How to find Keywords Your Competitors Rank For But You Don’t in SEMrush illustration

How to find "Keywords Your Competitors Rank For, But You Don’t" in SEMrush.

In the vibrant hum of e-commerce hubs and content corridors, there is a golden opportunity quietly waiting for you — the moment when you discover the exact keywords your rivals are ranking for that you are not. So grab your digital detective hat (yes, it sparkles) and let’s dive into how to find "Keywords Your Competitors Rank For, But You Don’t" in SEMrush.

Okay, before we geek out, let’s get honest: you’re here because you want growth. You want your blog or business site to climb those Google rankings, to show up when a potential client types in something and clicks your link instead of someone else’s. That dream? Totally within reach. And the first step is understanding that your competitors? They’re basically handing you a roadmap — if you know how to read it.

Step 1: Identify Who Your True Competitors Are (Not Just the Noisy Ones)

It might be tempting to go after the big brand everyone knows and beat them at their own SEO game, but hold up—there’s smarter work ahead. In SEMrush you start by entering your domain into the “Organic Research” module and then clicking on the “Competitors” tab. That shows you domains that share many keywords with yours and compete for the same organic space.

Why this matters: If you go after domains that aren’t actually vying for your audience, you’ll waste time. Target domains that show up as organic rivals in SEMrush because they’re ranking for similar search terms. Once you have your list of 2-5 competitor domains, you’re ready for the keyword gap gold mine.

Step 2: Use the Keyword Gap Tool to Highlight the Missing Keywords

Here’s where the fun really happens. In SEMrush you navigate to the Keyword Gap tool (under Keyword Analytics or directly). You input your domain and your competitors’ domains. Then select the “Organic keywords” type so you’re focusing on natural search rankings.

You’ll get a table that shows: shared keywords (you and them rank), unique keywords (competitors rank, you don’t), and keywords where you rank but the competitors don’t. What you’re looking for are the “Missing” keywords — terms your competitors rank for but you do not. Those are your opportunity playground.

Step 3: Filter & Prioritise the Opportunities

Not all missing keywords are worth your time. Use filters in SEMrush to isolate high-value targets. For example: moderate search volume, low to moderate keyword difficulty (KD), and relevant search intent (informational or commercial, depending on your site). The great folks at SEMrush say you can “close keyword gaps by creating content around missing topics”.

Here’s a quick prioritisation checklist for you: Search intent aligns with what your audience wants ? You don’t currently rank (and your competitors do) ? The keyword difficulty is achievable for your domain strength ? It makes sense in your content strategy. If all of those tick, boom — that keyword goes into your to-write list.

Step 4: Create Content That Owns the Gap

Finding the keywords is half the battle. The other half is creating great content that actually deserves to rank for them. Since you’ve spotted a topic your competitors nail, you can build a piece of content that does it better. Maybe it’s more in-depth, maybe it’s funnier (because your brand is funnier), maybe it includes visuals or tools or case studies that your competitor skipped.

And you know what? That’s exactly where a service like BlogCog comes in — writing SEO-rich, engaging articles that target those keywords and craft a narrative. If you’re subscribed to BlogCog’s AI-driven blog service, you can funnel these keywords into your editorial calendar and let the blog engine do the heavy lifting.

Step 5: Monitor, Track, and Iterate

SEO isn’t “set it and forget it.” Once you’ve published content targeting your keyword gaps, go back into SEMrush and use the Position Tracking tool or your Keyword Gap sheet to monitor whether you’re moving up in rankings against your competitors. Use filters like “Position change” or “Visibility increase” to measure progress.

If a keyword doesn’t move, refine your content: update it, add media, build links, tweak the meta description, adjust internal linking. And then track again. The competitors maybe sleeping—so don’t let it stay a gap forever.

Why This Strategy Works—and Why You Should Tag Along With BlogCog

You’re not reinventing SEO: you’re borrowing from what works. Your competitors have done parts of the groundwork, and you’re simply capturing the parts they missed. That’s smart, that’s efficient, and it’s highly strategic.

On top of that, BlogCog’s subscription model means you can consistently publish blog posts that align with these identified keyword gaps. Fresh content plus strategic gaps means ranking momentum. More traffic. More leads.

Quick Humor Break: The Keyword Gaps Party

Imagine your competitor proudly holding a spotlight on stage saying: “Look! I rank for this keyword, and this keyword, and this keyword!” Meanwhile you’re backstage with no spotlight. The Keyword Gap tool is your backstage pass to the spotlight you deserve. Wear the sparkly hat. Own the stage.

Wrapping It Up (Yes, we did say we’d avoid “In conclusion,” but this is kind of needed)

So there you have it: how to find "Keywords Your Competitors Rank For, But You Don’t" in SEMrush. Identify competitors, use the Keyword Gap tool to find missing opportunities, filter for the best ones, create content that outshines, and track your progress. With BlogCog by your side you’re not just chasing keywords—you’re capturing them.

Now get out there. Find the gaps. Fill them with brilliance. And let your blog light up the search pages.

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