Now that you’ve gotten a good start on your competitive research and (hopefully!) identified your top competitors, it’s time to validate those assumptions… again. There’s a very good chance you’re right, but there’s also a chance you might be missing some upstart competitors or ones just outside your sphere of knowledge.
Step 1: Google Search
It may sound overly simplistic, but we’re going to get started with a good old Google search. Punch in keywords associated with your pain points, product features, and solutions, and keep an eye on who is advertising in those search results.
- If you see a pattern – great! – you can start to improve the confidence of your competitor identification.
- If no pattern emerges, start refining your searches or chase down a couple of synonyms that may resonate better with your target audience.
Step 2: Ubersuggest
Now that you’ve got a refined list of companies and products to investigate, it’s time to get a better sense of which keywords have the stiffest competition and how highly your competitors rank in terms of traffic.
Leverage Neil Patel’s suite of tools—specifically, the Ubersuggest tool—to dive into:
- Keywords your competitors are ranking for
- How much those keywords cost
- The difficulty of ranking through paid and organic search
Focus on cost per click (CPC) and SEO difficulty, as these are key indicators of competitive positioning. You don’t need to dive into every data point—just focusing on these will get you 80% of the way there.
Explore Neil Patel’s toolkit here
Step 3: Facebook Ads
Want a sneak peek at what competitors are actively promoting? Use the Meta Ad Library to view all ads from any category currently running on Facebook and Instagram.
- Older ads can offer insights into what’s working, while recent ads provide a pulse on market changes.
- Some industries may have only a few (or none) at any given time, but it’s worth checking to uncover hidden opportunities or creative approaches.
Step 4: Google Ads Transparency
Google Ads Transparency gives you a clear view of which ads your competitors are running through the Google ad network. Use it to:
- Identify active campaigns
- See ad formats and messaging
- Look for trends and inspiration to differentiate your own approach
Explore Google Ads Transparency
Optional: SimilarWeb / SEMrush
If you want to dig deeper into your competitors’ web traffic, audience behavior, and broader marketing strategies—and you’re okay with using paid tools—SimilarWeb and SEMrush offer robust insights:
- SimilarWeb shows the primary marketing channels competitors use (direct, social, email, etc.) and provides a broader audience profile. However, it’s only available for sites with over 5,000 users/month.
- SEMrush offers even more detailed insights into keyword performance, backlinks, and paid search strategies.
These tools are powerful, but they aren’t essential for this stage of research. If you have the budget, they can give you a deeper competitive edge. If not, focus on the free tools mentioned above—they’ll still get you far.
Explore SimilarWeb
Explore SEMrush
🎯 Final Tips
- Create a scratch file (e.g., in Figma, Notion, or even a folder of screenshots) to collect competitor ads, messaging, and language.
- Categorize your findings by content type, imagery, pain points, or features to reference when creating your own marketing assets.
- Keep checking back—your competitors won’t stand still, and neither should you!
