{"id":171538,"date":"2024-01-31T09:14:26","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T14:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=171538"},"modified":"2024-09-17T07:12:36","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T12:12:36","slug":"competitive-intelligence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/competitive-intelligence\/","title":{"rendered":"Competitive Intelligence: A No-Nonsense Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Competitive intelligence (CI) sounds like hogwash to some and a holy grail to others. Many organizations try it out and chalk it up to \u201can expensive, fruitless endeavor.\u201d<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Truth is, they\u2019re doing it&nbsp;wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this no-nonsense guide, we\u2019ll go beyond the MBA-hyped-up textbook jargon and dive into the tactics that will actually make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But first, let\u2019s make sure we\u2019re on the same page about what competitive intelligence really is\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\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=\"What competitive intelligence is actually about\" data-section=\"what-competitive-intelligence-is-actually-about\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_p8ltvow1ksh8\"><\/a>What is competitive intelligence <em>actually<\/em> about?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Competitive intelligence is the act of gathering data and insights about your competitors so you can stay up-to-date with their movements and market positioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, contrary to what many believe, <a href=\"https:\/\/patticus.com\/2023\/12\/16\/competitive-research-playbook\/\">the main aim isn\u2019t to take immediate action<\/a> on this data. It\u2019s to keep you well-informed about what\u2019s actually going on so you can make decisions that improve your competitive stance in the market over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this successfully, you need to pay attention to three things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The things influencing your customer\u2019s buying decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The state of the overall market.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your competitors\u2019 positions in the market and their ability to influence buying decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1560\" height=\"1496\" class=\"wp-image-171539\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/venn-diagram-of-your-competitive-edge-as-the-nexus.png\" alt=\"Venn diagram illustrating what competitive intelligence is\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/venn-diagram-of-your-competitive-edge-as-the-nexus.png 1560w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/venn-diagram-of-your-competitive-edge-as-the-nexus-443x425.png 443w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/venn-diagram-of-your-competitive-edge-as-the-nexus-768x736.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/venn-diagram-of-your-competitive-edge-as-the-nexus-1536x1473.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When you know the position of every competitor in the market and the direction they\u2019re moving in, it becomes much easier to chart a course for success. Better yet, if you know the direction your customers are heading in, you can meet them there and become the market leader, ahead of your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\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=\"Is competitive intelligence important for modern businesses?\" data-section=\"is-competitive-intelligence-important\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of competitive intelligence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re launching a competitive intelligence program, you\u2019ll need to keep an eye on dynamic movements in consumer behaviors, market shifts and competitor changes. This is called strategic competitive intelligence and it focuses on the long-term. <br><br>But what about if there\u2019s an acute situation you need to respond to immediately?<br><br>There\u2019s a second type of competitive intelligence you can use to respond, tactical competitive intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It focuses on taking immediate action against a threat. However, without enough data, you may be ill-prepared for taking the best action and will need to rely on intuition over data. <br><br>I like to think of it like driving on a highway. Switching lanes when you\u2019re already in motion takes far less effort than trying to do so while ramping up your acceleration and trying to get a feel for other vehicles on the&nbsp;road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_jdiz4kgax91e\"><\/a>Is competitive intelligence important for modern businesses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Competitive intelligence has never been more important for businesses. Customers are not only more aware of your competitors but it\u2019s now easier than ever for them to find multiple alternatives to you in less than three seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When done right, a successful competitive intelligence program helps&nbsp;you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gain a powerful advantage in the industry.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improve your market share.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make more informed decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pivot your strategy when markets change rapidly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>But perhaps most importantly, competitive intelligence allows you to prevent competitors from taking over your&nbsp;turf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Bing integrated ChatGPT into its search engine, Google was unprepared and had to scramble to keep up. In a matter of weeks, Google launched Bard, another generative AI model to compete with ChatGPT and keep Google in the AI&nbsp;race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, in its haste, Google\u2019s model provided inaccurate responses and ended up <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6254226\/alphabet-google-bard-100-billion-ai-error\/\">causing a 7.7% market share loss<\/a>, equating to over $100 billion lost overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1242\" height=\"549\" class=\"wp-image-171540\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/googles-share-price-declined-after-bardais-inacc.png\" alt=\"Google's share price declined after BardAI's inaccurate responses made headlines.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/googles-share-price-declined-after-bardais-inacc.png 1242w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/googles-share-price-declined-after-bardais-inacc-680x301.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/googles-share-price-declined-after-bardais-inacc-768x339.