TL;DR
Competitor backlink tracking helps you discover which websites link to competing pages, what types of content attract links, and where relevant link-building opportunities may exist. The process involves analyzing competitor referring domains, identifying their most-linked pages, finding common link sources, evaluating relevance, and creating a better resource before conducting outreach.
Introduction
Backlinks can reveal more than a competitor's authority profile.
They can show you which publications, blogs, organizations, industry websites, and resource pages consider certain content useful enough to reference.
That makes competitor backlink tracking a valuable part of SEO research.
Instead of building a prospect list from scratch, you can examine websites already linking to competitors and determine whether similar opportunities make sense for your own website.
However, competitor backlink analysis should never become a numbers game.
A competitor may have thousands of backlinks, but many may be irrelevant, low-quality, or impossible to replicate. The goal is to find relevant, credible opportunities where your content can genuinely add value.
If you want to understand how backlink tracking fits into the broader competitor research process, see this competitor SEO tracking guide.
What Is Competitor Backlink Tracking?
Competitor backlink tracking is the process of monitoring links pointing to competing websites and analyzing where those links come from.
You can track:
- Referring domains
- New backlinks
- Lost backlinks
- Most-linked competitor pages
- Anchor text
- Link context
- Link growth
- Common referring domains
- Industry publications linking to competitors
The purpose isn't to copy every backlink.
It's to identify patterns and opportunities.
Step 1: Select Relevant Competitors
Start with a small group of competitors that consistently compete with you in organic search.
Five to ten competitors is usually enough for an initial analysis.
Consider:
- Direct competitors
- Search competitors
- Industry leaders
- Websites ranking for your priority topics
The strongest backlink opportunities often come from competitors whose content overlaps closely with your own.
Step 2: Analyze Their Referring Domains
A backlink tool can show the domains linking to your competitors.
Look beyond the total number.
For each referring domain, consider:
- Is the website relevant to your industry?
- Does it publish editorial content?
- Is the linking page useful?
- Is the website trustworthy?
- Is the link contextually relevant?
- Could your content genuinely contribute something?
A relevant industry publication with one meaningful editorial link can be more valuable than dozens of unrelated links.
Step 3: Find Your Competitors' Most-Linked Pages
Next, identify the pages attracting the most referring domains.
These pages can reveal what types of content earn attention.
Common link-attracting assets include:
- Original research
- Industry studies
- Statistics
- Comprehensive guides
- Free tools
- Templates
- Data visualizations
- Case studies
- Original frameworks
- Expert resources
Suppose three competitors have pages containing original research and those pages consistently attract links.
That tells you something important.
The opportunity may not be "get the same links."
The opportunity may be to create original research or a better resource that deserves similar attention.
Step 4: Find Websites Linking to Multiple Competitors
One of the most useful backlink opportunities is finding domains that link to several competitors.
If a website has already referenced multiple businesses in your industry, it may understand your topic and audience.
Create a list of these shared referring domains.
Then evaluate each one individually.
Ask:
- Why did they link?
- What type of content did they reference?
- Was the link editorial?
- Is the topic still relevant?
- Do you have a resource worth mentioning?
Only keep prospects where there is a legitimate reason for outreach.
Step 5: Analyze Why Competitors Earned the Link
A backlink is the result.
You need to understand the reason behind it.
Open the linking page and examine the context.
The competitor might have been cited because they provided:
- Original statistics
- A unique definition
- Expert commentary
- Research findings
- A useful tool
- A detailed tutorial
- A strong visual
- A proprietary framework
This helps you identify what your own content needs to offer.
For example, if a publication links to a competitor because of original statistics, simply publishing another generic blog post may not create an equivalent opportunity.
You might need original data, a survey, expert quotes, or a stronger research asset.
Step 6: Identify Linkable Content Opportunities
Use competitor backlink data to guide your content strategy.
