Competitive Analysis Workflow

Systematic approach to analyzing competitor citation performance and identifying opportunities to capture citation share.

Overview

Goal: Understand which competitors dominate AI citations and why, then develop strategies to compete.

Time: 2-3 hours for initial analysis, 1 hour monthly for ongoing

Output:

• Competitor citation rankings
• Content gap analysis
• Strategic recommendations
• Action plan

The Competitive Analysis Process

Step 1: Execute Competitive Queries (30 minutes)

Create Competitive Query Set:

Navigate to /dashboard/generate

Industry: home-improvement
Focus: "plumbing repairs and installation"
Personas: All three (Consumer, Professional, Beginner)
Journey Stages: All three (Awareness, Consideration, Decision)
Count: 50

Execute with Multiple Providers:

• Minimum: Claude (highest citation rate)
• Recommended: Claude + GPT-4 + Perplexity
• Premium: All four providers

Why Multiple Providers:

• Different training data = different sources
• Provider diversity = comprehensive view
• Consensus citations = strong signals

Step 2: Identify Top Competitors (15 minutes)

Navigate to Analytics (/dashboard/analytics)

Review Domain Rankings:

Top Cited Domains (50 queries, 200 responses):

1. familyhandyman.com - 68 citations (8.5%)
2. thisoldhouse.com - 61 citations (7.6%)
3. homedepot.com - 54 citations (6.8%)
4. youtube.com - 49 citations (6.1%)
5. bobvila.com - 42 citations (5.3%)
6. diynetwork.com - 38 citations (4.8%)
7. thespruce.com - 35 citations (4.4%)
8. lowes.com - 31 citations (3.9%)
9. plumbingsupply.com - 28 citations (3.5%)
10. angieslist.com - 24 citations (3.0%)

Categorize Competitors:

Direct Competitors (same business model):

• Your domain: e-commerce + content
• Competitors: homedepot.com, lowes.com

Content Publishers (pure content play):

• familyhandyman.com, thisoldhouse.com, bobvila.com

Platforms (UGC/video):

• youtube.com, reddit.com

Directories/Reviews:

• angieslist.com, homeadvisor.com

Step 3: Deep Dive on Top 3 Competitors (45 minutes)

For each of the top 3 competitors:

A. Citation Pattern Analysis

Navigate to Domain Detail Page:

Click on familyhandyman.com in analytics

Analyze:

familyhandyman.com - 68 citations

Provider Breakdown:
- Claude: 28 citations (41%)
- GPT-4: 22 citations (32%)
- Perplexity: 12 citations (18%)
- Gemini: 6 citations (9%)

Top Cited URLs:
1. /plumbing/faucet-repair/ - 8 citations
2. /plumbing/toilet-troubleshooting/ - 6 citations
3. /plumbing/drain-cleaning/ - 5 citations
4. /plumbing/sink-installation/ - 4 citations
5. /plumbing/water-heater-maintenance/ - 4 citations

Query Types Triggering Citations:
- How-to: 45 citations (66%)
- Problem-solving: 15 citations (22%)
- Comparison: 6 citations (9%)
- Educational: 2 citations (3%)

Insights:

• ✅ Strong in how-to content
• ✅ Claude favors them heavily
• ✅ Comprehensive faucet/toilet coverage
• ❌ Weak in comparison and educational content

B. Content Analysis

Visit Top Cited URLs:

Navigate to familyhandyman.com/plumbing/faucet-repair/

Evaluate:

Content Quality:

• ✅ 2,500+ words
• ✅ Step-by-step instructions with numbers
• ✅ High-quality photos (20+)
• ✅ Tools/materials list
• ✅ Troubleshooting section
• ✅ Video embedded
• ❌ Last updated: 2022 (could be fresher)

Structure:

Format:
1. Introduction (problem context)
2. Tools and Materials Needed
3. Step-by-Step Instructions (with photos)
4. Troubleshooting Common Issues
5. When to Call a Professional
6. Related Articles

Content Characteristics:

• Tone: Friendly, accessible
• Technical Level: Beginner-friendly
• Visual Density: High (photo every 2-3 paragraphs)
• Actionability: Very high
• Completeness: Comprehensive

C. Authority Signals

Check:

• Domain Age: 20+ years ✅
• Author Credentials: Professional contractors ✅
• Update Frequency: Monthly ✅
• Backlink Profile: High authority ✅
• Social Proof: Comments, shares ✅

Step 4: Gap Analysis (30 minutes)

Content Coverage Gaps:

Create spreadsheet:

Topic	Competitor Coverage	Your Coverage	Gap	Opportunity
Faucet Repair	familyhandyman.com (8 citations)	None	-8	HIGH
Toilet Troubleshooting	thisoldhouse.com (6 citations)	None	-6	HIGH
Drain Cleaning	homedepot.com (5 citations)	Basic	-3	MEDIUM
Sink Installation	familyhandyman.com (4 citations)	Product page only	-4	HIGH

Citation Type Gaps:

Competitor Strengths:
- How-to guides: 66% of citations
- Problem-solving: 22% of citations

