How to Audit Competitors’ SEO in Poland

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is essential for businesses that want to be found online. Auditing your competitors’ SEO means examining what other sites do to rank well in search. In practice, it involves comparing a competitor’s keywords, content, technical setup, and backlinks to your own. In Poland, this process is especially important because the market has its own quirks: Polish language, local search behavior, and unique consumer trends. For example, over 90% of Polish internet users search via Google, so you can focus primarily on Google’s results when analyzing competitors. This guide will take you step-by-step through auditing your competitors’ SEO in Poland. We’ll explain how to find the right competitors, what tools and methods to use, and which on-page, off-page, and local factors to examine. By the end, you’ll understand how top Polish websites attract traffic and how you can apply those insights to boost your own visibility.

Understanding the Competitor SEO Audit

What is a competitor SEO audit? It’s the process of researching rival websites to uncover their search engine strategies. You look at what keywords they rank for, how their pages are built, what kind of content they publish, and how other sites link to them. The goal is to learn from their successes and mistakes, and to find opportunities you can use to improve your own SEO. In simple terms, auditing competitors helps you spot gaps in your strategy and discover working ideas for your own site.

Why is this important in Poland? The Polish online market has unique language and consumer factors. For instance, Polish words use special characters (like ę, ś, ł) and change form with grammar (declensions). This means that the way people search in Polish is different from English. An effective competitor audit will reveal how local businesses handle these language details and user habits. Also, Polish consumers search mostly on Google (over 90% of market share) and many use mobile devices (over 80%). That means you’ll want to see how competitors perform on Google.pl and ensure your audit checks mobile performance. In short, understanding where and how Polish users search helps make your audit more relevant and useful.

Identifying Your Competitors

Before diving into data, you must know who your competitors are. In SEO terms, competitors are sites that rank for the same queries you care about. Some will be obvious direct competitors (selling the same products or services), and others might be indirect (sharing similar content or answering the same questions). For example, if you sell handmade soap in Warsaw, your competitors include other soap shops, but also perhaps lifestyle blogs or marketplaces featuring soap products.

How to find your main SEO competitors:

• Search your keywords on Google.pl. Type in a key phrase your target audience would use (in Polish if applicable, or English if you cater to expats). See which websites appear at the top. Those are likely your top competitors for that query.
• Use SEO tools. Free tools like Google Search Console (for your site’s queries) or Google Analytics (for referral or organic data) can hint at competing pages. Paid tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or the Polish tool Senuto let you enter your domain and see a list of competitors in terms of overlapping keywords.
• Check industry sites or directories. If your niche has directories (for example, Yellow Pages Poland or PanoramaFirm), see which businesses are listed under your category.
• Think direct vs. indirect. Direct competitors share your exact offering (e.g. other local pizza restaurants), while indirect competitors attract the same audience (e.g. food bloggers or delivery platforms). Include both types in your audit list. Indirect rivals can steal traffic even if they aren’t selling your product.

Pro tip: Consider geography. If you serve a particular city or region in Poland, look at local search results. Google’s search engine can be set to Poland (Google.pl) or restricted to a location. Local competitors may rank differently than national ones. Make a list of 3–5 main competitors to compare.

Analyzing Competitor Keywords and Content

Once you have a competitor list, dig into their keywords and content. This helps you see what topics and terms are driving their traffic.

• List their target keywords. Tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs can show which keywords a site ranks for. For each competitor, look at high-traffic terms – especially those in your industry. If you don’t have paid tools, you can eyeball this by searching a keyword and seeing which competitors show up, then clicking to inspect the page. Take notes of common terms and phrases. In Poland, pay attention to Polish language queries. For example, if a competitor sells shoes, note if they rank for “skórzane buty” (leather shoes) or “buty sportowe” (sports shoes).
• Keyword gap analysis. Compare your keyword list with competitors’. Identify missing keywords – those your rivals rank for but you don’t. For example, you may be using the term “buty damskie” (women’s shoes), but a competitor also ranks for “obuwie damskie” (another Polish phrase for women’s footwear). Finding these gaps reveals content opportunities.
• Study content topics. Examine the pages that rank well for those keywords. What kind of content are they? Blog posts, product pages, guides, videos? Note the content formats and topics. Perhaps competitors have a comprehensive guide on “How to clean leather shoes” or a blog about shoe care. These topics attract visitors and can inspire your own content.
• Evaluate content quality. Look at top-ranking competitor pages for depth and style. Are the articles long and detailed? Do they include images or videos? Is the language formal or casual? For beginners, seeing good examples of content can teach you what works. Also check how up-to-date the content is. Fresh or regularly updated content often ranks better. If you spot a competitor’s blog hasn’t been updated in years, that could be a sign to outrank them with fresher material.

