GlossaryLinks
Link gap analysis
Also called: Backlink gap
A link gap analysis compares your backlinks with competitors' to find sites that link to them but not to you, as outreach targets.
A link gap analysis, also called a backlink gap, compares your referring domains with those of two or more competitors. It lists sites that link to several of them but not to you. Backlink tools like Ahrefs, Semrush and Moz have a feature for it.
Those sites are useful targets because they already cover your topic and have linked to similar businesses. They may be directories, industry blogs, resource pages or publications. The list is a starting point, though. Not every gap is worth closing, since some links were paid for or are poor quality.
Practical point: filter the results by relevance and quality, then look at why each site linked to your competitor. Was it a review, a guide, a partnership or a news mention? That tells you what to offer. Pick a short list you can approach well, rather than emailing everyone in the export.
Links you can check.
Every link we place comes with a receipt. The free link plan shows the pages worth pushing and what the links would cost.