This article provides a complete guide on How to Find Competitor Backlinks. If you want to boost your SEO, improve your backlink profile, and outrank your rivals on Google, then this is the guide for you.
In the world of SEO, backlinks are like votes of confidence from other websites. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more search engines trust your content, and the higher your chances of ranking on Google. But building backlinks from scratch can be difficult, especially if you don’t know where to start.
That’s where competitor backlink analysis comes in.
Instead of guessing where to get backlinks, why not look at what’s already working for your competitors? By finding out who is linking to them, why they’re linking, and how they’re doing it, you can uncover new opportunities to build your own backlink profile and improve your SEO results.
Learn how to find competitor backlinks easily using smart tools and strategies. Discover where your rivals get their links—and how you can use that data to boost your SEO rankings.
Let’s explore it together!
Table of Contents
What Are Competitor Backlinks?
Competitor backlinks are the websites that link to your competitors’ websites but not yours. These links tell search engines that your competitor’s content is valuable. If they link to your competitors, they might also be open to linking to you, if your content or offer is better.
For example, if you are a digital marketing agency, and a popular blog links to your rival agency, then that link is a competitor backlink for you.
Why You Should Analyze Competitor Backlinks
Analyzing competitor backlinks helps you:
- Find link-building opportunities
- Understand what content attracts links
- Save time by targeting already open websites
- Increase your domain authority (DA)
- Create smarter SEO strategies
It’s like learning from your competitors’ success and then improving on it!
How to Find Competitor Backlinks?
Let’s explore the step-by-step process on how to find competitor backlinks effectively and use them to boost your SEO strategy.
Step 1: Identify Your SEO Competitors
Not every business competitor is an SEO competitor. You want to find websites that:
- Rank for the same keywords as you.
- Target the same audience.
- Offer similar products, services, or content.
How to Identify Them:
- Google your main keywords (e.g., “best graphic design tool”) and note the top 10–20 websites.
- Use tools like:
- SEMrush → Organic Competitors Report
- Ahrefs → Competing Domains
- Ubersuggest → SEO Competitors Section
For example, if you’re an AI writing tool, your SEO competitors might include Jasper, Copy.ai, and Rytr—even if your pricing or features differ.
Step 2: Use Tools to Analyze Competitor Backlinks
Use these tools to spy on your competitors’ backlink profiles:
| Tool | Free/Paid | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs | Paid | Best overall backlink checker |
| SEMrush | Paid | Deep link profile + backlink gaps |
| Ubersuggest | Freemium | Simple and beginner-friendly |
| Moz Link Explorer | Free (limited) | Good for small sites |
| SEO SpyGlass | Free | Desktop-based with rich metrics |
| OpenLinkProfiler | Free | Decent for small businesses |
| Google Search Console | Free | For your own site’s backlinks |
Simply enter your competitor’s domain → Get list of backlinks → Export it.
Step 3: Filter & Sort the Data
Not all backlinks are worth copying. Filter out low-quality or spammy links.
Filter by:
- Domain Authority (DA) or Domain Rating (DR): Prefer DR/DA 30+
- Relevance: Same industry or niche
- Anchor Text: Natural and keyword-rich anchors are better
- Referring domains (unique websites)
- Dofollow vs Nofollow
- Context (Is it in a blog post, footer,
For example, you found a backlink from Oflox.com pointing to your competitor’s “Top Social Media Tools” blog post. You can write a better version of the post and pitch it to that site.
Step 4: Spot Link Building Opportunities
Now, analyze which backlinks you can replicate or improve.
Look for:
- Guest posts – Can you pitch a better article?
- Resource pages – Can you suggest your site as a resource?
- Broken links – Can you offer a replacement link?
- Brand mentions without links – Can you request a backlink?
Step 5: Plan Link-Building Outreach
Once you identify high-value backlink sources, it’s time to contact them.
Outreach Strategy:
- Send personalized emails.
- Offer better content or updated resources.
- Suggest guest posts.
- Point out broken links and offer your link as a replacement.
Smart Tip: Tools like BuzzStream, Mailshake, and Hunter.io can help automate and manage your outreach campaigns.
FAQs:)
A. Use Ubersuggest, Moz (free account), and SEO SpyGlass to check limited backlinks for free.
A. Yes. Backlink data is public and available using SEO tools.
A. Ahrefs is the best for accuracy, while Ubersuggest is great for beginners.
A. Yes, especially from guest posts, directories, and unlinked mentions.
A. At least once a month for consistent SEO performance and link opportunities.
A. No. Avoid low-authority or irrelevant backlinks. Focus only on high-quality and relevant ones.
A. Look at Domain Authority (DA), Domain Rating (DR), traffic, and anchor text relevance.
A. Yes! If their content is related to yours, you can suggest a better alternative, guest post, or collaborate.
Conclusion:)
Finding competitor backlinks is like finding a shortcut to SEO success. Instead of guessing what works, you study what’s already working for others and improve it.
With tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Ubersuggest, you can uncover high-quality backlink sources, understand their strategies, and craft your own smarter approach.
Read also:)
- What is KGR in SEO: A-to-Z Guide for Beginners!
- What is Microsites in SEO: A-to-Z Guide for Beginners!
- What is Zero-Click Search: A Step-by-Step Guide!
Have questions or insights about backlink analysis? Drop your thoughts or queries in the comments below—we’d love to hear your experience or help you out!