Intermediate feature
Competitor analysis that explains where their pages are stronger
When a competitor keeps appearing in AI answers, guessing why wastes time. Competitor analysis compares your client’s website with an equivalent competitor site and shows the concrete differences in coverage, terms and explanations.
What it is for
The question it answers
“Why are they cited and we are not?”
AI answers tend to draw on pages that explain a topic fully and plainly. If a competitor covers questions your site ignores, uses terms your pages never mention or states facts more clearly, that shows up in a side-by-side comparison.
The analysis is built for action. Instead of a vague “they have more content”, you get competitor advantages, terms that only appear on their side and recommendations you can mark done. Pages can be re-scanned when either site changes.
Inputs, workflow and outputs
How it works in practice
You bring
- The client website, already added to the workspace
- An equivalent competitor website, ideally one seen in your ChatGPT snapshots
- Comfort with search intent, headings and on-page content
Add the client site
Start from the client website so the comparison has a clear baseline.
Enter the competitor
Add the equivalent competitor website you want to compare, such as one cited in an answer.
Run the comparison
The tool analyses both sites and prepares a focused AI search visibility comparison.
Act and track
Work through competitor recommendations and mark each one done as your team ships it.
You get
- Competitor advantages in coverage and explanation
- Competitor-only terms your pages do not use
- Recommendations you can mark done or reopen
- A record of competitor domains you track for the client
Who benefits
Who gets the most from it
- SEO-literate marketers
- Move from “why them?” to a list of specific content gaps.
- Agencies
- Give clients a clear, evidence-led explanation of a competitor’s strengths.
- Content strategists
- Prioritise briefs by the gaps that matter most to buyers.
Illustrative example
Two physiotherapy clinics in the same city
Illustrative example, not customer data. A clinic sees a rival named whenever ChatGPT is asked about running injuries.
The clinic’s site is compared with the rival clinic’s website.
The rival has dedicated pages on shin splints and plantar fasciitis with recovery timelines.
Competitor-only terms include “gait analysis” and “return to run program”.
The clinic writes a running injuries hub describing services it genuinely offers, then marks it done.
Limitations
What it does not do
Honest limits help you set the right expectations with stakeholders. See the general FAQ for more.
- The comparison covers the sites you enter. It does not see private data, rankings or traffic for either site.
- Copying a competitor is not the goal. Add only content that is true and useful for your customers.
- Closing a gap does not guarantee you will be cited instead of the competitor.
- The number of tracked competitors may be limited by your plan.
Questions
Competitor analysis: frequently asked questions
Which competitor should I compare against?
Pick one that genuinely serves the same customers and appears in your ChatGPT snapshots. A comparison with a much larger national brand is often less actionable.
Does it show competitor rankings or traffic?
No. It compares the content of the websites. It does not access ranking or traffic data from Google or any other provider.
Can I re-run it after changes?
Yes. Site pages can be re-scanned so the comparison reflects the latest version of each site.
Related features
Start with what is true today
See what your strongest competitor explains better
No ranking guarantee. AI Search Console provides observations and recommendations only. It cannot guarantee rankings in any search engine or mentions in any AI-generated answer, which are determined by third-party providers. Product examples on this site are illustrative and do not show real customer data.