Competitor Research

Competitor research

Run deep competitor analysis across 13 research dimensions for B2B SaaS companies. Produces structured insights with explicit confidence levels, source citations, and actionable data gaps.

Knowledge type: competitor-intel (see .claude/rules/ontology.md) Maturity on first run: emergent → validated after client review

Attribution standard

Inline attribution (simplified):

Use concise inline source references for key data points. Do NOT use the verbose [VERIFIED: url, date] block syntax inline — it clutters the output.

• (Source: Crunchbase) — direct named source
• (Source: Vendr) — Vendr contract data (pricing fallback)
• (Source: competitor website) — direct competitor page
• (Source: Reddit, r/[subreddit]) — community signal, treat as Low confidence unless corroborated
• (Source: G2) — review platform data
• (Source: Apify, [actor name]) — scraped data via Apify MCP
• Omit attribution only for facts that are self-evidently sourced (e.g., a feature listed on the competitor's features page)

End-of-document audit trail:

Every output ends with a Sources & data quality section (see output template). This table consolidates:

• All URLs with access dates
• Confidence level per dimension
• Data gaps with unverified claims and follow-up actions

Quality threshold: minimum 50% verified claims, maximum 20% estimated.

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Process Flowchart

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                 COMPETITOR RESEARCH PROCESS                   │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 1: INPUT VALIDATION                                     │
│ □ Required: Competitor name, Website URL                      │
│ □ Optional: Market category, client context, specific Qs      │
│ → If ambiguous name: Confirm competitor identity with user    │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 2: DIMENSION RESEARCH (13 dimensions)                   │
│ Step 2.1: Company → funding, team, revenue                    │
│ Step 2.2: Product → features, differentiators                 │
│ Step 2.3: ICP → segments, personas, customers                 │
│ Step 2.4: Pricing → plans, model, value metric                │
│ Step 2.5: Reviews → G2, Capterra, sentiment                   │
│ Step 2.6: Content → blog, formats, lead magnets, events       │
│ Step 2.7: Launches → recent announcements                     │
│ Step 2.8: SEO/AEO → SERP positions (use Ahrefs MCP if avail)  │
│ Step 2.9: Technographics → integrations (limited)             │
│ Step 2.10: Openings → hiring signals                          │
│ Step 2.11: GTM → sales motion, outbound signals, messaging    │
│ Step 2.12: LinkedIn/Social → organic strategy, founder        │
│ Step 2.13: Paid advertising → LinkedIn/Meta/Google ads        │
│ ✓ Checkpoint: All dimensions researched, sources documented   │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 3: SYNTHESIS & GAPS                                     │
│ Step 3.1: Assign confidence levels (High/Med/Low)             │
│ Step 3.2: Write executive summary                             │
│ Step 3.3: Document data gaps with follow-up actions           │
│ Step 3.4: Run quality verification                            │
│ ✓ Checkpoint: No unsourced claims, gaps documented            │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ PHASE 4: AGGREGATE ANALYSIS (Multi-Competitor)                │
│ Trigger: 2+ competitors researched for same client            │
│ Step 4.1: Identify cross-competitor patterns                  │
│ Step 4.2: Build threat matrix                                 │
│ Step 4.3: Analyze market positioning dynamics                 │
│ Step 4.4: Feature parity analysis                             │
│ Step 4.5: Credibility signal audit                            │
│ Step 4.6: Extract strategic recommendations                   │
│ ✓ Checkpoint: Aggregate insights documented                   │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SELF-EVALUATION                                               │
│ □ Completeness: All 13 dimensions addressed?                  │
│ □ Evidence: Every data point has source or "Not available"?   │
│ □ Guardrails: No invented data? No unsourced claims?          │
│ → If issues found: Flag low-confidence areas                  │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ REVIEW GATE: Level 1 (Quick Review)                           │
│ Present: Executive summary, confidence breakdown              │
│ Actions: [Approve] [Dig deeper on X] [Research more]          │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
                              │
                              ▼
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CHAIN SUGGESTIONS                                             │
│ → "Want me to research additional competitors?"               │
│ → "Ready to run positioning with this competitive context?"   │
│ → "Should I generate battlecard content from this?"           │
│ → "Ready for aggregate analysis across all competitors?"      │
│ → Save as reference example if positive feedback              │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

---

The Iron Law

NO DATA POINT WITHOUT SOURCE.

Every claim has a URL + access date. Every metric cites its origin. "Not available" is always better than invented data.