Your Strengths:
- Product pages: Good for e-commerce, poor for AEO
- Basic guides: Thin content, low citation potential

Gap: Need comprehensive how-to and troubleshooting content

Provider Gaps:

Claude Citations (highest rate provider):
- familyhandyman.com: 28 citations
- your-domain.com: 0 citations

Gap: Not in Claude's training data or not authoritative
Action: Create citation-worthy content, wait for retraining

Step 5: Competitive Positioning (20 minutes)

SWOT Analysis:

Your Strengths:

• E-commerce platform (can monetize traffic)
• Product expertise (direct experience)
• Customer data (real problems, real questions)
• Fast iteration (can publish quickly)

Your Weaknesses:

• New content (not in training data yet)
• Lower domain authority
• Smaller content library
• Less established brand

Opportunities:

• Low-citation queries (less competition)
• Emerging topics (not covered by old content)
• Real-time search providers (Perplexity)
• Unique angles (product-centric how-tos)

Threats:

• Established competitors
• Training data lag (6-12 months to appear)
• Resource constraints
• Algorithm changes

Strategic Positioning:

Option 1: Head-to-Head
- Compete directly on high-citation queries
- Requires exceptional content quality
- Long-term play (6-12 months)

Option 2: Niche Domination
- Target low-citation, specific queries
- Quick wins (1-3 months)
- Build authority incrementally

Option 3: Unique Angle
- Leverage e-commerce advantage
- Product-centric how-tos
- "How to install [specific product]"
- Differentiation play

Step 6: Opportunity Prioritization (20 minutes)

Priority Matrix:

High Impact, Low Competition:
- Toilet flapper replacement (2 citations, easy to create)
- Faucet aerator cleaning (1 citation, quick win)
- Shower diverter repair (2 citations, specific)

High Impact, High Competition:
- General faucet repair (12 citations, crowded)
- Drain unclogging (10 citations, difficult)
- Toilet running (11 citations, competitive)

Low Impact, Low Competition:
- Obscure plumbing terms (0-1 citations, low value)
- Hyper-specific scenarios (0-1 citations, limited audience)

Low Impact, High Competition:
- Avoid entirely

Prioritized Action List:

Priority 1 (Next 30 days):
1. Create: "How to replace toilet flapper valve" (2 citations, low competition)
2. Create: "How to clean faucet aerator" (1 citation, quick win)
3. Create: "Fix shower diverter valve leak" (2 citations, specific)

Priority 2 (Next 60 days):
4. Expand: Comprehensive faucet repair guide (compete with familyhandyman)
5. Create: Toilet troubleshooting guide (compete with thisoldhouse)
6. Create: Drain cleaning methods comparison (compete with homedepot)

Priority 3 (Next 90 days):
7. Build: Ultimate plumbing troubleshooting resource
8. Create: Seasonal plumbing maintenance guides
9. Expand: Professional-grade content for contractors

Advanced Competitive Techniques

Citation Share Tracking

Establish Baseline:

Month 1 - Competitive Landscape:
- familyhandyman.com: 8.5%
- thisoldhouse.com: 7.6%
- your-domain.com: 0%

Total market: Top 10 domains = 54.3%
Opportunity: 45.7% distributed among others

Track Monthly:

Month 2 - After 3 Pieces Published:
- familyhandyman.com: 8.2% (-0.3%)
- thisoldhouse.com: 7.4% (-0.2%)
- your-domain.com: 0.5% (+0.5%)

Insight: Capturing share from leaders incrementally

Set Goals:

3-Month Goal: 2% citation share
6-Month Goal: 5% citation share
12-Month Goal: 10% citation share (top 3 domain)

Provider-Specific Competitive Analysis

Claude Competitive Analysis:

Why: Highest citation rate (6-10 per response)
Competitors dominating Claude:
- familyhandyman.com: 28 Claude citations
- thisoldhouse.com: 24 Claude citations

Strategy: Create content matching their patterns
- Comprehensive how-to guides
- Step-by-step instructions
- Expert tone
- Educational focus

Perplexity Competitive Analysis:

Why: Real-time search, fresh content advantage
Competitors dominating Perplexity:
- homedepot.com: 15 Perplexity citations (blog posts)
- lowes.com: 12 Perplexity citations (guides)

Strategy: Fresh, recent content
- Publish regularly (weekly)
- Update timestamps
- Cover trending topics
- News-worthy angles

Content Format Analysis

Analyze Winning Formats:

familyhandyman.com format:

• Average length: 2,000-3,000 words
• Images: 15-25 per article
• Structure: Numbered steps
• Extras: Video, tools list, related articles
• Tone: Friendly DIY expert

thisoldhouse.com format:

• Average length: 1,500-2,500 words
• Images: 10-20 per article
• Structure: Detailed paragraphs with subheadings
• Extras: Expert quotes, product recommendations
• Tone: Professional contractor

homedepot.com format:

• Average length: 1,000-1,500 words
• Images: 8-15 per article
• Structure: Simple numbered lists
• Extras: Product links, cost estimates
• Tone: Practical, straightforward

Winning Formula (synthesis):

