Competitive Analysis Techniques

To truly understand your competition, start with what matters most: your customer’s Jobs-to-Be-Done (JTBD). ☑ Start by focusing on your customer’s tasks. ↳ What are they trying to accomplish? ↳ What problems are they solving? ↳ What needs are they aiming to fulfil? This will give you a strong foundation to evaluate and rank competing value propositions against real customer challenges. ☑ Assess competitors through the lens of JTBD. ↳ It’s not about the features or capabilities. ↳ It’s about how well they help customers achieve their desired outcomes. ↳ Focus on solution-fit, ease of use, affordability, and accessibility. Ignore the noise. The key is understanding what drives value for your customer. A customer-focused competitive analysis leads to better decisions. ↳ By centring your analysis around real customer needs, you’ll better understand where competitors truly stand. This insight allows for smarter positioning in the market. Remember, the customer is at the heart of every winning strategy. The real value lies in how well competitors meet those needs. Ps. If you like content like this, please follow me 🙏

If your competitors keep showing up in ChatGPT answers and you don’t, there’s a reason. And it’s fixable. Here’s the full 8 step process to figure out why and close the gap fast. Step 1: Identify your real AI competitors There are three groups to watch for. - The brands AI mentions next to you - The brands AI prefers instead of you - The brands your audience compares you to inside AI search Ahrefs Brand Radar gives you all three. Step 2: Define the entities that matter Add brand variations and domains for every competitor. Simple version: main brand and main domain. Full version: products, sub brands, alternate sites. Save this setup as a preset so you can refresh it quarterly. Step 3: Benchmark your AI visibility Track four numbers. - Mentions - Citations - Impressions - AI Share of Voice Then compare yourself against competitors across AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity and others. Document the numbers so you can measure progress over time. Step 4: Study how AI talks about you It is not enough to show up. How you appear matters. Check: - Volume of mentions - Placement inside responses - Depth of coverage - Positioning and framing - Sentiment - Credibility language Ahrefs research shows branded web mentions correlate most with showing up in AI Overviews. So this analysis tells you exactly what to reinforce. Step 5: Compare Share of Voice for your core topics List the topics where you want leadership status. Search each one in Brand Radar. Check your Share of Voice against competitors. - Note irrelevant topics to drop - Note extra competitors tied to the topic - Note unbranded opportunities you can win - Note attributes AI associates with the topic Step 6: Find top cited pages and patch content gaps Open the cited pages report for each competitor. Look for gaps in visibility, topics, formats and freshness. Are they writing about topics you ignore? Are they publishing formats you lack? Are they updating content more often? Create or refresh pages to close those gaps. Step 7: Compare brand mentions across the web AI often relies on third party content to talk about brands. Not your own site. Use the web pages report to collect competitor mentions. Export them, delete anything coming from their own websites, and line everything up in a spreadsheet. Where you see empty cells, those are missed opportunities. Then study how they earned those mentions. Look at content types, publishers, triggers, and distribution habits. Step 8: Turn everything into clear priorities Summarize the whole analysis into three buckets. Fix: visibility gaps. Build: content areas where competitors lead. Influence: publications and sites that shape AI answers in your niche. Run this monthly or quarterly. You will see exactly why competitors appear ahead of you, and you will know what to do next.

Most founders spend 80% of their time analyzing competitors' features. That's exactly why they fail.🚩 I've learned that true competitive analysis isn't about what your competitors do. It's about what they're afraid to do. Here's what actually matters: 🎯 Study their customer complaints, not their customer testimonials. The gaps in their service are your opportunities. 🎯 Track their abandoned features. When a competitor removes something, they're telling you what doesn't work in your market. 🎯 Monitor their hiring patterns. A surge in sales hires means they're struggling with retention. Engineering hires signal product issues. Last month, a founder used these insights to position his startup. Instead of competing with the industry giant's 45 features, he solved the one problem they were afraid to tackle. Result? 3 term sheets in 2 weeks.💡 The best opportunities often hide in plain sight. You just need to know where to look. Would love to hear how other founders are uncovering these opportunities—what strategies have worked for you? #startupstrategy #entrepreneurship #businessstrategy #competitiveanalysis #venturecapital #financialprojections #pitchdeck #founders #investor

