You can get started by using a tools like a backlink checker, I use https://neilpatel.com/backlinks/ to do some offhand searchs, you can even compare two businesses. There are better and more custom ways to pull the data also. Source: over 1 year ago

Search with your targeted keyword in Google to see who is ranking at the top in your niche. Shortlist the top five competitors. Generally, I will use Neil Patel’s Backlink Checker tool to know the competitor’s backlinks. Source: almost 2 years ago

If you use a solid host like WPengine and a security app like wordfence.com it would be a very rare day indeed to get hacked. Source: about 1 year ago

If on wordpress, use the free version of wordfence.com to scan your site and identify possible viruses. Continue to use wordfence to protect the site, and if a successful business blossoms, consider the premium paid version. I'm not affiliated in any way, I've simply used the product with success for a number of years. Source: over 2 years ago

You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools, or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence. Source: over 2 years ago