SM

Competitive research is an area that’s either completely overlooked by a brand, or taken to an extreme level while missing the basic goals that need to be reached. Because competitive research becomes a cornerstone for strategy development, it’s important to research from inside the trees, and outside of the forest.

 

Overall, brands need to:

Identify what others are already doing in the space, and how successful they are. Identify areas of opportunity and weaknesses within their specific vertical. Identify what tactics a competitor is using to gain a competitive advantage.

 

What We’re Doing

 

We approach competitive research with these fundamental questions:

What is their link building strategy? How are they leveraging social media? Identify areas of weakness or opportunity in their strategy (notice whether they’re focusing strictly on their brand, or expanding into other social areas for maximum reach). How all these facets work together: focus on their overall “marketing strategy” rather than segregating them into “search” and “social.” Continuing the stalking with tips and tools. Read more: http://www.blueglass.com/blog/a-stalkers-guide-to-competitive-research/
Via Martin Gysler