Consider side keywords as well. These are related terms like “reviews, how to, best of” that visitors use. For example, if you sell perfume, a competitor might rank for “najlepszy perfum 2025” (best perfume 2025) – a keyword phrase you might have missed. Tools like AnswerThePublic or Google’s own “People also ask” can help find these question-style queries.

Finally, compile your findings in a simple table or spreadsheet. List competitor names, key keywords they rank for, and content topics they cover. This big-picture view lets you see overlaps and unique angles at a glance.

Examining On-Page SEO

On-page SEO refers to factors on the website itself that influence search ranking. For each competitor site, audit the following elements:

• Title tags and meta descriptions. These are what search results display. Check how competitors craft their titles: do they include primary keywords and location? For example, a local café’s title might be “Coffee Warsaw – Best Craft Coffee Shop in Mokotów”. Are they writing compelling descriptions? Good titles and descriptions entice clicks, so note anything impressive or unique.
• Headings and content structure. Look at how they use headings (H1, H2, etc.). The H1 tag is usually the main page title visible to users. Make sure each page’s H1 clearly states the topic. Subheadings (H2, H3) should organize the content logically. If a competitor’s page uses many descriptive headings covering different subtopics, that’s a clue they are targeting multiple related keywords. For example, a travel blog might have H2s like “Best Places to Visit in Krakow” and “Krakow City Guide Tips”.
• URL structure. Examine the page addresses. Are they short and readable? Polish-friendly URLs help users trust the link and can include keywords. For instance, a Polish page URL might be /opinie-klientow instead of a long code. Notice if competitors use categories or dates in the URL, and how they present Polish characters (usually they omit accents in URLs or use special encoding). A clean structure often indicates better organization.
• Content readability and quality. Read through some competitor pages as a normal user. Is the content easy to understand? Beginners appreciate clear and engaging text. Note if competitors use bullet lists, images, or bold text to highlight key points (you should do the same for your readers). If the content seems very technical or dull, you might gain an edge by writing more simply or visually. Also check if they provide answers to common questions; oftentimes well-ranked pages directly answer queries in the first paragraph.
• Media and format. Competitor pages with videos, infographics, or interactive elements often perform well. See if they embed YouTube videos, use charts, or have high-quality photos. While your content should be unique, knowing what multimedia they use can inspire how to enhance your own pages.
• Keyword placement. Check that competitors’ primary keywords appear naturally in the first paragraphs, headings, and sprinkled throughout the text. Also see if they use related synonyms and variations (especially important in Polish, because grammar changes words). For example, if the keyword is “biuro podróży” (travel agency), they might use “biurom podróży” (plural) or “w biurze podróży” (in the travel agency). Good on-page SEO includes using the main keyword and its forms sensibly across the content.

Use bullet points or a checklist when you do this: For each page, mark if it has a clear title, descriptive H1, relevant keywords, images with alt text, and meta descriptions. By systematically comparing these elements for each competitor, you’ll see common strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps everyone is missing alt text on images – an easy win for you. Or maybe a competitor cleverly uses keywords in headings; note that technique.

Performing a Technical SEO Review

Technical SEO covers the behind-the-scenes aspects that affect search visibility and user experience. Auditing these areas reveals how well competitors’ sites perform on mobile, how fast they load, and whether they have any hidden issues. Here’s what to check:

