Think Backwards To Make The Most Of Competitive Analysis
I’ve been involved in a few new-website projects that have begun with a ‘benchmarking’ exercise. These often consist of a big spreadsheet with a list of competitors across the top & a list of ’site features’ down the side. The idea is usually to then take *all* of those features & stuff them into the new website.
Here’s what’s wrong with that…
- You end up with a mish-mash of disjointed tactics that don’t add up to a cohesive experience
- You end up with a site that’s more about what 50 people wanted to show to their customers, rather than a site that’s about what your customers would actually want
- It’s just not strategic in the slightest - it is not focussed on what /you/ need to achieve
The Alternative
Competitive analysis is a very useful exercise, but you should always follow two rules:
- Remember Your Objectives. Have a firm strategy set out first & focus on what you want to achieve. Toss out features that don’t fit in with this.
- Remember Your Customers. Think about your site (& your competitors sites) from your customer’s point of view. What would add value to your visitors? What have your competitors missed? How could your competitors’ features be improved to better meet customer needs & push you closer to your objectives?
