{"id":129983,"date":"2020-12-10T13:53:47","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T18:53:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=129983"},"modified":"2024-03-01T05:26:42","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T10:26:42","slug":"competitor-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/competitor-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Conduct a Competitive Analysis (Template Included)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intro-txt\">Competitive analysis is the process of identifying and researching your competitors to get the information you need to gain a competitive advantage.<\/div>\n<p>You need to conduct a competitive analysis as a part of your <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/market-research\/\">market research<\/a>. Only then can you develop an effective marketing strategy to steer the ship in the right direction.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s how to do the competitive analysis in 8 simple steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#find-competitors\">Find your competitors<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#get-background-information\">Get background information<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#analyze-products-and-services\">Analyze competitors\u2019 products and services<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#targeting-and-positioning\">Get familiar with their targeting and positioning<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#distribution-channels\">Discover competitors\u2019 distribution channels<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#communication-strategies\">Dive into communication strategies<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#ghost-shopping\">Do some ghost shopping<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#swot-analysis\">Conduct a SWOT analysis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">Get the template<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>Follow along for your business with <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1GJef-SEef9IrBcQozBrrG4M8qTI8_P6VeEMfGB8C_qo\/copy?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">our free competitive analysis template<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"1. Find your competitors\" data-section=\"find-competitors\">\n<h2>1. Find your competitors<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>A competitor is any company that solves the same problem as you in your target market.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Pepsi and Coke are competitors because they sell the same thing to the same market. However, not every similar business is a direct competitor, which is a common mistake people make.<\/p>\n<p>Take restaurants and cafes, for example. Both of them are places to eat, but they don\u2019t compete with each other. Restaurants are for meals, whereas cafes are for light bites or refreshments. It\u2019s a similar story for freelance vs. enterprise solutions. The products might be similar, but the same solutions don\u2019t appeal to both demographics.<\/p>\n<p>Now that you understand that, your first step is to find 3-5 relevant competitors (anything more would be overkill).<\/p>\n<p>Here are three ways to do&nbsp;it:<\/p>\n<h3>a) Look at keyword overlap<\/h3>\n<p>Everyone should know at least one competitor, and you can use that information to find others. Just plug your competitor\u2019s domain into Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> and check the <strong>Competing Domains<\/strong> report. It shows other websites that rank for many of the same keywords as your known competitor.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you work for ConvertKit, you might look for sites that compete with MailChimp.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"856\" class=\"wp-image-129971\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-mailchimp-competing-domains.jpg\" alt=\"1 mailchimp competing domains\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-mailchimp-competing-domains.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-mailchimp-competing-domains-680x364.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-mailchimp-competing-domains-768x411.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/1-mailchimp-competing-domains-1536x822.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>Just keep in mind that not all of those domains will be your business competitors. Some websites might monetize the same traffic with <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/affiliate-marketing\/\">affiliate marketing<\/a> or&nbsp;ads.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t use Ahrefs, try searching Google for <code>related:competitor.com<\/code>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1422\" height=\"1114\" class=\"wp-image-129973\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-google-related.png\" alt=\"2 google related\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-google-related.png 1422w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-google-related-543x425.png 543w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/2-google-related-768x602.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1422px) 100vw, 1422px\"><\/p>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-advanced-search-operators\/\">search operator<\/a> finds sites related to a given domain. It works well, but the downside is that it usually only finds a handful of related sites. In this case, MailChimp, Aweber, Campaign Monitor, and three others.<\/p>\n<p>For the rest of this article, I\u2019ll use Mailchimp as an example of a competitor because it\u2019s likely a brand you already know.<\/p>\n<h3>b) Look who\u2019s advertising<\/h3>\n<p>Looking for businesses that bid on industry keywords can be a little more reliable than looking at organic traffic overlap. That\u2019s because it tends to surface direct competitors rather than blogs or other sites with different business models.<\/p>\n<p>For example, look at the ads for \u201cemail marketing software.