You do better work than your competitors. Your customers love you. But when someone searches on Google, your competitor shows up first and you are on page two.
Frustrating? Yes. Fixable? Almost always yes.
Here are the seven most common reasons competitors outrank you, and exactly what to do about each one.
1. They Have More (and Better) Content
Google ranks pages, not businesses. If your competitor has 50 pages of helpful content and you have 5 thin pages, they will win.
This does not mean you need hundreds of pages. It means every page on your site should be genuinely useful. A single detailed service page beats five shallow ones.
What to do: Look at your competitor’s top pages. Are they longer? More detailed? Do they answer more questions? Make your pages better. Add real examples, photos of your work, pricing info, and FAQs. Be the most helpful result, not just another result.
2. They Have More Backlinks
Backlinks (other websites linking to yours) are like votes. More quality votes means higher rankings.
If your competitor has 200 backlinks from real websites and you have 15, Google sees them as more trusted and authoritative.
What to do: You cannot buy your way out of this with cheap link packages. Those hurt more than they help. Instead, earn links naturally: create useful content others want to link to, get listed in industry directories, partner with local businesses, and consider professional link building services that do real outreach.
3. Their Google Business Profile Is Better
For local searches, your Google Business Profile matters as much as your website. If your competitor has 150 reviews, 40 photos, weekly posts, and complete business info while you have 12 reviews and 3 blurry photos, they will dominate the Maps results.
What to do: Complete every section of your profile. Add 30+ real photos. Get reviews systematically (see our guide on getting more Google reviews). Post updates twice a month. This is free and it works.
4. Their Website Is Faster
Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. But more importantly, users hate slow websites. If your site takes 8 seconds to load and your competitor’s takes 2 seconds, visitors will leave yours and call them.
What to do: Test your site on Google PageSpeed Insights. If your mobile score is under 70, you have a problem. Common fixes: compress images, remove unused plugins, upgrade hosting. Speed improvements often boost both rankings and enquiries at the same time.
5. They Target More Keywords
If you only try to rank for “plumber Sydney” but your competitor also targets “emergency plumber Sydney,” “blocked drain Sydney,” “hot water repair Sydney,” and 20 suburb-specific pages, they capture far more search traffic.
What to do: Create dedicated pages for each main service and each area you serve. Not thin copy-paste pages, but genuinely useful ones with local info, testimonials from that area, and photos of work done there. Our local SEO guide covers this in detail.
6. They Have Been Doing SEO Longer
SEO compounds over time. A competitor who started SEO two years ago has a head start that is hard to overcome quickly. Their content has aged, their backlinks have grown, and Google trusts their site more.
What to do: You cannot go back in time, but you can start now. The sooner you begin consistent SEO work, the sooner you start closing the gap. Most businesses see meaningful movement within 6-12 months of sustained effort. Waiting only makes the gap bigger.
7. Their Website Converts Better (So Google Rewards Them)
Here is something most people miss: Google watches what users do after they click. If visitors land on your competitor’s site, stay for 3 minutes, and call them, Google sees that as a good result. If visitors land on your site, leave after 10 seconds, and go back to search results, Google sees your page as unhelpful.
This is called user engagement, and it affects rankings.
What to do: Make your website easy to use. Clear headlines, visible phone number, fast loading, mobile-friendly design. If visitors stay longer and contact you more, Google notices. Our guide on fixing websites that do not get leads covers this step by step.
How to Do a Quick Competitor Check Yourself
You do not need expensive tools to start. Here is a simple check you can do today:
- Search your main keyword in incognito mode. Who ranks above you?
- Open their website. Is it faster than yours? Better looking? More content?
- Check their Google reviews. How many do they have? What is their rating?
- Count their pages. Do they have service pages, suburb pages, blog posts that you do not?
- Look at their backlinks using a free tool like Ubersuggest’s basic check.
This gives you a clear picture of where the gap is. Then you know exactly what to fix first.
The Truth About Outranking Competitors
There is no trick. No secret method. No shortcut.
Outranking competitors comes down to being better across the board: better content, better reviews, faster website, more backlinks, better user experience. Do these consistently for 6-12 months, and you will overtake most competitors who are coasting on past work.
The good news? Most small business competitors are NOT doing SEO properly. They set up a website years ago and never touched it again. A focused 6-month effort from you can leapfrog years of their neglect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my competitor rank higher on Google than me?
The most common reasons are: they have more quality content, more backlinks from trusted sites, better Google reviews, a faster website, or they have been doing SEO longer. Usually it is a combination of several factors, not just one.
How can I outrank my competitors on Google?
Focus on the fundamentals: create better content than them, earn quality backlinks, get more Google reviews, speed up your website, and target keywords they are missing. Consistent effort over 6-12 months beats any shortcut.
How long does it take to outrank a competitor?
It depends on how far ahead they are. If the gap is small (similar content, few more backlinks), 3-6 months of focused work can do it. If they have a massive head start (years of SEO, hundreds of backlinks), expect 12+ months. The key is starting now rather than waiting.
Should I copy my competitor’s SEO strategy?
Learn from it, do not copy it. See what keywords they target and what content works for them, then do it better. Copying exactly will always leave you one step behind. Find gaps they missed and fill those first for quick wins.
Can a new website outrank an established competitor?
Yes, but it takes time and effort. New websites can outrank older ones by creating significantly better content, earning quality backlinks faster, and providing a better user experience. Google cares about quality and relevance more than age alone, though age does help with trust.
About Khani Groups: We help Australian businesses outrank their competitors through strategic SEO services. From competitor analysis to full SEO campaigns, we find the gaps and fill them. Contact us for a free competitor SEO audit.