How to Conduct a Content Gap Analysis: A Step-by-Step Guide

You’re publishing content regularly. You’re targeting keywords. But your competitors still outrank you. What’s missing? The answer often lies in content gaps. These are opportunities your competitors exploit while you miss out.

Content gap analysis reveals what your audience searches for that you haven’t covered. It shows where competitors win traffic that should be yours.

This guide walks you through finding and closing those gaps. You’ll learn practical steps, proven strategies, and actionable tactics.

What Is Content Gap Analysis?

Content gap analysis identifies missing content opportunities on your website. It compares what you’ve published against what your audience needs.

Think of it as detective work. You investigate what topics, keywords, and formats you haven’t covered yet.

The process reveals where competitors rank for terms you don’t. It shows questions your audience asks that you haven’t answered.

Understanding Content Gaps

A content gap exists when people search for something related to your business, but you don’t have content for it.

Here’s a simple example:

Imagine you run a coffee blog. You've written about brewing methods and bean types. But you haven't covered coffee storage tips.

That's a gap.

People search for "how to store coffee beans." Your competitors rank for it. You don't appear anywhere.

Content gaps aren’t always obvious. Sometimes you have content, but it doesn’t match what searchers actually want. Other times, you’re missing entire topics your audience cares about.

Content Gap Analysis vs. Keyword Gap Analysis

These terms often get mixed up. Here’s how they differ:

Keyword gaps are one type of content gap. But content gaps include much more than just missing keywords.

The Role of Content Gap Analysis in SEO Strategy

Content gap analysis drives smarter SEO decisions. It prevents wasted effort on content nobody searches for.

• Prioritize content that will impact rankings the most
• Reveal your competitors’ winning strategies
• Align your content with actual search demand
• Stop guessing what to write about
• Base decisions on data instead of hunches

Types of Content Gaps

Content gaps come in different forms. Understanding each type helps you find opportunities faster.

Keyword Gaps

These are search terms you don’t rank for, but competitors do. They represent immediate opportunities.

Example: A fitness website might rank for “home workouts” but miss “bodyweight exercises for seniors.”

These gaps often indicate low-hanging fruit. The search demand exists. You just haven’t targeted it yet.

Topical Gaps

Sometimes, entire subjects are missing from your content library.

Example: A marketing blog might cover social media and email marketing. But they’ve never written about video marketing.

Topical gaps hurt your authority. Search engines favor sites that comprehensively cover a subject area. If you write about gardening but ignore composting, that’s a topical gap. You’re not the complete resource users need.

Audience Gaps

Different audience segments have different needs. Audience gaps occur when you ignore certain user groups.

Example: A software company might create content for enterprise clients. But they produce nothing for freelancers or small teams.

Those smaller users search for solutions too. Ignoring them means missing valuable traffic.

Format and Media Gaps

People consume content differently. Some prefer articles. Others want videos, infographics, or podcasts.

• You only offer blog posts (no visual guides)
• You have text content but no videos
• Your competitors rank in image search and you don’t
• You lack downloadable resources like templates or checklists

Competitors with diverse formats capture audiences you miss.

Buyer Journey Gaps

Your content should guide users from discovery to purchase. Gaps often appear at specific journey stages.

Scenario: You might have tons of awareness content. But nothing helps buyers compare options or make decisions.

Someone researching “what is email marketing” finds you. But when they search “best email marketing tools,” you’re nowhere.

That’s a buyer journey gap.

Why Content Gap Analysis Is Essential for Your SEO Strategy

Content gap analysis isn’t optional anymore. It’s fundamental to competitive SEO.

Identify Missed Opportunities and Underperforming Content

Gap analysis reveals what you’re missing. It also shows what you have, but it isn’t working.

• Keywords you could easily rank for
• Content that needs updates to perform better
• Topics you’ve duplicated unnecessarily
• Obvious opportunities competitors exploit daily

Without this analysis, you fly blind.

