The 8 Best Tools To Track Competitors
Your audience’s attention span is goldfish-like. It seems to last only a few seconds and even less when your competitors are vying for their clicks and views.
In an ideal internet, we’d have no competitors to think about and go about our day sharpening our pens and refining our websites. The usual.
But competitors change the game. Like a slowly growing patch of weeds, it needs your attention before they take over your carefully tended garden.
That’s where competitor analysis tools come in. They are your gloves, your shovel, wheelbarrow and shears–you get the picture.
Competitor tracking software lets you know how you’re performing compared to your competitors and they do that in less time that you would spend doing all the spying yourself.
Essential Tools to Track Competitors: Boost Your Business Strategy
- What Should You Look for in Competitor Analysis Tools?
- The 8 Best Competitor Analysis Tools
- Similarweb - Best for actionable insights
- Panoramata - Best for AI, email, ads, and landing pages
- Ahrefs - Best for SEO
- Semrush - Best all-rounder tool
- SproutSocial - Best for social media
- Buzzsumo - Best for content analysis
- iSpionage - Best for PPC monitoring
- Choosing the Right Competitor Tracking Tools for Your Business Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How do you track your competitors?
- How do you measure competitor activity?
- What Should You Look for in Competitor Analysis Tools?
Competitor analysis tools usually specialize in one thing. There are:
- Social media management tools
- Keyword tools
- AI tools
- SEO tools
- Competitor intelligence tools
And many more.
The right competitor tracking tools is your best friend when you want to stay ahead of the marketing game. With these tools, you can gain valuable insights into your competitors' strategies, identify market opportunities, and make informed decisions to enhance your own strategies.
When looking for the best tool for your needs, consider the following.
- How easy is it to use?
- How comprehensive are its features? Does it give you practical insights?
- Does it help you visualize its findings clearly?
- Does it play well with your other software? Does it have native integrations?
- Does it fit your budget?
- Does it have a good support team should you need further assistance?
The 8 Best Competitor Analysis Tools
Panoramata - Best for AI, email, ads, and landing pages
Panoramata is a treasure trove of information about emails, ads, landing pages, SMS, tech stacks, and more.
You can find every brand under the sun on this platform and view their content in one place. They also have benchmarks for different industries so you can gauge how you stack up against your competitors in aspects like email marketing and advertising.
Given all these functionalities, Panoramata is a great tool for marketing inspiration with tools like shareable inspiration lists that you can use with your team.
Plus, you can track your competitor’s funnel from ads to landing pages so you have a deeper look into their strategy.
If saving time is a concern and you want one tool to do it all, Panoramata is worth a spin.
Similarweb - Best for traffic insights
A competitor analysis tool roundup wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Similarweb. They call themselves the “The all-in-one solution for data-driven marketing planning and competitor analysis”.
On Similarweb, you can monitor your competitor’s biggest traffic sources thanks to its vast collection of data (2TB of data per day).
You can track daily page visits, duration of visit, bounce rate, pages per visit and keyword traffic share. It’s also handy for benchmarking the performance of your competitors and analyzing their strategies.
Ahrefs - Best for SEO
When it comes to SEO competitor analysis, few (or arguably, none) do it better than Ahrefs.
Research what keywords to use, identify content gaps, and check your competitor’s best-performing organic keywords.
You can refine your messaging by learning which pages on your competitor’s website have the most backlinks (and therefore, are performing best).
Because Ahrefs’ features are vast, there are endless use cases for this tool. The cost may be a bit prohibitive but for many, it’s money well spent.
Semrush - Best SEO & Traffic tool
Semrush is one of the most comprehensive competitive analysis tools for digital marketers. It gives you a peek into your competitor’s display ads, backlinks, and paid and organic search strategy.
You can even learn about your competitor’s ad budget and social media stats. It really is a one-stop shop for marketing and competitive analysis with features for social listening and content analysis, as well.
It scores bonus points for its easy integration with Google tools. What’s not to love?
SproutSocial - Best for social media
SproutSocial is often proclaimed as the gold standard for social listening and few would disagree.
It works across multiple platforms and gives data on brand mentions, keywords, share of voice, trends, and audience demographics.
SproutSocial’s AI functionalities can inform your content marketing based on the insights it has on your competitor’s social media performance. If social media is a major component of your business, SproutSocial is worth a look.
Buzzsumo - Best for content analysis
If you really want to hone in on creating better content for your brand, try Buzzsumo.
It takes the guesswork out of making engaging posts because it tells you what content is trending, what’s popular with your target audience, and what your competitors are creating.
You’ll get access to useful data like mentions, new links, notable publications, and writers.
You can even use Buzzsumo to connect with creators and influencers that will be valuable to partner with because it monitors engagement, power sharers, and most shared content across multiple platforms.
iSpionage - Best for PPC monitoring
iSpionage promises to “Steal Your Competitors' Traffic & Uncover Their Conversion Strategy” and they live up to their claims.
Not only can you track your competitor’s SEO and social media activity, you can also have detailed insights on their PPC strategy.
It also monitors ads, backlinks, and keywords across seven search engines so you can get a full picture no matter where your competitor is publishing ads.
You’ll learn what PPC keywords your competitor is targeting and how many keywords they’re targeting (and even their budget for their campaigns). It’s essential if you want to determine the right budget for your ads.
Choosing the Right Competitor Tracking Tools for Your Business Success
In conclusion, the right competitor tracking tools are your best friends when you want to stay ahead of the marketing game.
With these tools, you can gain valuable insights into your competitors' strategies, identify market opportunities, and make informed decisions to enhance your own strategies.
Whether you opt for free or premium tools, the key is to choose ones that align with your specific needs and objectives.
Investing in these tools is not just about tracking competitors; it's about transforming competitive intelligence into action.
We hope this article helped you evaluate which tool is best for your business and can help you navigate the chaotic world of online marketing with more confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you track your competitors?
To track your competitors, use tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, and SimilarWeb to monitor their website traffic, keyword rankings, and backlink profiles.
Additionally, follow their social media accounts, subscribe to their newsletters, and set up Google Alerts for real-time updates on their activities and announcements.
How do you measure competitor activity?
Measure competitor activity by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website traffic, search engine rankings, social media engagement, and content performance.
Utilize analytics tools like Google Analytics and BuzzSumo to gather and compare these metrics, providing a comprehensive view of your competitors' strategies and market position.
