The Gaps Are Your Goldmine
A link gap analysis compares your backlink profile to your competitors' profiles and finds the domains that link to THEM but not to YOU.
These are your highest-probability link prospects. They already link to content in your niche. They just don't know about you yet.
How to Run a Link Gap Analysis
Step 1: Open Ahrefs' Link Intersect tool (or Semrush's Backlink Gap tool).
Step 2: Enter your domain and 3-5 competitor domains.
Step 3: Filter for domains that link to at least 2 competitors but not to you.
Step 4: Sort by domain authority.
That's your prospect list.
Why These Prospects Convert Better
They're pre-qualified. You already know:
Your conversion rate on link gap prospects is typically 2-3x higher than cold outreach.
The Approach
Don't just email and say "my competitor has a link from you, can I have one too?"
Instead, identify WHAT content earned that link, create something equal or better, and pitch the unique value you provide. The same principles from our content gap analysis guide apply — find what's missing, then fill it better than anyone else.
Run This Quarterly
Your competitors are building new links constantly. Run a fresh link gap analysis every 3 months to catch new opportunities. Pair this with a broader competitor keyword gap analysis for maximum insight. Moz's domain analysis tool helps you quickly evaluate new link prospects uncovered in each analysis.
Track your gap analysis results at SEO Checkup. 113 tasks. Free.