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1242px) 100vw, 1242px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When done right, competitive intelligence programs help your company defend its flank so you\u2019re in a much better position than Google was in this situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\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 competitive intelligence tactics to stay ahead of your competitors\" data-section=\"competitive-intelligence-tactics\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_t6abnkeprsnp\"><\/a>8 tactics for gathering competitive intelligence and staying ahead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can build your competitive intelligence program however you like. Here are some tactics to get you started. Pick the ones that you feel apply best to your industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, CI is about knowing everything that\u2019s going on and honing your instincts more than it is about taking immediate action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some tactics you can take action with today whereas others are best for the long&nbsp;run.<\/p>\n\n\n\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. Customer analysis: Every dollar is a vote of confidence\" data-section=\"customer-analysis\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_19vgninct8q5\"><\/a>1. Customer analysis: Every dollar is a vote of confidence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer analysis is about understanding what influences buying decisions within your market and who your customers think your competitors are (i.e., who else they are spending their money&nbsp;on).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you can certainly gather data about your own customers, it is best to go beyond your data and understand buying decisions across the market as a&nbsp;whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_r09ut7v9i1ci\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Gathering competitive intelligence data about your customer\u2019s buying decisions takes a little bit of grunt work but is well worth the effort. Here\u2019s the process in a nutshell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Discover where your audience hangs out online and the platforms they frequently use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Figure out which competitors they can easily find across these platforms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Read conversations and reviews they\u2019ve left (about you and competitors).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Isolate the things they like or don\u2019t like that influence their buying decisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, nine times out of ten your audience will use Google to help them find the product or service you offer. Since Google positions you alongside multiple competitors with every search, you need to gather data about what other companies are showing up for the terms most relevant to your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find these, check out your website in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a> and navigate to the <strong>Organic Competitors <\/strong>report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1153\" height=\"714\" class=\"wp-image-171541\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-organic-competitors-report-1.png\" alt=\"Example of Ahrefs' Organic Competitors report for gathering competitive intelligence data\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-organic-competitors-report-1.png 1153w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-organic-competitors-report-1-680x421.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-organic-competitors-report-1-768x476.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1153px) 100vw, 1153px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here you\u2019ll see a list of websites that Google includes alongside yours when people look for the product or service you offer and what their share of visibility is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1403\" height=\"460\" class=\"wp-image-171542\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ahrefs-traffic-share-metrics-for-top-competing-do.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' traffic share metrics for top competing domains\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ahrefs-traffic-share-metrics-for-top-competing-do.png 1403w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ahrefs-traffic-share-metrics-for-top-competing-do-680x223.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/ahrefs-traffic-share-metrics-for-top-competing-do-768x252.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1403px) 100vw, 1403px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If your website is fairly new, you can instead search for your main topics, products, or services in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>. You can add a list of terms relevant to your business, its products, and services here. Then navigate to the <strong>Traffic Share by Domain<\/strong> report and see what websites are most visible for different queries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"812\" class=\"wp-image-171543\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-use-ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-1.png\" alt=\"How to use Ahrefs' Traffic Share by Domain report to find top competitor websites\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-use-ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-1.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-use-ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-1-680x359.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-use-ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-1-768x406.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond Google, you can also gather data about social platforms, forums, and multi-media content your audience interacts with frequently by using tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/\">SparkToro<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1314\" height=\"419\" class=\"wp-image-171544\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/sparktoros-range-of-search-options.png\" alt=\"SparkToro's range of search options\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/sparktoros-range-of-search-options.png 1314w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/sparktoros-range-of-search-options-680x217.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/sparktoros-range-of-search-options-768x245.