How to Find What Keywords a Website Is Using
Understanding the keywords your competitors are targeting can give you a significant edge in SEO. By analyzing their keyword strategy, you can refine your own content and improve search rankings. Here’s how to uncover the keywords any website is using.
1. Use SEO Tools Like Ahrefs or SEMrush
Advanced SEO tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz provide detailed keyword reports for any domain. Simply enter the website URL, and these tools will display the top-ranking keywords, search volume, and competition levels.
2. Analyze Google Search Console (For Your Own Site)
If you have access to the website’s Google Search Console, you can view the exact keywords driving traffic. Navigate to the Performance report to see queries, clicks, and impressions.
3. Check Page Source and Metadata
Inspect the HTML of a webpage by right-clicking and selecting View Page Source. Look for meta tags like meta name="keywords" and title tags, which often contain targeted keywords.
4. Use Google’s "Related Searches" and Autocomplete
Type the competitor’s domain or content topic into Google and observe the autocomplete suggestions. Additionally, scroll to the bottom of search results to find Related searches, which reveal keyword variations.
5. Leverage Ubersuggest or AnswerThePublic
Free tools like Ubersuggest and AnswerThePublic generate keyword ideas based on a domain or topic. These platforms provide insights into long-tail keywords and question-based queries.
6. Spy on Paid Keywords with SpyFu
SpyFu specializes in uncovering both organic and paid keywords. Enter a competitor’s URL to see their ad history, PPC keywords, and top-ranking terms.
7. Monitor Backlink Anchor Text
Backlinks often contain keyword-rich anchor text. Use Ahrefs or Majestic to analyze a site’s backlink profile and identify recurring keywords in anchor texts.
8. Review Competitor Content and Headings
Manually scan competitor articles for repeated phrases, headings (H1, H2), and bold/italicized text. These often indicate keyword targeting.
9. Track SERP Rankings with SERPWatcher
Tools like SERPWatcher track keyword rankings over time. Enter a competitor’s domain to see which keywords they’re actively optimizing for.
10. Use Google Analytics (If You Have Access)
Google Analytics provides keyword data under Acquisition > Search Console > Queries. This reveals which terms are driving organic traffic.
Final Thoughts
Uncovering a website’s keywords is crucial for competitive SEO analysis. Combine these methods to get a complete picture of their strategy and apply these insights to boost your own rankings.