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1326\" height=\"1076\" class=\"wp-image-129979\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-email-makreting-software-ads.png\" alt=\"3 email makreting software ads\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-email-makreting-software-ads.png 1326w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-email-makreting-software-ads-524x425.png 524w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/3-email-makreting-software-ads-768x623.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1326px) 100vw, 1326px\"><\/p>\n<p>Both of these advertisers are direct competitors to ConvertKit or MailChimp because they sell email marketing software.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to scale up this approach, use the <strong>Ads History<\/strong> report in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a> to see historical search ads data for relevant keywords. For example, we see that 307 domains have historically paid for ads on keywords like \u201cemail marketing app\u201d and \u201cemail marketing software.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"664\" class=\"wp-image-129968\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/4-ads-history.png\" alt=\"4 ads history\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/4-ads-history.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/4-ads-history-680x282.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/4-ads-history-768x319.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/4-ads-history-1536x637.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<h3>c) Look at category listings<\/h3>\n<p>Whatever you sell or do, you can bet there\u2019s a website that curates companies that do the&nbsp;same.<\/p>\n<p>Got a software product? Check companies listed in categories on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.g2.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">G2<\/a> or alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>Own a local business? Check <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yelp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yelp<\/a> and its alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>Selling ketchup? There\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influenster.com\/reviews\/ketchup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">listing<\/a> for that as&nbsp;well.<\/p>\n<p>This method is fast and straightforward. However, companies listed in a relevant category won\u2019t always be your competitors. You never know how the companies got listed.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">Action step<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n<p>Choose 3-5 relevant competitors and add them to the template. You can do this by visiting their websites and making sure that they offer similar products or services to&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"2. Get background information\" data-section=\"get-background-information\">\n<h2>2. Get background information<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Knowing how a competitor was established and the story behind their growth puts things in context. It\u2019s good to know what you\u2019re up against in terms of size, backing, and finance.<\/p>\n<p>Check for the following data:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Year founded<\/li>\n<li>Are there any venture capital investors?<\/li>\n<li>Which companies did they acquire?<\/li>\n<li>Number of employees<\/li>\n<li>Number of customers<\/li>\n<li>Revenue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You\u2019ll find answers to the first three data points on company overview websites like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crunchbase.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Crunchbase<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yahoo Finance<\/a>. The latter also provides income statements of publicly traded companies where you can find last year\u2019s revenue.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1210\" class=\"wp-image-129980\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-yahoo-data.jpg\" alt=\"5 yahoo data\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-yahoo-data.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-yahoo-data-562x425.jpg 562w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-yahoo-data-768x581.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/5-yahoo-data-1536x1162.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>If the competitor is a private company, you can still find the information. Just Google it. C-level interviews often contain information about revenue, along with insights into their strategy, challenges, most valuable segments, and much&nbsp;more.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, you can find the number of people they employ on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1116\" class=\"wp-image-129981\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-mailchimp-facebook.jpg\" alt=\"6 mailchimp facebook\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-mailchimp-facebook.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-mailchimp-facebook-609x425.jpg 609w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-mailchimp-facebook-768x536.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/6-mailchimp-facebook-1536x1071.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>All of this tells you what you\u2019re up against in terms of resources and how much of your target market the competitor owns.<\/p>\n<p>Mailchimp is clearly a long-established industry giant:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-90\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-90 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-full\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Founded<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">2001<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">VC?<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Bootstrapped<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Acquired companies?