💡Competitor analysis in product design (checklist & tools) Competitor analysis is a critical part of the product design process that helps you understand the market, ensure your product meets the needs of your target customers, and identify opportunities for growth.   ✅ Identify your primary and secondary competitors ✔ List direct competitors (Those offering similar products or services within the same market niche) ✔ List indirect competitors (Those offering alternative solutions to the same customer needs or problems) ✔ Identify potential new entrants to the market ✅ Gather information about your competitors  ✔ Identify the primary user demographics and personas of competitor products. ✔ Collect data on competitors' product features & specifications (What does the product do? How does it work?) ✔ Analyze competitors' design, usability, and customer experience (How is the product designed? Is it user-friendly?) ✔ Review the technology stack that competitors use (What technologies are used in the product?) ✔ Customer support (How do they handle customer service and support?) ✅ Customer insights ✔ Analyze customer reviews and feedback on competitors' products (AppStore/Google Play, TrustPilot reviews) ✔ Conduct surveys with the target audience to understand customer perceptions of competitors. ✔ Monitor social media and online forums for customer sentiments about competitors. ✅ Sales and marketing insights ✔ Research competitors' pricing strategies and models (How much does the product cost? What value does the price convey?) ✔ Investigate the market positioning of competitors (How is the product positioned in the market? Who is the marketing persona?) ✔ Review promotion strategy (How do they promote their product on the market? What channels are they using?) ✔ Look into their strategies for acquiring and retaining users. ✅ Financial analysis ✔ Review available financial data on competitors (e.g., revenue, profit margins). ✔ Gather data on their market share, growth rate, and user base size. ✔ Understand competitors' pricing strategies. ✅ Conduct (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis ✔ Strengths (What are they doing well? Identify what competitors do well in design, technology, market reach, and user engagement) ✔ Weaknesses (Where are the gaps? Pinpoint areas where competitors fall short, offering potential opportunities for your product) ✔ Opportunities: Look for gaps in the product design/marketing that competitors are not addressing. ✔ Threats (Identify challenges that could cause trouble for your project) 🔨 Tools ✔ Competitor analysis summary for Notion https://lnkd.in/dWD4JqmU ✔ Competitive Analysis Template for Miro https://lnkd.in/dxUrJNWX ✔ SWOT analysis template for Figma https://lnkd.in/dbAXxx4V 🖼 by Miro #competitoranalysis #SWOT #customeranalysis #competitorresearch #ux #productdesign

AI: The New Watchdog for IP Infringement Most companies don’t discover IP infringement the moment it happens. In fact, many teams only notice a copied design or product months after it’s already being sold. Modern IP-monitoring platforms now scan global product announcements, regulatory filings, technical specs, and even manufacturing data. Instead of relying on manual searches, AI compares new releases against your existing patents and alerts you when something looks too similar. A U.S. medical device company used an AI monitoring system that flagged a competitor’s upcoming device during its early regulatory review. The system detected a near-identical mechanism covered by the company’s patent well before the product reached the market. Because they identified the issue early, the company was able to approach the manufacturer, clarify their IP rights, and resolve the conflict without litigation. AI is shifting IP protection from reactive (“catch it after the damage is done”) to proactive (“spot it before it becomes a problem”). For R&D, legal, and product teams, this means earlier visibility, better decision-making, and significantly lower risk.

