About This Gig
A backlink gap analysis answers a simple question: which websites link to your competitors but not to you? Those domains have already shown they will link to businesses like yours, which makes them some of the warmest prospects you will ever find. We pull the link profiles of the competitors you choose, compare them against your own, filter out the junk, and hand you a clean list of link opportunities you can act on.
This is a research service. We do not build the links in this gig. You get the intelligence, and you decide whether to pursue it in-house, with another provider, or with us.
Why a Backlink Gap Analysis Beats Guesswork
Most link building starts with a vague brief: “get us links from good sites in our niche”. The trouble is that good sites can mean thousands of domains, most of which will never link to you. Link intersect data narrows the field to domains with proven intent. If three rival companies all have a link from the same industry association, trade blog or supplier directory, there is usually a reason, and often a repeatable route to the same placement.
It also exposes why a competitor might outrank you. Sometimes it comes down to a handful of strong editorial links. In other cases it is a sprawl of local citations, partner pages or PR coverage. Knowing which pattern you are up against helps you spend your budget where it matters.
What We Actually Do
- Confirm the right competitors. The businesses you consider competitors are not always the ones winning in search. We check who ranks for your main terms and suggest swaps if your list misses a key rival.
- Pull and merge link data. We export referring domains for each competitor and for your own site, then deduplicate at domain level, so one site with 400 sitewide footer links counts once.
- Find the gaps. We isolate domains linking to one or more competitors and not to you. Domains that link to several competitors are flagged, because they tend to be the easiest wins.
- Clean the list. Scraper sites, expired domains, spam directories, foreign-language junk and obvious link farms are removed. We look at organic traffic trends, topical relevance and whether the linking page is still live and indexed.
- Classify each opportunity. Every row is tagged by link type, for example guest post, resource page, directory, review, partner page, unlinked mention or press coverage, so you know what kind of approach each one needs.
- Score and prioritise. Opportunities are scored on authority, traffic and relevance. On Standard and Premium we turn those scores into a plan of what to pursue first.
Who Orders This
Founders who know a competitor is ahead but cannot see why. In-house SEOs who need a defensible list before asking for outreach budget. Agencies preparing a pitch or onboarding a new client, who want a competitor backlink analysis done properly without tying up their own team. Content teams planning linkable assets, who want to see which topics attract links in their space.
If you are any of the above and short on time, a backlink gap analysis gives you a starting point that is grounded in data rather than hunches.
Comparing the Three Tiers
Basic compares your site with 1 competitor and lists 50 link opportunities, each tagged by type and scored for quality. One round of revisions is included. Use it when there is one clear rival you want to catch.
Standard covers 3 competitors and lists 150 opportunities. It adds an anchor text comparison, so you can see how your anchor profile differs from theirs, and a prioritised action plan that groups opportunities into quick wins, medium effort and longer projects.
Premium analyses 5 competitors and lists 300 opportunities, with everything in Standard plus a recorded video walkthrough in which we explain the findings, the patterns behind them and the order we would tackle them in. Two rounds of revisions are included. This is the version we recommend if you are planning several months of outreach.
What to Send Us
- Your domain and the main pages you want to rank.
- The competitors you want compared. If you are unsure, send your top keywords and we will propose some.
- Your target market, since a link gap in the UK can look very different from one in the US.
- Any link types you do not want listed, such as directories or paid placements.
How We Keep the Data Honest
A backlink gap analysis is only useful if the data behind it is honest. We never pad the list with irrelevant domains to hit a number. If a competitor only has 80 usable gaps, you will not receive 150 rows of filler; we will widen the competitor set with your agreement or tell you plainly. Metrics come from third-party SEO tools and are estimates, so we treat them as a guide and back them with manual checks.
PBNs, link farms and paid networks are never recommended as opportunities, even when a competitor link profile appears to rely on them. If a rival is propped up by questionable links, we point that out, because it tells you which of their tactics not to copy. Our quality standards explain the line we draw.
The Files You Receive
You get a spreadsheet with each opportunity’s domain, the linking page, which competitors it links to, the link type, an authority estimate, a traffic estimate, a relevance note and a suggested approach. Standard and Premium include the action plan as a separate tab, and Premium adds the video link. Nothing is locked inside a tool login, so the files are yours to keep and share.
Turning the Gap Into Links
A backlink gap analysis is a map, not the journey. Some opportunities will be quick, like getting listed on an industry directory a rival already uses. Others take real outreach, a strong piece of content or a relationship with an editor. Expect any resulting links to support rankings over weeks and months, not overnight, and remember that no list can guarantee a ranking change.
Would you rather hand the execution over? Our guest posting services and digital PR services can work through the list for you.
Compare Packages
| Feature | Basic · $49 | Standard · $99 | Premium · $179 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitors analysed | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Link opportunities listed | 50 | 150 | 300 |
| Opportunities tagged by link type | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quality scoring (authority, traffic, relevance) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Anchor text comparison | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prioritised action plan | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Video walkthrough | – | – | ✓ |
| Revisions | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Delivery time | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
| Price | $49 | $99 | $179 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a backlink gap analysis?
It is a comparison of your link profile against one or more competitors to find websites that link to them but not to you. Those sites have already shown they link to businesses in your space, so they are strong prospects for outreach. We clean the raw data, remove spam and dead pages, and turn what is left into a scored, categorised list you can work from.
Do you build the links as part of this gig?
No. This gig is research and planning only. You receive the opportunity list and, on Standard and Premium, a prioritised action plan. You can use it with your own team or another provider. If you want us to carry out the outreach, our guest posting, niche edit and digital PR services can work directly from the list we give you.
How do you choose which competitors to analyse?
You can name them, and we will use your choices. We also check who actually ranks for your main keywords, because search competitors are often different from business competitors. If your list misses a site that consistently outranks you, we will suggest including it. For the most useful results, pick competitors of a similar size or slightly ahead of you.
Which tools and data sources do you use?
We work with established third-party backlink databases and cross-check findings manually. No single tool sees every link on the web, so metrics such as authority and traffic are estimates. That is why we open and review the linking pages ourselves rather than relying on scores alone. Your report shows the estimates clearly, so you know what they are.
What if my competitors have very few links?
In small or local niches, a single competitor may only have a few dozen usable referring domains. When that happens, we do not pad your list with irrelevant sites. We will suggest adding more competitors or adjacent businesses with your agreement, or deliver a shorter, honest list and explain why. Quality of opportunities matters more than the row count.
What does the video walkthrough cover?
Premium includes a recorded screen-share in which we go through your report, explain the main patterns in your competitors' link profiles, highlight the quickest wins and walk through the order we would pursue opportunities in. It is useful for sharing with colleagues or clients who will not read a spreadsheet, and it gives context that is hard to capture in a table.
Will acting on the report guarantee better rankings?
No list can guarantee rankings. Closing link gaps tends to support rankings over weeks and months, especially when combined with strong content and sound technical SEO. Some opportunities will convert easily while others need effort or never respond. The analysis helps you put effort where it is most likely to pay off, which is the realistic benefit.
Can agencies use this for their clients?
Yes. The files are delivered without branding restrictions, so you can add them to your own reports or pitch decks. Many agencies use a gap report at the start of a new account to justify an outreach plan. If you need the work delivered fully under your brand on an ongoing basis, ask us about our white label options.