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1314px) 100vw, 1314px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, check out where these people tend to hang out online. Pay close attention to the discussions they\u2019re having and reviews they leave about what they like or don\u2019t like about the products and services available to them in your market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, pay attention to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Companies, products, and services mentioned a lot<\/strong>: These are who your audience sees as your competitors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Features and attributes frequently talked about<\/strong>: These are the things that influence their buying decisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The overall sentiment around specific brands, products, and services<\/strong>: These are the unbiased things they like and don\u2019t like about you and your competitors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\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. Create competitor playbooks: Get to know them inside out\" data-section=\"create-competitor-playbooks\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_sg8qn9frdo6i\"><\/a>2. Create competitor playbooks: Get to know them inside out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For each competitor you\u2019ve identified (or that your audience frequently talks about), it\u2019s worth creating a profile or playbook that stores data and allows you to observe patterns over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This tactic is all about figuring out what competitors are doing and how they\u2019re thinking about the market\u2014and then <em>recording it<\/em> so you can observe patterns over time. Go through this process every few months or at least once a year so you can track changes over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_u4e8ggohnclt\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a lot of data you could monitor. Focus your efforts on the things that provide clues as to your competitors\u2019 next moves and the direction they\u2019re heading in. You can pay attention to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Their website and content<\/strong>: Are they targeting new topics, phrases or search terms that you can also leverage? Are they offering deals during certain times of the&nbsp;year?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>LinkedIn<\/strong>: What\u2019s their headcount like? Has it grown? What kinds of roles have they hired recently and does this provide any clues about their next&nbsp;steps?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Crunchbase<\/strong>: Are any of your competitors seeking funding? Or, have they raised more capital recently?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Google Business Places<\/strong>: Have your competitors opened up offices in new locations? For a national business, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/franchise-seo\/\">franchise<\/a> or multi-region operation, this may be a critical piece of&nbsp;data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quarterly reports<\/strong>: Are any of your competitors publicly listed companies? If so, check out their quarterly revenue reports.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you plug ClickUp\u2019s website into Ahrefs\u2019 Site Explorer and filter for new pages in the<strong> Top Pages<\/strong> report, you\u2019ll see they\u2019ve published many blog posts in the last six months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"932\" height=\"654\" class=\"wp-image-171545\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-increase-in-new-blog-posts-in.png\" alt=\"Example of ClickUp's increase in new blog posts in Ahrefs' Top Pages report.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-increase-in-new-blog-posts-in.png 932w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-increase-in-new-blog-posts-in-606x425.png 606w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-increase-in-new-blog-posts-in-768x539.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 932px) 100vw, 932px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Of these, there are a number of posts about topics like AI and software alternatives that have gained a lot of traffic in a short period of&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"849\" height=\"512\" class=\"wp-image-171546\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-traffic-share-for-each-of-clickups-new.png\" alt=\"Example of traffic share for each of ClickUp's new blog posts.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-traffic-share-for-each-of-clickups-new.png 849w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-traffic-share-for-each-of-clickups-new-680x410.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-traffic-share-for-each-of-clickups-new-768x463.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 849px) 100vw, 849px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If we check LinkedIn, we can see that out of 1062 staff, 186 (17.5%) are involved with content in some&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"554\" class=\"wp-image-171547\" style=\"width: 435px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/clickups-employees-on-linkedin-filtered-by-menti.png\" alt=\"Clickup's employees on LinkedIn, filtered by mentions of &quot;content&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/clickups-employees-on-linkedin-filtered-by-menti.png 720w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/clickups-employees-on-linkedin-filtered-by-menti-552x425.png 552w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And they\u2019re also hiring more content strategists according to their careers page:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"660\" height=\"581\" class=\"wp-image-171548\" style=\"width: 379px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-open-content-related-roles-on-clickups.png\" alt=\"Example of open content-related roles on Clickup's careers page.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-open-content-related-roles-on-clickups.png 660w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-open-content-related-roles-on-clickups-483x425.png 483w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Then overlay data from Crunchbase about their funding rounds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"705\" height=\"536\" class=\"wp-image-171549\" style=\"width: 509px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-of-clickups-funding-history-on-crunchb.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Clickup's funding history on Crunchbase.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-of-clickups-funding-history-on-crunchb.png 705w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/screenshot-of-clickups-funding-history-on-crunchb-559x425.png 559w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 705px) 100vw, 705px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The picture we start to see with these data points is that ClickUp is a well-funded company, investing rather heavily in its <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-marketing-strategy\/\">content strategy<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are of course more nuances that you can dig deeper into, but overall, these are the sorts of insights you want to record and keep track of over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In doing so, it will become obvious if they do something totally different. For instance, if they hypothetically start hiring AI engineers, it could be a sign their content or product strategy shifted more heavily into the realm of AI. Especially if they\u2019re simultaneously publishing more content about alternatives to AI&nbsp;tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The possibilities