Competitor Research Template: What to Include, How to Use It, and Example

Competitor Research Template: What to Include, How to Use It, and Example

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Use this guide to standardize how you capture, compare, and synthesize competitive intelligence. It provides a structured template, scoring methods, and practical workflows so your team can move from raw observations to confident decisions. Apply it as an ongoing operating system—not a one-off exercise.

A strong competitor research template builds discipline into your analysis. It standardizes what you capture, speeds up synthesis, and reduces blind spots. Used well, it becomes a living system you can revisit quarterly to steer product, marketing, and sales.

Why a competitor research template matters

• Consistent data: Standard fields make cross-competitor and longitudinal comparisons easy.
• Faster insights: You don’t re-invent your research plan each time; you populate and analyze.
• Fewer blind spots: A checklist approach reduces “we forgot to look at X” moments.
• Decision traceability: You can tie strategy shifts to evidence, not anecdotes.
• Onboarding: New teammates can ramp faster by reviewing prior entries and norms.

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Scope your analysis: goals, competitors, segments

Before filling the template, scope the effort. This avoids rabbit holes.

• Define goals
• Product: Identify feature gaps, technical differentiators, and roadmap risks.
• Marketing: Map positioning, messaging, channels, and content plays.
• Sales: Build rebuttals and talk tracks for common objections and traps.
• Classify competitors
• Direct: Solve the same job for the same ICP with overlapping use cases.
• Indirect: Adjacent category tools customers substitute or “bundle” to solve the job.
• Emerging: Early-stage players with traction or new capabilities that could leapfrog.
• Segment the market
• ICP attributes: Company size, industry, region, buying center, maturity.
• Use cases: Primary jobs, workflows, and outcomes customers prioritize.
• Price bands: Self-serve vs. transactional vs. enterprise.

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Core template sections

Your template should have modular sections that reflect the full go-to-market picture.

• Company snapshot
• Name, URL, HQ, year founded, funding stage, headcount, geography footprint.
• Signals: Hiring velocity, leadership moves, press releases.
• ICP and segments
• Target verticals, firmographic and technographic filters, buyer roles.
• Primary use cases; tier-1 vs. tier-2 segments and penetration assumptions.
• Positioning and value proposition
• Category language, competitive frame, benefit hierarchy, elevator pitch.
• Proof: Case studies, quantified outcomes, customer logos.
• Product overview
• Modules, key workflows, unique features, integrations, implementation model.
• UX patterns, mobile vs. desktop parity, extensibility.
• Pricing and packaging
• Plans, metering units, overages, discounts, enterprise custom terms.
• Free trial/freemium mechanics, paywalls, upgrade nudges.
• GTM channels
• SEO, content, paid media, social, partnerships, events, community.
• KPIs and tools per channel (see below).
• Messaging and brand
• Tone, claims, social proof, differentiation cues, design patterns.
• Customer voice
• Reviews, forums, NPS comments, sales call notes.
• Jobs-to-be-Done, triggers, alternatives, friction points.
• Technical signals
• Roadmap hints, API depth, security certifications, performance claims.
• Data moats, network effects, defensibility.

A skeleton you can copy:

competitor:
  name:
  url:
  last_updated: YYYY-MM-DD
  snapshot:
    founded:
    funding:
    hq:
    headcount_estimate:
    notes:
  icp_segments:
    primary_icp: [industry, size, region, buyer_role]
    secondary_segments: []
    use_cases: []
  positioning:
    category:
    one_liner:
    key_benefits: []
    proof_points: []
  product:
    modules: []
    integrations: []
    ux_highlights: []
    implementation: [self-serve | assisted | enterprise]
  pricing:
    plans:
      - name:
        price_metric:
        monthly_price:
        annual_price:
        inclusions: []
        overages:
  gtm_channels:
    seo: { est_traffic: , top_keywords: [], tools: [] }
    content: { cadence: , pillars: [], formats: [] }
    paid: { platforms: [], est_spend_range: , sample_ads: [] }
    social: { channels: [], cadence: , engagement_rate:  }
    partnerships: { types: [], marketplaces: [], tech_alliances: [] }
  messaging_brand:
    tone:
    claims: []
    differentiation: []
    social_proof: []
    landing_page_heuristics: []
  customer_voice:
    sources: [G2, Capterra, Reddit, YouTube, calls]
    jtbd: []
    triggers: []
    alternatives: []
    friction_points: []
  technical_signals:
    api: { coverage: , docs_quality: , rate_limits: }
    security: { soc2: , iso27001: , gdpr: , hipaa: }
    performance: { slas: , status_page:  }
    roadmap_clues: []
    moats: []
  swot:
    strengths: []
    weaknesses: []
    opportunities: []
    threats: []
  summary_insights:
    key_takeaways: []
    counter_moves: []
    priority_actions: []

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Feature and pricing matrix: structure, weighting, scoring

Comparison tables are useful only if you score consistently. Define criteria, weights, and scoring rules in advance.