If certain content types repeatedly attract links, consider whether you can create your own version with a stronger value proposition.
Original Research
Conduct surveys, analyze datasets, or publish industry findings.
Statistics Pages
Create a well-maintained resource containing useful statistics and supporting sources.
Free Tools
Interactive calculators, checkers, generators, and other useful tools can naturally attract references.
Comprehensive Guides
Create detailed resources that solve a specific problem from start to finish.
Templates
Give users something practical they can immediately use.
The key is to create something worth referencing.
Step 7: Build a Competitor Backlink Gap
A backlink gap compares websites linking to competitors but not to your website.
Create a simple table to organize your opportunities:
| Referring Domain | Competitor Linked | Content Type | Relevance | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website A | Competitor 1 | Research | High | High |
| Website B | Competitor 2 | Guide | High | Medium |
| Website C | Competitor 1 | Unrelated | Low | Ignore |
This makes it easier to prioritize outreach.
Step 8: Prioritize Quality Over Quantity
Not every backlink opportunity deserves your time.
Prioritize links based on:
Relevance: Does the website cover your industry or audience?
Authority: Does it appear credible and established?
Context: Would your link make sense within the content?
Editorial value: Would the link genuinely help readers?
Relationship: Is there a legitimate reason to contact the website?
Avoid pursuing links simply because competitors have them.
Step 9: Create Outreach Around Value
Once you have a qualified prospect, don't send a generic message asking for a backlink.
Explain why your resource could help their audience.
For example, you might point out:
- A new study
- A more current dataset
- A missing resource
- A useful tool
- A complementary guide
- New information that improves an existing article
The pitch should be about reader value, not simply acquiring a link.
Competitor Backlink Tracking Mistakes to Avoid
Chasing Every Competitor Link
Many backlinks aren't relevant or replicable.
Buying Links Without Evaluating Risk
Paid or manipulative link schemes can create SEO risks. Focus on earning relevant editorial references.
Ignoring Link Context
A domain alone doesn't tell you why the backlink exists.
Focusing Only on Domain Metrics
Metrics can help with prioritization, but relevance and editorial quality matter too.
Copying Competitor Content
A backlink strategy should support original, valuable resources rather than duplicated content.
How Often Should You Track Competitor Backlinks?
You don't necessarily need to check competitors every day.
A practical schedule is:
Weekly: Monitor major new links and important competitor content.
Monthly: Review backlink growth, new referring domains, and notable link opportunities.
Quarterly: Perform a deeper backlink gap analysis and update your outreach strategy.
Highly competitive industries may benefit from more frequent monitoring.
Conclusion
Competitor backlink tracking can turn another website's link profile into useful SEO intelligence.
By identifying referring domains, analyzing highly linked pages, finding common link sources, and understanding why competitors earn links, you can build a more focused link-building strategy.
But the objective shouldn't be to reproduce a competitor's backlink count.
Instead, use competitor data to answer a better question:
What can we create that is useful enough for relevant websites to reference?
That shift, from copying links to creating link-worthy resources, makes competitor backlink research much more sustainable.
FAQs
How do I track competitor backlinks?
Use a backlink analysis tool to identify competitors' referring domains, linked pages, new backlinks, and backlink trends. Then evaluate the most relevant opportunities.
What is a backlink gap?
A backlink gap identifies websites that link to competing websites but don't currently link to your website.
Should I try to get every backlink my competitors have?
No. Focus on relevant, credible, contextually appropriate backlinks that could provide genuine value.
What type of content attracts backlinks?
Original research, useful tools, statistics, comprehensive guides, templates, case studies, and unique resources can be strong linkable assets.
How often should I monitor competitor backlinks?
Monthly monitoring is a practical baseline, while quarterly deep analysis can help identify broader trends and opportunities.
Can competitor backlink tracking improve SEO?
It can help identify relevant link-building opportunities and inform content strategy, but backlinks are only one part of a broader SEO strategy.
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