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Knowing which keywords your competitors are targeting gives you a strategic advantage, you can choose to compete directly for the same keywords or identify gaps they are missing and target those instead. The Competitor Tracking tool analyzes the keyword performance of up to 10 competitor websites and displays the data directly in your dashboard. To use Competitor Tracking, you must have a website connected to Thryv. To learn how to connect your website, see How to Connect Your Website to Thryv.

This article covers the following:

• How to access the Competitor Tracking tool
• How to add and remove competitor websites
• How to read competitor keyword metrics
• How to use Keyword Market Intel to identify keyword opportunities

Why Use Competitor Tracking to Improve Your Keyword Strategy

Most business owners invest in online advertising without knowing what their competitors are spending on or which keywords are driving results in their market. The Competitor Tracking tool removes that guesswork by analyzing the keyword rankings of competitor websites and surfacing the data you need to make smarter advertising decisions. You can see which keywords your competitors are buying, how competitive those keywords are, and which keywords your competitors are targeting that your website is currently missing.

How to Access the Competitor Tracking Tool

To access Competitor Tracking, click Tools in the left-hand navigation, then click Competitor Tracking. The Competitor Tracking page displays your list of tracked competitor websites and their keyword data.

How to Add and Remove Competitor Websites

To add a competitor website, click Add New on the Competitor Tracking page and enter the competitor's website URL. You can track up to 10 competitor websites at a time. Thryv will analyze the keyword performance for each URL you add and identify which keywords overlap with your own website. To remove a competitor website from your tracking list, click x Remove next to the website URL you want to delete.

How to Read Competitor Keyword Metrics

After adding competitor websites, the Competitor Tracking tool displays the top keywords those websites advertise on in the panel below the competitor list. The keyword data shown is based on Google keyword purchases for the domains you have entered and does not include data from other advertising channels. The following metrics are displayed for each keyword:

• Volume: The total number of searches for the keyword in the past month.
• CPC (Cost Per Click): The average price an advertiser pays per click for the keyword on Google.
• Advertisers: The total number of businesses advertising on the keyword online in the last 6 months. A higher number of advertisers indicates a more competitive keyword.
• Paid Clicks: The percentage of all clicks on the keyword's search results page that went to paid ads rather than organic results.

How to Use Keyword Market Intel to Find Keyword Opportunities

Keyword Market Intel is a summary of keyword overlap between your website and your tracked competitors. Keyword Market Intel organizes keywords into four categories to help you identify where to focus your advertising efforts:

• All Keywords: Every keyword that any of the tracked domains is buying. If one competitor buys a keyword that others do not, that keyword is still included in this list. All Keywords shows the complete keyword universe across all tracked domains.
• Core Keywords: Keywords that all of the tracked domains are buying. As you add more competitors, the Core Keywords list typically gets smaller because fewer keywords are shared across all domains.
• Missing Keywords: Keywords that your website does not rank for, but all of your tracked competitors do. Missing Keywords represent potential gaps in your current keyword strategy.
• Potential Keywords: Keywords that only your website is buying and none of your tracked competitors are. Some of these may be branded terms or exclusive products. Review Potential Keywords carefully and consider setting underperforming keywords to negative match to avoid unnecessary ad spend.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many competitor websites can I track at once?
You can track up to 10 competitor websites at a time in the Competitor Tracking tool.

Does Competitor Tracking include data from social media or other ad channels?
No. The keyword data displayed in Competitor Tracking is based on Google keyword purchases only. Data from other advertising channels such as social media or Bing is not included.

Do I need a connected website to use Competitor Tracking?
Yes. Competitor Tracking tracks keyword rankings for your connected website. You must have a website connected to Thryv before using this feature. To learn how to connect your website, see How to Connect Your Website to Thryv.

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