• Criteria definition
• Select 8–15 criteria that map to top jobs and decision drivers.
• Include “table stakes” items explicitly to avoid hand-waving.
• Weights
• Assign 0–5 importance weight per criterion based on your ICP’s priorities.
• Revisit weights by segment if you sell to multiple ICPs.
• Scoring scale
• Use a 0–5 or 0–10 scale with clear anchors (e.g., 0 = absent, 3 = adequate, 5 = best-in-class).
• Normalize to a 0–100 index if you need an executive summary.

Example feature matrix (sample numbers):

Scoring method (replicate in Sheets or code):

weighted_score = (raw_score / max_score) * weight
total_score = sum(weighted_score for all criteria)
gap_vs_competitor = (our_raw - competitor_raw) * weight

Pricing comparison table (simplified):

Tips for objectivity:

• Define evidence types accepted per score (docs link, UI screenshot, API reference).
• Time-stamp entries; products change.
• Review scores with cross-functional stakeholders to remove bias.

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Go-to-market channel analysis: KPIs and tools

Capture channel-level strategies, assets, and performance proxies. You won’t always have first-party data, but directional metrics help.

• SEO
• KPIs: Estimated organic traffic, share of voice for target keywords, backlink growth, top-ranking pages.
• Tools: Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz, Sistrix, Google SERP scrapes.
• Content
• KPIs: Publishing cadence, content pillars, asset mix (blog, guides, webinars), gated vs. ungated ratio.
• Tools: RSS watchers, sitemap diffs, BuzzSumo, Feedly.
• Paid ads
• KPIs: Channels in use, ad frequency/variations, landing pages, offer types.
• Tools: Facebook Ad Library, Google Ads Transparency, Similarweb, Moat.
• Social
• KPIs: Posting cadence, engagement rate per post, follower growth, UGC volume.
• Tools: Native analytics (public), SocialBlade, PhantomBuster scrapes.
• Partnerships
• KPIs: Marketplace listings, co-marketing announcements, integration depth, reseller footprint.
• Tools: App marketplaces, PartnerBase, Crunchbase, press monitoring.
• Brand/PR
• KPIs: Share of voice, sentiment, earned media hits, awards.
• Tools: Meltwater, Muck Rack, Google News alerts.

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Messaging and brand audit

Evaluate how competitors show up—what they say, how they say it, and what prospects remember.

• Tone: Technical vs. business-friendly, playful vs. authoritative.
• Claims: Outcome-oriented (“reduce churn by 20%”) vs. feature-led.
• Social proof: Logos, case studies, testimonials, analyst badges.
• Differentiation cues: Category creation moves, metaphors, design motifs, contrast colors.
• Landing page heuristics
• Above-the-fold: Clear audience, promise, primary CTA.
• Clarity: Jargon reduction, benefit-first headlines, scannable sections.
• Risk reversal: Trials, guarantees, compliance badges.
• Friction: Ambiguous pricing, too many CTAs, weak information scent.

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Customer voice mining: JTBD and friction points

Extract the raw language buyers use and map it to needs.

• Sources: G2, Capterra, Reddit subs, Hacker News, YouTube demos, sales calls.
• Patterns to extract
• Jobs-to-be-Done: Desired outcomes and progress.
• Triggers: Events that start the buying journey (audit, new leader, cost pressure).
• Alternatives: “We used spreadsheets + Zapier before.”
• Frictions: “Setup took 3 weeks,” “Support is slow,” “Missing SOC 2.”

A simple annotation format:

reviews_sample:
  - quote: "Implementation was easy, but reporting lacks flexibility."
    tags: [implementation:ease, analytics:limitation]
    sentiment: mixed
    job: "Get real-time visibility into X"
    friction: "Rigid reporting"
  - quote: "Switched from Competitor A due to transparent pricing."
    tags: [pricing:clarity, switching:from_A]
    sentiment: positive
    trigger: "Budget review"

Use frequency counts to prioritize what to act on.

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Product and technical signals

• Roadmap clues: Changelog cadence, “coming soon” banners, public roadmaps, hiring for specific skills.
• Integrations: Breadth (number), depth (read/write, webhooks), marketplace reviews.
• UX patterns: Onboarding flow, in-product guidance, accessibility, performance.
• Security/compliance: SOC 2/ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, data residency, pen test disclosures.
• Moats
• Data advantage: Proprietary datasets or feedback loops improving models.
• Network effects: More users → more value (marketplaces, benchmarks).
• Switching costs: Embedded workflows, deep integrations, customizations.

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Synthesis and strategy: from facts to action

Turn research into strategy choices.