Improve Search Engine Rankings

Closing content gaps directly improves rankings. You target keywords where you’re absent. Each gap you fill is potential new traffic. More relevant content signals topical authority to search engines. Sites with comprehensive topic coverage rank better. They become the go-to resource in their niche.

Gain First-Mover Advantage Over Competitors

Gap analysis sometimes reveals emerging trends. You spot topics competitors haven’t covered yet.

• Build early authority before competition increases
• Capture traffic from early adopters
• Establish yourself as the expert
• Become the reference point others cite

Enhance User Experience Through Better Content

Content gaps frustrate users. They come to your site but don’t find what they need. Filling gaps improves satisfaction. Visitors find complete information without leaving for competitors.

• Longer session durations
• Lower bounce rates
• Higher conversion rates
• More return visits

Attract High-Intent Traffic Ready to Convert

Some content gaps represent high-intent searches. These are people ready to buy or act.

Bottom-of-funnel gaps are particularly valuable. Comparison content, buying guides, and solution articles convert well. Finding these gaps means capturing traffic that actually drives revenue.

Build Trust and Authority in Your Niche

Comprehensive coverage builds trust. Users see you as the complete resource.

When you answer every question in your space, authority follows. Other sites link to you. Search engines rank you higher. Gaps undermine authority. Competitors fill those holes and steal your credibility.

What Happens If You Don’t Close Content Gaps?

• Competitors capture traffic you could own
• Your topical authority stagnates
• Search engines favor more comprehensive sites
• Users bounce to competitors for missing information
• You lose trust and potential customers
• Revenue opportunities slip away to sites that fill the gaps

Step-by-Step Guide to Performing Content Gap Analysis

Let’s break down the content gap analysis process. Follow these steps to uncover your biggest opportunities.

Step 1: Audit Your Existing Content

Start with what you already have. You can’t identify gaps without knowing your current coverage.

Create a Content Inventory

• All page URLs
• Titles and main topics
• Target keywords
• Publication dates
• Last update dates
• Content type (blog post, guide, video, etc.)

This inventory becomes your baseline. You’ll reference it throughout the gap analysis.

Analyze Current Content Performance

Check how each piece performs. Look at organic traffic, rankings, and engagement metrics.

• Google Analytics for traffic and engagement
• Search Console for rankings and impressions
• Note which content drives the most visits

Identify your top performers. These show what resonates with your audience.

Identify Underperforming Content

Find content that should perform better but doesn’t.

• High impressions but few clicks
• Good traffic but high bounce rates
• Rankings on page 2-3 (positions 11-30)
• Declining traffic trends

Underperforming content often needs updates or optimization. Sometimes it reveals gaps in how you’re addressing topics.

Step 2: Identify Your Competitors

You need the right competitors for accurate gap analysis. Don’t just assume you know who they are.

Finding Your True SEO Competitors

Your business competitors aren’t always your SEO competitors. A local bakery might compete with big recipe sites online.

1. Search your main keywords
2. Note who consistently ranks in the top 10
3. Look for patterns across multiple searches
4. Identify 3-5 sites that appear repeatedly

These are your SEO competitors. They’re winning the traffic you want.

Analyzing Competitor Content Strategies

Study what competitors publish.

• Content types they produce (guides, videos, tools)
• Topics they cover repeatedly
• Posting frequency
• Content depth and detail
• Format preferences

This reveals their strategy. You’ll spot patterns in what works for them.

Step 3: Run a Keyword Gap Analysis

Now compare your keywords against competitors. This reveals specific terms you’re missing.

Find Competitors’ Keywords You’re Missing

1. Enter your domain in Ahrefs or SEMrush
2. Add 3-5 competitor domains
3. Run the keyword gap analysis
4. Export the results

The tool shows keywords they rank for that you don’t. This is your keyword gap. Prioritize keywords by search volume and relevance. Focus on terms aligned with your business.

Identify Weak Keywords (Low-Hanging Fruit)

Some gaps are easier to close than others.

• You rank on page 2 or 3
• Competitors rank with weak content
• Search volume is moderate, but competition is low
• You have some existing authority

These are opportunities for quick wins. Small optimizations might push you to page one.

