What is Content Gap Analysis?Content gap analysis is an SEO research technique that compares your website keyword rankings against competitors to identify topics and keywords where competitors rank but you do not. These gaps represent untapped organic traffic opportunities: content you could create to capture search visibility your competitors currently own. For SaaS companies,
What is Content Gap Analysis?
Content gap analysis is an SEO research technique that compares your website keyword rankings against competitors to identify topics and keywords where competitors rank but you do not. These gaps represent untapped organic traffic opportunities: content you could create to capture search visibility your competitors currently own. For SaaS companies, content gap analysis is a foundational step in quarterly content strategy planning, ensuring your content roadmap targets the highest-value opportunities rather than simply publishing on topics already well-covered by your existing content.
How to Conduct a Content Gap Analysis for SaaS
The most efficient method uses Ahrefs Content Gap tool: enter your domain and up to five competitor domains, then filter for keywords ranking in the top 10 for competitors but not ranking for you. Apply filters: KD under 40 (realistically achievable), monthly search volume above 100, and keyword intent matching your content strategy (informational for blog, commercial for product pages). Group resulting keywords by topic cluster and prioritize by: search volume, relevance to your ICP, and alignment with product use cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many competitors should I include in a content gap analysis?
Include 3-5 direct competitors (same product category, similar ICP) plus 1-2 aspirational competitors (companies you want to match in organic reach). Including too many dilutes the analysis; too few misses opportunities. For SaaS companies, include both direct product competitors and content-focused competitors (thought leadership blogs that rank for your target keywords even without competing products).
How often should I run a content gap analysis?
Quarterly is the recommended cadence for most SaaS companies: competitive keyword landscapes shift as competitors publish new content, launch new features, and update existing pages. Run a fresh gap analysis before each quarterly content planning cycle to ensure your roadmap reflects the current competitive keyword landscape. Set up Ahrefs rank tracking alerts for key competitors to monitor new ranking pages between formal quarterly analyses.