<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">5 companies (email software, design\/template tool, ecom CMS, ecom API platform, business-oriented publisher)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"># of employees (LinkedIn)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1,190<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"># of customers<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1M+ (2019)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Revenue<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">$700M+ (2019)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-90 from cache -->\n<p>But that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t compete with&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"3. Analyze their products and services\" data-section=\"analyze-products-and-services\">\n<h2>3. Analyze their products and services<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Understanding what your competitors offer and how the market reacts is essential to create a competitive advantage. Of course, this doesn\u2019t mean you should copy anything from them. Your product development should be guided by what the market demands.<\/p>\n<p>This is what you need to know&nbsp;here:<\/p>\n<h3>Features and solutions<\/h3>\n<p>Try your competitors\u2019 products for yourself and note down their features. There\u2019s no right or wrong way to approach this. Listing all the features and solutions of Mailchimp would take a whole spreadsheet on its own, so it\u2019s better to write down a high-level overview.<\/p>\n<h3>Pricing<\/h3>\n<p>In most cases, this will be easy to fill out. See what the products are selling for and note if there are any discounts.<\/p>\n<p>In the case of some B2B niches, you won\u2019t find a public pricing page as they often rely on custom quotes. You\u2019ll have to do some ghost shopping for multiple use cases and ask their current or former customers.<\/p>\n<h3>Customer reviews<\/h3>\n<p>Being a marketer makes you skeptical about any reviews you read online. Review generation activities are highly biased, but hey, this is also marketing.<\/p>\n<p>For that reason, you\u2019ll want to check reviews that are in the middle. Five-star reviews can often be encouraged by the company, and angry customers mostly write one-star reviews in the heat of the moment. For that reason, it pays to look mainly at 2-4 star reviews for a clearer idea of what people think about your competitors\u2019 product(s) or service(s).<\/p>\n<p>Review platforms offer all sorts of handy filters on top of the review score. This is what the filter options look like on&nbsp;G2:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1181\" class=\"wp-image-129966\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-g2.png\" alt=\"7 g2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-g2.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-g2-576x425.png 576w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-g2-768x567.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/7-g2-1536x1134.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<h3>Strengths and weaknesses<\/h3>\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve completed the product overview, it\u2019s time to sum it up. Write down a few strengths and weaknesses based on the product information you\u2019ve gathered so&nbsp;far.<\/p>\n<p>This is what I\u2019ve got for Mailchimp:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-91\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-91 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-full\">\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Strengths<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">It\u2019s likely capable of anything you\u2019d want from such product.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Weaknesses<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">More expensive than alternatives, likely too overwhelming for a beginner.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-91 from cache -->\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"4. Get familiar with their targeting and positioning\" data-section=\"targeting-and-positioning\">\n<h2>4. Get familiar with their targeting and positioning<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Remember the example of cafes vs. restaurants? Even though both sell food and drinks, they don\u2019t compete with one another because their targeting and positioning is different.<\/p>\n<p>This is an important point. You need to know who your competitors are selling to (target segment) and how they want people to perceive their product and brand (positioning). Only then will you be equipped to position yourself to reach and attract the target segment you\u2019re most interested in.<\/p>\n<p>How do you do&nbsp;this?<\/p>\n<p>The first stop is your competitor\u2019s homepage:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"778\" class=\"wp-image-129976\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-mailchimp-homepage.png\" alt=\"8 mailchimp homepage\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-mailchimp-homepage.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-mailchimp-homepage-680x331.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-mailchimp-homepage-768x373.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8-mailchimp-homepage-1536x747.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>Just from glancing at MailChimp\u2019s homepage, we know that they provide <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/digital-marketing-tools\/\">marketing tools<\/a> to SMBs. That\u2019s their main segment.<\/p>\n<p>To dig deeper, you can read interviews with their C-suite where they often mention who they cater to. Product and pricing pages can also help, as some companies name their pricing tiers after target segments.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"730\" height=\"670\" class=\"wp-image-129982\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-pricing-plans-positioning.png\" alt=\"9 pricing plans positioning\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-pricing-plans-positioning.png 730w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/9-pricing-plans-positioning-463x425.png 463w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\"><\/p>\n<p>Ads also offer useful insights. They don\u2019t have room for fluff, which makes them a great place to learn about a company\u2019s positioning. To get started, look at their search ads. You can do that by clicking on the <strong>Ads<\/strong> report under Paid search tab in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1503\" class=\"wp-image-129977\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-top-ads.jpg\" alt=\"10 top ads\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-top-ads.