How to Do a Content Gap Analysis (With Real Examples)

By Emily Redmond, Data Analyst at Emilytics · April 2026

TL;DR: Content gap analysis finds keywords your competitors rank for but you don't. It's your easiest path to new content—you're targeting demand that's already proven to exist.

What a Content Gap Is (and Why It Matters)

Your competitor ranks for 300 keywords. You rank for 200. That's a 100-keyword gap.

But not all gaps are equal. Some gaps are:

• Irrelevant to your business: Your competitor ranks for "accounting software" but you sell project management tools.
• Too competitive: They rank for "project management" but you're outmatched.
• Gold: They rank for "best project management software for agencies" and you don't. You have content about this. You should rank for it.

A content gap analysis finds the gold.

Here's why it matters:

1. Proven demand. If a competitor ranks, people search for it.
2. Easier wins. You're not breaking new ground—you're competing in an arena that already exists.
3. Quick ranking potential. If you have similar content, you might rank in weeks, not months.

The Content Gap Analysis Method

Step 1: Choose 2–3 Competitors

Pick competitors who:

• Rank in your space
• Are similar in size/maturity
• Have solid SEO (not just one-off winners)

For example:

• If you're a startup project management tool, competitor against Asana and Monday.com.
• If you're a B2B SaaS blog, competitor against Hubspot and Marketo.

Step 2: Export Their Keywords

Use SEMrush or Ahrefs:

1. Plug in competitor URL.
2. Go to Top Pages or Organic Keywords.
3. Export all keywords they rank for (top 1,000 is usually enough).
4. Save as a spreadsheet.

Repeat for each competitor. You'll have 1,500–3,000 keywords total.

Step 3: Compare to Your Keywords

Export your keywords the same way. Compare:

1. Open a spreadsheet.
2. Paste competitor keywords in Column A.
3. Paste your keywords in Column B.
4. Use a formula to find keywords in Column A that aren't in Column B:

=COUNTIF($B:$B, A1)

This returns 0 if the keyword is unique to the competitor (a gap), 1+ if you rank for it too.

Filter for 0s. That's your gap.

💡 Emily's take: Most gap analyses happen backward. People find gaps and then ask "Can we rank for this?" Better question: "Do we have content about this already?" The easiest wins are keywords where you have content but low visibility.

Real Example: SaaS Project Management

Let's say you're Acme Project Management, and your competitor is Monday.com.

Monday.com ranks for:

• "Project management software"
• "Best project management tools"
• "Asana vs Monday"
• "Project tracking software"
• "Resource planning tool"
• "Kanban board software"

You rank for:

• "Project management software"
• "Best project management tools"

Your gap:

• Asana vs Monday
• Project tracking software
• Resource planning tool
• Kanban board software

Now, do you have content covering these topics? If you have a features page about kanban boards, you're missing ranking for "kanban board software." That's a quick win.

If you don't have "Asana vs Monday" content, but you could write it in a week, that's a candidate. Check search volume. If it's 2,000 monthly searches, it's worth the effort.

Prioritizing Your Gaps

Not all gaps are worth filling. Use this framework:

High priority: High volume, high relevance, low effort. Do these first.

Medium priority: Either high volume with more effort, or high relevance with lower volume. Batch these.

Low priority: Everything else. Revisit quarterly.

Two Types of Gaps

Type 1: Content You Have But Don't Rank For

You've written about "resource planning" but rank for position 8. The gap is real—you could rank higher.

Action: Refresh the content. Update it. Add recent examples. Build backlinks to it. Improve internal linking. You already have the asset—just need to make it more visible.

Effort: Low to medium. 1–3 weeks.

Type 2: Content You Don't Have

Competitor ranks for "Asana vs Acme" but you've never written this comparison.

Action: Write new content. Outline competitors' features and highlight your differences. Make it better than theirs.

Effort: Medium to high. 2–4 weeks.

Type 1 gaps are faster wins. Start there.

Finding the Easy Wins

Here's a shortcut: Instead of analyzing all gaps, focus on keywords where you almost rank:

In Google Search Console:

1. Go to Performance > Queries.
2. Filter for Average Position 11–30.
3. Look for high-volume keywords.

These keywords are 1–2 ranking positions away from page 1. Small improvements could push them to position 1–10.

This isn't a full gap analysis, but it's where your easy wins live.

The Gap Analysis Checklist

• Identify 2–3 main competitors
• Export their top 1,000 keywords
• Export your keywords
• Find gaps (keywords they rank for, you don't)
• Prioritize by volume + relevance + effort
• Identify which gaps are "refresh existing content" vs. "write new"
• Build a content calendar for the next 3 months
• Track ranking progress monthly

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How often should I do a content gap analysis?

A: Quarterly. The competitive landscape shifts. New content appears. Old content loses relevance. Quarterly reviews keep you aligned with market gaps.

Q: Should I target every gap?

A: No. High-volume, high-relevance gaps only. A 50-search-volume gap isn't worth your time unless it converts phenomenally.

Q: What if the gap has 10,000 monthly searches?

A: That's not a gap—that's a market opportunity. But it's probably competitive. Check the top 10 results. If they're all strong sites with lots of backlinks, you're outmatched. Go after smaller gaps first.

Q: Can I only target gaps or should I create original topics?

A: Both. Gaps are proven demand—easier wins. Original topics build brand authority. Aim for 70% gap-filling, 30% original.

Q: My gap analysis shows hundreds of gaps. Where do I start?

A: Volume + relevance + effort matrix. Pick the top 10 by score. Focus on those. Quarterly, add more.

The Bottom Line

Content gap analysis isn't about copycatting competitors. It's about recognizing that they've already done market research for you. They've identified what people search for. You're just filling the gap they left open.

Start with your competitors. Identify gaps. Prioritize by impact and effort. Build a content calendar.

That's how you find your next 20 ranking opportunities.

Emily Redmond is a data analyst at Emilytics — the AI analytics agent watching your data around the clock. 8 years experience. Say hi →