My competitor is ranking above me on Google. What are they doing that I'm not?

You type in a search that your customers would use, and there they are again, sitting above you. It is one of those slow-burn frustrations that can feel personal, even though it is not. The good news is that Google rankings are not random, and a competitor appearing above you almost always comes down to a handful of specific, visible things you can investigate and act on.

Their page title is more specific than yours

The title that appears as a blue link in Google results is one of the most important signals Google uses. If your page title says something like "Home" or just your business name, and your competitor's says "Emergency Plumber in Bristol, available 24 hours", Google has a much clearer signal about who to show for a relevant search.

Click on your competitor's listing and look at the title in the browser tab. Then look at yours. If theirs clearly describes what they do and where they do it, and yours does not, that is a straightforward fix. Your page title should name your service and your location.

They have more reviews and they are more recent

Google reviews are a significant factor in local search rankings. A business with 80 reviews averaging 4.7 stars will almost always outrank a business with 12 reviews, even if the 12-review business does better work. Google treats reviews as evidence that the business is active, trusted, and worth recommending.

The solution is not complicated, it is just something you have to make a habit of. Ask every satisfied customer to leave a review. Make it easy by sending them a direct link to your Google Business Profile review page. A steady stream of recent reviews will improve your position over time.

Their website loads faster

Page speed is a ranking factor. If your competitor's website loads in under two seconds and yours takes five, Google will factor that in. You can check both sites using pagespeed.web.dev. If your score is significantly lower than theirs, compressed images and removing unused scripts are the quickest wins.

They have more pages covering more topics

A business that has a separate page for each service, each location, or each type of customer question gives Google more content to index and more opportunities to rank. If your website is one page or two, and your competitor has ten pages covering their services in detail, they will have more entry points from search.

You do not need to match them overnight. Adding one focused, useful page at a time, covering a service you offer or a question your customers regularly ask, builds your presence gradually and in a direction that matters.

Their Google Business Profile is more complete

For local businesses, a well-maintained Google Business Profile can matter as much as the website itself. If your competitor has photos, updated opening hours, a detailed business description, and regular posts, while yours has the basics and nothing more, they have an advantage in local search results before a visitor even reaches either website.

Log into your Google Business Profile and compare it to theirs. Fill in anything that is missing and add recent photos of your work or premises.

Want to see how your website compares on the technical factors? A free scan will show you your page speed, SEO health, and the specific issues that might be holding your ranking back.