No exceptions:

• "This is widely known" → Still needs a source. Cite it.
• "I read this somewhere" → Find the URL or mark "Not available".
• "I can estimate this" → Estimates need explicit confidence levels and reasoning.
• "The user needs this fast" → Fast + wrong = useless. Take the time.

---

Red Flags (Stop and Verify)

🚩 About to write revenue/funding without source → STOP. Cite Crunchbase, PitchBook, or mark "[Data needed]".

🚩 About to state competitor feature without verifying → STOP. Check their website/docs first.

🚩 About to invent customer logos → STOP. Only include logos you found on their site.

🚩 About to guess pricing → STOP. Research their pricing page or mark "Pricing not public".

🚩 About to claim market position without evidence → STOP. Cite G2, analyst report, or mark confidence level.

---

Claude Code Triggers

Invoke this skill when user says:

• "Research this competitor: [name/URL]"
• "Competitor analysis for [company]"
• "Competitive intelligence on [company]"
• "Analyze [company] as a competitor"
• "Battlecard research for [competitor]"
• "Competitive landscape for [market]"
• "Compare [competitor 1] vs [competitor 2]"
• "What's [competitor] doing?"

Do NOT invoke when:

• User wants company qualification/traction → Use company-context skill
• User wants product messaging only → Use product-messaging skill
• User wants to research own company → Use company-context or product-messaging
• Quick question about one feature → Answer directly without full 11-dimension framework

---

Input Requirements

Required Inputs

| Input | Description | Source | |-------|-------------|--------| | Competitor name | Exact company/product name | User provides | | Website URL | Competitor's website | User provides or confirm |

Optional Inputs (improve quality)

| Input | How It Helps | |-------|--------------| | Market category | Helps with disambiguation and keyword selection | | Client context | Current positioning helps sharpen analysis | | Specific questions | Focus research on areas of interest | | Research depth | Deep (default) or comparison matrix |

Input Validation Checklist

Before proceeding, verify:

• [ ] Competitor name is unambiguous (if not, confirm with user)
• [ ] Website URL is correct and accessible
• [ ] Research mode confirmed (single deep dive or comparison matrix)

If inputs are missing: Ask for website URL. If name is ambiguous (e.g., "Bolt" could be multiple companies), confirm which competitor.

---

Process (Step-by-Step)

Phase 1: Confirmation & Setup

Purpose: Verify competitor identity and establish research scope.

Steps:

1. Step 1.1: Confirm competitor identity

• Verify exact company/product name
• Confirm website URL is correct
• Check for name disambiguation issues
• Output: Confirmed competitor details

1. Step 1.2: Determine research mode

• Default: Single competitor deep dive (11 dimensions)
• Alternative: Comparison matrix (3-6 competitors, core dimensions)
• Output: Research mode confirmed

Phase 1 Checkpoint:

• [ ] Competitor name unambiguous
• [ ] Website URL verified
• [ ] Research mode selected

Phase 2: Dimension Research

Purpose: Systematically research all 11 dimensions.

Steps:

1. Step 2.1: Company research (Dimension 1)

• Search funding: "[competitor]" crunchbase funding
• Search valuation: "[competitor]" series raised valuation
• Fetch about page
• Extract: Founded, HQ, team size, funding, revenue
• Output: Company profile with sources

1. Step 2.2: Product research (Dimension 2)

• Fetch homepage and features page
• Fetch documentation if available
• Extract: Core description, key features, differentiators, platform
• Output: Product profile with sources

1. Step 2.3: ICP research (Dimension 3)

• Fetch customers/case studies page
• Fetch solutions/industries page
• Search: site:reddit.com "[competitor]" use case who uses — validate segments and uncover niche use cases not on their website
• Extract: Company size, industries, personas, geos, named customers
• Output: ICP profile with sources

1. Step 2.4: Pricing research (Dimension 4)

• Step 1: Fetch /pricing page directly
• Step 2 (if hidden/gated): Search site:g2.com "[competitor]" pricing — extract plan names, price ranges from review snippets
• Step 3 (if still missing): Search site:vendr.com "[competitor]" — Vendr publishes negotiated SaaS contract data; mark findings as (Source: Vendr)
• Step 4 (if still missing): Search site:reddit.com "[competitor]" pricing cost per seat — extract user-reported pricing, negotiation outcomes, plan details; mark as (Source: Reddit), Low confidence
• Step 5 (if all fail): Mark "Pricing not public — pricing page, G2, Vendr, and Reddit checked"
• Extract: Model, plans, free tier, enterprise availability, value metric
• Output: Pricing profile with sources

