“My competitor is always showing up before me on Google.”

2 Mar

Written By Kylie

It’s the classic scenario: you search for your business on Google, and there they are – your competitor – shining at the top of the results, while you’re lurking below.

Frustrating, right?

We’ve heard it time and time again from business owners; “Why is my competitor always showing up before me on Google?”.

Let’s explore this common concern. We’ll talk about why your competitor might be outranking you, why it’s important to address, and how you can climb up those rankings.

No technical mumbo-jumbo – just an easy-to-understand outline of how to get your business noticed first.

Why It Matters

Showing up above your competitor on Google isn’t just about ego; it has real business implications.

Consider this: the top Google result (the #1 organic listing) gets roughly double the click-through rate of the second result (SEO CTR stats to inform your 2024 SEO strategy [SERP trends]). In fact, one study found that ranking #1 yields about a 39.8% click rate, whereas #2 only gets 18.7. That means if your competitor is in that top spot, they could be getting twice the traffic (and potential customers) that you are. People naturally click the first thing they see, and many don’t scroll very far. So every day your competitor is ahead, you’re likely losing out on visitors who might have been your customers.

Additionally, being lower down (or on page 2) can sometimes make your business look less established or less credible than the one that keeps popping up first. This issue matters because it directly affects your visibility, website traffic, and ultimately revenue.

We want your business to be the one customers find first when they search for what you offer.

Solutions (How to Start Showing Up Before Your Competitor)

Good news: you’re not helpless. There are concrete steps you can take to improve your position on Google.

Here’s how to start levelling the playing field (and even leapfrogging over that competitor):

Identify If It’s Ads or Organic Results: First, determine in what way your competitor is showing up. Is it a Google ad at the very top of the page (marked with “Ad” next to the result) or an organic search result? If it’s an Ad, that means they are paying to be there via Google Ads. If it’s organic, it’s due to SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). This distinction guides your strategy: you might consider running your own Google Ads for quick visibility, but you’ll definitely want to work on SEO for long-term ranking.
Research Your Competitor’s Keywords: Figure out what search terms your competitor is ranking for. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes – what would they search that brings up your competitor? Use Google’s autocomplete or free tools (like Google’s Keyword Planner) to see popular keywords in your niche. Once you have a list, make sure you are including those keywords (where relevant) on your site. For example, if you run a bakery and your competitor shows up for “best wedding cakes Sydney”, you’ll want content on your site optimised for “wedding cakes in Sydney” too.
Improve Your On-Page SEO: On-page SEO means optimising the content on your website. Ensure that each page has a clear, relevant title and meta description (the snippet that shows in Google results). Include the keywords you identified naturally in your page titles, headings, and body text. If your competitor has a great blog post driving their traffic, consider writing an even better, more up-to-date one on the same topic. High-quality, in-depth content signals to Google that you might be more relevant for that topic.
Boost Your Site’s Authority (Off-Page SEO): Google also looks at how “authoritative” or popular your site is. One major factor is backlinks – links from other reputable websites to yours. See where your competitor is getting backlinks (there are SEO tools like Ahrefs or Moz that let you check, or you might notice they’re listed on local news sites or industry directories). Aim to get similar or better backlinks. This could involve reaching out to local newspapers for a story, getting your business listed on industry association sites, or contributing a guest article to a reputable blog. More quality links = more authority in Google’s eyes.
Leverage Google Business Profile (for Local Searches): If this is about local search (like people searching on Google Maps or seeing a local 3-pack with map listings), make sure your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is fully optimised. Fill out all the info, choose the right categories, and keep it updated. Ask happy customers to drop a review on your profile – a higher rating and more reviews can boost your local ranking too (uberall — How does Google determine local ranking?). If your competitor has 100 reviews and you have 5, they have an edge. Steadily build up your reviews and respond to them professionally.
Consider Running Google Ads: While working on SEO (which can take time), you can gain immediate visibility by running a Google Ads campaign for critical keywords. This requires a budget, of course, but it guarantees that you’ll show up at the top (as an ad) for searches you care about. Just be sure to set a reasonable daily budget and target the right keywords so it’s cost-effective. If your competitor is always before you and it’s an ad, this is really the only way to directly appear above them quickly – by outbidding or competing via ads. Over time, as your SEO improves, you may rely less on ads, but they’re a good short-term boost.
Ensure Your Site is Technically Healthy: Sometimes the reason a competitor outranks you is technical. If your site is slow, not mobile-friendly, or hard for Google to crawl (maybe it has broken links or missing pages), that can drag you down. Use Google’s free tools like PageSpeed Insights and Search Console to identify any technical issues. Fixing a slow-loading page or making your site mobile-responsive can improve your rankings. No one wants to visit (or Google to recommend) a site that takes forever to load.
Monitor and Adapt: SEO isn’t a one-and-done deal. Keep an eye on your rankings and your competitor’s over time. There are free tools like Google Search Console (which shows what queries you’re appearing for and your average position) or paid rank tracking tools. When you see improvements, double down on what’s working (maybe your blog content is boosting you – write more!). If something’s not moving the needle, try a different approach. Also, watch what your competitor does – if they launch a new service page or get mentioned in a big article, take note and see if you can match that.