Pay Attention to Missing Keyword Opportunities

Don’t just look at high-volume terms. Long-tail keywords often convert better.

• Question-based keywords
• Terms with clear commercial intent (“best,” “review,” “vs”)
• Location-specific keywords
• Problem-solution keywords

These missing opportunities often have less competition but high value.

Step 4: Analyze Search Intent and Audience Needs

Keywords alone don’t tell the whole story. You need to understand what people actually want.

Research What Your Audience Wants

Go beyond keywords. Check multiple sources.

• Reddit and niche forums
• Facebook groups in your industry
• Quora questions
• Twitter/X conversations
• YouTube comments on related videos
• LinkedIn discussions

See what questions people ask. Note the language they use and the problems they describe. Also check our guide on SaaS Keyword Research.

Review Internal Site Search Data

Your site search shows what visitors can’t find. They’re literally telling you what’s missing.

1. Check Google Analytics (Behavior > Site Search)
2. Export the most common search terms
3. Look for high search frequency with few results
4. Note terms people search for repeatedly

High search frequency with few results indicates a content gap.

Focus on Search Intent Over Keyword Volume

High search volume means nothing if the intent doesn’t match your content.

• Informational: “how to,” “what is,” “guide”
• Navigational: Brand or website names
• Commercial: “best,” “review,” “comparison”
• Transactional: “buy,” “price,” “discount”

Match your content to that intent. A mismatch is effectively a content gap.

Step 5: Map Content to the Buyer’s Journey

Your content should serve every stage of the customer journey.

Audit Your Customer Journey

1. Awareness: Problem recognition
2. Consideration: Solution research
3. Decision: Vendor evaluation
4. Retention: Customer success

List content for each stage. Look for stages with little or no content.

Where Content Gaps Usually Appear in the Buyer Journey

• Consideration stage: Lacking comparison articles and solution guides
• Decision stage: Missing case studies and buying guides
• Retention stage: No onboarding content or advanced tutorials

Most sites have plenty of awareness content. However, the consideration and decision stages often lack coverage.

Align Content Creation with Each Funnel Stage

Plan content that guides users through each stage.

1. Decision stage (highest conversion impact)
2. Consideration stage (nurtures qualified leads)
3. Awareness stage (top-of-funnel traffic)
4. Retention stage (customer lifetime value)

Bottom-funnel gaps often impact revenue most. These should be high priority.

Step 6: Analyze Search and AI Tool Results

AI search tools are changing how people find information. You need visibility there too.

Find LLM Prompts You Lack Visibility For

People ask AI tools questions they’d never type into Google. These conversational queries reveal new gaps.

Example:

• “Explain [your topic] like I’m a beginner”
• “What are the pros and cons of [your product category]”
• “Compare [competitor A] vs [competitor B]”
• “Step-by-step guide to [problem you solve]”

Check if AI tools reference your content. If they don’t, you’re missing out on a growing search channel.

Check AI Search Platforms

• Perplexity AI
• SearchGPT (ChatGPT search)
• Google AI Overviews
• Bing Chat

These citations represent a new type of content gap. Optimize for AI visibility alongside traditional SEO.

Step 7: Use Google Search Console for Additional Insights

Search Console reveals queries where you almost rank. These are hidden opportunities.

• Queries with high impressions but low clicks (you’re showing up but ranking poorly)
• Queries where you rank positions 11-20 (page 2)
• Rising queries with increasing impressions
• Queries with declining CTR

Small improvements could move you to page one.

Essential Tools for Content Gap Analysis

The right tools make gap analysis faster and more accurate.

Ahrefs Content Gap Tool

Ahrefs offers one of the best content gap features. It compares your rankings against up to 10 competitors.

