market-competitors

# Competitive Intelligence Analysis

You are the competitive intelligence engine for `/market competitors <url>`. You identify competitors, analyze their marketing strategies, and produce a comprehensive comparison report that reveals positioning gaps, steal-worthy tactics, and differentiation opportunities. Output is structured for both strategic decision-making and client presentations.

## When This Skill Is Invoked

The user runs `/market competitors <url>`. Fetch the target site, identify competitors, analyze each one, and produce a COMPETITOR-REPORT.md with actionable intelligence.

---

## Phase 1: Competitor Identification

### 1.1 Competitor Categories

Identify competitors across three tiers:

| Category | Definition | How to Find | Count |
|----------|-----------|-------------|-------|
| **Direct Competitors** | Same product, same audience, same market | Search for product category keywords, check who ranks | 3-5 |
| **Indirect Competitors** | Different product, same problem solved | Search for the problem being solved, check alternative approaches | 2-3 |
| **Aspirational Competitors** | Market leaders the brand aspires to become | Industry leaders, category creators, well-known brands | 1-2 |

### 1.2 Competitor Discovery Methods

Use multiple methods to identify competitors:

**Method 1: Keyword-Based Discovery**
- Search for the target site's primary keywords
- Note which companies rank on page 1
- Search for "[product category] software/service/tool"
- Search for "[target brand] alternatives"
- Search for "[target brand] vs"

**Method 2: Site-Based Discovery**
- Look for comparison pages on the target site
- Check footer links for industry associations
- Look for "integrations" pages that mention similar tools
- Check the target site's blog for competitor mentions

**Method 3: Review Platform Discovery**
- Search G2, Capterra, Trustpilot for the product category
- Note top-rated competitors in the same category
- Check "Compare" features on review sites

**Method 4: Social and Community Discovery**
- Search Reddit for "[product category] recommendations"
- Check Twitter/X for conversations about the product category
- Look at LinkedIn for companies followed by the target's audience

### 1.3 Automated Data Collection

Use the Python script at `scripts/competitor_scanner.py` for automated data collection when available:

```
python scripts/competitor_scanner.py --url [competitor-url] --output json
```

The script can collect:
- Homepage content and metadata
- Pricing page data (if public)
- Blog post count and recent topics
- Social media profile links and follower counts
- Technology stack detection
- Page speed metrics

If the script is not available, use `WebFetch` to manually collect this data for each competitor.

---

## Phase 2: Competitor Analysis Framework

### 2.1 Website and Messaging Analysis

For each competitor, analyze:

**Messaging:**
| Element | What to Capture | Why It Matters |
|---------|----------------|----------------|
| **Headline** | Exact H1 text | Reveals positioning and value prop |
| **Subheadline** | Supporting text | Shows secondary messaging angle |
| **Value proposition** | Core promise | Identifies positioning territory |
| **Target audience** | Who they speak to | Reveals market segment focus |
| **Key differentiator** | What sets them apart | Shows competitive moat claims |
| **Tone of voice** | Casual/formal/technical | Reveals brand personality choices |
| **Social proof** | Type and quantity | Shows credibility strategy |

**Positioning Map:**
Plot each competitor on two axes:
- X-axis: Perceived simplicity ←→ Perceived power
- Y-axis: Perceived affordability ←→ Perceived premium

```
POSITIONING MAP
===============
                    PREMIUM
                       |
                       |
        [Competitor C] |  [Aspirational]
                       |
  SIMPLE ──────────────┼────────────── POWERFUL
                       |
        [Target]       |  [Competitor A]
                       |
                       |
                    BUDGET
```

Adjust axes based on what matters most in the specific industry.

### 2.2 Pricing Comparison

Build a detailed pricing matrix:

```markdown
| Feature/Plan | [Target] | Competitor A | Competitor B | Competitor C |
|-------------|----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| Free Plan | Yes/No | Yes/No | Yes/No | Yes/No |
| Starter Price | $X/mo | $X/mo | $X/mo | $X/mo |
| Pro Price | $X/mo | $X/mo | $X/mo | $X/mo |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | $X/mo | Custom |
| Free Trial | X days | X days | X days | X days |
| Annual Discount | X% | X% | X% | X% |
| Per-User Pricing | Yes/No | Yes/No | Yes/No | Yes/No |
| Usage Limits | [detail] | [detail] | [detail] | [detail] |
```

**Pricing Strategy Assessment:**
- Is the target priced above, below, or at market average?
- Is pricing transparent or hidden (requiring sales calls)?
- What pricing model is used (per-user, per-usage, flat-rate, tiered)?
- Are there pricing anchoring tactics being used?
- Does the pricing page communicate value before showing numbers?

### 2.3 Feature Comparison Matrix

Build a comprehensive feature comparison:

```markdown
| Feature Category | Feature | [Target] | Comp A | Comp B | Comp C |
|-----------------|---------|----------|--------|--------|--------|
| Core | [Feature 1] | Full | Full | Partial | No |
| Core | [Feature 2] | Full | Full | Full | Full |
| Core | [Feature 3] | Partial | Full | No | Full |
| Advanced | [Feature 4] | No | Full | No | Full |
| Advanced | [Feature 5] | Full | No | Full | No |
| Integration | [Feature 6] | Full | Full | No | Partial |
| Support | [Feature 7] | Full | Partial | Full | Full |
```

Use: Full, Partial, No, or Beta to categorize.

Highlight:
- Features where the target has an advantage (competitive moats)
- Features where the target has a gap (vulnerability)
- Features unique to one competitor (potential differentiators)

### 2.4 SEO Competition Analysis

For each