Debug: upstream API calls (click to expand)
How it works
Keyword Gap Analysis fetches the full ranking-keyword set for your site and each competitor from our Keywords Everywhere ranking index, then diffs them. The output is every keyword competitors rank for that you don't, sorted by how many competitors share the gap.
Two modes. Compare Websites takes domains and surfaces gaps across your entire site. Compare Webpages takes specific URLs (your page vs each competitor's page) for head-to-head topic-page comparison.
The diff. A keyword appears in the gap list if at least one competitor ranks for it within the per-target depth cap and you do not. Each gap row carries a "Found on" count showing how many of your submitted competitors share that gap. Higher count means stronger signal that the topic is relevant to your audience.
Optional enrichment. The gap discovery is free. Search volume, CPC, competition, and 12-month trend per keyword are an opt-in step (the Enrich button on the results header) that uses credits from your own Keywords Everywhere account. Free and anonymous visitors can still see the gap list; only the enrichment step requires a paid plan.
Plan caps. Your current plan allows up to 2 competitors and 500 keywords per site. Daily quota of 50 ranking-keyword lookups is shared with the Organic Ranking Checker.
Known limitations.
- Per-target depth. If a competitor genuinely ranks for more keywords than your plan cap allows us to fetch, gaps beyond that cap won't surface for that competitor. Higher plans see deeper.
- Index lag. Brand-new competitor wins (rankings earned in the last few days) may not yet be in our index.
- Webpage mode is strict. If your URL or a competitor URL doesn't match an indexed page exactly, that target may return no keywords.
What the columns mean
- Keyword
- A search query that at least one competitor ranks for in Google and you don't.
- Found on
- How many of your submitted competitors rank for this keyword (out of the ones you submitted). The default sort. Keywords ranked for by many competitors are stronger opportunities than single-competitor outliers.
- Best Position
- The strongest position any of your competitors holds for this keyword. A keyword where a competitor ranks #2 is a more contested gap than one where the best competitor ranks #28.
- Competitor positions
- Per-competitor columns showing each competitor's position for the keyword (or empty if they don't rank for it). Lets you see exactly who is winning each gap and whether it's a single competitor or shared.
- Search Volume (enrichment only)
- Average monthly searches for the keyword in the country selected on the form. Empty until you click Enrich.
- CPC (enrichment only)
- Cost per click in Google Ads. A signal of commercial intent.
- Competition (enrichment only)
- Google's 0-1 score for advertising competition. Higher = more advertisers bidding.
- 12-Month Trend (enrichment only)
- Sparkline of monthly search volume over the past 12 months. Useful for spotting seasonality or topics in decline.
Frequently asked questions
What is a keyword gap analysis?
A keyword gap analysis surfaces the keywords your competitors rank for in Google but you don't. The intuition is that if multiple competitors in your niche all rank for a keyword and you don't, that keyword represents an opportunity: the topic is clearly relevant to your audience, and the competitive bar is one you can plausibly clear since others already have. This tool produces exactly that list, ranked by which keywords the most competitors share.
How do I do a keyword gap analysis?
Enter your own domain (or your own URL in Webpage mode), then paste up to 10 competitor domains, one per line. Click Find Gaps. We pull every keyword each competitor ranks for, subtract the keywords you already rank for, and return the difference sorted by "Found on" count (the number of competitors that rank for that keyword but you don't). Topics that show up across many competitors are the strongest opportunities.
What's the difference between Compare Websites and Compare Webpages mode?
Compare Websites takes domains (e.g. example.com) and returns keywords every page on your site doesn't rank for that competitors do. Compare Webpages takes specific URLs (e.g. https://example.com/best-running-shoes) and is for head-to-head comparison of one page vs competitor pages on the same topic. Webpage mode is the more focused tool when you have a specific page you're trying to improve.
How do I find competitor keywords?
You don't need to know your competitors' keywords up front. You just need to know who your competitors are. This tool fetches the ranking-keyword set for each competitor from our Keywords Everywhere ranking index, then diffs against yours. If you don't know who your SEO competitors are, our Competitors Finder tool can surface them from your own domain.
How many competitors can I compare?
Your current plan allows up to 2 competitors per submission. Platinum allows the maximum of 10. Each competitor adds one fan-out call to the ranking index, so the cap is calibrated against per-submission load. If you want to analyse a longer list, run multiple submissions and pivot the gap lists in a spreadsheet.
What are the 4 steps of a gap analysis?
For this tool: (1) Pick your own site or page as the baseline. (2) Identify a relevant set of competitors (3-10 is typical). (3) Run the gap analysis to surface keywords competitors rank for but you don't, sorted by how many competitors share the gap. (4) Filter the results by search volume and position (use the Enrich button on paid plans to add volume / CPC / competition / trend per keyword), then pick the topics with the best traffic-vs-effort ratio.
Can I use AI for keyword research instead?
AI-generated keyword ideas can be a useful starting point for brainstorming, but they don't tell you what real searchers in your market are actually typing into Google or what your specific competitors already rank for. This tool is the opposite shape: every keyword in the gap list comes from real Google ranking data for real competitors. Use AI for ideation, use a gap-analysis tool for prioritization.
Why don't I see search volume on every row?
The gap-keyword discovery itself is free, but search volume, CPC, competition, and 12-month trend per keyword come from a credit-charging upstream. To avoid surprising users, those four columns stay empty by default. Paid plans can click Enrich in the results header to add them; we quote the credit cost up front via a confirm modal, and credits come from your own Keywords Everywhere account.