Competitors: What’s Working Online for Them?

How to Discover What’s Working for Your Competitors — And Use It to Your Advantage

In today’s competitive business environment, smart business owners don’t just focus on what they are doing — they also pay close attention to what their competitors are doing. Understanding what’s working for similar businesses in your niche or local area can reveal opportunities, inspire new strategies, and even help you avoid costly missteps.

—Gain a competitive edge by understanding what works for your competitors online. Transform insights into actionable business strategies.

—Unlock the secrets of your competitors' online strategies. Learn how to leverage their successes for your own business growth.

—Discover effective strategies by analyzing competitors’ successes online. Elevate your business with insights from industry leaders.

So, how can you “spy” on your competition without stepping over ethical boundaries? Fortunately, a lot of the information you need is publicly available — if you know where to look.

Here are practical steps to find out what’s working for your competition — both online and offline — so you can make more informed decisions for your own business.

1. Start With Their Website

A competitor’s website can tell you a lot. Look for:

      • Design and branding: What kind of impression does their site create? Is it clean and professional? Is it mobile-friendly?
      • Content strategy: Do they have a blog? If so, how often do they post and what topics do they cover?
      • Calls to action (CTAs): How are they encouraging visitors to take the next step — schedule a consultation, buy a product, or join a mailing list?
      • Search engine optimization (SEO): Use tools like Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, or Semrush to explore what keywords their website ranks for, how much traffic they get, and what pages are performing best.

Action tip: Ask yourself, “What is this competitor doing that I’m not — and why might it be working for them?”

2. Sign Up for Their Emails and Follow Their Socials

Most businesses are actively marketing through email newsletters and social media. By subscribing to your competitors’ communications, you can see:

      • The type of content they share
      • How often they post or email
      • What promotions they run
      • How much engagement (likes, shares, comments) they receive

Pro tip: Don’t just follow them from your business account — create a neutral or personal account so your research stays low-key.

3. Check Their Google Business Profile and Reviews

If your competitors serve a local area, their Google Business Profile is a goldmine of public information:

      • Operating hours, services, and location details
      • Customer reviews and responses
      • Photos of their storefront, products, or team
      • How often they post updates to their profile

Look especially closely at their customer reviews. What are people praising? What are they complaining about? This can help you sharpen your own customer service or find messaging opportunities — like highlighting speed, friendliness, or expertise.

4. Explore Their Advertising Strategy

Online ads are often visible if you know where to look. Here’s how to uncover them:

      • Facebook Ad Library: Visit Facebook Ad Library and search any business page to see their active Facebook and Instagram ads.
      • Google search ads: Google some of the keywords you’d like to rank for and see who is buying ad space at the top.
      • Display ads: Visit your competitor’s site, then note what ads follow you around the internet — this is a clue they are using retargeting.

Tools like Semrush and SpyFu can even show you which keywords your competitors are targeting in their paid search campaigns.

5. Look at Offline Marketing, Too

While digital marketing dominates today’s landscape, offline efforts still matter. Pay attention to:

      • Print ads in local newspapers or magazines
      • Radio spots or sponsorships
      • Signage, flyers, and trade show participation
      • Business cards or brochures you might find at local shops

If your competitor is investing in offline marketing, they’re probably seeing a return — and you might want to explore similar channels.

6. Talk to Your Customers

One of the most powerful insights comes directly from your own customers and leads. Ask:

      • “Before you chose us, who else did you consider?”
      • “What stood out about our offering?”
      • “Was there anything another business offered that you found interesting?”

This feedback can highlight competitor strengths and weaknesses you may not find online — and help you sharpen your own value proposition.

Final Thoughts

Competitor research isn’t about copying others. It’s about gathering information, analyzing what’s working, and adapting the best ideas to fit your business — better.

As a website designer who works closely with small business owners, I often help clients use these insights to strengthen their online presence and refine their messaging. If you’re ready to get strategic with your website and marketing, I’d be happy to help.

Let’s put your business in a position to lead, not follow.

Let me know if you’d like a downloadable .html file or a Divi Builder-compatible module block (like a JSON export).
You said:
How can a business owner discover how each of their competitors' marketing efforts is working for them?
ChatGPT said:
Great question. Knowing what your competitors are doing is just the first step — the real insight comes from discovering how well it's working for them. While competitors won’t hand you their marketing reports, there are smart, ethical ways to get a strong sense of what’s performing — and what’s not.
Here’s how a business owner can assess the effectiveness of a competitor’s marketing efforts:

1. Analyze Website Traffic Estimates
Use tools like:
• SimilarWeb (similarweb.com)
• Semrush Traffic Analytics
• Ahrefs Site Explorer
• Ubersuggest
These platforms estimate how much traffic a competitor’s website gets, where it comes from (search, social, direct, etc.), and what pages are most visited. If traffic is growing over time, that’s a signal their efforts are paying off.

2. Monitor Search Engine Rankings
Use SEO tools to check:

  • What promotions they run
  • How much engagement they get (likes, shares, comments)

Pro tip: Use a personal or neutral account for research. And keep an eye on their follower growth with tools like Social Blade.

4. Explore Their Ads and Ad Effectiveness

You can view your competitor’s ads — and often get a sense of which are performing best:

  • Facebook Ad Library: See all active Facebook/Instagram ads. Ads that have run a long time are likely delivering results.
  • Google Ads: Search relevant keywords. Which businesses consistently show up at the top?
  • Spy tools: Use SpyFu or Semrush to see estimated ad spend, target keywords, and ad copy.

5. Analyze Google Business Profiles and Reviews

A competitor’s Google Business Profile offers insight into:

  • Customer reviews and ratings
  • Photo updates and posts
  • Service descriptions and hours

Reading reviews tells you what customers love — or what frustrates them. Lots of positive, detailed reviews? That’s a strong signal their brand experience is working.

6. Look at Social Proof and Customer Interaction

Pay attention to testimonials, case studies, and user-generated content. These signals indicate trust and satisfaction — proof that a marketing effort is converting leads into loyal customers.

7. Track Offline Marketing and Local Buzz

Not everything happens online. Watch for:

  • Print or radio ads
  • Event sponsorships or vendor tables
  • Word-of-mouth reputation

If your competitor is advertising heavily in print or shows up at every local event, that visibility may be working — especially if their name is coming up in conversations.

8. Talk to Your Own Customers

Ask your customers questions like:

  • “Who else did you consider before choosing us?”
  • “What did you notice about their website or offers?”
  • “Why did you pick us over them?”

This kind of real-world feedback is gold. It helps you understand your competitive edge — or where you may need to catch up.

9. Look for Business Growth Clues

Indicators that a competitor’s marketing is effective may include:

  • New product launches or services
  • More staff or open positions
  • New locations or expanded hours
  • Mentions in the press or business awards

Growth signals like these often point to successful marketing and a healthy business pipeline.

Final Thoughts

Keeping an eye on your competitors isn’t about copying — it’s about learning. Their successes (and failures) can help you sharpen your strategy, avoid common pitfalls, and identify gaps in your market.

As a website designer who partners with small businesses across Vermont and beyond, I help clients use these insights to build more competitive, effective websites. If you’d like to explore how your online presence can attract and convert more customers, let’s talk.

You don’t have to follow the leader — you can become one.