• Page speed and performance. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix (just for your own benefit, no links needed). Enter a competitor’s URL and see how fast it loads. Pages should load in a few seconds on mobile and desktop. If a top competitor’s site is slow, that’s a sign you can outperform them by optimizing speed. Note images that are too large, scripts that block loading, or other issues. Even without tools, you can roughly gauge by manually timing a page or noticing delays as you scroll.
• Mobile-friendliness. Poland has a high mobile usage rate. Check how competitor pages look on a smartphone or tablet. The text should be readable without zooming, and menus should adapt to small screens (so-called responsive design). If a competitor’s site is hard to use on mobile (buttons too small, text overlapping), your mobile-optimized site will have a big advantage. Also test by resizing your browser window: do elements shift nicely? If available, Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test (just for your notes) can confirm issues like clickable elements too close together.
• Secure site (HTTPS). Make sure competitors use HTTPS (the padlock icon) rather than HTTP. Almost every modern site uses HTTPS, which is a minor ranking factor and a trust signal. If a competitor still has HTTP, it’s a serious weakness (though rare in 2025).
• Sitemaps and robots.txt. These help search engines know what to crawl. While you cannot see a competitor’s robots.txt directly unless they make it public (appending /robots.txt to the domain often works), you can try it for clues. A missing robots.txt or sitemap isn’t ideal, but most professional sites have them. Likewise, check if competitor site’s pages appear indexed: do a Google search like site:competitor.pl to see how many pages Google has indexed from that domain. If key pages are missing, it could be due to disallowed crawl rules or low quality.
• Structured data and markup. Some sites use schema markup to help search engines understand content (for example, star ratings, local business details, or product info). You might not see the code, but search results sometimes show rich snippets. If a competitor’s listing includes stars (for reviews) or extra info (like product price), they use structured data effectively. That can make their listing more eye-catching. Make note of any special search result features competitors have; you may want to implement schema on your site too.
• Core Web Vitals. Google measures page experience via Core Web Vitals (loading speed, interactivity, visual stability). While you may not have this data, you can observe things like whether images load without shifting content (layout stability) or if there’s a noticeable delay before you can click something (interactivity). A flickering layout or a long first contentful paint is a sign of poor Core Web Vitals. In competitive niches, better scores can help you rank higher.

Put together, these technical checks will show how user-friendly and search-engine-friendly a competitor’s site is. If most of your competitors have weak mobile sites or slow pages, you can target those aspects for a competitive advantage. Even minor improvements (like compressing images or using a content delivery network) can give you an edge once other content factors are equal.

Analyzing Off-Page SEO and Backlinks

Off-page SEO deals with factors outside your website, mainly how other sites and users interact with you. The key part to analyze is backlinks – links from other websites pointing to your competitors. Backlinks are like votes of confidence in the SEO world, and they strongly influence rankings.

• Review competitor backlink profiles. Tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or Majestic can list backlinks of any domain. If you don’t have access, you can do limited checks with free backlink checkers or simply spot notable sources by searching for references to the competitor’s name. Count the number of unique domains linking to them. Big, trusted sites (like news outlets, large blogs, or industry sites) linking to a competitor indicate strong authority. For example, if a Polish competitor has backlinks from major news portals like Onet.pl or Gazeta.pl, that’s a big plus.
• Assess link quality. Not all links are equal. Quality links come from relevant and reputable websites; poor ones come from spammy or unrelated sites. Look at a competitor’s backlinks and judge: Are they mostly coming from well-known sources, or from many small directories and comment spam? If you notice unnatural links (like thousands of irrelevant directory links), that could be a sign of a paid scheme and may risk penalties. Note which competitors have strong, organic-looking link profiles.
• Anchor text diversity. Check what anchor texts (the clickable words in a link) the competitors have. If a competitor has many links using exact-match keywords (“buy running shoes”), their link profile is risky. Diverse anchors (brand names, generic phrases, or full URLs) are healthier. This is more advanced, but you can skim a few links to see the pattern.
• Social signals and brand presence. While social media links don’t directly boost SEO, a strong social presence can drive traffic and brand awareness, indirectly helping SEO. Do competitors actively post on platforms popular in Poland (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, or local forums)? Check if their social pages are linked from the site, and if content gets shared often. Also see if they have many reviews or mentions on Google My Business or industry sites. A competitor with lots of positive reviews and brand mentions is more authoritative.
• Guest posts and PR activities. Some savvy competitors might write guest articles on other blogs or get mentioned in press releases. Search for “competitor name + (article OR press)” to see if they appear in media. While this is manual, it can reveal if they have additional online authority.

Keep notes on each competitor’s off-page profile. A helpful way is to list how many high-authority sites link to them, and any notable platforms (industry directories, partner sites, etc.). This comparison will show where you stand. If every top competitor has a lot of backlinks, you’ll need to plan link-building too. If they lack in one area (say, few local directory listings), that could be your chance to pick up those links and outrank them.

