Passed on 7 April, 2025
5. Research the competition
In this lesson, we’ll explore how to identify what makes a business stand out online, why researching competitors is essential, and which AI tools can help you stay ahead.
✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Understand why researching competitors is important for positioning your business.Identify key aspects of competitor positioning, such as messaging and pricing.Apply AI tools to analyse competitor strategies and customer perceptions.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:
Understand why researching competitors is important for positioning your business.
Identify key aspects of competitor positioning, such as messaging and pricing.
Apply AI tools to analyse competitor strategies and customer perceptions.
The importance of competitor research
Understanding how your competitors position themselves online is crucial for shaping your own brand’s unique identity.
Activity
Take some time to answer this question: What makes your business stand out?Alternatively, answer the questions focusing on a local business you’re familiar with.
Alternatively, answer the questions focusing on a local business you’re familiar with.
Alternatively, answer the questions focusing on a local business you’re familiar with.
Key benefits of researching competitors
By researching how your competitors position their brands, you can better understand your own market potential, identify areas for differentiation, and refine your strategy for success.
Positioning in action
Now that we’ve laid the foundation, let’s examine competitor positioning in action. Understanding how to differentiate your brand is key to standing out in a competitive market.
Examples of effective positioning
Explore these examples and think about how you could uniquely position your brand.
Fitness apparel brand
Consider a fitness apparel brand that focuses on hypoallergenic materials for athletes with sensitive skin. If other brands prioritise style or price, this focus on comfort and health could be a unique differentiator. By understanding competitor positioning, you can strategically highlight the aspects that set a business apart.
Eco-friendly products
Let’s say your competitors in the personal care industry aren't addressing the growing demand for eco-friendly products. By building your brand as the go-to option for sustainability-conscious consumers, you fill a gap in the market and appeal to an underserved audience.
Basketball shop
Imagine a basketball shop with a bold red exterior, or a unique in-store experience like a live hoop-shooting demo. Online, the brand needs a similar distinctness — a clear unique selling point (USP) highlighting what makes your business special and attracting customers in a crowded digital space.
What to research for competitor positioning
Competitor positioning isn’t just about their products — it’s how they present themselves to the market. Let's break down the key areas to focus on when analysing competitors to sharpen your strategy.
Key areas for competitor positioning research
Researching competitor positioning means exploring various aspects of how competitors operate and engage with customers.
Mission and values
Review your competitors' mission statements and core values. Do they emphasise sustainability, innovation, or community involvement? Understanding this can reveal how they build brand loyalty.
Getting started with competitor analysis
Use free online tools to start your competitor research. Search engines offer quick insights, and setting up alerts helps you stay updated on industry trends and competitor activities.
Search engines for quick insights
Begin by searching for key terms related to your product or service. Make a note of:Top results: Who ranks highest for the terms you search for?Keywords: What words and phrases do competitors use in their page titles?Social media messaging: How do competitors present their brand on social media?Location: How does entering a specific area, such as your local area, change the search results?
Top results: Who ranks highest for the terms you search for?Keywords: What words and phrases do competitors use in their page titles?Social media messaging: How do competitors present their brand on social media?Location: How does entering a specific area, such as your local area, change the search results?
Location: How does entering a specific area, such as your local area, change the search results?
Stay updated with alerts
Free tools like Google Alerts show you who is talking about certain topics online, so they help you keep your finger on the pulse. Try setting up alerts for key products or services, as well as your own business and competitor names. This ensures you receive real-time updates and stay informed.
Research with AI
AI can streamline competitor research, offering valuable insights into trends, brand perception and customer sentiment. Here are ways you can use AI to better understand your competitive landscape.
How to leverage AI for competitor research
AI-powered assistants like Gemini can help transform your competitor research process by automating tasks and providing deeper insights. By using thoughtful prompts—specific questions or instructions that you input into the AI assistant—you can extract valuable information on sentiment, positioning, and customer perception.
Analyse sentiment
By using Gemini, you can quickly analyse the sentiment behind competitor content, helping you understand their brand perception and customer engagement.Prompt: ‘What is the core message in [competitor's] mission statement?’
Prompt: ‘What is the core message in [competitor's] mission statement?’
Prompt: ‘What is the core message in [competitor's] mission statement?’
