How to Research Your Competitors Like a Pro (Without Spending a Dime)

Introduction: You Don’t Need an Agency or a Paid Tool

When you're starting out—whether you're building a startup, launching a side project, or working on a college pitch—there’s one thing you must do: competitor research.

Most people assume it requires access to expensive platforms or insider data. But you can get meaningful insights using free tools and a structured process.

This guide explains how to research your competitors like a pro—without spending anything.

Step 1: Identify Your Real Competitors (Not Just Big Brands)

Don’t start with the top industry leaders. Instead, look for businesses in the same market size, customer segment, or product category as you. You’re not competing with Amazon—you’re competing with the local or mid-level brand solving the same problem.

How to do it:

• Google your product or service keywords

• Check who’s advertising or ranking on the first page

• Browse marketplaces or Instagram for smaller players

  
  

Why this matters in how to research your competitors Accurate targeting helps you focus your research on businesses with similar strategies and challenges—not just popular names.

Step 2: Analyse Their Website and Content Strategy

What’s their core message? Do they sell convenience, affordability, luxury, speed? A competitor’s website often reveals how they position themselves—and who they’re targeting.

How to do it:

• Study their homepage headline, CTAs, and product pages

• Note how they describe their benefits, not just features

• Check their blog or resource section for SEO keywords and content frequency

  
  

Pro tip: Use free tools like SimilarWeb (basic version) or Wappalyzer to get traffic estimates and tech stack.

Step 3: Review Their Social Media for Engagement and Tone

Your competitor's Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube tells you what content connects with their audience. Look beyond likes—see what gets saves, shares, and detailed comments.

How to do it:

• Identify their top 3 high-performing posts

• Note post frequency, content type, and caption tone

• Check how they respond to comments or DMs

  
  

Social listening helps in how to research your competitors It reveals what your shared audience is reacting to—and what gaps you can fill.

Step 4: Track Customer Reviews and Public Feedback

Customer reviews (on Google, Amazon, or even Reddit) give you raw, unfiltered insights. You’ll see what customers like, what frustrates them, and what they expected but didn’t get.

How to do it:

• Search “[brand name] reviews”

• Filter by most recent or lowest ratings

• Look for recurring praise or pain points

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Pro tip: Create a “customer pain point” list—this will help shape your messaging or product features.

Step 5: Monitor Pricing, Offers, and USPs

Study how your competitors price their products, run discounts, and bundle services. It helps you find where you can compete—either by offering more value or targeting a slightly different user.

How to do it:

• Compare pricing models (monthly vs. annual, free trial vs. no trial)

• Track what they highlight as differentiators

• Screenshot pages regularly to spot changes

  
  

Build Smarter Strategies at School of Kreate

At School of Kreate, we help new founders and professionals build practical skills that actually work. From market research to content planning, our hands-on sessions and mentorships prepare you to take real action—no fluff, no jargon.

👉 Visit School of Kreate and start your business journey with tools that cost nothing—but give real insight.