Key features:

• Compare multiple competitors simultaneously
• Filter by keyword difficulty and volume
• See which competitors rank for each keyword
• Export gap keywords for planning

How to Use Ahrefs for Content Gap Analysis

1. Enter your domain in Site Explorer
2. Navigate to “Content Gap” in the left sidebar
3. Add up to 10 competitor domains
4. Set filters (position, volume, keyword difficulty)
5. Review the gap keywords list
6. Export results for prioritization

Focus on keywords where multiple competitors rank. These indicate proven opportunities.

SEMrush Keyword Gap Feature

SEMrush provides similar functionality. It compares keyword portfolios across domains.

What makes it useful:

• Visual Venn diagram showing overlap
• Four gap categories (missing, weak, strong, untapped)
• Up to 5 competitor comparisons
• Integration with other SEMrush tools

Step-by-Step Guide to Using SEMrush

1. Open the Keyword Gap tool from the dashboard
2. Enter your domain in the first field
3. Add up to 4 competitor domains
4. Click “Compare”
5. Review tabs: Missing, Weak, Strong, Untapped
6. Filter by intent, volume, or difficulty
7. Export the “missing” keywords

Review “weak” keywords for quick win opportunities.

Other Useful Tools for Finding Content Gaps

• Moz: Domain comparison and keyword gap features
• SpyFu: Competitor keyword research
• Serpstat: Missing keywords analysis
• BuzzSumo: Content topic performance research

Free Tools You Can Use

You don’t need paid tools to start. These free options work well:

Google Search Console

• Shows queries you rank for (but maybe not well)
• Reveals impressions without clicks
• Google Search Console identifies declining performance

Google Trends

• Shows rising topics and seasonal patterns
• Compares search interest over time
• Reveals related queries

AnswerThePublic (Limited free searches)

• Generates question-based keywords
• Shows what people ask about topics

Manual SERP Analysis

• Search your target keywords
• Analyze who ranks and why
• Note content types and depth
• Check People Also Ask boxes

Manual analysis costs nothing but your time.

How to Close Content Gaps: Actionable Strategies

Finding gaps is only half the battle. You need a plan to close them.

Strategy 1: Start with Keywords Relevant to Existing Assets

Look for gaps close to content you already have. These are easiest to fill.

• Expand existing articles with new sections
• Create complementary pieces that link together
• Build topic clusters around pillar content
• Update old posts with gap-filling information

This builds topical clusters. It’s more efficient than creating isolated content.

Strategy 2: Target Commercial Keywords First

Not all gaps are equal. Prioritize keywords with business impact.

• “Best [product]”
• “[Product] review”
• “[Product A] vs [Product B]”
• “Buy [product]”
• “Cheapest [product]”
• “[Product] pricing”

These keywords drive revenue. Fill these gaps before informational ones.

Strategy 3: Target Quick Wins for Fast Results

Look for gaps where you could rank quickly.

• Low keyword difficulty (under 30)
• You already rank positions 11-20
• Low competition quality
• Moderate search volume
• High relevance to your business

Quick wins build momentum. They also generate traffic while you tackle harder gaps.

Strategy 4: Refresh High-Potential Pages

Sometimes you have content but it’s outdated. Refreshing beats starting from scratch.

• Update statistics and data
• Add new examples and case studies
• Expand sections with more detail
• Include recent developments
• Improve visuals and formatting
• Add internal links to newer content
• Republish with the current date

This signals freshness to search engines.

Strategy 5: Create New Content to Fill Gaps

When you have no existing content, create something new.

• Research thoroughly (check the top 10 results)
• Ensure your content will exceed competitors
• Target the search intent precisely
• Plan comprehensive coverage
• Include unique insights or data

Give users exactly what they’re looking for.

Strategy 6: Optimize Content Format and Media Types

Format gaps need different solutions. Text won’t always cut it.

• Videos: Tutorials, product demos, reviews
• Infographics: Data visualization, process flows
• Templates: Downloadable resources users can customize
• Checklists: Step-by-step guides
• Tools/Calculators: Interactive utilities
• Podcasts: Interviews and discussions

Check what format ranks for your target keywords. Create content in the winning format.

