What are some methods for analysing and evaluating competitors in one's niche?

Start by identifying direct, indirect, and emerging competitors so you know who to compare. The goal is to find gaps, threats, and opportunities — not just copy.

Useful methods (what they are and why they matter):

• Product/service analysis: compare features, quality, pricing, and USP to spot differentiation or weaknesses.
• SWOT: simple framework to synthesize each competitor’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Customer feedback and sentiment: reviews, support tickets, and social mentions reveal real pain points and loyalty drivers.
• Pricing and packaging audit: reveals positioning and margin opportunities.
• Digital footprint audit: analyze SEO keywords, organic traffic, backlinks, paid ads, and content strategy to gauge acquisition effectiveness.
• Social and engagement metrics: follower growth, engagement rates, and community sentiment show brand health.
• Financials and market share (if available): revenue trends and funding indicate scale and runway.
• Mystery shopping and win/loss interviews: practical insights into sales process and reasons customers choose or leave.

Pick 2–3 methods initially to avoid overload and iterate based on findings.

Which specific niche or competitor set are you looking to analyze?