Here are 5 powerful tactics for collecting competitor insights that’ll not only refine your online strategy but also set you on a path to lead, rather than follow. The cherry on top? Each one takes less than 30 minutes to execute, giving you quick wins that propel you ahead effortlessly.
Understanding competitor insights helps you innovate, meet customer expectations, spot market trends, and learn from others’ mistakes. Simply put, staying informed about your competitors keeps you ahead and boosts your chances of success.
However, knowing what your competitors are up to isn’t about mindlessly and tackily copying their strategies. It’s more about being smarter through finding more effective ways to make your business the best choice for your mutual customers.
The good news is that you can uncover some pretty valuable competitor insights, spending less than 30 minutes of your precious time! Naturally, keep in mind that these findings won’t rather lead you to come up with some never-heard-before marketing strategy that would catch the eyes of your target audience.
Rather, you will find some small but smart adjustment ideas that you can act on to see immediate results.
Whether it’s one of SEO quick wins like optimizing a headline on your website, fine-tuning an ad, or understanding a customer’s preference, the following competitor insights ideas are all about introducing impactful changes to your strategy in a snap.
30-Minute Competitor Insights: From Social Engagement to SEM Tactics
Check out these 5 smart tactics to gain competitor insights. They will help you spark some ideas for giving your online business a mini-boost. See the real results with minimal effort.
Social Media Analysis
Getting competitor insights from their social media doesn’t have to be a day-long task. Noticing valuable clues about how they’re winning their audience shouldn’t take you more than just a couple of minutes – basically, you need to take 3 steps to do so.
STEP #1: Identify what platforms your competitors are on
The easiest way to do so is by going to their website and scrolling down – most brands use their website footer as a placeholder for social media icons.
source: pickuplimes.com
source: hubermanlab.com
STEP #2: Check out your competitors’ content
Once you have the list of all your competitors’ social media platforms, jump onto them. Scan them with your eyes and try to answer questions like:
What kind of posts are getting the most likes, shares, or comments?
Are they using videos, images, or long-form text?
What time do they post?
How do they use hashtags?
What’s the tone and style?
Note your observations down and try to spark some ideas for your own strategy.
STEP #3: Analyze the techniques your competitors use for audience engagement
Look for patterns in their replies, the tone they use, and if they run any polls or Q&As. Also, try to gain the insights by finding answers to the following questions:
How do competitors interact with their audience?
What call-to-actions do they use?
How do they handle negative comments or criticism?
Answering these questions gives you a richer understanding of how your competitors build and maintain their audience relationships.
Type in keywords you know your target audience uses and see where your competitors rank. Are they consistently appearing on the first page? Take note of who shows up for which keywords.
? For example, if you’re selling eco-friendly blankets, search “eco-friendly blankets,” “sustainable bedding,” and similar terms to see who pops up.
STEP #2: Go through your competitors’ paid ads
Keep an eye out for any paid ads your competitors might be running. These are usually at the top of the search results, marked with a “Sponsored” tag. Which keywords are they willing to pay for? This can give you insights into what they consider their most valuable traffic drivers.
STEP #3: Check featured snippets and other SERP features
Does your competitor have any featured snippets, local packs, or knowledge panels? These are boxes or special formats that appear at the top of Google’s search results, providing quick answers or summaries, widely known as SERP features. Getting featured here can increase visibility.
? TIP #1: Spot any keywords your competitors often rank for? Consider how you can also create content around these topics. Maybe there’s something you can elaborate on, making your piece of content way better and more informative for your target audience.
? For example, if you discover that “eco-friendly throw blankets” isn’t a topic extensively covered by your competitors, but is something your prospects may be interested in, creating a blog post on this subject could improve your online presence and establish your expertise.
SEO & Content Check
Yep, you can do an ultra-fast SEO and content check to scoop up some juicy competitor insights that can inspire you to add some extra flair to your current online strategy.
Identify topics you haven’t covered or questions you haven’t answered on your website.
Opportunities to create unique content that fills these gaps.
Once again, this quick check isn’t about copying what your competitors are doing. It’s about spotting opportunities where you can do it better or differently.
SEM (Search Engine Marketing) Analysis
The fourth way to get competitor insights can lead to some bright ideas for your campaigns is by looking at their SEM strategies – again, in less than 30 minutes.
STEP #1: Analyze their ad copy
Type some of your main keywords into Google and see which competitors’ ads pop up. Try to answer questions like:
How are they phrasing their ads?
What benefits or features do they highlight?
In this simple way, you will see how your competitors talk to potential customers.
Additionally, finding out which keywords they consistently bid on can give you a hint about their bidding strategy. This competitor insight could indicate where they are allocating their budget.
Finally, by analyzing their ad copy, you can infer a lot about who they’re targeting.
Are they going for budget-conscious customers or those looking for premium options?
STEP #2: Go through their landing page
Even though going through your competitors’ landing pages may sometimes cost you a couple of bucks, it can show you what a successful conversion path looks like.
Analyze the layout, the CTA buttons, and the overall message they try to get across.
Is it consistent with the ads you’ve looked at in step #1?
Who says you can’t get a good look at your competitors’ websites and come away with some precious pieces of competitor insights in just a couple of minutes? No need for fancy tools or tech speak, just your keen observation skills.
STEP #1: Try to decode their user experience journey
Try to look at your competitor’s website as if you’re a first-time visitor. Try to find answers to the questions like:
How easy is it to find information?
Is the homepage welcoming or cluttered?
Is the website’s purpose immediately clear?
Are call-the-action clear and compelling?
How accessible is the website?
STEP #2: Analyze their navigation
Click around. Test the menu.
How easy is it to navigate to key sections?
Can you get to product information or contact pages without getting lost?
Also, if something on their website makes you think, “Wow, that’s clever!”, think about how you can adapt this usability idea to your website.
STEP #3: Check their content
Take a quick read of their main pages.
Is the content clear, engaging, and helpful?
Or is it packed with jargon and hard sells?
Maybe their product page copy is stellar, but their blog may use some content strategy that you devised for your brand. Identifying their strengths and weaknesses can also go a long way.
STEP #4: Look for visual inspiration (or anti-inspiration)
The look and feel of your competitors website can be your inspiration or a caution. Love their minimalist design or the way they use images? Consider how you can adapt similar elements tastefully for your website. Conversely, if something – in your opinion – doesn’t work visually, helps you understand what to avoid in your own website’s design.
Wrapping-up: Finding Your Competitor Insights in Less Than 30 Minutes
You’ve just discovered five fast, under-30-minute ways to gain competitor insights for inspiration and to improve your online strategy. Let’s quickly recap so you can make seeking inspiration a regular part of your routine:
Understanding what your competitors are up to helps you stay one step ahead.
Quick audits reveal content and keyword gaps that you exploit and benefit from.
Regular checks on your competitors’ activities keep you informed on trends and changes, allowing you to make swift adaptations in your online strategy.
Last but not least, a friendly nudge: Start incorporating these 30-minute competitor insight checks into your routine. The best part? They won’t take up much of your day or require complex tools, yet the benefits they offer are truly invaluable.
Delante is an online marketing agency specialized in generating website traffic from search engines and paid ads (SEO / SEM). Over 80% of our clients are from rapidly growing e-commerce industry.
Delante is an online marketing agency specialized in generating website traffic from search engines and paid ads (SEO / SEM). Over 80% of our clients are from rapidly growing e-commerce industry.
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