The businesses above you on Google are not a mystery. Their pages are sat there for anyone to read. Here is what to look at, and what to ignore.
The quickest way to see who is beating you on Google is to run a clean search for the things your customers type, from their town, and note who sits above you each time. Then look at what those businesses have that you do not. It is rarely magic. It is usually a better page, more reviews, or both.
First, work out who you are actually up against
Your competitors on Google are not always the ones you think. The firm you bump into on jobs might not rank at all. Somebody you have never heard of might be top for every search that matters.
Run your main searches and write down every business that appears above you. The names that keep coming back across several searches are your real competition online.
Ignore the directories
Yell, Checkatrade, Facebook, Bark and the big review sites show up for almost everything. They are not who you are really up against, and you are not going to out-rank them by copying them.
If a directory ranks well for your search, the useful move is to make sure your listing on it is complete and accurate. It is another way in, not a rival.
What to look at on their website
Open the page that ranks for the search, not their homepage. Then go through it honestly.
- Is the page built around that search? A page about boiler repair in your town will usually beat a general services page that mentions it once.
- Does it answer what a customer wants to know? A guide to price, the areas covered, how it works, what happens next.
- Is there proof? Reviews, photos of real jobs, case studies, accreditations.
- Does it load fast and work properly on a phone? Most of your customers are on one.
- Do they have a page for each town they cover, written for that town, rather than one page with a list of place names?
You are not looking for things to copy word for word. You are looking for the gaps. The things they cover that you do not.
What to look at on their Google profile
If they beat you in the map, look at their Google Business Profile. Check their main category, how many reviews they have, how recent the latest ones are, whether they reply, and whether they add photos. Those are the things Google can see, and so can you.
What you cannot see, and should not chase
Some of it is out of sight. How long they have been online, who links to them, how long people stay on their pages. You can guess at it, but do not lose weeks trying to work it out.
Fix the things you can see first. A focused page for each search that matters, a profile that is complete, and reviews coming in every month. That closes most gaps on its own.
Turn it into a short list
- 1Pick the three searches that bring you the best work.
- 2Note who is top for each, and what their page has that yours does not.
- 3Fix the biggest gap first, one search at a time.
- 4Check again in a month and see who has moved.
Questions people ask
Should I copy my competitor's website?
No. Copying their words can hurt you, and it tells customers nothing about why they should pick you. Use their page to see the bar, then do it better in your own words.
Why does a worse business rank above me?
Because Google does not see the quality of your work. It sees your pages, your profile and your reviews. A business that has those sorted will beat a better one that does not.
How many competitors should I keep an eye on?
Three is plenty. The ones that turn up most for your main searches. Any more and it turns into a hobby.
