What is Content Gap Analysis and Its Significance?
Content gap analysis entails identifying the topics absent from your website. It involves comparing the existing content on your site with the subjects that your target audience seeks, allowing you to generate content to bridge those gaps.
Engaging in a content gap analysis serves as an effective strategy for keyword research, uncovering potential content ideas that might not have been previously considered.
For instance, suppose you manage a website dedicated to cooking and aim to enhance its utility for visitors. Conducting a content gap analysis involves examining popular online searches related to cooking and verifying if your website covers those specific topics.
If the analysis reveals that your website lacks information on trending subjects such as ‘healthy dessert recipes,’ ‘quick dinner ideas,’ or ‘vegetarian cooking,’ these identified gaps signify areas where articles can be developed to address these topics.
Performing a content gap analysis ensures that your website remains pertinent and valuable to your audience.
1.Analyzing Your Competitors’ Content
The initial phase of conducting a content gap analysis involves identifying the keywords for which your competitors are ranking, yet your platform is not. This data offers valuable insights into potential keywords that can benefit your business, as well as the content formats your competitors utilize to rank for those keywords. Using SEMrush, you can ascertain your primary competitors and discern the number of keywords you share with them. Access the ‘Organic Research’ section within the ‘SEO’ category on the left-hand sidebar. Click on the ‘Competitors’ tab to locate your major competitors. Subsequently, navigate to your SEMrush account. Within the left-hand panel, under Competitive Research, opt for Keyword Gap. Enter the identified competitors from the previous step to unveil the keywords that your site is not ranking for, but your competitors are.
2.Generating New Content Ideas
Utilize the list of ‘Missing’ keywords to stimulate the creation of blog post concepts. Rather than solely relying on brainstorming, consider using WPBeginner’s Blog Post Idea Generator.
This tool is readily accessible and provides an extensive selection of over 250 blog post ideas with each search, offered entirely free of charge.
Referring to the image below, select one of the missing keywords previously identified and click ‘Get Ideas.’
Thoroughly review the list of suggested blog titles, pinpointing those that resonate most with your audience.
Consider organizing these concepts in a spreadsheet or a project management system, enabling allocation to a team of writers.
Store these blog post ideas and incorporate them into your content calendar to enhance your chances of ranking for keywords that your competitors are currently targeting.
3.Monitoring Underperforming Website Keywords
Subsequently, focus on the ‘Weak’ keywords list to scrutinize the content that isn’t delivering optimal performance on your site. A straightforward Google search for your blog post can provide an indication of your current search engine ranking without requiring specialized tools. However, manually conducting these searches can be time-intensive. Instead, consider using the Google Search Console.
For a comprehensive guide on leveraging the Google Search Console, refer to our tutorial on how to observe the keywords people use to discover your WordPress site.
Within the queries tab, you will find a list of keywords accompanied by the number of clicks, impressions, and their position in search results. Visiting the ‘Pages’ tab allows you to identify specific blog posts or pages and their respective positions.
Focus on the keywords that correspond to your ‘Weak’ keyword list derived from SEMrush, as these weak keywords are precisely the ones for which your primary competitors are ranking higher.
If you manage to improve your ranking above theirs, it could potentially redirect their traffic to your site. Another method to unearth underperforming website keywords involves using the All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin, which stands as one of the leading WordPress SEO plugins available, trusted by over 3 million professionals.
You must first install and activate the plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our blog on installing a WordPress plugin.
This plugin enables you to check your keyword rankings directly within WordPress, saving time compared to manual checks in Google Search Console. To begin, access All in One SEO » Search Statistics within your WordPress dashboard.
4.Enhance Your Existing Blog Posts to Bridge the Gaps
Our focus now turns to each blog post, aiming to bridge the existing gaps and elevate their ranking potential. Commence by individually examining each blog post, delving into how you can enhance the content.
Examine the first page of Google results for each primary keyword. At times, you might encounter the first page exhibiting robust outcomes without significant gaps. In such scenarios, align your content with similar headings and ensure it fulfills the search intent.
Should you perceive gaps in the content on the first page, your aim should be to create or update your content to deliver a more comprehensive and valuable resource.
Enhancing a blog post doesn’t guarantee a higher ranking. Nevertheless, we’ll outline diverse methods to improve your content and provide guidance on what to consider when analyzing your competitors’ articles.
Revise Your Title Tag and Meta Description An effectively crafted title tag and meta description should captivate searchers’ interest and promise a solution to their query. This can bolster your blog’s click-through rates, directly influencing your SEO rankings.
Leverage AIOSEO’s TruSEO On-Page Analysis to seamlessly incorporate title tags, meta descriptions, and keywords for apt on-page SEO optimization. Within your content editor, navigate to the AIOSEO settings, adding your post title and meta description. It will offer guidance on the recommended characters to use.
Aim to approach that number to maximize your post’s visibility and provide visitors with a preview of the content they can expect.
.Enhance Reader Value
When addressing content gaps, prioritize identifying areas for improvement that enhance the value provided to your readers. One effective method is to incorporate relevant keywords, broadening the reach of your content and expanding on related topics within your blog.
WPBeginner’s Keyword Generator Tool offers over 300 keyword suggestions relevant to your topic, assisting in targeting potential readers actively searching for this content. Simply input your primary keyword and click ‘Analyze’ to access the keyword ideas.
.Integrate FAQ Schema
Gaining visibility within Google’s People Also Ask section can significantly boost your website’s traffic and position your blog as an authority on a specific subject. Ranking in this section not only drives more traffic to your website but also elevates your blog’s credibility in the given field.