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-top-ads-452x425.jpg 452w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-top-ads-768x721.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/10-top-ads-1536x1443.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>Mass marketing channels like TV ads and billboards are yet another source of insights as their main job is to make the viewer aware of the brand and associate it with certain assets. In the digital world, your second best source is Facebook Ads.<\/p>\n<p>You can see the Facebook ads that any company is running when you visit their page. Just scroll to Page Transparency and click \u201cSee&nbsp;All\u201d:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1245\" class=\"wp-image-129974\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/11-fb-ads-mailchimp.jpg\" alt=\"11 fb ads mailchimp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/11-fb-ads-mailchimp.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/11-fb-ads-mailchimp-546x425.jpg 546w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/11-fb-ads-mailchimp-768x598.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/11-fb-ads-mailchimp-1536x1195.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>Then click \u201cGo to Ad Library\u201d:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-129975\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12-ad-library.jpg\" alt=\"12 ad library\" width=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12-ad-library.jpg 960w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12-ad-library-255x425.jpg 255w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12-ad-library-768x1280.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/12-ad-library-922x1536.jpg 922w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\"><\/p>\n<p>Finally, select a country or apply even more filters to go through their ad variations.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1529\" height=\"1600\" class=\"wp-image-129967\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/13-mailchimp-ads.jpg\" alt=\"13 mailchimp ads\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/13-mailchimp-ads.jpg 1529w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/13-mailchimp-ads-406x425.jpg 406w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/13-mailchimp-ads-768x804.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/13-mailchimp-ads-1468x1536.jpg 1468w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1529px) 100vw, 1529px\"><\/p>\n<p>Having gone through the steps above for MailChimp, it\u2019s clear that SMBs are their primary target segment. What\u2019s also interesting is that they\u2019re now positioning themselves as an all-in-one marketing solution\u2014not just an email marketing app. That provides a leverage for my imaginary company.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"5. Research their distribution channels\" data-section=\"distribution-channels\">\n<h2>5. Research their distribution channels<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Distribution is how your competitors are delivering their products or services to customers or clients. It\u2019s the \u201cPlace\u201d in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marketing_mix\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">4 Ps of marketing<\/a> (marketing mix).<\/p>\n<p>For some companies, distribution is straightforward. Maybe they sell all their products or services direct-to-consumer (DTC) on their website, in retail stores, or door-to-door. This is usually the case with digital products and services.<\/p>\n<p>For others, distribution can be complex. There might be multiple wholesalers and retailers involved, and huge supply chains.<\/p>\n<p>Luckily, there\u2019s no need to go too deep here. You just need a high-level view of how your competitors are distributing their product(s) or service(s) to consumers.<\/p>\n<p>How can you do&nbsp;that?<\/p>\n<p>First, take a look at their websites. Can you buy the product directly from there? If so, they\u2019re a direct-to-consumer (DTC) business. That\u2019s the case for MailChimp.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"803\" class=\"wp-image-129970\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14-mailchimp-pricing.png\" alt=\"14 mailchimp pricing\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14-mailchimp-pricing.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14-mailchimp-pricing-680x341.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14-mailchimp-pricing-768x385.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14-mailchimp-pricing-1536x771.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/14-mailchimp-pricing-400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>For some companies, like MailChimp, it\u2019ll be pretty obvious that their website is their only distribution channel. This is the case for most digital products.<\/p>\n<p>For others, it\u2019s worth running a quick Google search for their product(s) or service(s) to see if you can buy them from other retailers too. This can also tell you more about their positioning and market.<\/p>\n<p>For example, take a cosmetics brand like Cowshed.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1412\" height=\"906\" class=\"wp-image-129969\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/15-cowshed.png\" alt=\"15 cowshed\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/15-cowshed.png 1412w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/15-cowshed-662x425.png 662w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/15-cowshed-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/15-cowshed-768x493.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1412px) 100vw, 1412px\"><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s clear from the search results that they sell DTC, but you can also get their products from retailers like John Lewis and LookFantastic.com. Not only does that tell you about their distribution, but also their positioning. Both of those are high-end retailers, so it\u2019s clear that they sell premium products.