Competitor Analysis
Learn how to analyze competitor visibility and use insights to improve your own AI presence.
Last updated: January 9, 2025
Why Competitor Analysis Matters
Understanding your competitors' AI visibility helps you:
- Identify where you're losing to competitors
- Discover what makes them visible
- Prioritize your improvement efforts
- Set realistic benchmarks for success
Viewing Competitor Data
Competitor Cards
From your brand report, the competitor section shows cards for each tracked competitor:
- Competitor name and logo
- Visibility score comparison
- Appearance rate vs yours
- Average position vs yours
- Trend indicator (improving/declining)
Competitor Radar Chart
The radar chart visually compares you against competitors across multiple dimensions:
- Visibility score
- Appearance rate
- Average position
- Citation count
- Topic coverage
This makes it easy to spot where you lead or lag.
Analyzing Individual Competitors
Click a Competitor Card
Opening a competitor card reveals:
- Detailed metrics - Full breakdown of their performance
- Shared prompts - Prompts where both of you appear
- Their exclusive prompts - Where they appear but you don't
- Citation sources - Where they're being cited
Identifying Opportunities
Focus on prompts where:
| Situation | Opportunity |
|---|---|
| Competitor appears, you don't | High priority - close the gap |
| Both appear, competitor ranks higher | Medium priority - improve position |
| You appear, competitor doesn't | Defend and strengthen |
| Neither appears | Lower priority (unless strategic) |
Competitive Gap Analysis
The Gap Report
From competitor analysis, identify your visibility gaps:
- Topic gaps - Categories where competitors dominate
- Prompt gaps - Specific questions where you're absent
- Source gaps - Citation sources you're missing from
- Position gaps - Prompts where you're outranked
Prioritizing Gaps
Not all gaps are equal. Prioritize based on:
- Business impact - Would visibility here drive revenue?
- Achievability - Can you realistically close this gap?
- Competition level - How dominant is the competitor?
- Resource required - What would it take to win?
Understanding Competitor Strategies
What Makes Them Visible?
Analyze why competitors appear by examining:
Their citation sources:
- What review sites feature them?
- Which publications mention them?
- What content do they have that gets cited?
Their content strategy:
- What topics do they cover extensively?
- What content formats perform well?
- How comprehensive is their coverage?
Their brand positioning:
- How do AI platforms describe them?
- What unique value do they emphasize?
- How differentiated is their positioning?
Learning from Leaders
The top competitor in your space likely:
- Has comprehensive content covering key topics
- Is featured on major review and comparison sites
- Has clear, differentiated brand positioning
- Gets mentioned in industry publications
Study what they've done right, then adapt for your brand.
Generating Competitive Insights
From Citation Details Modal
- Open Citation Details from your report
- Select a competitor tab
- Review their citation sources
- Note sources where they appear but you don't
Generate Recommendations
Click "Get On-Page Optimisation Plan" to analyze a competitor and receive:
- Content gaps to address
- Topics to create content about
- Specific recommendations for improvement
These appear in your Content Plan.
Competitive Benchmarking
Setting Benchmarks
Use competitor data to set targets:
| Metric | Your Current | Top Competitor | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility Score | 35 | 72 | 50 (6 months) |
| Appearance Rate | 28% | 65% | 45% (6 months) |
| Avg Position | 4.2 | 2.1 | 3.0 (6 months) |
Realistic Expectations
Closing competitive gaps takes time:
- Minor gaps: 1-3 months
- Moderate gaps: 3-6 months
- Major gaps: 6-12+ months
Consistent effort compounds over time.
Tracking Competitive Changes
Monitor Over Time
Regularly check:
- Are competitors gaining or losing visibility?
- Have new competitors emerged?
- Are any competitors investing heavily in AI visibility?
React to Changes
When a competitor's visibility spikes:
- Investigate what they did
- Check for new content or PR
- Look for new citation sources
- Decide if you need to respond
Stay Ahead
Don't just react - be proactive:
- Create content before competitors
- Secure placement on key sources first
- Build relationships with industry publications
Multi-Competitor Strategy
Tracking Multiple Competitors
You can track several competitors simultaneously. Consider tracking:
- Direct competitors - Same product/service
- Indirect competitors - Alternative solutions
- Aspirational competitors - Market leaders to learn from
- Emerging competitors - New entrants to watch
Segment Your Analysis
Different competitors may require different strategies:
| Competitor Type | Strategy |
|---|---|
| Market leader | Learn from, target specific gaps |
| Direct rival | Compete head-to-head |
| Niche player | Differentiate, don't compete |
| New entrant | Monitor, defend your position |
Taking Action
After competitor analysis:
- Document key gaps - Create a prioritized list
- Assign owners - Who will address each gap?
- Set timelines - When will you take action?
- Track progress - Monitor gap closure over time