Competitor analysis gives you the information you need to outsmart your rivals. By understanding what works for them, you can identify opportunities to improve your own strategy.

From finding the best keywords to tracking traffic sources and reviewing backlinks, competitor research is a goldmine of information, and one that is often overlooked.

In a recent webinar, Jon Monk (ASP's head of search performance) talked through the process of gathering competitor insights and how to best use them.

Here's our guide to get your started... 

Many event organisers assume their direct industry rivals are their biggest online competitors. However, search engines define competition differently - they look at which websites rank for the same keywords, not necessarily those running similar events.

Basic Keyword Research

By using SEO tools like SE Ranking you can easily identify actual search competitors rather than relying on your best guess.

• Start by identifying the main keyword relevant to your business. For example, "technology conference" for a UK technology event.
   

• Then, use SE Ranking to verify the keyword’s relevance:
  • Navigate to Research > Keyword Research > Overview.

  • Enter your seed keyword , such as "technology conference" and select your region (e.g., UK).

  • Identify the competitors that are also ranking for "technology conference."

  • Compare keyword performance between competitors

  • Discover related keywords that could be opportunities for your own website (or they could be used as ideas for topic pages on your own site)
     

For more keyword research help check out this webinar.

Search Competitor Websites

Next, do a Google search for your main keyword (eg: technology conference) and take a look at the top ranking event websites (other sites will likely show up but there are not usually important unless they are an event). 

Expand to Global Competitors

It's also useful to expand your search to get information on top ranking global competitors (especially if you run a global event) by changing the region of your google search. To do this you'll need to:

• Go to Google Search Settings
• Scroll down to Region Settings
• Select the country you want to search from
• Click Save

Don't forget to change it back to your own region when you have finished!

Traffic & Engagement

Our favourite tool for monitoring competitor website insights including traffic sources, engagement metrics and device distribution is SimilarWeb. Add your competitors URL to the website analysis area and you'll be able to discover lots of useful info including:

• Estimated traffic volumes of competitor websites.

• Traffic sources (organic search, direct, paid, social, referral, etc.).

• User behaviour (average visit duration, bounce rates, pages per visit).

• Device split (desktop vs mobile visitors)

But why do these insights matter?
By analysing where a competitor’s traffic originates, you can spot opportunities for you own website. For example:

• If a competitor gains significant traffic from referrals, partnerships with industry blogs might be worth exploring.

• If they rely heavily on organic search, improving your own on-page SEO and content strategy is crucial.

• If social media drives a lot of traffic, it's worth investigating which platforms and campaigns are performing best to see if you can get any ideas!
   

Backlink Strength & Domain Authority
We've used another great tool for these insights https://ahrefs.com/backlink-checker

One of Google’s strongest ranking signals is the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to a website. Jon showed us how Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker can be used to:

• Compare your domain rating (DR) to competitors.

• Identify top referring domains linking to competitor sites.

• Determine whether link-building efforts are necessary for ranking improvements

Why backlinks are important

• If your competitors have significantly stronger backlink profiles, SEO efforts may take longer to show results.

• If your domain rating is close to competitors, focusing on content quality and page experience can still help you outrank them.

• Events naturally attract backlinks from speakers, exhibitors, and partners—making it easier to build links than in other industries.

If your competitor’s domain rating is significantly higher, SEO success will take longer so you might want to consider supplementing with social, paid, or referral traffic in the short term.

There are also lots of lessons you can learn by doing a quick review of your competitors' websites from a user experience (UX) point of view.

It's also worth doing a review of your own site (or ask a friendly colleague who is less familiar with the site). 

Here's Jon's checklist:

Device Experience

• Responsive Design: Check adaptability on desktop, mobile, and tablet.
• Mobile Usability: Test navigation, readability, and interactivity.

Calls to Action (CTAs)

• Visibility: Ensure CTAs are prominently placed (e.g., above the fold).

• Design: Assess button size, colour contrast, and spacing.

• Copy: Review clarity, urgency, and actionability of CTA text.

• Repetition: Confirm CTAs are consistently available across the site.

Navigation

• Main Menu: Evaluate clarity and simplicity.

• Search Functionality: Test relevance, filters, and auto-suggestions.

• Breadcrumbs: Look for user-friendly navigation aids.

• Footer Navigation: Check for additional links and resources.

Homepage

• Hero Section: Evaluate key messaging and visuals.

• First Impression: Assess whether the value proposition is clear.

• Trust Signals: Look for testimonials, badges, or awards.

Content

• Headings: Check for descriptive and SEO-friendly headings.

• Imagery: Review image quality and optimisation.

• Video: Assess the presence and loading of video content.

• Scannability: Ensure content is easy to skim with bullet points and bold text.

Forms

• Ease of Use: Test forms for simplicity and user experience.

• Validation: Ensure real-time input validation is available.

• Conversion Focus: Check for incentives near forms to encourage submissions.

Trust & Credibility

• Social Proof: Look for reviews and case studies.

• Certifications: Check for badges or partner logos.

• Contact Information: Ensure details are easy to find.

Engagement Elements

• Interactive Features: Identify tools like calculators or quizzes.

• Chatbots/Live Chat: Test responsiveness and relevance.

• Sticky Elements: Note sticky navigation or CTAs.

• Cookies & Consent: Review how cookie consent is managed and communicated.

Observing UX mistakes on competitor sites helps you avoid them, while borrowing things that they do well can improve your own conversion rates.

And finally Jon shared his action plan... 

1. Document Your Observations

• Use a spreadsheet or checklist to track findings.

• Compare your SEO performance, CRO elements, and user engagement against competitors.

2. Prioritise High-Impact Changes

• Focus on low-effort, high-impact improvements first, such as better CTAs, optimised page layouts, or fixing confusing navigation.

3. Test & Iterate

• Use A/B testing to measure changes in registration rates, engagement, and bounce rates.

• Monitor Google Analytics and heatmaps (Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar) to see how users interact with the site.

4. Review Performance Quarterly

• Competitor strategies evolve constantly, so reviewing traffic, keywords, and engagement metrics every few months ensures you stay competitive.
   

Competitor research is most effective when insights are documented, prioritised, and tested over time.

So there you have it our practical approach to competitor research which bridges SEO, traffic analysis, backlinks, UX and CRO.

By using the free tools we recommended you can get some pretty powerful insights into how competitors attract and convert visitors—then use that knowledge to improve your own event websites.

 

Get in touch with the team today... 

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