In a previous post I compared what I think are the 5 best tools to review backlinks. These show the strength of your all important backlinks against competitors. In this review we took a brief look at the Majestic SEO Backlink history which we find useful for comparing clients against competitors at a top-level. But since this time Majestic now have a new tool - the Majestic Site Explorer.
Now into its 4th month of public Beta, for me, Majestic Site Explorer is a really useful tool to use when completing top level reviews of competitors. I'd also recommend it can be use d for regulary monthly or quarterly health checks for your own business and the SEO efforts of the agency. It's often compared to the similar and I think, better known tool available from SEOmoz (www.opensitexplorer.com). So I thought it would be useful to compare the two in a bit more detail since their offerings are quite different.
The main benefit of the Majestic Site Explorer is the top level back-link information which can help you to understand the make-up of links to any given website. The beauty of the system is that within a few clicks you can see similar top level data but on a page level. Understanding how backlinks are spread across websites is key, even at a top level. The service also breaks down the top linking domains to a particular website helping you (again at a top level & based on number of links not necessarily quality) see the key influencing domains to a website. Overall the tool gives a great top level, report orientated view on a given website. Running across multiple sites and comparing key metrics helps gain clarity on the competitive landscape and can help drive actions on a tactical level.
While I am a bigger user (personally) of the Majestic SEO tool kit I think SEOmoz do a way better job at marketing their product and influencing the industry. I do think however utilising a service such as uservoice or GetSatisfaction and opening their products up to a what is a very active market will help them create truly remarkable products. However, focussing on purely the Site Explorer products only, the key differences are:
We have two main routes into the Site Explorer:
The first use is really helpful when trying to display performance against competitors & highlight areas that warrant further investigation, something we would use during initial consultations or early investigative work. The second key use for the tool is that the quick comparisons often highlight trends / opportunities which can the lead onto specific investigation helping cut through hours of trawling large quantities of data.
An example of this could be that a key competitor currently successful has a high number of educational backlinks & a low % of links are from images. Instantly, it's obvious that investigating how the competitor has managed such a feat & if that can be replicated or if it may be easier to target alternative keywords is a better strategy etc. The beauty in the site explorer reports for me are really how they influence & aid focus, both tools offer overwhelming amounts of data but ultimately its how the data forms a story that be actioned to the benefit of your business...
Do you have a preferred back-link analysis tool or feature? Let us know below...
By Chris Soames
Chris Soames is a Smart Insights blogger and consultant, he has worked in digital marketing for over 6 years with the last few years managing international web strategies for a leading travel brand. Now the Commercial Director at First 10, an Integrated marketing agency, he helps clients get clarity on their marketing strategy and create campaigns engineered to engage with their consumers to help drive sell-through. Most of all, Chris enjoys working with talented people who want to create great (& commercial) things not just tick boxes.
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