The Sun Tzu's Proverb: In the context of FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods), Sun Tzu's proverb, "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles," can be applied to competition in the following ways: ✅ 1. Know Your Competitors ("The Enemy") - Understand their strengths: Analyze what makes your competitors successful, such as their pricing strategy, distribution networks, or marketing campaigns. - Identify their weaknesses: Look for gaps in their product offerings, customer service, or market penetration that you can exploit. - Monitor market trends: Keep track of innovations, consumer preferences, and competitor strategies to anticipate their next moves. ✅ 2. Know Yourself (Your Company) - Assess your strengths: Identify what sets your FMCG products apart, such as quality, affordability, or sustainability. - Acknowledge weaknesses: Be honest about areas needing improvement, whether it's supply chain efficiency, branding, or customer loyalty. - Leverage resources: Utilize your company’s unique assets, like established relationships with retailers or innovative production techniques. ✅ 3. Practical Implications in FMCG Competition - Market Positioning: If you know your competitor is targeting a premium segment, position your product as a high-quality but affordable alternative. - Customer Insights: Study consumer behavior to understand their pain points and tailor your offerings to meet unmet needs. - Innovative Strategies: Use your understanding of competitors to launch unique products, promotions, or campaigns that disrupt their market share. Understanding both your business capabilities and the competitive landscape, you can devise strategies that minimize risks and maximize growth in the fast-paced FMCG sector.

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀' 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. This is the more positive flipside of the difference between 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 and patent 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 that I've written about in recent posts. Some important practical implications of this are: • 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀’ 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Even if your competitors have patented their products, those patents don’t make the commercialization of those products immune from infringing your patents. This means you may have opportunities to assert your rights if your competitors' products use technology covered by your patents. • 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀’ 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Your competitors’ patent filings don't just protect their inventions—they’re a goldmine of information. These filings can provide clues about their upcoming products, as well as details about how their existing products are designed and operate. Analyzing this information can help you identify potential overlaps with your own patents and opportunities to enforce your rights. (Keep in mind that your competitors' actual products may differ from what is described in their patents.) • 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Before asserting that your competitors are infringing your patents, assess whether you might be infringing their patents as well. Patent disputes can put a spotlight on you and trigger counterclaims, so understanding your own exposure is crucial for making informed and strategic decisions. When patent owners see a competitor's patent, they often think: • "We might infringe that patent" (valid). • "We can no longer patent what is described in that patent" (valid) • "The invention in that patent can't infringe our own patents" (𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱). The truth is that just because a competitor patented an invention doesn’t mean their products can’t infringe your patents. In fact, their patent can provide valuable clues about whether their products might infringe your own patents. In other words, because of the critical difference between patentability and patent infringement, 𝗶𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 not merely as creating a risk of infringement by you or closing the door to you patenting the same technology, but also 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. If you're ready to uncover potential infringement of your patents to generate value from your patent portfolio, shoot me a message. #patents #ip #infringement

Competitor Analysis in FMCG: FAQ 1. What is competitor analysis and why is it important for FMCG companies? Competitor analysis is a systematic process of evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, strategies, and market positioning of your competitors. In the fast-paced and dynamic FMCG industry, understanding your competitors is crucial for identifying opportunities, mitigating threats, and making informed strategic decisions to stay ahead of the curve. 2. How can competitor analysis help me understand market dynamics? FMCG markets are constantly evolving. By analyzing your competitors' product launches, marketing campaigns, and overall strategies, you can identify emerging trends, such as shifts in consumer preferences towards healthier or more sustainable products. This knowledge helps you adapt your own offerings and stay relevant in the market. 3. How can I use competitor analysis to develop effective pricing strategies? Pricing is critical in FMCG, especially given its price-sensitive nature. By analyzing competitor pricing strategies, including discounts, offers, and perceived value for money, you can determine optimal price points for your products. This ensures you remain competitive while also maintaining profitability. 4. What role does competitor analysis play in product positioning? A strong product positioning strategy is essential for differentiation in crowded FMCG markets. By understanding how your competitors position their products, you can identify gaps and opportunities to carve out a unique space for your own offerings. For instance, if a competitor focuses on premium products, you could position your brand as a value-for-money alternative. 5. How can I leverage competitor analysis to improve customer retention? Customer loyalty is crucial in FMCG. By analyzing what attracts customers to your competitors, such as superior customer service, loyalty programs, or unique product features, you can identify areas where you can enhance your own customer experience and improve retention rates. 6. What are some key metrics to monitor during competitor analysis? Essential metrics include competitor product portfolio analysis (range, quality, innovation), pricing strategies, marketing activities, market share in different segments, customer feedback and sentiment, distribution network strength, and retailer relationships. 7. Can you provide a practical example of competitor analysis in action? Imagine a competitor launches a premium baked snack aimed at health-conscious consumers. Your analysis might lead you to: Develop: A baked snack with a unique flavor profile that differentiates your offering. Price: Competitively, highlighting affordability compared to the premium competitor. Distribute: Focus on mass distribution through general trade channels to reach a wider audience. Market: Emphasize the taste and health benefits of your snack through targeted campaigns.

