They say one sure way to thrive in business is by staying ahead of your competitors. However, how do you stay ahead of your competitors if you don’t know what they are doing?
Competitor analysis in digital marketing is the key to the success of your business. While comparing your website’s performance to that of your competitors may seem like an unimportant task, it is the most critical task in digital marketing.
Luckily, the online world presents a comprehensive source of information. Therefore, if you look deeper, you will find access to the information you need, helping you stay ahead in your business.
Importance of competitor analysis in a digital marketing environment
As an entrepreneur, it is your role to always look for viable growth opportunities as you keep an eye on your competitors.
A digital marketing environment is competitive, and the only way to stay ahead and make data-driven decisions is by doing a complete competitor analysis.
- To find a gap in the market
The main aim of conducting a competitor analysis is to know your competitor’s strengths and weaknesses compared to your own. Thus, you will find a gap in the market that you can take advantage of.
- Adjust your business strategies
Besides, a competitor analysis helps you enhance your business strategies and outdo your competitors. It gives you a complete advantage over your competitors.
When you understand the primary goal of your competitors, you will understand the strategies they have employed. Thus, you can match these strategies or come up with better ones.
- Find a unique stand
By analyzing your competitors, you learn how you can distinguish your products or services and remain unique in the market. For example, by analyzing their activity, you understand your target audience better and are better positioned to deliver their needs.
Examples of how to execute good competitor analysis
A proxy server changes your current IP address. Thus, when going through your competitor’s website, they will receive a different IP address from the one you are using.
Scraping data off your competitor’s site is sometimes considered malicious and may result in you being blocked out. That is where a proxy comes in. They help you safeguard your scraping activity by masking your identity and making sure you don’t get caught.
Why you need proxies for competitor analysis
If you do competitor research with a single IP address, it can get blocked. However, thanks to technology, you can now conduct competitor analysis all over the world. Such proxy services, as Australian proxy, can do a great job helping you gather competitor data outside your country.
Proxies hide or mask your IP. Thus, you can monitor the SERPs of your competitors without the worry of getting blocked out.
Process of conducting anonymous competitive analysis
- Identify your competitors
Who is your competitor? Focus on competitors you have an active competition with. If you are not sure about your main competitors, Google is a great place to start. Enter the keyword for the product or service you are selling and get a list of your close competitors.
- Get a proxy
Once you know your competitors, you must get a proxy before beginning your market research. Proxies help block out bots and prevent your online identity from being recognized. Thus, you can anonymously go through your competitor’s website.
Analyze competitor websites
With a proxy, you can now start the analysis process. Get to your competitor’s website and understand the content they publish and how frequently they do.
Check the market trends and aim to find an activity your competitor is engaging in that you are not. Find all the relevant data and information you require from their website.
- Social media
A company’s presence on social media is becoming a good marketing technique. Social media is currently a good way for a company to interact with its customers. Determine how other companies are offering the same services as you are using social media.
- Engage in SEO activities
Your competitors are competing for the same content and keywords. Therefore, your best chance of staying ahead indulges in SEO activities such as using the right keywords, including alt tags and images.
- Update your strategies
After effectively conducting a competitive analysis, you have obtained all the necessary information. It is time to update your strategy to attract more customers and prospective customers.
Conclusion
Web scraping to conduct market research is a critical tool for digital marketing. However, seeking to collect a lot of data from a competitor’s website comes with numerous challenges, such as getting locked out from the site.
Proxies are useful when it comes to competitive analysis. They mask your IP address, making web scraping easy. For example, using a proxy makes it easy to collect data necessary to upgrade your marketing strategies.