are endless, but you get the&nbsp;idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\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. Competitor listening: Monitor their content and brand mentions\" data-section=\"competitor-listening\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_nuvmrunmo9wv\"><\/a>3. Competitor listening: Monitor their content and brand mentions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You can easily monitor each of your competitors\u2019 marketing and communications materials with alerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only can you learn where they are being mentioned online, you can also reverse engineer where they spend their marketing budget and what channels are working best for&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_sno2vsv9099o\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by setting up a dedicated email account to receive a copy of all the marketing materials your competitors put out there. A free Gmail account you can share with your team should do the&nbsp;trick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, subscribe to all the channels your competitors post content in,&nbsp;like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Email newsletters<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social profiles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>YouTube channel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Podcasts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Blog RSS&nbsp;feeds<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you also set up alerts like Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/alerts\">Alerts<\/a> or Google Alerts to track media and brand mentions on other people\u2019s websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-set-up-google-alerts\/\">Google Alerts<\/a> will track every mention and can quickly clutter your inbox. In Ahrefs, however, you can use the Domain Rating (DR) filter to restrict alerts to those from big brand websites only. This can provide more focused insights into your competitor\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/digital-pr\/\">digital PR<\/a> efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To set these up in Ahrefs, go to Alerts &gt; Mentions and add a new mention for each competitor taking care to exclude the competitor\u2019s own domain. Set the DR filter to something high like 70+ to filter out mentions on small websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1358\" height=\"1360\" class=\"wp-image-171550\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-set-up-ahrefs-alerts-for-brand-mentions.png\" alt=\"How to set up Ahrefs alerts for brand mentions\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-set-up-ahrefs-alerts-for-brand-mentions.png 1358w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-set-up-ahrefs-alerts-for-brand-mentions-424x425.png 424w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-set-up-ahrefs-alerts-for-brand-mentions-768x769.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-set-up-ahrefs-alerts-for-brand-mentions-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1358px) 100vw, 1358px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you wish to track multiple terms for each competitor, set up a new alert. For instance, you may wish to track their brand name mentions separately from mentions of their branded products or features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Forward these alerts to the new email you set up to receive automated updates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">advanced tip<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n\n\n\n<p>It pays to pay attention to the messages each competitor is sharing. Are they heavily promoting a specific feature or selling proposition?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If so, cross-reference the competitor\u2019s reviews on third-party platforms, like TrustPilot, to see if customers are mentioning it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Are they investing in a thing no one cares about?<\/strong> \u2192 If customers aren\u2019t talking about it, it may be a sign it\u2019s not worthwhile. Wait it out before you start investing in the same&nbsp;thing.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Are they focusing on something their customers are still complaining about? <\/strong>\u2192 This may be a sign they got it wrong and could be an opportunity for you to sweep in with a better solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Are customers loving the thing they\u2019re promoting?<\/strong> \u2192 It\u2019s likely they are directly influencing buying decisions with this feature and it\u2019s worth further consideration for your business.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\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. Gather historical competitive insights: Avoid pitfalls and leverage past successes\" data-section=\"gather-historical-competitive-insights\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_jz7zrd186uf\"><\/a>4. Gather historical competitive insights: Avoid pitfalls and leverage past successes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Historical insights are a goldmine of valuable information. For each of your competitors, you&nbsp;can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Track the history of their growth on different platforms.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monitor how they\u2019ve evolved over&nbsp;time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Identify annual seasonal trends in sales or marketing messages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Learn from their past mistakes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_igiypsy0khze\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many data sources you can use to gather historical insights about your competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/web\/\">Wayback Machine<\/a> is my favorite place to start. It gives you a visual history of web pages that you enter and can also provide some historical snapshots of various social platforms too. For example, here are the stats of our Twitter account in March&nbsp;2021:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"779\" height=\"617\" class=\"wp-image-171551\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/historical-snapshot-of-ahrefs-twitter-profile-fro.png\" alt=\"Historical snapshot of Ahrefs' Twitter profile from Archive.org\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/historical-snapshot-of-ahrefs-twitter-profile-fro.png 779w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/historical-snapshot-of-ahrefs-twitter-profile-fro-537x425.png 537w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/historical-snapshot-of-ahrefs-twitter-profile-fro-768x608.