Competitor Analysis Affiliate Marketing Strategy That Actually Works

Affiliate marketing is exploding. Currently, affiliate campaigns are run by more than 80 percent of brands. Why? Because it works. Indeed, the industry will surpass the global figure of over 21 billion this year.

However, the thing is that here growth is accompanied by increased competition. Your affiliate people already know it is already crowded out there. We are all compared to struggle over the best Google positions, aiming to receive the same number of clicks and sales as you do. So, how do you stay ahead? The competitor analysis in affiliate marketing comes in there.

Not only is it smart but it is required. Peeking at what other people are doing would enable you to identify the gaps, learn what has worked, and do everything better. Today, we are going to take a step-by-step assessment of a no-bs approach that can be successful. This isn’t theory. It is a step-by-step, practical guide that you can begin applying today.

Why You Should Analyze Competitor Analysis Affiliate Marketing

Let’s be honest. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Rather, emulate those who are already winning. Your competitors are demonstrating to you what works and what flops. You need not do more than listen.

Consider it in the following way: would you walk someone who is at the top of the mountain when climbing a mountain? Or would you beat your own way and wish you might? Exactly.

The benefits of studying competitor analysis and affiliate marketing are that:

• Save time by avoiding dead-end tactics
• Spot easy keywords they missed
• Discover untapped traffic sources
• Find better affiliate offers

The best part? You’re not copying. You’re learning, adapting, and improving. So let’s break it down.

Step 1: Find Out Who You’re Competing With

You must be aware of who they are before you can beat them. These are the sites that also have the same audience and products that you have. When you write about fitness technologies, you are competing with other blogs that discuss smartwatches, fitness trackers, and workout equipment.

How to find them:

• Google your main keywords. Look at who ranks on page one.
• Use SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to see who ranks for the same keywords.
• Check affiliate forums or Facebook groups. Who’s active and sharing results?

Write down 5–10 competitor sites. These are your targets.

Step 2: Look at Their Keywords and Rankings

This is where it gets juicy. Go to every site and go through their blog. Look at article titles. Is it Best [Product] 2025 they are writing about or [Product] Review? Good–buyer keywords.

Now go deeper. Apply such tools as Ahrefs or SEMrush. Type in their domain. Look at:

• Top organic keywords
• Estimated traffic
• Keyword difficulty

You want low-hanging fruit, good volume keywords, and low competition keywords. Here’s an example:

• Keyword: “Best portable solar charger”
• Volume: 2,000
• Difficulty: Low

When your competitor is ranked with that and you are not, then you need to write a better one. Also check the SERPs. What type of pages are ranking in such keywords? Are they product pages, product blogs, or product comparisons? This is what Google desires. Give it that.

Step 3: Study Their Content Style and Structure

Okay, now it is time to examine their writing. Go to their top pages. Read them like a customer.

Ask yourself:

• Is it easy to read?
• Do they use images or product tables?
• Are affiliate links used early or only at the end?

Common content types:

• Product reviews
• Top 10 lists
• How-to guides
• Comparison posts

You do not have to duplicate the format. Just understand what works. When all your competitors have a list of the Best of–yours ought to have one, too, but yours must be cleaner and clearer and more helpful. Also check for freshness. Are they updating content? Otherwise, that is your opportunity to beat them with a more recent post. You may also like: spy on Competitors ads

Step 4: Check Where They Get Their Traffic

Now we figure out how people find them.

Use a tool like SimilarWeb. It demonstrates the traffic sources of a location:

• Organic search
• Social media
• Referral links
• Email

In case Google provides 80 percent, emphasize SEO. When a significant amount is sourced on Pinterest or YouTube, perhaps it is time to do something different. Here’s what else to check:

• Do they run paid ads? Use SpyFu to find out.
• Are they active on social? Check Facebook, Insta, or YouTube.
• Do they use email marketing? Join their newsletter and see what they send.

All these tell you where they are getting their way, and what you are missing.

Step 5: See How They Make Money

We’re in this to earn, right?

So let’s figure out how they monetize.

Click their affiliate links (or hover to inspect). You’ll notice:

• Amazon links
• ShareASale or CJ links
• Direct brand partnerships

Also, check if they use:

• Display ads (Google AdSense)
• Sponsored posts
• Their own products (like eBooks or courses)

Explore outgoing links or backlinks that give a clue that it has an affiliate program using Ahrefs. When a single site advertises the same affiliate offer at least 5 times in various posts, then it is likely to be doing well. You might want to test it too.

Step 6: Take Action

Now comes the fun part.

Use what you learned and make changes. Start with quick wins:

• Write a better article for a keyword they rank for.
• Join a new affiliate program they promote.
• Create a better product table or comparison chart.

Then work on:

• Fixing weak pages on your site
• Adding new traffic sources (Pinterest? YouTube?)
• Refreshing old content

It should always be: What can I do better than they? Don’t copy. Compete smart. Stand out with value. Track your progress. Watch rankings. Watch clicks. See what works. Then repeat. Competitor analysis is not a one-time task. It should also become a monthly routine.

Best Tools for competitor analysis, affiliate marketing

Here are some tools to help:

• Ahrefs: Great for keyword and backlink research
• SEMrush: Strong for keyword gaps and PPC insights
• SpyFu: Good for paid ads research
• SimilarWeb: Traffic breakdown by source
• BuzzSumo: See what content goes viral
• AdSpy: Advanced ad tracking (Facebook/Instagram)
• Google Alerts: Get notified of new competitor content

Pick the one that fits your budget and needs.

Final Thoughts

The affiliate marketing competitor analysis is competitive, however you do not have to battle blindly. Competitor analysis: work smarter. It provides ideas, identifies gaps and demonstrates what is already functioning. Then go do it–better. You’ve got the map now. Create content, generate traffic and increase your affiliate revenue using it. Stick with it. Learn. Adjust. Win. You’ve got this.