📌 What This Article Covers
This article explains how competitor keyword ranking data works in Search Atlas today. A previous version of the platform included a standalone side-by-side competitor ranking column inside project settings. That feature has been removed in a recent product update. If you were directed here after receiving conflicting information, this article reflects the current, accurate state of the platform.
🔍 Where Competitor Ranking Data Lives Now
Competitor keyword rankings are no longer surfaced as a separate side-by-side column inside your tracked keyword reports. Instead, the best way to compare your rankings against competitors on a keyword-by-keyword basis is through the Keyword Gap tool.
To access it, go to Left sidebar → Keywords → Keyword Gap (Keyword Gap Analysis). This tool is purpose-built for competitive keyword comparison and provides the most complete view of where you and your competitors rank for overlapping and unique keywords.
📈 How to Use Keyword Gap for Competitor Comparisons
- In the left sidebar, click Keywords, then select Keyword Gap (Keyword Gap Analysis).
- Enter your domain in the primary field.
- Add one or more competitor domains in the comparison fields.
- Click Analyze Keywords to generate the report.
- Review the results table, which displays keyword rankings for your domain and each competitor side by side.
You can filter results to show keywords where competitors outrank you, keywords unique to your domain, or keywords shared across all domains. This gives you a clear, actionable picture of ranking gaps and opportunities.
📡 Monitoring Your Own Rankings Over Time
If your goal is to track how your own keyword rankings change week over week, use the Rank Tracker. Navigate to Left sidebar → Keywords → Rank Tracker (Keyword Rank Tracker). Here you can add keywords to a project and monitor position changes over time.
Note: Rank Tracker is focused on your domain's performance. For direct competitor position comparisons at the keyword level, Keyword Gap remains the recommended tool.
🌐 Checking Domain-Level Competitor Metrics
For a broader view of any competitor's organic presence — including their top keywords, estimated traffic, and ranking distribution — use Site Metrics. Navigate to Left sidebar → Site Metrics and enter a competitor's domain directly into the search bar. This gives you a snapshot of their overall keyword profile without needing to set up a tracked project.
🤖 AI Visibility and Brand Monitoring
If you are also interested in how your brand or your competitors appear in AI-generated search responses, the AI Visibility tool provides that data. Navigate to Left sidebar → AI Visibility. This is a separate capability from traditional rank tracking and is particularly useful for monitoring presence in LLM-based search environments.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I add competitors directly inside a Rank Tracker project? At this time, the Rank Tracker does not support adding competitor domains for side-by-side keyword-level ranking columns. Use Keyword Gap for that comparison view.
- Will the side-by-side competitor column return to reports? We cannot confirm roadmap timelines in this article. If this is important to your workflow, share your feedback using the in-platform feedback option so the product team can prioritize accordingly.
- How often does Keyword Gap data refresh? Keyword Gap data is updated regularly based on our crawl and index cycles. For the most current snapshot, run a fresh analysis at any time.
💬 Need More Help?
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.