How To Do A PPC Competitor Analysis in 2025 and Beyond

Running pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns without understanding your competitors’ strategies can leave you at a disadvantage. PPC competitor analysis helps you gain valuable insights into their tactics, enabling you to refine your approach and achieve better results. Here’s a clear and actionable guide to get you started.

Step 1: Identify Your Competitors

Understanding who you’re competing with is the foundation of effective PPC competitor analysis. In simple terms they are the businesses targeting the same keywords as you.

• Search for Your Keywords: Conduct searches for the primary keywords relevant to your campaigns. Pay attention to the ads consistently appearing at the top.
• Use Analysis Tools: Tools such as SEMrush, SpyFu, or Ahrefs can uncover competitors you might not have identified manually. Enter your domain to generate a list of active competitors in your niche.

Compile a list of names and websites and use it as a blueprint for your investigation.

Step 2: Analyze Keywords

Analyzing the keywords your competitors target reveals their priorities and the opportunities available for you.

• Research Competitor Keywords: Platforms like Google Keyword Planner and Ahrefs provide data on the keywords driving traffic to your competitors’ sites. Look for terms you haven’t considered yet.
• Identify Gaps: Keyword gaps occur when competitors target valuable terms you’re missing. Leverage these opportunities to capture untapped traffic.
• Evaluate Intent: Pinpoint whether competitors’ keywords align with informational, navigational, or transactional searches. Prioritize transactional terms for campaigns aimed at conversions.

Use these three tips to refine your keyword strategy and PPC competitor analysis. 

Step 3: Study Ad Copy

Competitor ads can provide valuable insights into messaging, tone, and strategies that resonate with your audience.

• Collect Competitor Ads: Use tools like SpyFu or Google’s Ad Preview to gather examples of ad copy. Alternatively, search manually and save screenshots.
• Assess Headlines and CTAs: Pay attention to the wording that grabs attention. Are they emphasizing discounts, urgency, or unique benefits?
• Spot Recurring Themes: Patterns in language, offers, or benefits can indicate what’s working effectively for others.

Taking note of their approach will help you craft ads that stand out while avoiding common pitfalls.

Step 4: Evaluate Landing Pages

Effective ads lead to optimized landing pages. Analyzing these pages reveals your competitors’ approach to converting traffic.

• Visit Their Landing Pages: Use an incognito browser to access competitor landing pages. Observe the layout, visuals, and messaging.
• Review User Experience: Note how information is presented and whether the design encourages visitors to take action. Pay attention to loading speed and ease of navigation.
• Track Conversion Features: Focus on forms, calls-to-action, and offers designed to convert. Consider how these elements are positioned and whether they’re persuasive.

By studying this step, you’ll uncover ways to enhance your landing pages and boost conversions.

Step 5: Understand Budgets and Bidding

Knowing how much competitors invest can provide clues about their priorities and help you decide where to focus your efforts.

• Estimate Spend: Tools like SEMrush and SpyFu can approximate competitors’ budgets. While not exact, this data gives you a general idea.
• Monitor CPC Trends: High costs-per-click indicate aggressive competition. Determine whether you should adjust your strategy to compete or focus on less-contested terms.

Step 6: Measure Performance

Performance metrics reveal whether competitors’ strategies are working and provide benchmarks for your campaigns.

• Track CTR and Traffic: Tools such as SimilarWeb provide visibility into click-through rates and site visits. High engagement suggests strong targeting or messaging.
• Monitor Retargeting Efforts: If you see competitor ads after visiting their pages, they’re running retargeting campaigns. This strategy can boost conversions and keep potential customers engaged.
• Check Engagement Metrics: Analyze bounce rates and time-on-site to assess user satisfaction. Poor results may indicate weaknesses you can exploit.

Step 7: Stay Updated

Competitor strategies aren’t static, so keep tabs on how they adapt to new PPC advertising trends and market shifts. 

• Set Alerts: Use tools like Google Alerts or Mention to track updates related to your competitors.
• Conduct Regular Reviews: Revisit your PPC competitor analysis every quarter to stay ahead of market shifts.

Maintaining awareness ensures your campaigns remain effective and competitive.

Get To Work

Applying these steps will give you a deeper understanding of your competitive landscape. Use the insights from PPC competitor analysis to refine your campaigns, identify new opportunities, and drive better results. Incorporating these strategies in your PPC campaign will help you stay ahead of the competition and get maximum ROI from your campaign.