Local SEO Factors in Poland

In a Polish context, local SEO can be crucial, especially for businesses with physical locations or region-specific audiences. Even if you operate online, local user behavior and geographic targeting influence rankings. Here’s what to check:

• Google Business Profile (GBP). Formerly Google My Business, the Google Business Profile is vital for local visibility. Search for competitors’ business names on Google Maps or Google Search. If they have a profile, check its completeness: do they list the address, phone, hours, and a description? Are there customer reviews, and how do they respond? A complete and active GBP listing can show your competitor in the “local pack” (map results). If your competitor lacks a strong GBP, that’s a weakness to exploit (set up and optimize your own listing carefully).
• Local keywords and geography. See if competitors target specific locations in their content. For example, they might include city names or districts (Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, etc.) if they serve those areas. Look at their page titles or H1s for phrases like “Wrocław photoshoot” or “Kraków tour guide”. Also note if they use regional slang or terms. If competitors don’t emphasize location, you can create location-based pages or blog posts (like “Top 10 cafes in Poznań”) to attract local searchers.
• Local directories and citations. In Poland, sites like Panoramafirm.pl, pkt.pl, or even industry-specific directories can list businesses. Search these with the competitor’s name to see if they appear. Also check general review or rating sites (like Tripadvisor for tourism or Yelp-like sites if they exist). Every local citation (listing with consistent Name-Address-Phone) adds credibility. If you find competitors have dozens of directory listings, make sure your business is listed on the same ones (and any popular local platforms they missed).
• Polish language and cultural signals. Some local SEO aspects are cultural. For example, using local contact numbers (with +48 country code), having a Polish language site (or a Polish version of your site) is crucial. Note if competitors have Polish content, or if they rely on an English site. A Polish-language competitor will naturally perform better for Polish searchers. If you’re targeting Polish users, ensure your content is in Polish and culturally appropriate.
• User behavior and reviews. Polish users often rely on reviews. See if competitors have many Google reviews or testimonials on their site. Positive reviews signal quality to search engines. If you find gaps (e.g., a competitor only has 2 reviews), then encourage your customers to review your business. Negative reviews, if present on a competitor profile, are also telling – they can be weaknesses in the competitor’s service or reputation.

Local SEO overlaps with on-page and off-page SEO, but it’s worth a distinct look because Polish searchers do value local presence. For example, if a bakery in Gdańsk appears in local listings and uses local keywords, local customers will find it first. A good competitor audit in Poland pays extra attention to these local signals, then uses them to shape your own local strategy.

Putting It All Together: Using Your Findings

After gathering all this information, the final step is to turn insights into action. Here’s how to use what you’ve learned:

• Identify strengths and weaknesses. Compare each competitor across categories (keywords, content, on-page, technical, backlinks, local). Maybe you discover Competitor A has great content but a slow website, and Competitor B has fast pages but poor social presence. List these observations. This SWOT-style (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) view helps prioritize. For instance, if almost all competitors ignore mobile optimization, making your site mobile-friendly will be a big opportunity.
• Find quick wins. Look for things competitors missed that you can do easily. Examples: if a rival doesn’t use any alt text on images, start adding descriptive alt text on your images. If they forgot meta descriptions on some pages, write yours. Small improvements can accumulate and give you an advantage over competitors who thought only big changes matter.
• Plan your strategy. Based on the gaps you found, make a list of actions. This might include writing new content for uncovered keywords, improving site speed and mobile design, building links from specific industry sites, or optimizing your Google Business Profile. For each action, note which competitor prompted it. For instance, if Competitor C ranks for “handmade candles” but you don’t, add a section about handmade candles to your site.
• Monitor progress. Set up tracking so you can measure improvements. Add relevant keywords to Google Search Console and see if you start ranking. Keep an eye on your traffic using Google Analytics – note any spikes after you implement changes. You can occasionally check back on competitor rankings for key terms to see if you’ve overtaken them. SEO is ongoing, so make competitor auditing a routine (e.g. every few months) to stay ahead as the market changes.
• Stay ethical and creative. Remember, auditing competitors is about insight, not copying. Never plagiarize content or blindly copy their exact strategies. Instead, use the audit to inform better and original work. For instance, if they wrote an article on “Polish pastry recipes,” you might write a fresher or more detailed version, or cover related angles. The goal is to improve your own site using knowledge from the audit, while still offering unique value to your audience.

By carefully reviewing each competitor and planning improvements, you transform raw data into a smarter SEO strategy. A thorough competitor SEO audit in Poland will reveal how others succeed, what they fail at, and where you can outperform them. Keep your analysis documents handy and update them over time; the more you understand the Polish SEO landscape, the more confidently you can target your audience and climb the search rankings.