How Do I Use Google Analytics for Competitor Analysis?

If you’re searching for how to use analyticsThe systematic computational analysis of data or statistics to gain insights and support decision-ma... for SEO competitors, it’s important to start with a reality check: Google AnalyticsA web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic. (GA4) does not provide competitor-domain analytics (their traffic, keywordsWords or phrases that users type into search engines to find information., or conversions). What GA4 can do is help you compare your performance against Google Analytics benchmarks (aggregated peer-group data) and use your own first-party behavior data to identify where competitors are likely to outperform you.

This article walks you through an actionable GA4 workflow:

• Enable and interpret Google Analytics benchmarks in GA4
• Diagnose organic trafficVisitors who come to a website through unpaid search engine results. performance and landing pageThe web page a user is directed to after clicking on an affiliate link, optimized for conversions. quality
• Connect GA4 to Search Console for SEO query intelligence
• Translate insights into competitor-informed SEO actions

Key Takeaways

• Google Analytics benchmarks in GA4 compare your site to an aggregated peer group, not specific competitors.
• Benchmarking in GA4 appears on Home overview cards (not a legacy Universal Analytics “Benchmarking report”).
• Use benchmarks to determine whether you have a market-level issue (site-wide) or a page-level issue (specific landing pages).
• For true competitor intelligence (keyword gaps, backlink sources), you’ll still need SEO research tools; GA4 is your post-click performance and conversionThe completion of a desired action by a referred user, such as making a purchase or filling out a fo... truth source.

What GA4 Can And Can’t Do For Competitor Analysis

What GA4 Can Do Well

GA4 is excellent for answering:

• Are we underperforming relative to peer benchmarks in core engagementThe interactions that users have with a brand’s content on social media. or acquisition metrics? (This is the practical use of Google Analytics benchmarks.)
• Which organic landing pages attract the right traffic and drive meaningful outcomes (leads, calls, purchases)?
• Where users drop off, what devices they use, and which content paths produce conversions.

What GA4 Cannot Do

GA4 cannot:

• Show competitor websites’ sessions, channels, landing pages, or conversion rates
• Reveal competitor keywords or backlinksLinks from other websites pointing to your website, crucial for SEO.
  That data comes from SERP research and third-party competitive tools, not from GA4.

Google Analytics Benchmarks In GA4: How To Find And Turn On Benchmarking

In GA4, benchmarking is presented on Home in overview cards where benchmark data is available. You toggle benchmarking on a card and view the peer comparison for the selected metric.

Step-By-Step: Enable Benchmarking In GA4

1. Open your GA4 property and go to Home.
2. Locate an overview card with a benchmarkable metric.
3. Toggle Benchmarking on the card (GA4 will display peer comparisons when available).
4. Review how your trend compares to the peer reference.

If you don’t see benchmarking, availability can vary by property settings and eligibility, so treat benchmarks as helpful context, not a dependency.

Google Analytics Benchmarks: How To Interpret The Peer Comparison

Benchmarks are only useful if you convert them into decisions. Use this interpretation model:

If You’re Below Peer Norms

Treat this as a foundational issue first, before publishing more content:

• Intent mismatch (ranking for queries that don’t match the page promise)
• Poor mobile UX or slow pages
• Weak internal linkingLinks that connect different pages on the same website., unclear next steps, or low trust signalsElements that build trust with visitors, such as security badges, testimonials, and privacy policies...
• Low-quality traffic from misaligned titles/meta

If You’re Within Peer Norms

You’re “market-normal.” Growth usually comes from focus:

• Improve CTR for high-impression queries
• Upgrade pages ranking in positions ~4–15
• Strengthen internal linking to build topical authority
• Improve conversion paths for high-intent pages

If You’re Above Peer Norms

You likely have an advantage. Protect and scale:

• Refresh top pages on a schedule
• Expand topic clusters around pages that already convert
• Tighten technical SEOOptimizing the server and website structure to improve search engine crawling and indexing. so performance doesn’t decay

How To Use Analytics For SEO Competitors: A Practical Workflow

When people say “competitor analysis,” they often mean “how do I beat the sites above me in search results?” Here’s a workflow that uses analytics correctly.

Step 1: Identify Your Real SEO Competitors (SERP Competitors)

Your SEO competitors are the domains that consistently rank for the same search intents, not necessarily your business competitors. Build a list from your priority topics and queries.

Step 2: Use Search Console To Find Query-Level Opportunities (Pre-Click)

Search Console shows:

• High impressions + low CTR (snippet/title/meta opportunity)
• Positions ~4–15 (content depth + internal link opportunity)
• Pages are losing clicks over time (competitive pressure or SERP shifts)

This step is critical because GA4 is post-click; Search Console is where SEO begins.

