Competitive analysis is not looking at what others do so you can copy it. It is finding what nobody does — and deciding whether it is worth doing yourself.
The rule that makes it useful: every finding must end in a decision. Anything that changes nothing about your work does not need recording.
Want your market mapped?
Tell us what you do and where and we will return who actually competes with you and where the gap sits.
Who your competitors actually are
Most businesses look in the wrong direction. There are three categories:
| Type | Who they are | How dangerous |
|---|---|---|
| Direct | Same service, same audience, same area | High |
| Indirect | Solve the same problem differently | Medium |
| Inertia | The customer does nothing at all | Higher than you think |
The third row is the biggest competitor most small businesses have. The customer who “will look at it next year” did not go to somebody else — they simply never decided.
The practical way to find the direct ones: ask five customers who else they considered before choosing you. The answers almost always differ from the list in your head.
Alongside that, search Google for the terms your customer would use and note who appears consistently.
What is worth examining
Six points, all publicly available. Nothing more is needed, and nothing more should be sought.
| What | Where you find it | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Position and message | Home page | Who they are speaking to |
| Services and scope | Service pages | Where they focus |
| Prices or ranges | Site, price lists | Where they sit in the market |
| Reviews | Maps, platforms | What customers praise and complain about |
| Content | Blog, social | Which questions they cover |
| Response speed | A test enquiry | Where the service gap is |
The fourth is the richest source and the least used. Your competitors’ negative reviews tell you exactly what the market is promised and not given.
The sixth is simple and revealing: send a normal enquiry as a customer and time the reply. In many sectors, answering within two hours is a competitive advantage on its own.
The table that works
Five competitors, eight rows. Nothing more — otherwise it never gets finished.
| Criterion | You | A | B | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target audience | |||||
| Core message | |||||
| Price range | |||||
| Delivery time | |||||
| Review score/count | |||||
| What customers praise | |||||
| What they complain about | |||||
| What they do not offer |
The last row is why you did the work at all. That is where the gaps are — and usually they are not missing services, but missing ways of serving.
How to draw conclusions
The table on its own is not a strategy. Three questions turn it into decisions:
- What does everybody say identically? Those are the table stakes — do not build your message there.
- What do their customers complain about consistently? That is your opportunity, if you can cover it.
- Where are you already better without saying so? The most common finding, and the easiest to act on.
The third explains why competitive analysis so often ends in changed copy rather than changed services — see how it is phrased in website copy and how it becomes a position in branding.
Want help turning findings into decisions?
Send us your table and we will propose three moves.
What not to do
Five traps that turn the exercise into wasted time:
- Copying prices. You know neither their costs nor whether they are profitable — the correct calculation is in pricing.
- Copying design. If everybody looks alike, the cheapest wins.
- Watching large players who are playing a different game with a different cost base.
- Obsession. Checking a competitor weekly produces nothing.
- Collecting non-public information. Beyond being unethical, it may be unlawful. Stay with what is openly available to any customer.
How often to repeat it
| Situation | Frequency |
|---|---|
| A stable market | Once a year |
| A fast-moving one | Every six months |
| Before a launch | Always |
| When you lose sales without explanation | Immediately |
In between, one simple habit suffices: every time you lose a job, ask where it went and why. Five such answers are worth more than a full analysis, because they concern real customer decisions.
And one source that updates itself: the terms people use to find you. How to identify them is in SEO for beginners.
Frequently asked questions
How many competitors should I examine?
Five direct and two indirect. More adds no information, only time.
Do I need paid tools?
Not for the first analysis. Their site, their reviews and a search cover almost everything.
What if everybody is cheaper than me?
Check whether you are competing for the right audience. Cheapest is a position the largest player always wins.
How do I find prices that are not published?
From sector quote ranges, from customers who tell you, or from public tenders. Without pretending to be somebody you are not.
Is it worth it for a very small business?
Yes, and more so: on a small budget, choosing the right position is the cheapest advantage available.
The first step
Open three competitors’ map profiles and read only their negative reviews from the last six months.
Within twenty minutes you will have a list of what your market asks for and does not get. That is where every useful analysis begins.
Next step
Book a free 30-minute call with the team at The Dev Alley. We will look at your market and find where there is room.