Competitor research is the process of identifying who competes for your audience, then analyzing their positioning, offers, pricing, channels, content, and conversion tactics so you can make better marketing decisions faster.
What competitor research includes
For marketers, competitor research is not just a list of rival brands. It is a working view of how similar companies attract traffic, turn attention into leads, and retain customers. A useful review usually covers:
- Positioning: what promise they lead with and which audience segment they target
- Offers: products, service tiers, bundles, trials, demos, and guarantees
- Pricing: entry price, premium options, discount patterns, and billing structure
- Acquisition channels: SEO, paid search, social, partnerships, email, communities, and marketplaces
- Content strategy: topics, formats, publishing frequency, and calls to action
- Conversion flow: landing pages, forms, onboarding, checkout, and follow-up emails
Why competitor research matters
Good competitor research reduces wasted budget. Instead of guessing what the market wants, you can see which messages are already being used, where competitors are investing, and which gaps are still open. This helps you sharpen your value proposition, choose better channels, and avoid copying weak tactics.
It also improves campaign planning. If several competitors push comparison pages, free tools, or webinar funnels, that signals what buyers expect before converting. If no one is addressing a specific use case or audience objection, that gap can become your fastest route to differentiation.
How to do competitor research in a practical workflow
1. Build a focused competitor list
Separate direct competitors from indirect ones. Direct competitors sell a similar offer to the same audience. Indirect competitors solve the same problem differently. Start with five to ten brands so the research stays usable.
2. Review their customer journey
Visit their homepage, top landing pages, pricing page, blog, and signup flow. Capture the headline, primary CTA, lead magnet, proof elements, and follow-up sequence. Put the findings into a simple spreadsheet so patterns are easy to compare.
3. Map channels and content
Check where they publish consistently, what topics they prioritize, and which content appears built for search, social sharing, or lead capture. Note whether they use templates, calculators, case studies, or comparison content to move prospects forward.
4. Turn insights into action
Create three outputs: messaging changes, campaign ideas, and offer improvements. This step matters most. Research only pays off when it changes what you publish, promote, or sell.
Practical example
If TLSubmit were researching competitors in submission and distribution tools, a useful finding might be that competitors emphasize database size but say little about approval speed or reporting clarity. That creates an opportunity to test landing page copy focused on faster turnaround, transparent status tracking, and simpler workflows for busy marketers. From there, TLSubmit could launch a comparison page, a short demo video, and an email sequence aimed at users frustrated by slow manual submissions.