How do I do a competitor analysis?
A competitor analysis is only useful if it changes a decision. Here is a quick version built for that.
- Which competitors should we include?
- What should we compare?
- How often should we update it?
Pick five to eight competitors, including the alternative buyers use most, such as spreadsheets or doing nothing. Compare their positioning, target customer, pricing, main channels and what their customers praise and complain about. Then write down two or three places you will be different. A competitor analysis that doesn't change your positioning or campaigns was a research exercise.
| Area | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Positioning | Homepage headline, category claim, target customer |
| Pricing | Pricing page, value metric, entry price |
| Channels | Ads they run, content that ranks, events, partners |
| Customer view | Review sites, community threads, lost-deal notes |
| Gaps | Segments or needs they handle badly |
Include the real alternative
For many startups the biggest competitor is a spreadsheet, an internal tool or a decision to wait. Include it. It often explains lost deals better than any vendor.
Turn it into decisions
End with three outputs: the segment you will focus on, the two or three differences you will claim, and the campaigns that follow, such as comparison pages or competitor keywords. Check Google's trademark policy before running competitor ads.
- Twenty competitors and no conclusions.
- Feature checklists instead of positioning.
- Ignoring the status quo alternative.
- No customer review analysis.
- Done once, never updated.
- Five to eight competitors, including the status quo.
- Positioning and pricing compared side by side.
- Customer complaints used to find gaps.
- Two or three clear differences written down.
- Updated every six months.
What founders and researchers say
We read the threads, surveys and reports so you don't have to. Each card is our summary, linked to the source.
Competitor analysis often leads to competitor campaigns. Using rivals' trademarks as keywords is allowed; using them in ad text can be restricted.
Read the policy →SaaS founders recommend reading competitors' bad reviews as the fastest way to find positioning gaps.
Browse the threads →Buyers use about seven information sources in a purchase, including AI. Check how AI tools describe you and your competitors too.
Read the release →Community summaries describe recurring themes across many threads. They are not quotes from individual posts.
Read next
Go deeper in the ShoutEx guides, or check the original sources.
Bring your numbers. We'll tell you what we would do, even if it isn't us.
Book a call →Follow-up questions
Which competitors should we include?
The ones buyers actually compare you to, found in sales calls and lost deals, plus the status quo.
Should sales get the analysis?
Yes, as short battlecards with objections and answers.
What tools help with competitor monitoring?
Ad libraries, search tools and review sites cover most needs. Our competitor analysis guide lists options.