Your Content Target:
- Length: 2,000-2,500 words
- Images: 15-20 (mix of diagrams and photos)
- Structure: Numbered steps + troubleshooting
- Extras: Video, tools list, product recommendations
- Tone: Expert but accessible
- Unique: Product-centric (leverage e-commerce)

Temporal Competitive Analysis

Track Competitors Over Time:

Q1 Analysis:

familyhandyman.com: 8.5% citation share
Content: 50 plumbing articles, last update Jan 2024

Q2 Analysis:

familyhandyman.com: 9.2% citation share (+0.7%)
New content: 8 articles published
Updates: 12 articles refreshed
Insight: Active publishing = growing share

Your Response:

• Match or exceed publishing frequency
• Update content quarterly
• Cover new subtopics they're targeting

Competitive Intelligence Gathering

Citation Context Analysis

Analyze HOW competitors are cited:

Example 1: Explicit Recommendation:

AI Response: "According to Family Handyman, the best approach
is to turn off the water supply first..."

Why This Works:
- Brand name mentioned explicitly
- "According to" = authority signal
- Specific recommendation quoted
- High visibility to user

Example 2: Aggregated Source:

AI Response: "Several sources including This Old House,
Home Depot, and Bob Vila recommend..."

Why This Works:
- Listed among authorities
- Consensus citation
- Still builds awareness

Example 3: URL Reference:

AI Response: "...as detailed in this comprehensive guide
(https://familyhandyman.com/plumbing/faucet-repair/)"

Why This Works:
- Direct link provided
- "Comprehensive guide" descriptor
- Clickthrough opportunity

Your Goal: Aim for explicit recommendations (Example 1)

Backlink and Authority Analysis

Check Competitors' Backlink Profiles:

Tools: Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz (subscription required)

Metrics to Track:

• Domain Authority/Rating
• Backlink count
• Referring domains
• Top linking sites

Example:

familyhandyman.com:
- Domain Rating: 84/100
- Backlinks: 2.3M
- Referring domains: 15K
- Top linkers: Pinterest, Facebook, major blogs

your-domain.com:
- Domain Rating: 45/100
- Backlinks: 50K
- Referring domains: 800
- Gap: Significant authority difference

Insight: LLM training likely correlates with domain authority

Action: Build authority through:

• Quality content (for natural backlinks)
• Strategic partnerships
• Guest posting
• PR and media mentions

Action Planning

30-Day Sprint Plan

Week 1: Research and Planning

• Execute competitive query set (50 queries)
• Analyze top 5 competitors
• Identify top 10 opportunities
• Create content roadmap

Week 2: Content Creation

• Write 2 high-opportunity articles
• 2,000+ words each
• 15+ images each
• Comprehensive how-to format

Week 3: Optimization and Publishing

• SEO optimization
• Schema markup
• Internal linking
• Publish and promote

Week 4: Measurement

• Re-execute same queries
• Check for citations (unlikely yet)
• Monitor traffic
• Plan next sprint

90-Day Campaign

Month 1: Quick Wins

• Target 10 low-competition queries
• Create 10 focused articles
• Establish baseline citation tracking

Month 2: Build Authority

• Create 5 comprehensive guides (3,000+ words)
• Target medium-competition queries
• Update and expand quick-win content

Month 3: Competitive

• Create 2-3 ultimate resources (5,000+ words)
• Target high-competition queries
• Measure citation share growth

Expected Results:

Month 1: 0-1% citation share (if Perplexity picks up fresh content)
Month 2: 1-2% citation share (more content indexed)
Month 3: 2-3% citation share (authority building)

Competitive Monitoring Dashboard

Track Weekly:

Metric                          | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
-------------------------------|--------|--------|--------|--------|
Queries tested                 | 50     | 50     | 50     | 50     |
Your citations                 | 0      | 0      | 2      | 5      |
Your citation share            | 0%     | 0%     | 0.5%   | 1.2%   |
Top competitor citations       | 42     | 41     | 40     | 38     |
Top competitor share           | 8.5%   | 8.3%   | 8.1%   | 7.7%   |
Content published (you)        | 2      | 3      | 2      | 3      |
Content published (competitor) | 1      | 2      | 1      | 1      |

Monthly Review:

• Citation share trend: ↗️ Growing, → Flat, ↘️ Declining
• Competitive gaps: Narrowing or widening?
• Content strategy: Working or needs adjustment?
• Resource allocation: Sufficient or increase?

Next Steps

• Content Strategy → - Create citation-worthy content
• Query Discovery → - Find more competitive queries
• Analytics Guide → - Deep dive on metrics

Summary

Competitive Analysis Workflow:

1. Execute competitive queries (30 min)
2. Identify top competitors (15 min)
3. Deep dive on top 3 (45 min)
4. Gap analysis (30 min)
5. Competitive positioning (20 min)
6. Opportunity prioritization (20 min)

Key Insights:

• Top 10 domains capture ~50% of citations
• Established publishers dominate (Family Handyman, This Old House)
• How-to content gets 60-70% of citations
• Content quality and comprehensiveness matter most

Action Plan:

• Start with low-competition queries (quick wins)
• Match or exceed competitor content quality
• Track citation share monthly
• Iterate based on data