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Competitor Keyword Gap Analysis | Storage Industry

Competitor
Keyword Gap Analysis: Public Storage, Extra Space, CubeSmart

Quick Summary: Public Storage, Extra Space Storage,
and CubeSmart collectively rank for hundreds of thousands of keywords.
Many of these — particularly long-tail, local, and informational
keywords — are attainable for independent operators. This guide shows
you how to run a competitor keyword gap analysis against the Big 3 to
find every ranking opportunity they have that you don’t.

Table of Contents

What Is Keyword Gap Analysis?

A keyword gap analysis identifies keywords that your competitors rank
for — but you don’t. These represent organic traffic and leads that are
currently going to your competitors rather than to you.

For self-storage, a keyword gap analysis against national chains
(Public Storage, Extra Space, CubeSmart) is particularly valuable
because:

  1. They rank for thousands of informational and educational
    keywords     that any storage facility — regardless of size — can
    compete for
  2. Their local rankings are diluted across hundreds or
    thousands of locations; individual independent operators often
    outperform them for hyperlocal queries
  3. They have identified the most profitable keyword
    clusters     through massive SEO investment — their keyword
    footprint is a roadmap for your content strategy

Why Analyze the Big 3?

Public Storage
(publicstorage.com)

  • ~3,500 locations across the US
  • Ranks for estimated 800,000+ keywords
  • Strongest for generic “storage near me” and unit-size queries
  • Large content library of informational blog articles

Extra Space Storage
(extraspace.com)

  • ~3,700 locations
  • Ranks for estimated 600,000+ keywords
  • Strong in climate-controlled and vehicle storage keyword
    clusters
  • Heavy investment in informational and how-to content

CubeSmart (cubesmart.com)

  • ~1,300 locations
  • Ranks for estimated 400,000+ keywords
  • Particularly strong in urban markets
  • Good model for local landing page structure

Tools You Need

For a Full Gap Analysis
(Paid Tools)

  • Ahrefs (from $99/month) — most comprehensive; use
    the Content Gap tool
  • SEMrush (from $129/month) — Keyword Gap tool is
    purpose-built for this
  • Moz Pro (from $99/month) — Keyword Explorer has
    competitive gap features
  • SpyFu (from $39/month) — budget-friendly, good for
    PPC gap analysis too

For a Free Gap Analysis

  • Google Search Console — shows keywords you rank
    for; compare to competitor ranking pages manually
  • Google Keyword Planner — use competitor URLs to see
    what keywords Google associates with them
  • Ubersuggest (free tier) — limited but functional
    competitor keyword research
  • Semrush Free Tier — 10 daily results, enough for a
    manual gap analysis

How to Run a Competitor Keyword Gap Analysis

Step 1: Enter Competitor
Domains

In Ahrefs or SEMrush, navigate to the Keyword Gap / Content Gap tool
and enter: – Your domain – publicstorage.com – extraspace.com –
cubesmart.com

Step 2: Filter for Gap
Keywords

Select “Keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t” (this is
the “Gap” filter in most tools).

Step 3: Apply
Filters to Find Attainable Keywords

Filter the results by: – Volume: 100–10,000 monthly
searches (ignore <50 as too niche, ignore >10k as too competitive
for an independent) – Keyword Difficulty (KD): Under 40
(easier to rank for with good content) – SERP feature
presence: FAQ, Featured Snippet opportunities – Exclude
branded terms: Filter out “public storage,” “extra space,”
“cubesmart” from results

Step 4: Export and Categorize

Export the filtered list. Categorize keywords into: – Local (city +
unit type combinations you’re not targeting) – Informational (how-to,
guides, comparisons) – Use-case (vehicle, boat, RV, wine, business) –
Commercial (comparisons, “best,” “near me” variants)

Keyword Categories to Target from Gap Analysis

Based on typical gap analysis results against the Big 3, here are the
highest-opportunity categories for independent operators:

Category 1: Informational
Content Gaps

The Big 3 have invested heavily in blog content. They rank for
queries like: – “how to pack a storage unit” – “what to put in a storage
unit” – “how long can you rent a storage unit” – “storage unit
organization ideas” – “how to store a mattress” – “is it safe to store
electronics in storage” – “storage unit tips for beginners”

These are low-competition, high-volume keywords. An independent
operator with a well-written, comprehensive guide can outrank the Big 3
for these queries in their local area — and often nationally for very
long-tail variants.