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 779px) 100vw, 779px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can see how big our following was, how much content we had published, and more. You can find similar insights on your competitors too if you take the time to investigate their history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The only caveat with Wayback Machine is that it tends to work better for web pages that get a lot of visits. If your competitors are on the smaller side, you may not find much here. It also doesn\u2019t work for every social media platform. I\u2019ve had better success with YouTube and Twitter than Instagram or Facebook for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another place to check for historical data is Ahrefs. You can track the history of your competitor\u2019s organic website growth in Site Explorer &gt; Top Pages to identify their content marketing history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"974\" height=\"486\" class=\"wp-image-171552\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-top-pages-report.png\" alt=\"Example of Ahrefs' Top pages report for gathering content-related competitive intelligence data\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-top-pages-report.png 974w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-top-pages-report-680x339.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-top-pages-report-768x383.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-ahrefs-top-pages-report-400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you want to get extra crafty, check out the history of their paid ads in the Paid Search &gt; Ads report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this report, you can not only see which ads get the most traffic, but you can also see their ad copy, which pages they are boosting the most, and which competitors they\u2019re hitting the hardest with their ad titles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, check out some of the different ad messages ClickUp has tested out over the last year, and the performance of&nbsp;each:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1116\" height=\"737\" class=\"wp-image-171553\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-paid-google-ads-in-ahrefs-ad.png\" alt=\"Example of ClickUp's paid Google ads in Ahrefs' Ads report\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-paid-google-ads-in-ahrefs-ad.png 1116w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-paid-google-ads-in-ahrefs-ad-644x425.png 644w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-clickups-paid-google-ads-in-ahrefs-ad-768x507.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1116px) 100vw, 1116px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Not to mention how they\u2019re tailoring their messaging to compete directly with Salesforce and Lucidchart. Lots of competitive insights you can gather here!<\/p>\n\n\n\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. Follow key people: Loose lips may sink your competitor\u2019s ships\" data-section=\"follow-key-people\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_ofch3in7t5zh\"><\/a>5. Follow key people: Loose lips may sink your competitor\u2019s ships<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, the best way to know what\u2019s going on within a competitor\u2019s company is to hear it directly from the source. Following the content published by key members of the company will provide a wealth of insights about what they\u2019re doing and how they\u2019re thinking about the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_74cfyzfvz3jw\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Identify all of the key people within each competitor\u2019s company. Go beyond the C-Suite executives and also think about people like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Board of Directors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Investors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employees in roles of interest<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Industry partners or SaaS platforms they use internally<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For each person of interest, follow their social media posts, keep tabs on their personal websites, subscribe to their email lists, and monitor the key ideas they are talking about in forums and comments. You can set up alerts for each person of interest in Ahrefs and funnel emails to a dedicated inbox as frequently as you&nbsp;like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More often than not, the latest ideas they\u2019re talking about are inspired by what\u2019s going on within the company they work for. For example, our CMO Tim Soulo regularly shares insights about our new product features on Twitter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/timsoulo\/status\/1744638654100971557<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\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. USP positioning: Articulate a competitive edge that matters to customers\" data-section=\"usp-positioning\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_3uq456chupf8\"><\/a>6. USP positioning: Articulate a competitive edge that matters to customers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The concept of a \u201cunique selling point\u201d is not new. However, its meaning can often get lost when brands search for the latest hype or buzz to follow and tout those as their&nbsp;USP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being able to articulate exactly what makes you unique and who should care about your point of difference matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s like an aged care home saying \u201cwe\u2019re different because we care about our residents.\u201d Name one aged care home that <em>won\u2019t<\/em> say something to this effect. This then leads to the point, if <em>everyone<\/em> is saying it, and it\u2019s true, then it\u2019s not unique, obviously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1847\" height=\"920\" class=\"wp-image-171554\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-improve-your-unique-selling-propositions-.png\" alt=\"How to improve your unique selling propositions.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-improve-your-unique-selling-propositions-.png 1847w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-improve-your-unique-selling-propositions--680x339.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-improve-your-unique-selling-propositions--768x383.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-improve-your-unique-selling-propositions--1536x765.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/how-to-improve-your-unique-selling-propositions--400x200.png 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1847px) 100vw, 1847px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Articulating your awesomeness is less about you and more about the things your audience cares&nbsp;about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_ec9kj311v7db\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember how I harped on about understanding what affects your customer\u2019s buying decisions at the start of this&nbsp;post?