Use AI for Competitor Research

Here’s the truth: they’re not better than you — they just have data. They know what’s converting, which words are working, and what customers are complaining about… all because they’re quietly using AI tools to keep watch.

That ends today.

In this step-by-step guide, I’ll show you how to use AI to study your competitors — their pricing, content, and positioning — so you can make smarter, faster business moves.

You’ll leave this with:

• Free or low-cost AI tools that actually work
• Exactly what to type into them
• How to interpret what you find
• A repeatable “Competitor Research System” you can run every month

Let’s get into it.

💡 You are not underperforming — you’ve been under-informed. This is how we close the gap.

STEP 1: Your Competitor Research Starter Pack

You don’t need 10 tools. You need 4 that each play a role.

Open two tabs right now — ChatGPT and Perplexity.ai. We’re starting there.

STEP 2: Build Your Competitor Shortlist

In your Notes app or Google Sheet, create three columns:

1. Competitor Name
2. Website / Instagram Link
3. Why You Chose Them

👉 Start with:

• 1 brand with a bigger audience (aspirational)
• 1 similar-sized brand (direct competition)
• 1 brand that used to be smaller but is growing fast (trend insight)

This helps you see the ecosystem instead of just one person’s strategy.

STEP 3: Ask AI to Build You Competitor Profiles

Option 1: Using Perplexity.ai (best for quick overviews)

Go to https://www.perplexity.ai

Type this in the search bar:

“Summarize the business model, target audience, and online strategy of [Brand Name or Website]. Include recent product launches or partnerships.”

In seconds, Perplexity will show you a sourced summary from the web — no deep digging needed. Copy this into your spreadsheet.

Option 2: Using ChatGPT (best for deeper analysis)

Prompt:

“Act as a business analyst. Visit this website: [insert link].

Summarize what this company sells, who it serves, how it describes itself, and what its tone of voice sounds like. Keep it under 200 words.”

If you’re on the free version and it can’t browse, copy and paste the text from their About or Services page.

STEP 4: Use AI to Decode Their Content Strategy

Tool: Glasp (Free Chrome Extension)

Install at https://glasp.co

1. Visit your competitor’s blog or YouTube.
2. Use Glasp’s highlight feature to mark their main points.
3. Open your Glasp dashboard — it will summarize what they talk about most.

Then, copy a few of their blog posts or captions into ChatGPT and ask:

“What are the top 3 themes this brand focuses on, and what emotions do they use to connect with their audience?”

Example output might show:

• Theme: “Freedom + femininity”
• Emotion: “Empowerment and rebellion”
• Tone: “Luxury but approachable”

This shows you how they hook customers. You can now build your own content lane instead of sounding like everyone else.

STEP 5: Spy Their Traffic (Without Paying for Ads Data)

Tool: SimilarWeb

 Go to https://www.similarweb.com

Enter your competitor’s website URL.

The free report shows:

• Estimated monthly visitors
• Top 5 traffic sources (like Instagram, YouTube, Google)
• Their biggest audience countries

Example: You discover 70% of their traffic comes from Pinterest — but you’re not on Pinterest yet. That’s a new channel for you.

Ask ChatGPT:

“Based on this traffic report, what content channels might I double down on to reach the same audience faster but with less competition?”

STEP 6: Read Between Their Reviews

If your competitor sells physical products, services, or courses — reviews are gold.

Copy 10–20 reviews from Google, Etsy, or comments under their posts.

Paste into ChatGPT with this prompt:

“Summarize what customers love most and what they complain about most from these reviews. Then, list 3 ways I could design my business to fix what they dislike.”

This will give you direct insight into what’s missing in your market.

STEP 7: Turn Data into Action

Now you’ve got the receipts — here’s how to use them:

STEP 8: Keep It Updated

Treat your competitor sheet like your bank account. Check it monthly.

Re-run the same AI prompts quarterly to see what’s changed.

Schedule a 1-hour “AI market check” on your Google Calendar:

• 15 min → Run Perplexity summaries
• 15 min → Update SimilarWeb traffic
• 20 min → Scan new posts using Glasp
• 10 min → Ask ChatGPT for emerging trends

You’ll always be three steps ahead — without burning hours.

✅ Quick Checklist

• Identify 3–5 competitors
• Run ChatGPT and Perplexity summaries
• Analyze content using Glasp
• Check traffic via SimilarWeb
• Read customer reviews with ChatGPT
• Turn insights into updated offers and positioning

AI isn’t about copying — it’s about clarity. When you can see what’s working in your industry, what’s missing, and where you fit, you stop chasing trends and start building from strategy. Your competitors aren’t the enemy; they’re your blueprint for what’s possible. Now you’ve got the receipts and the tools to play smarter, faster, and more informed. Use them. The next time someone studies your brand for answers, they’ll realize you weren’t competing — you were leading.