Enhance Your Search Engine Optimization by Conducting a Gap Analysis

Steve Hamm

Conducting a gap analysis is one way businesses can enhance their search engine optimization. In this blog, we’ll go over what a gap analysis is and explain when you should consider it as a solution.

What is SEO gap analysis?

I would define the purpose of a gap analysis as: an analysis that helps you review your market share of consumer searches for products and services that your business may offer by comparing the number of searches performed for the keywords you are targeting against the number of visitors you get to your website for those keywords through natural search in the organic search engine listings (SERPs).

Where these is high demand for products or services indicated by the number of searches, but you have a relatively low share of visits to your site from search then this is the ‘gap’ that you need to understand and review your techniques to improve the number of SEO visits.

Why should you perform a gap analysis?

Businesses should conduct a gap analysis to identify low-hanging fruit in regard to SEO keywords. The results can guide you to relevant keywords that no one has targeted yet. A recent Econsultancy article explains how to start the process:

“Look for gaps on search engine result pages (SERPs) to identify valuable search positions that you do not currently own. Identify the type of content you should produce to raise your search rankings. Review the keywords used by your audiences, the volume of searches for a particular term and how these can be improved.”

When should you perform a gap analysis?

Businesses can perform a gap analysis at the very beginning of their SEO strategy planning. This way, if you identify a keyword or a certain type of content you should produce, you can immediately act on your findings.

Alternatively, a gap analysis can help businesses whose SEO strategies have stalled. In this sense, you can conduct an analysis whenever you see fit.

What if you don’t know how to get started?

There’s a reason most businesses don’t perform gap analyses on their own. If you don’t have any experience in the practice, it can be difficult to determine what exactly you’re looking for. By reaching out to SEO consultants, you can learn more about conducting a gap analysis and how to incorporate it in your strategy.

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