By following these steps, you’re addressing the key areas (relevance, content quality, site authority, and technical performance) that influence Google rankings. It may take some time, but you should start to see your site move up.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Chasing your competitor’s Google ranking can lead to missteps.

Steer clear of these mistakes:

Copying Content or Using Shady SEO Tricks: It might be tempting to just copy what your competitor is doing word-for-word or use “black hat” tactics (like buying 1000 links from sketchy sites). Don’t. Google is very smart at sniffing out duplicate content and spammy practices, and they can penalise your site, making things worse. Always create original, valuable content and build links the right way (quality over quantity).
Expecting Overnight Results: A common frustration is making a bunch of changes to your site and, a week later, you’re still not #1. Unfortunately, SEO is a slow burn – it can take a few months to see significant changes, especially in competitive markets. Don’t give up or constantly change tactics every other day. Stick to a plan for a while; consistency is key.
Neglecting the Basics (Title tags, Meta descriptions, etc.): Some folks jump into advanced SEO tricks and forget the simple stuff. Ensure every page on your site has a unique, descriptive title tag and meta description. It’s surprising how often competitors outrank you because one site clearly tells Google “I’m about X” and the other site (maybe yours) has vague or missing titles. Basics first!
Not Bidding on Branded Terms (for Ads): If you do use Google Ads, one mistake is not bidding on your own brand name. If your competitor is cheeky, they might be bidding on your business name as a keyword, so their ad shows up when people search you. To counter that, run a campaign for your own brand keywords – it’s usually cheap and ensures you hold that top spot when someone searches your exact business.
Forgetting About User Experience: Say you succeed in ranking higher – if your site’s user experience is poor (hard to navigate, ugly, or not helpful), people will click your site and then bounce back to Google and perhaps go to the competitor anyway. Google notices that behavior too. Avoid the mistake of focusing only on “getting there” and not on what users see when they arrive. Make sure once they click through to you, they stay and get what they need.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Seeing your competitor above you on Google is frustrating, but it’s a challenge you can tackle with the right approach.

Remember these key takeaways:

SEO is Key: Improving your organic ranking through better content, keywords, and links will help you outrank competitors (and gain those extra clicks that top results enjoy (SEO CTR stats to inform your 2024 SEO strategy [SERP trends])).
Be Patient and Persistent: Climbing the ranks won’t happen overnight. Avoid quick-fix schemes and focus on consistent, quality improvements.
Use All Available Tools: From optimising your Google Business Profile to possibly running Google Ads, leverage multiple strategies so you appear before (or at least right alongside) your competitor.

In summary, yes, you can improve your Google presence. It requires some work – researching keywords, enhancing your website, and possibly investing in ads or content – but the payoff is more visibility and more customers finding you first.

The fact that your competitor is there now just means the opportunity is there for you to take as well. Start implementing these steps, and over time you’ll likely see your website move up the ranks.

Here’s to seeing your business claim that top Google spot! Keep at it, and don’t hesitate to seek SEO expertise if needed – sometimes a little professional tweaking can accelerate the journey to page one.