Category 2: Use-Case Gaps

The Big 3 have generalist content. They often lack depth for: – “how
to store a classic car” – “boat winterization storage checklist” –
“preparing an RV for long-term storage” – “how to store musical
instruments” – “climate controlled storage for vinyl records”

These use-case-specific articles are attainable for any facility that
serves these customers.

Category 3: Local Comparison
Gaps

The Big 3 rank for generic local queries, but independent operators
consistently outrank them for: – “[neighborhood] storage units” –
“storage near [specific landmark or address]” – “storage units [very
small city or suburb]”

These are your core ranking opportunities.

Category 4: Price and
Decision Queries

  • “how much does a storage unit cost per month”
  • “storage unit prices [city]”
  • “cheapest storage unit near me”
  • “storage unit first month free [city]”
  • “month to month storage near me”

Analyzing Local Keyword Gaps

The most actionable gap analysis is local. Run a keyword gap analysis
using your local competitor’s domain, not just the national chains.

Step 1: Identify
Your Real Local Competitors

Go to Google and search “storage units [your city].” Note the top
5–10 organic results. These are your actual local competitors.

Step 2: Run a Local Gap
Analysis

Enter your domain + your top 3 local competitors into the keyword gap
tool. Filter by: – Keywords containing your city name – Keywords
containing nearby neighborhood names – Keywords containing unit type +
location combinations

Step 3: Build
Location-Specific Content

For every location-specific gap keyword you find, create or optimize
a page targeting it. Often this means: – Creating neighborhood-specific
content sections on your location page – Building dedicated pages for
high-value unit types in your city – Writing local blog content (“best
storage in [neighborhood] for apartment moves”)

Prioritizing Your Gap Keywords

Not all gap keywords are worth pursuing equally. Use this scoring
framework:

Score Volume Difficulty Business Value Action
A 500+ <30 KD High (transactional) Create immediately
B 100–500 <40 KD Medium (informational) Create in next 30 days
C 50–100 <50 KD Medium Add to content calendar
D <50 Any Low FAQ or brief mention only

Focus your content production on A and B scores first.

Building Content from Gap Keywords

For Informational Gaps

Create comprehensive guides (1,500–3,000 words) that are more
specific and actionable than the Big 3’s generic versions. Add: – Local
context (mention your city’s climate or common storage needs) – Real
pricing data for your market – Local resource links

For Use-Case Gaps

Create dedicated use-case pages for every vehicle/item type you
support, targeting the specific long-tail queries the Big 3 miss.

For Local Gaps

Optimize your existing location pages and create
neighborhood-specific content. These often rank faster than
informational content because they face less national competition.

FAQ

Q: Can I really outrank Public Storage for “storage near
me”?

A: For the generic “storage near me” query nationally, no. But for
“storage near me” as experienced by someone 2 blocks from your facility
— where Google’s local algorithm applies — yes, you can outrank them.
Local SEO is about proximity as much as authority.

Q: How often should I run a keyword gap
analysis?

A: Quarterly is sufficient for most operators. Monthly is appropriate
if you are in active content expansion mode. After major algorithm
updates, an additional check is worthwhile.

Q: What if my gap analysis shows thousands of
opportunities?

A: Filter aggressively for business value. Focus on keywords that
lead to storage rentals (transactional intent) or build topical
authority for your core services (informational on topics directly
related to storage). Ignore tangentially related informational
keywords.

Q: Should I target the same keywords as Public Storage’s
blog?

A: Yes, if you can create more detailed, locally relevant content.
The Big 3’s blog content is often written at a surface level for
national audiences. Locally focused, specific content from an
independent operator frequently outranks it for local searches.

Q: Is keyword gap analysis useful for PPC as well as
organic?

A: Absolutely. The same gap analysis reveals keywords your
competitors are bidding on that you’re not. SpyFu is particularly useful
for PPC gap analysis.

Next Steps

Run your first keyword gap analysis against your top local
competitors this week. Even a free-tier analysis will reveal 20–50
high-opportunity keywords. Build a 90-day content plan around your
top-priority gaps.

Related reading: – Self-Storage Keyword Research:
Mapping Every Search Intent – The Complete Self-Storage Keyword
Universe – Content
Marketing for Self-Storage Facilities: The Full Strategy

Last updated: May 2026 | Reading time: 10 min | Word count:
~1,900