*Thisarticle is based on a YouTube video by Sophie Hundertmark, an expert in the use of artificial intelligence with a focus on chatbots and strategic AI applications in companies and public institutions. Sophie is a researcher and lecturer at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and is doing her doctorate in Conversational AI at the University of Fribourg. The blog text was created using a custom GPT model that was trained on Sophie’s video content, language style and expertise. The result is well-founded, up-to-date articles based on Sophie Hundertmark‘s own expertise.
You can find the link to the video at the end of this article.
A competitive analysis is much more than a superficial comparison with other companies. Especially when it comes to content, visibility, and positioning, it’s worth taking a closer look: When are your competitors mentioned? When is your own brand mentioned? And what topics are your competitors already successfully covering that you haven’t addressed much—if at all—so far?
A detailed competitive analysis will help you highlight exactly these differences. The point is not simply to copy successful competitors. Instead, you can identify which approaches work, where there is still room for improvement, and in which areas you can consciously position yourselves differently.
Moving from a broad analysis to a more in-depth one
An initial competitive analysis provides an overview: Where do you currently stand compared to the competition? Which companies are particularly visible, and which topics play an important role?
In the next step, you should delve deeper into the content. It is only there that differences become apparent, from which specific measures can be derived.
Some interesting questions, for example, are:
- In which topics is your competitor mentioned, and in which is your brand mentioned?
- What content or topics are competitors already covering successfully?
- What relevant topics have you been missing so far?
- What strengths do you see in your competitors?
- Where are there opportunities to consciously set yourselves apart from the competition?
As a result, competitive analysis evolves from a simple assessment of the current landscape into a tool for your own content and positioning strategy.
Identify content gaps between you and your competitors
So-called “content gaps” are particularly interesting. This refers to topics, questions, or content that a competitor has already addressed, but which are still missing from your own content.
For example, if a competitor regularly appears in search results for certain queries and your brand hardly ever shows up there, that could be a sign of a significant gap. You can then determine whether this topic is relevant to your target audience and your positioning.
It’s important to note that not every gap needs to be closed automatically. The key factor is whether the topic in question actually aligns with your goals, your expertise, and your target audience.
Learning from the Strengths of the Competition
A good competitive analysis doesn’t just focus on what other companies are doing wrong. Equally important is the question: What does the competitor do particularly well?
Perhaps certain topics are explained in a way that’s very easy to understand. Perhaps the content will address issues that are particularly relevant to the target audience. Or a competitor manages to position itself particularly clearly on certain topics.
You can use these insights as inspiration. The point is not to copy the content word for word. Instead, you can analyze the principles behind successful content and figure out how to apply them to your own strategy.
Deliberate Distinction Instead of Copying
A competitive analysis can also show you where you can deliberately take a different approach.
For example, if several competitors are focusing heavily on the same topic, you don’t necessarily have to focus on exactly the same topic as well. Instead, you can consider which relevant topic area has been less explored so far and better aligns with your own positioning.
This is exactly where competitive analysis becomes particularly valuable from a strategic perspective: Not only do you see what others are doing, but you can also use that insight to determine what you want to do differently.
This may mean prioritizing other topics, targeting a more specific audience, or looking at existing issues from a new perspective.
Competitive Analysis as the Foundation for Your Own Content Strategy
A detailed competitive analysis will therefore provide you with important insights for your future content strategy. It shows you where you currently stand, which topics are already heavily dominated by competitors, and where there are still opportunities for your own positioning.
The key point is not to view these findings in isolation. Instead, use it as a basis for making specific decisions: What content gaps do you want to fill? What can you learn from your competitors’ strengths? And in what areas do you want to consciously set yourselves apart?
This is how observing your competitors can lead to a concrete strategy for your own content.
Conclusion: Understand the competition and build on your own strengths
A competitive analysis should not stop at a rough comparison. It becomes particularly valuable when you delve deeper into the content and examine when competitors are mentioned, which topics they successfully cover, and where there are differences compared to your own visibility.
The point isn’t to copy the competition. Instead, you can use successful approaches as inspiration, identify relevant content gaps, and at the same time find areas where you can consciously set yourself apart.
This is how competitive analysis helps you avoid simply doing the same thing as your competitors and instead strategically develop your own positioning. The more information you ask ChatGPT to extract, the more helpful the result will be.
Any further questions?
Do you have any questions? I am happy to support you, act as a sparring partner and answer your questions. I am always happy to receive your messages, preferably by WhatsApp message or e-mail.