Strategy 7: Follow Trending Topics and Find Proprietary Data Opportunities

Monitor your industry for emerging trends. Create content on new topics before competitors.

• Set up Google Alerts for industry terms
• Monitor Reddit and Twitter discussions
• Use Exploding Topics
• Track new products or technologies
• Follow industry thought leaders

Original research advantages:

• Creates unique gaps only you can fill
• Attracts natural backlinks
• Establishes thought leadership
• Generates media coverage

Strategy 8: Use AI Tools to Prioritize and Scale

AI writing tools can accelerate gap filling.

• Generate content outlines
• Create first drafts for editing
• Research and summarize topics
• Suggest related keywords
• Identify content angles

Always edit and add unique insights. AI content alone won’t outrank established competitors. Use AI for ideation and acceleration. Not for final output.

Tracking and Measuring Content Gap Analysis Results

Measurement proves whether your gap-filling efforts work.

1. Set Clear Goals and KPIs

Define success before you start. What metrics matter most?

• Increase organic traffic by X%
• Rank in the top 10 for X keywords
• Improve conversion rate by X%
• Reduce bounce rate by X%
• Increase average session duration

Choose metrics aligned with business objectives. Set specific, measurable targets.

2. Monitor Keyword Rankings and Organic Traffic

Track rankings for gap keywords you targeted.

Tools:

• SEMrush Position Tracking
• Ahrefs Rank Tracker
• Google Search Console
• Accuranker
• SERPWatcher

Watch organic traffic trends in Google Analytics. Compare periods before and after closing gaps. Look for steady improvements over time. SEO results take weeks or months.

3. Track Content Performance Over Time

Individual pieces should show performance improvements.

• Pageviews
• Unique visitors
• Time on page
• Bounce rate
• Pages per session
• Conversion rate

Compare new gap-filling content against older pieces. Learn what works best.

4. Measure Impact on Conversions

Ultimate success means business results. Track how gap content affects conversions.

• Form submissions
• Product purchases
• Email signups
• Demo requests
• Free trial activations

Attribute conversions to specific content. Calculate ROI on your content investment.

5. How Often Should You Perform Content Gap Analysis?

Frequency depends on your market’s pace.

Run targeted analyses when launching products or noticing traffic drops.

Common Content Gap Analysis Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these pitfalls to make your gap analysis more effective.

Focusing Only on Keyword Volume

High search volume doesn’t guarantee value. Low-volume keywords often convert better.

• Relevance to your business
• Commercial intent
• Competition level
• Conversion potential
• Topic alignment

A perfect-fit keyword with 100 searches beats an irrelevant one with 10,000.

Ignoring Search Intent

Ranking for a keyword means nothing if you’re answering the wrong question.

• Creating a guide when users want to buy
• Writing a comparison when users need basic info
• Offering general content when users need specific solutions

Match content to what users actually want.

Not Prioritizing High-Impact Opportunities

You can’t fill every gap immediately. Trying to do everything achieves nothing.

Prioritization framework:

1. High impact, low effort (do first)
2. High impact, high effort (plan carefully)
3. Low impact, low effort (do if time permits)
4. Low impact, high effort (skip these)

Focus on gaps with the biggest potential impact.

Overlooking Different Content Formats

Text isn’t always the answer. Some queries expect videos or images.

Check SERP:

• Video results dominating? Create video content
• Are image carousels appearing? Optimize visual content
• Featured snippets showing? Format for quick answers
• Shopping results? Create product comparison content

Conducting Analysis Without Action

The biggest mistake is analysis paralysis. Finding gaps without filling them wastes time.

• Set deadlines for gap-filling content
• Assign responsibilities to team members
• Track progress weekly
• Start with just 5-10 gaps
• Build momentum with quick wins

Conclusion

Content gap analysis transforms your SEO strategy from guesswork to data-driven decision making. You’ve learned what content gaps are and why they matter. You understand the different types and how to find them.

The step-by-step process provides a clear roadmap, guiding you from auditing existing content to analyzing competitors and closing strategic gaps.

FAQs