Step 3: Use GA4 To Measure Landing Page Quality (Post-Click)

In GA4, evaluate organic landing pages with:

• Engagement (engaged sessions/engagement rate)
• Key events (form submits, calls, purchases, whatever matters to you)
• Device split (mobile vs desktop)
• Drop-off patterns (which pages end the session)

This reveals whether competitors are winning because they:

• Match intent faster
• Provide better structure and proof
• OfferThe specific product or service being promoted by affiliates. clearer conversion paths

Step 4: Validate The Gap With Google Analytics Benchmarks (Market Context)

Now use Google Analytics benchmarks to determine whether the underperformance is:

• Site-wide (you’re broadly below peer norms) → fix UX, speed, messaging, and intent alignment
• Page-specific (a few landing pages drag performance down) → prioritize those pages for content and conversion upgrades

Step 5: Use SEO Research Tools For Competitor Inputs GA4 Can’t Provide

To directly understand “what competitors are doing,” you’ll typically need:

• Keyword gap and topic coverage comparisons
• Backlink/referring domain sources
• SERP feature ownership (snippets, FAQs, videos)
• Content format patterns (templates, calculators, screenshots, case studiesIn-depth analyses of specific instances or examples to highlight success stories or lessons learned....)

Then you use GA4 to decide which competitor tactics are actually producing outcomes for your audience.

The Highest-Leverage GA4 Analyses For SEO Performance

1. Organic Landing Pages: Prioritize By Business Impact

Don’t prioritize pages by traffic alone. Prioritize pages that have:

• Meaningful organic sessions
• Low engagement or low key-event rate
• Evidence of search visibility (impressions/positions from Search Console)

These are often the fastest wins against SERP competitors.

2. Engagement Problems Typically Signal Intent Mismatch

If organic sessions land and leave quickly, you usually don’t have a “more content” problem; you have a “wrong content for the query” problem.

Common fixes that beat competing pages:

• Answer the query immediately in the introduction (no long preamble)
• Add a table of contents and scannable headings
• Provide examples, screenshots, steps, and decision rules
• Strengthen internal linking to related subtopics

3. Conversion Problems Are Usually Offer + CTA Alignment

If engagement is strong but leads are weak:

• Improve CTA clarity and placement
• Add proof (testimonials, outcomes, case studies)
• Reduce friction (shorter forms, clearer next step, better mobile UX)

4. Mobile Vs Desktop Gaps Can Indicate Competitive Disadvantage

If mobile engagementThe level of interaction and involvement users have with mobile content or apps. is materially worse than desktop:

• Improve readability and spacing
• Reduce layout shift and heavy scripts
• Compress images and improve performance
• Rework above-the-fold messaging for small screens

Common Mistakes When Using Google Analytics Benchmarks

1. Treating benchmarks as competitor-domain data

Benchmarks are peer comparisons, not competitor analytics.

2. Benchmarking without segmentationThe process of dividing a market or customer base into distinct groups with similar characteristics....

Always segment analysis by channel (organic), device, geography, and landing page set.

3. Optimizing for engagement without tying to outcomes

Engagement matters, but SEO should ultimately drive key events and conversions.

4. Ignoring pre-click performance

GA4 doesn’t tell you why impressions didn’t turn into clicks. You need Search Console for CTR and position diagnostics.

Frequently Asked Question

Can Google Analytics show competitor traffic?

No. GA4 can show peer comparisons via benchmarks (where available), but it cannot show competitor-domain sessions, channels, or conversions.

Where do I find Google Analytics benchmarks in GA4?

In GA4, benchmarking appears on Home overview cards where benchmark data is available.

What’s the best way to use analytics for SEO competitors?

Use a combined workflow: Search Console for query/CTR insights, GA4 for post-click engagement and conversions, and competitive SEO toolsSoftware and online tools used for various aspects of SEO, such as keyword research and link buildin... for keyword gaps and backlink intelligence.

What should I do if my GA4 benchmarks look worse than peers?

Start with fundamentals: intent alignment, mobile UX, speed/performance, internal linking, and conversion pathThe series of actions a user takes to complete a conversion, from entry to completion. clarity. Then upgrade the pages that already have impressions and mid rankingsThe position at which a website appears in the SERP..

Turning Benchmarks Into Competitive SEO Wins

GA4 won’t let you “peek” into competitor analytics, but you can still use Google Analytics benchmarks and your first-party performance data to identify where you’re losing to SERP competitors, and what to fix first. When you pair benchmarking context with landing page diagnostics and Search Console query insights, you get a repeatable system for improving rankings and conversions.

Need help applying this workflow? If you want expert help implementing GA4-driven SEO improvements and competitor-informed strategy, reach out to professional SEO services.