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where you get to use that knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Surprisingly, many people will care about other things before they care about price. For example, in the aged care industry, the resident\u2019s experience is a far more important decision-making factor than&nbsp;price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, go looking for data that can help you position your brand as the best in the area for resident experience (or whatever the equivalent is in your market). Check&nbsp;out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Competitors\u2019 reviews for customer sentiments<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Publicly available comparative data from trustworthy sources<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Data you gather from tests you\u2019ve run<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I did this recently for a client and we were able to compare their facility with over 140 others in their city using publicly available government data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on the data, my client is ranked in the top 1.26% for \u201cresident experience.\u201d Better yet, their rooms are up to 50% bigger and 33% cheaper than competitors. This is a powerful USP to share that genuinely sets them&nbsp;apart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, at Ahrefs, one of our core USPs is that our crawlers are among the internet\u2019s most active and gather petabytes of data. Our customers can verify that our crawlers are right up there alongside Google\u2019s thanks to publicly available data from Cloudflare:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1170\" height=\"847\" class=\"wp-image-171555\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/cloudflares-verified-bots-list-indicating-ahrefsb.png\" alt=\"Cloudflare's verified bots list indicating AhrefsBot as the 8th most active crawler.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/cloudflares-verified-bots-list-indicating-ahrefsb.png 1170w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/cloudflares-verified-bots-list-indicating-ahrefsb-587x425.png 587w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/cloudflares-verified-bots-list-indicating-ahrefsb-768x556.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\">\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/radar.cloudflare.com\/traffic\/verified-bots\">Cloudflare<\/a><\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Articulating your awesomeness shouldn\u2019t be taken lightly. It\u2019s your best chance to show your potential customers what truly makes you different and why they should care.<\/p>\n\n\n\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. Price positioning: Know how your pricing compares to competitors\" data-section=\"price-positioning\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_xsziezb89wz7\"><\/a>7. Price positioning: Know how your pricing compares to competitors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes, your price strategy is what makes you different. Other times, it helps to know how your pricing compares and whether competitors make any changes that affect your overall position in the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_edqxr0970jey\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the type of business you run, you may need to use different strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, if you run an eCommerce store or your competitors freely share pricing on their websites, you can use a free data extraction tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.browse.ai\/\">Browse.ai<\/a> to compile your competitors\u2019 pricing on an automatic schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In high-ticket or B2B verticals, prices are generally not publicly available. You can hire a mystery shopper to go through the sales journey with each of your competitors and record every step of the process on your behalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some industries, you may also find your competitors\u2019 prices listed on marketplaces they sell through instead of their website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Hershey\u2019s website has no prices for their candy. But you can find them via other retailers\u2019 websites like Walmart:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1370\" height=\"1128\" class=\"wp-image-171556\" style=\"width: 662px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/walmart-lists-prices-for-hershey-candy-even-though.jpg\" alt=\"Walmart lists prices for Hershey candy even though their official website doesn't\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/walmart-lists-prices-for-hershey-candy-even-though.jpg 1370w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/walmart-lists-prices-for-hershey-candy-even-though-516x425.jpg 516w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/walmart-lists-prices-for-hershey-candy-even-though-768x632.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1370px) 100vw, 1370px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In any case, pricing is often something that you may have little control over. But knowing how your company compares is enormously helpful for sales teams, especially so they can handle objections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing wrong with being priced higher than the market average. It\u2019s also totally fine not to discount your products to attract more sales. If this is your pricing strategy, lean into it and educate the market on what corners your competitors may cut to offer dirt-cheap rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\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. Product positioning: Close product or service gaps\" data-section=\"product-positioning\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_foas31pehkg1\"><\/a>8. Product positioning: Close product or service gaps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In some markets, consumers want a solution that is not currently available, yet is something you can easily supply them with. This is a product or service gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_rgc91sdhysib\"><\/a>How to gather this competitive intelligence data<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to overlay two different data sets to find the best opportunities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What your customers want<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What you and your competitors deliver<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you gather all the info on what customers are searching for and you notice neither you or your competitors are delivering something they are frequently searching for, there\u2019s your&nbsp;gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Ahrefs, you can gather both of these data sets, and track progress over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To find what your customers are searching for,<\/strong> use <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>. Just enter a broad topic and check one of the keyword ideas reports on the left menu to see the most popular searches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1406\" height=\"1418\" class=\"wp-image-171557\" style=\"width: 671px; height: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-apartment-related-keywords-in-ahrefs-k.jpg\" alt=\"Example of apartment-related keywords in Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-apartment-related-keywords-in-ahrefs-k.jpg 1406w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-apartment-related-keywords-in-ahrefs-k-421x425.jpg 421w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-apartment-related-keywords-in-ahrefs-k-768x775.