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"6. Dive into communication strategies\" data-section=\"communication-strategies\">\n<h2>6. Dive into communication strategies<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Your main goal here is to find and list your competitors\u2019 distinctive assets or \u201cbrand codes\u201d that people associate with them. These can&nbsp;be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Logos<\/li>\n<li>Brand colors<\/li>\n<li>Mascots<\/li>\n<li>Slogans<\/li>\n<li>Fonts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Or just about anything they use consistently in their communication.<\/p>\n<p>Mailchimp does a great job here. Their logo\u2014a monkey on a yellow background\u2014is quite iconic. The monkey, named Freddie, is also their official mascot and even has its own <a href=\"http:\/\/whereisfreddie.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fanpage<\/a>. MailChimp consistently uses these distinctive assets in their marketing, as you can see from this Facebook ad:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-129978\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/16-mailchimp-fb-ad.png\" alt=\"16 mailchimp fb ad\" width=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/16-mailchimp-fb-ad.png 800w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/16-mailchimp-fb-ad-244x425.png 244w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/16-mailchimp-fb-ad-768x1336.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/p>\n<p>You win in marketing when people recognize your brand even if you remove your logo. That\u2019s why you should come up with 2-4 distinctive assets on top of your&nbsp;logo.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1GJef-SEef9IrBcQozBrrG4M8qTI8_P6VeEMfGB8C_qo\/copy?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Our competitive analysis template<\/a> includes rows to record the channels each competitor dominates and overall communication shortcomings. Unless you\u2019re already in the game, coming up with this information might take a while with a need to use different tools.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t feel pressured to fill out all this information at once, you\u2019ll be updating your competitive analysis with new and better information as time goes on anyway.<\/p>\n<p>For example, with <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/what-is-seo\/\">SEO<\/a>, you can quickly check your competitors\u2019 estimated organic search traffic in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1360\" class=\"wp-image-129972\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/17-organic-traffic.png\" alt=\"17 organic traffic\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/17-organic-traffic.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/17-organic-traffic-500x425.png 500w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/17-organic-traffic-768x653.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/17-organic-traffic-1536x1306.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>But this doesn\u2019t tell the whole&nbsp;story.<\/p>\n<p>Upon further analysis of Mailchimp\u2019s organic traffic, I came to a conclusion that they have a really strong brand and that the vast majority of their organic traffic comes from branded keywords. If you take a look at the screenshot above, their organic traffic estimation in the US is 2.5M a month. But it drops to 125k a month after excluding most of their branded keywords.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"926\" class=\"wp-image-129965\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/18-top-pages-report.jpg\" alt=\"18 top pages report\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/18-top-pages-report.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/18-top-pages-report-680x394.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/18-top-pages-report-768x444.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/18-top-pages-report-1536x889.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also clear that Mailchimp targets quite a broad audience, so we should only take into account traffic to content that\u2019s relevant to email marketing. The easiest way to do this is with filters in the <strong>Top Pages<\/strong> report. For instance, we might choose to exclude traffic from keywords unrelated to email marketing, or include only URLs containing the word \u2019email.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>However, don\u2019t feel rushed into filling in all this information now. The aim here is to get a high-level view, which means analyzing organic and paid search traffic, organic and paid social media, display ads, YouTube, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/earned-media\/\">earned media<\/a>, newsletters, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/podcast-advertising\/\">podcast sponsorships<\/a>, any form of mass marketing like TV or billboards, and so&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n<p>Your aim here isn\u2019t to create a plan for each and every marketing channel, it\u2019s to use what your competitors are doing to help you set an overall marketing strategy.<\/p>\n<p>If you want to go deeper into the SEO side of things, take a look at our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-competitor-analysis\/\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/competitive-analysis\/\">SEO-focused competitive analysis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"7. Do some ghost shopping\" data-section=\"ghost-shopping\">\n<h2>7. Do some ghost shopping<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>The best way to evaluate someone\u2019s product and business is to become their customer. That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019ll be doing&nbsp;here.<\/p>\n<h3>Review the whole buying process<\/h3>\n<p>Buy their product or service and use it properly. It can mean adding stuff to your online cart, shopping in a brick and mortar store, ordering a service or a combination of everything.<\/p>\n<p>Was the process smooth? Did you encounter any problems or obstacles? Is there something they do especially well?<\/p>\n<h3>What are their sales tactics?<\/h3>\n<p>Did they try to sell you more products or upgrade to something more expensive? How did they do it? Do they offer discounts? Are they trying to sell you more after you become a customer?<\/p>\n<p>Answers to these questions are invaluable for both marketing and sales&nbsp;teams.<\/p>\n<h3>How\u2019s their customer service?<\/h3>\n<p>I worked in an industry where having a friendly and knowledgeable live support was a truly unique selling proposition. It contributed to customer satisfaction, retention, and even made undecided prospects convert.