Ask about comparisons
Gemini can help you compare competitors side-by-side, identifying their unique strengths and weaknesses and informing your own positioning strategy.Prompt: ‘How does [competitor A] position itself differently from [competitor B] in terms of pricing?’
Prompt: ‘How does [competitor A] position itself differently from [competitor B] in terms of pricing?’
Prompt: ‘How does [competitor A] position itself differently from [competitor B] in terms of pricing?’
Ask about customer perception
By analysing customer reviews and feedback with Gemini, you can gain valuable insights into how customers perceive your competitors and identify areas for improvement or differentiation.Prompt: ‘What do customer reviews reveal about how [competitor A] is perceived in the market?’
Prompt: ‘What do customer reviews reveal about how [competitor A] is perceived in the market?’
Prompt: ‘What do customer reviews reveal about how [competitor A] is perceived in the market?’
Summarise your research
Gemini can streamline your research process by summarising your findings and highlighting key themes. Simply paste your research notes into Gemini, and it will provide a concise overview of your competitive landscape.Prompt: ‘Summarise my research on [competitor]. What are the main takeaways and key themes?’
Prompt: ‘Summarise my research on [competitor]. What are the main takeaways and key themes?’
Prompt: ‘Summarise my research on [competitor]. What are the main takeaways and key themes?’
Best practices for effective AI-Powered research
To get the most out of Gemini and other AI assistants and tools, follow these best practices. Thoughtful prompts and a combination of research methods, such as competitor analysis, customer surveys, or market trend tracking, will provide deeper insights and more accurate results.
Hands-on with Gemini
Spend some time on this activity to practise using Gemini for competitor research. This task will guide you in exploring positioning and gaining key insights.
✅ ActivityFollow these simple steps to explore insights using Gemini.Check the items off as you go.Visit Gemini.google.comFor this example, research a well-known global brand of your choice.Ask Gemini, ‘What is the unique selling point (USP) of this brand?’Ask Gemini, ‘How do customers perceive this brand?’Ask Gemini, ‘Who are their main competitors?’
Activity
Follow these simple steps to explore insights using Gemini.
Visit Gemini.google.com
For this example, research a well-known global brand of your choice.
Ask Gemini, ‘What is the unique selling point (USP) of this brand?’
Ask Gemini, ‘How do customers perceive this brand?’
Ask Gemini, ‘Who are their main competitors?’
Download PDF
Download PDF
Check your knowledge
It’s time for you to find out what you’ve learned about researching the competition.
Amina’s quest to glow and grow
Amina runs a natural skincare brand that has been growing steadily for two years. Recently, she’s noticed increased competition from other eco-conscious brands and wants to improve her online presence. Amina needs to understand how her competitors are positioning themselves and identify ways to differentiate her brand to attract more customers.Which of the following steps should Amina take to gain insights into her competitors and stand out in the market?
Which of the following steps should Amina take to gain insights into her competitors and stand out in the market?
Which of the following steps should Amina take to gain insights into her competitors and stand out in the market?
Use search engines to identify which words and phrases competitors are using on their websites and note who appears in the top search results.
Set up Google Alerts to monitor mentions of competitor brands and industry trends.
Copy competitor product descriptions and pricing strategies to align with the market.
Analyse customer reviews and feedback to understand how customers perceive competitor products and services.
Submit
Submit
Yes.Amina should use search engines for competitor keywords, set up Google Alerts for real-time updates, and analyse customer reviews to find opportunities for differentiation. Copying strategies won’t help her brand stand out.
Lesson complete
Great job!You now understand why competitor research matters, how to analyse key positioning aspects, and how to use AI assistants and tools for deeper insights.Head to the next lesson, where we’ll find out how to stand out from the competition by refining a brand’s identity and positioning it for success.
You now understand why competitor research matters, how to analyse key positioning aspects, and how to use AI assistants and tools for deeper insights.Head to the next lesson, where we’ll find out how to stand out from the competition by refining a brand’s identity and positioning it for success.
Head to the next lesson, where we’ll find out how to stand out from the competition by refining a brand’s identity and positioning it for success.
Head to the next lesson, where we’ll find out how to stand out from the competition by refining a brand’s identity and positioning it for success.