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/example-of-apartment-related-keywords-in-ahrefs-k-120x120.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1406px) 100vw, 1406px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"sidenote\"><div class=\"sidenote-title\">Sidenote.<\/div> If the results are too broad, use the \u201cInclude\u201d filter to refine your search (that\u2019s what I did&nbsp;above).<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To find what you and your competitors deliver<\/strong>, use the <strong>Content Gap<\/strong> report in Ahrefs\u2019 Competitive Analysis tool. This will show you keywords your competitors rank for but you&nbsp;don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1338\" height=\"526\" class=\"wp-image-171558\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-zillow-with-its-competitors-in-ahrefs.png\" alt=\"Comparing Zillow with it's competitors in Ahrefs' Content Gap report\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-zillow-with-its-competitors-in-ahrefs.png 1338w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-zillow-with-its-competitors-in-ahrefs-680x267.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-zillow-with-its-competitors-in-ahrefs-768x302.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1338px) 100vw, 1338px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To monitor your competitor\u2019s visibility over time <\/strong>use Ahrefs\u2019 Rank Tracker. Check your website against your competitors in the Competitors &gt; Overview report and pay particular attention to things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Share of&nbsp;Voice<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Traffic changes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SERP feature visibility changes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"829\" height=\"184\" class=\"wp-image-171559\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-share-of-voice-average-position-traffi.png\" alt=\"Comparing share of voice, average position, traffic totals and SERP feature visibility with competitors in Ahrefs' Rank Tracker.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-share-of-voice-average-position-traffi.png 829w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-share-of-voice-average-position-traffi-680x151.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/comparing-share-of-voice-average-position-traffi-768x170.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 829px) 100vw, 829px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"recommendation\"><div class=\"recommendation-title\">pro tip<\/div><div class=\"recommendation-content\">\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to go one step further, try combining the two keyword lists in a spreadsheet using a vlookup formula or a pivot table. By doing this, you\u2019ll find the keywords people look for that neither you nor your competitors rank for. These gaps are hidden goldmine opportunities that can improve your visibility with very little friction or competitive resistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-171538-_me2j1qsky38n\"><\/a>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing competitive intelligence the right way comes down to being well-informed about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>What influences your customer\u2019s buying decisions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What\u2019s happening in the market<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What your competitors are doing and how they\u2019re thinking about the market<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can use a number of strategies to differentiate your business from competitors. Ultimately, however, it\u2019s your customers that have the final say. They\u2019re the ones that vote for the company that best fulfils their needs with their&nbsp;money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And where money flows, markets grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve got any questions or are doing some cool things in your competitive intelligence programs, please reach out on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/despina-gavoyannis\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Truth is, they\u2019re doing it&nbsp;wrong. In this no-nonsense guide, we\u2019ll go beyond the MBA-hyped-up textbook jargon and dive into the tactics that will actually make a difference. But first, let\u2019s make sure we\u2019re on the same page about what competitive<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":195,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[390],"tags":[],"coauthors":[458],"class_list":["post-171538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marketing","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Competitive Intelligence: A No-Nonsense Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Competitive intelligence is the act of gathering data and insights about your competitors. Try the 8 tactics in this guide to get started.\" \/>\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\/competitive-intelligence\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Competitive Intelligence: A No-Nonsense Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Try these 8 tactics.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/competitive-intelligence\/\" \/>\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=\"2024-01-31T14:14:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-09-17T12:12:36+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/venn-diagram-of-your-competitive-edge-as-the-nexus.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Despina Gavoyannis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Despina Gavoyannis\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/143d08bacfea1ed0736d76ad138ce704\"},\"headline\":\"Competitive Intelligence: A No-Nonsense Guide\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-31T14:14:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-17T12:12:36+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3825,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/competitive-intelligence-a-no-nonsense-guide-by-despina-gavoyannis-marketing.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General Marketing\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/\",\"name\":\"Competitive Intelligence: A No-Nonsense Guide\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/competitive-intelligence\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/01\\\/venn-diagram-of-your-competitive-edge-as-the-nexus.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-01-31T14:14:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-09-17T12:12:36+00:00\",\"description\":\"Competitive intelligence is the act of gathering data and insights about your competitors. 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