What to look for when doing competitor research

Want to know what to look for when researching your competitors?

You want to find the attributes they use to sell their agency services.

Attributes are all the things your vertical client might want in an agency. You can also think of attributes as the features and capabilities of an ideal agency for your buyer.

Here are some attributes I pulled from a few agency websites:

• "We're with you every step of the way." [attribute = partnership]

• "Clients see an average of 250% increase in new patient leads" [attribute = performance]

• "Get a distinguishing brand." [attribute = design-focused]

• "Excellent customer service." [attribute = service first]

• "Medical industry specialists." [attribute = specialists]

• "Comprehensive marketing plans." [attribute = one-stop-shop]

Here's the thing...

You want to understand which attributes your competitors are using to position their agency so you can tell a different story.

CQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What are "attributes" in the context of competitive research?

The specific things a vertical buyer might want in an agency, essentially the features and capabilities that get emphasized in an agency's positioning, like partnership, performance, or specialization.

How do phrases on a competitor's website translate into attributes?

A phrase like "we're with you every step of the way" reveals a partnership attribute, while "clients see an average of 250% increase in leads" reveals a performance attribute. Each phrase maps to what the agency is emphasizing as its selling point.

Why does it matter which attributes competitors are already using?

Because it reveals what's already been claimed in the market. Understanding that landscape makes it possible to tell a genuinely different story instead of accidentally repeating the same positioning as everyone else.

What's the actual goal of studying competitor attributes?

Not to copy them, but to understand the existing landscape well enough to differentiate from it. Seeing what's already being claimed is what makes it possible to stand out with something distinct.

How would this research actually change an agency's own messaging?

By revealing overused attributes to avoid repeating, and potentially underused ones worth claiming instead. That awareness shapes messaging to differentiate rather than blend into an already crowded set of similar claims.