1. Step 2.5: Reviews research (Dimension 5)

• Search: site:g2.com "[competitor]" reviews
• Search: site:capterra.com "[competitor]" reviews
• Search: site:reddit.com "[competitor]" review — unfiltered sentiment, bugs, feature complaints
• Search: site:reddit.com "[competitor]" problems issues — surfaces pain points not visible on review platforms
• Extract: Ratings, review count, sentiment themes, pros/cons, Reddit community signals
• Note: Reddit findings = Low confidence unless corroborated by G2/Capterra patterns
• Output: Reviews profile with sources

1. Step 2.6: Content research (Dimension 6)

• Fetch blog and resources page
• Extract: Topics, formats, frequency, lead magnets
• Output: Content profile with sources

1. Step 2.7: Launches research (Dimension 7)

• Search: "[competitor]" launch announcement [current year]
• Search: site:producthunt.com "[competitor]"
• Extract: Product launches, feature announcements (last 3 months)
• Output: Launches profile with sources

1. Step 2.8: SEO/AEO research (Dimension 8)

• If Ahrefs MCP available (preferred):
• ahrefs.domain_overview({ target: "[competitor.com]" }) → DR, traffic estimate
• ahrefs.organic_keywords({ target: "[competitor.com]", limit: 20 }) → top keywords
• ahrefs.backlinks({ target: "[competitor.com]", limit: 10 }) → referring domains
• Confidence: High
• If Ahrefs NOT available — use Serper.dev (free fallback):
• Requires SERPER_API_KEY env var (sign up at serper.dev — 2500 free searches/month)
• Run 5-10 SERP checks for key category keywords using WebFetch or mcp__exa__web_search_exa
• Query patterns: "[category keyword]", "[competitor name] vs [category]", "best [category] tool"
• Extract: competitor ranking position, featured snippet ownership, title/meta copy
• Use site:[competitor.com] search to estimate indexed page count
• Confidence: Medium (SERP positions accurate; traffic estimates and DR not available without Ahrefs)
• If no tools available: Manual SERP checks for 3-5 key category keywords only
• Confidence: Low
• Extract: Domain rating (if Ahrefs), organic traffic estimate, top keywords, SERP positions, indexed pages
• Output: SEO profile with confidence level based on data source

1. Step 2.9: Technographics research (Dimension 9)

• Fetch integrations page
• Check job postings for tech stack hints
• Note: Full data requires BuiltWith access
• Extract: Integrations, visible tech signals
• Output: Technographics profile (limited without premium tools)

1. Step 2.10: Openings research (Dimension 10)

• Fetch careers page
• Search: site:linkedin.com/jobs "[competitor]"
• Extract: Open roles, hiring departments, seniority, locations
• Output: Openings profile with sources

1. Step 2.11: GTM research (Dimension 11)

• Analyze website messaging and CTAs
• Check founder LinkedIn activity
• Search job postings for SDR/BDR/outbound roles — mention of sequencing tools (Outreach, Salesloft, Apollo) signals active outbound
• Search: site:reddit.com "[competitor]" sales demo cold email — surfaces buyer-reported sales experience, outbound aggressiveness, SDR quality
• Extract: Sales motion (PLG/sales-led/hybrid), primary CTA, channel mix (inbound vs. outbound vs. paid vs. organic), outbound signals, messaging themes
• Output: GTM profile with sources

1. Step 2.12: LinkedIn / Social research (Dimension 12)

• Fetch linkedin.com/company/[competitor] — capture followers, about, recent posts
• Search: "[competitor]" site:linkedin.com/posts for recent post titles and topics
• Check founder/CMO LinkedIn profiles for post cadence and themes
• Extract: Follower count + YoY growth, post frequency, content types (product/thought leadership/customer/events), founder activity
• Note: Impression and reach data require LinkedIn Analytics access — mark [UNAVAILABLE]
• Output: LinkedIn/Social profile with sources

1. Step 2.13: Paid advertising research (Dimension 13)

IMPORTANT: All three ad libraries are JS-rendered — raw HTML fetches will fail or return empty. Use Apify actors (preferred) or Firecrawl browser mode.

Google Ads Transparency Center (highest priority for B2B SaaS):

• Option A — Apify (preferred):

1. mcp__apify__search-actors with query "Google Ads Transparency" — select highest-rated actor
2. Fetch actor input sc

…

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: matteotitta
• Source: matteotitta/genesys-skills
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://newsletter.genesysgrowth.com/

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.