<\/p>\n<p>So, come up with a few scenarios and test your competitors\u2019 customer service.<\/p>\n<p>Having used Mailchimp for many years, this is where they have a lot of room for improvement. The support is very limited and sometimes completely unavailable for free tiers, and still rather limited even on paid plans. It\u2019s fair to say that subpar support is the standard with larger organizations.<\/p>\n<h3>How\u2019s the onboarding process and customer retention?<\/h3>\n<p>This will be irrelevant for some products. If you buy a bottle of ketchup in a store, Heinz isn\u2019t going to contact you to make sure you\u2019re using their product properly, send you recipe ideas, or provide discounts for future purchases.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s important for products like Mailchimp. What does the competitor do to keep customers coming back consistently?<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"8. Conduct a SWOT analysis\" data-section=\"swot-analysis\">\n<h2>8. Conduct a SWOT analysis<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s finally time to put all the data together. We\u2019ll conduct an easy SWOT analysis for that. To make sure we\u2019re on the same page, here\u2019s a definition of SWOT analysis:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>A SWOT analysis is a strategic overview of your company\u2019s Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats and Opportunities.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Rather than cover tons of theory, let\u2019s keep things simple and take a look at what I came up with for my imaginary email marketing software company:<\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-92\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-92 tablepress-responsive tablepress-ahrefs-width-720px\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Strengths<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Weaknesses<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Opportunities<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Threats<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Sole focus on email marketing -&gt; simplicity for the end&nbsp;user<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Not a well-known brand.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Go after SMBs and bloggers by focusing on what\u2019s important to them when positioning the product.<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">Going after customers who already use other platforms might be an uphill battle. It takes time getting used to one and they might be tied to using more products at&nbsp;once.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Comparable product to competitors for a lower&nbsp;cost.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Considerably lower marketing budget.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Explore the option of increasing email&nbsp;<br>\ndeliverability as one of the features.<\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Live support available for anyone.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Lacking integrations competitors have.<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">We have a more flexible team -&gt; opportunity to be the first one on the market to reflect potential upcoming regulatory changes like&nbsp;GDPR.<\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">More personalized communication.<\/td><td class=\"column-2\"><\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Build great free tools with high search demand.<\/td><td class=\"column-4\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-92 from cache -->\n<p>To make things even clearer, here\u2019s the formal explanation of what each column should include:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Strengths<\/strong>: advantages of the business or product over competitors<br>\n<strong>Weaknesses<\/strong>: disadvantages of the business or product relative to competitors<br>\n<strong>Opportunities<\/strong>: external factors the business can leverage to its advantage<br>\n<strong>Threats<\/strong>: external factors that can cause problems for the business<\/p>\n<p>A SWOT analysis simply allows you to wrap all the information up in a comprehensible format.<\/p>\n<h2>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>Competitive analysis is an important component to creating a great marketing strategy. However, it\u2019s not a one-time thing, I\u2019d recommend to come back and refresh it once a year as you, your competitors, and the market evolve over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n<p>The key is to put your findings into action. Because if you get your market research wrong, it will affect both your marketing strategy and tactics.<\/p>\n<p>Got any questions? Ping me on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/michalpecanek\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You need to conduct a competitive analysis as a part of your market research. Only then can you develop an effective marketing strategy to steer the ship in the right direction. Here\u2019s how to do the competitive analysis in 8<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":149,"featured_media":129987,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[390],"tags":[],"coauthors":[375],"class_list":["post-129983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marketing","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Conduct a Competitive Analysis (Template Included)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Competitive analysis is the process of identifying and researching your competitors to get the information you need to gain a competitive advantage.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/competitor-analysis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Conduct a Competitive Analysis (Template Included)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Gain a competitive advantage.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/competitor-analysis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-10T18:53:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-03-01T10:26:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" 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