• SWOT
• Strengths: Where they outshine.
• Weaknesses: Documented gaps and frictions.
• Opportunities: Unserved segments, unmet jobs, pricing whitespace.
• Threats: Capitalized entrants, platform risk, regulatory shifts.
• Opportunity gaps
• Look for high-weight criteria where you already have an edge.
• Identify chronic friction points you can solve uniquely.
• Counter-moves
• Positioning reframes to neutralize competitor strengths.
• Bundles or pricing tweaks to box them into a corner.
• Feature bets that leverage your moats, not theirs.
• Prioritization frameworks
• RICE (Reach, Impact, Confidence, Effort).
• ICE (Impact, Confidence, Ease) for speed.
• MoSCoW (Must/Should/Could/Won’t) for stakeholder alignment.

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How to fill and maintain the template

Step-by-step workflow:

1. Define scope and weights with stakeholders (product, marketing, sales).
2. Create a new dated copy of the template per competitor.
3. Gather desk research: website, docs, pricing, changelog, roadmaps.
4. Collect channel data with tools (SEO, ads, social, content).
5. Mine reviews and forums; tag JTBD and frictions.
6. Validate with sales: add field intel from calls and lost deals.
7. Score features and pricing; attach evidence (links, screenshots).
8. Run a synthesis session; produce summary insights and counter-moves.
9. Publish to a shared workspace; tag owners for follow-ups.
10. Set reminders for updates and archive snapshots quarterly.

Research cadence:

• Light scan: Monthly (changelogs, pricing, big launches).
• Deep dive: Quarterly (full template refresh).
• Triggered updates: On major announcements, funding, or UI overhaul.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Confirmation bias: Only seeking data that proves your thesis.
• Recency bias: Over-weighting the last announcement.
• Apples-to-oranges: Comparing different segments or plan tiers.
• Vanity metrics: Followers ≠ pipeline; focus on conversion signals.
• Static snapshots: Not date-stamping or archiving changes.
• Overreacting: Chasing every feature; protect your roadmap thesis.

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Worked mini-example: hypothetical SaaS row

Assume you sell a workflow automation SaaS for mid-market operations teams. Below is a mini-example to illustrate scoring and insights for “Competitor A.”

Competitor snapshot (excerpt):

name: FlowForge
url: https://flowforge.example
last_updated: 2025-09-01
positioning:
  category: "Workflow Automation Platform"
  one_liner: "Automate cross-team approvals with enterprise-grade governance."
  key_benefits: ["SOX-ready audit trails", "Point-and-click builders", "Global SSO"]
product:
  modules: ["Approvals", "Forms", "Integrations Hub", "Reporting"]
  integrations: ["Slack", "Okta", "SAP", "Salesforce"]
pricing:
  plans:
    - name: Pro
      price_metric: "User"
      monthly_price: 49
      inclusions: ["Unlimited workflows", "Basic reporting", "API"]
    - name: Enterprise
      price_metric: "Contract"
      monthly_price: null
      inclusions: ["SSO/SAML", "SCIM", "Advanced audit", "SLA"]
technical_signals:
  security: { soc2: "Type II", iso27001: true, gdpr: true }
  roadmap_clues: ["Hiring: GraphQL API lead", "Changelog: new SAP connector"]

Feature scoring (single criterion example):

How to interpret:

• Insight: They over-index on governance (SOC 2 Type II, advanced audit), appealing to finance/regulated buyers.
• Counter-move: Reframe as “compliance-grade for all tiers” by shipping exportable logs in Pro and positioning “fastest time-to-compliance” with templates.
• Prioritization: RICE indicates high Impact for mid-market finance segment; moderate Effort (reuse existing logging pipeline); high Confidence (clear demand in reviews).

A quick talk track for sales:

When governance comes up:
- Acknowledge: "FlowForge has strong audit features for enterprises."
- Reframe: "If you’re mid-market, you can get the same audit coverage without the enterprise uplift."
- Proof: "We include exportable, tamper-evident logs in Pro, with SOC 2-aligned controls out of the box."
- Next step: "Let’s review your audit requirements and map them to our controls."

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Final tips

• Make evidence the currency: No score without a source link or artifact.
• Separate facts from interpretations in your template.
• Align on weights with your ICP in mind; update them as your strategy evolves.
• Treat the template as a product: version it, assign owners, and iterate.

Use this competitor research template as your operating system, not a one-off deliverable. The value compounds each cycle—your insights get sharper, and your moves get faster.

Summary

This formatted template equips you to capture comparable data, score features objectively, and turn findings into concrete GTM and product actions. Keep it current with a clear cadence, attach evidence to every claim, and align weights with your ICP. Over time, disciplined updates will sharpen your strategy and accelerate informed decision-making.