Swimming coaches will tell you to worry about your own race and not think about the other guy. There was a famous meme his summer that showed Phelps narrowly edging out his competition because the other swimmer was watching him instead of the lane. The image became a popular meme with the caption of “Winners focus on winning. Losers focus on winners.”
(I would post it here but Olympic people are very serious about brand violations.)
While I might agree with worrying about your own race in most scenarios, there are valuable things you can learn from watching the competition. Here are three of them:
Lessons from the Competition
Web Design
Take a look at your competitor’s website. Bonus points if you click on an ad in Google to get there. Just kidding. That’s not nice.
What do you feel when you go to their site? Is it clean? What gets top billing? How is the navigation? Are they doing something you’re not, like using more images or showcasing the team in an effective way? Is their online store better than yours? Do they have an interactive site or is a static brochure? Maybe they’re doing something that turns you off, like the website is too cluttered or confusing. Be objective about what you’re seeing.
Take the good (not literally, nobody likes plagiarism) and look for ways to incorporate it in your site. Next, look at the things you didn’t like about their site and see if you’re guilty of any of them.
Content and SEO
Are they clear about what they do? Do they describe it in a way that is more succinct than you do? Is their content more engaging? What tone do they use? Are they lighthearted or formal? Do they provide more resources than you do? Are they telling their story better than you are?
While you’re looking at their content, analyze their keywords. What words are they using in their headers and titles?
Social Media
Listen for people talking about your competition or your industry in general. What are they saying? What do they need? Are they using the same language you are or is it more basic? Take some time to analyze how they ask for you. For instance, it’s a rare person who will search for a particular answer like “faulty brakes.” If they knew that’s what it was they’d simply search for a brake shop. Instead they might search for “what’s it mean when my gas pedal vibrates?” Search to see if your competition is out there listening.
Also search for your competition’s name and a negative word like “stinks” or set a Google Alert for it. This will give your great insight into their faults and what makes people unhappy with them. You can also see how your competitors are responding to criticism.
Finally, look at what your competition’s offering customers. Do they host webinars or how-to videos? Do they have a library of case studies? Are they running discounts, free trials, or a membership offer? If they have downloads, check them out. It’s important to understand your competition’s approach to marketing so you can create a strong strategy of your own.
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