We've lost the art of good old-fashioned competitiveness. 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧: Ignore competitors completely ('We're so unique, we have no competition') Obsess over direct competitors ('Let's copy what they're doing') Both approaches miss the real opportunity. The competitive analysis framework that transformed my last company: Instead of just watching our direct competitors, I challenged my team to identify world-class leaders in specific categories and learn from their principles. 𝗘𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀: - 𝙂𝙖𝙥 for e-commerce website experience - 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙢 for customer service excellence - 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙚 for product simplicity and user experience 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 'How can we apply their world-class principles to our business?' Why this works better than traditional competitive analysis: You learn from proven excellence, not just industry mediocrity You discover innovations from outside your sector 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗜 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆'𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴: Here are 5 AI prompts for competitive analysis: 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝟭: 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 'Identify the top 3 companies known for [specific capability like customer onboarding, pricing strategy, or user interface design]. Analyze what makes them world-class in this area and suggest how a [your industry] company could adapt these principles.' 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝟮: 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 'Study [world-class company]'s approach to [specific function]. Break down their strategy into 5 core principles that could be applied to any business. Provide specific examples of how each principle works.' 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝟯: 𝗚𝗮𝗽 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 'Compare our current [process/strategy] to how [world-class benchmark] handles the same function. Identify the 3 biggest gaps and suggest specific improvements we could implement in the next 90 days.' 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝟰: 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿 '[World-class company] excels at [specific capability]. How could a company in [your industry] adapt their approach to achieve similar results? What would need to be modified for our context?' 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘁 𝟱: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 'Analyze the competitive strategies of [3 world-class companies from different industries]. What common patterns emerge in how they maintain market leadership? How could these patterns apply to our competitive strategy?' 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲: While your competitors are copying each other, you're learning from the best in the world. What world-class company could you learn from that's completely outside your industry?"

The biggest misconception in patent monitoring Change my mind: Many believe that patent monitoring means catching everything in one go. That’s not just inefficient—it’s counterproductive. The result? – Overloaded with work – Reviewer fatigue – Critical patents buried in noise Protipp: Step 1 – Prioritise: Start small. Identify the truly essential elements—specific countries, key competitors, and narrowly defined technologies. Build a weekly recurring monitoring routine for just that. Step 2 – Expand thoughtfully: Set up a broader monitoring scope—screen it every 2 to 4 weeks additional to Step 1. Use your ongoing insights to refine your monitoring setup regularly. Step 3 – Stress test quarterly: Run focused FTO-style searches for your key products. Compare results to your monitoring: what slipped through? What patterns emerge? Use this to refine steps 1 and 2. Leverage advanced analytics and AI when possible. Patent monitoring is not a one-shot effort. It's an evolving system—tuned through iteration, not overload. Agree? #patentmonitoring #ipstrategy #patents #iphacks