It’s not a surprise that nowadays, an increasing number of companies are competing for market share on the web. This not only means that an online presence is becoming essential but also that being different from one’s competitors is crucial.
Of course, when building a website, the last thing you want is for it to be identical to your rivals. To avoid that, people typically look at what the competition is doing beforehand. However, what should you look at and focus on? Here is a list of questions to consider.
What should you analyze on competitors’ websites?
Rule number one, it’s crucial to be as objective as possible. Your competition is probably trying to reach the same target audience as you and has an offer that is relatively similar to yours, but there are still many ways to stand out, so don’t worry. Therefore, you need to set aside your ego or the sense of attachment you have to your brand for the duration of the analysis and focus on the following three points.
Take a piece of paper or your notebook: it’s time to evaluate the competitors’ websites!
1) STRATEGIC ASPECT
What objectives is the competition focusing on?
Identify the elements that are highlighted and which keywords are most commonly used on the competition’s side. Are the goals of your website the same, and what is the main message you want to promote?
Who is the target audience of the competitor’s website?
Analyze if the target audience is the one reached by the competitor. Take the opportunity to think about your own target audience and what is the best way to address them.
Is the user easily guided through the site?
Check if each page of the competitor’s website leads to somewhere.
2) user experience
Is it a visually appealing website?
Take note of what you find visually pleasing and what displeases you about the competitor’s website. Then, identify the initial emotion their website evokes in you.
Are the pages animated?
Highlight the elements you find “fun,” everything that adds value to the user’s navigation (take a stroll on our website, and you should understand).
Do we find what we’re looking for?
Your competitor may have forgotten some information that you consider necessary to include on your site; take note of it. Then, identify the information that you believe is relevant on your competitors’ websites and make sure you have it too. Additionally, consider how they have organized the content.
is the website responsive?
A responsive website is a site that provides a good user experience on all platforms: the phone, tablet, laptop, or a large screen. Test their website on multiple devices.
3) «marketing» aspect
does the website have a good ranking?
At this stage, put yourself in the shoes of a consumer and type into the Google search bar what might come to mind when you’re looking for them. Then, take note of your competitor’s position in the search results and yours if your site already exists.
Does the website link to the company’s social media networks?
First, note which social networks your competitors use, and then look at the content they post and how often.
Is there a blog or accessible documents?
Take note of the resources that the competition provides to customers.
Is the company’s image credible, authentic, and inspiring trust?
Note if, as a whole, the design of the competition’s website is impressive and consistent with their brand identity.
Conclusion
In short, let’s not hide it, having a better website than the competition requires some work, both for the client and the web agency responsible for redesigning the website. We are here to assist you in the website design process, but you now know that by analyzing the websites of competitors, you contribute significantly. It’s a collaborative effort because you are the experts in your field.
