great way to attract more links from your target audience. Tools like BuzzSumo or SEMrush's Content Analyzer can help you find popular and trending content in your niche and optimize it for SEO and user experience. You can also try using content formats like infographics, videos, podcasts, or webinars to increase your reach and visibility. Lastly, building new relationships with relevant and authoritative sources in your industry can provide you with valuable links. Tools like Hunter or Voila Norbert can help you find the contact information of potential link partners and influencers. Guest posting, co-marketing, or sponsoring are also effective strategies for establishing and nurturing these relationships.

4 How to monitor link gaps?

Closing link gaps is not a one-time task, but an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and evaluation. You need to keep track of your link profile and your competitors' link profiles and measure the impact of your actions on your ranking, traffic, and conversions. You can use tools like Google Analytics, Google Search Console, or Rank Tracker to monitor your performance and identify any changes or issues. You can also use tools like Ahrefs' Alerts or Moz's Fresh Web Explorer to get notified of any new or lost links and react accordingly.

5 How to avoid link gaps?

The best way to avoid link gaps is to be proactive and consistent with your link building strategy. You need to have a clear vision of your goals, target audience, and value proposition, and align them with your link building tactics. You need to conduct regular link analysis and research to stay updated on your competitors' moves and the latest trends and opportunities in your niche. You need to create and distribute high-quality content that showcases your expertise and authority and that appeals to your potential link partners and customers. You need to build and maintain strong relationships with your existing and new sources and provide them with incentives and feedback. And you need to test, analyze, and optimize your link building efforts and results.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?