Blog Post

I’ve spent the last nine years doing more than just browsing competitor websites and downloading their lead magnets. My job—and honestly, my obsession—is figuring out what they’re not doing. Because that’s where the opportunity lives.

It’s not about being better at everything. It’s about spotting the one thing they’ve missed, and using it to carve your advantage. This guide walks you through how I do it, step by step, using real research, actual tools, and a little creative thinking (with minimal caffeine-induced rambling).

If you’ve ever wondered how to pinpoint what your competitors aren’t serving or what your market is still hungry for—read on. Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How I figure out what your competitors are missing
  
• The research methods I use to find hidden market opportunities
  
• How customer feedback becomes my best (and cheapest) research tool
  
• Tools I rely on to speed up the process
  
• Mistakes to avoid that could save you hours—or even weeks
  

Let’s get into it.

Before I start digging into what they’re doing wrong, I need to know who “they” are.

I begin by mapping out your direct and indirect competitors. Direct competitors are easy—they offer the same thing you do. Indirect ones are sneakier. They solve the same problem you do, just differently.

To spot them, I start with basic tools like Google, SimilarWeb, or Ahrefs. I also use insights from this beginner’s market guide to build a shortlist fast.

No need to overcomplicate this—three to five solid competitors is enough for a deep dive.

Once I’ve got my list, I dig into what they offer. I’m looking for:

• The core products or services
  
• Their standout features
  
• Pricing tiers
  
• What everyone seems to be doing
  
• What no one is doing
  

Sometimes, the gap is obvious—a missing feature or a poorly served audience. Other times, you have to piece it together from scattered clues. This is where a solid understanding of market research basics really comes in handy.

Here’s a little trick I use: I’ll create a comparison grid that lines up each competitor’s offerings side by side. Then, I highlight the “common” features in one color, and the outliers in another. What’s left blank? That’s where I start digging deeper.

Forget surveys for a minute. Real people leave real thoughts online—especially when they’re frustrated.

I read reviews on platforms like G2, Trustpilot, Amazon (if relevant), and even App Store comments. What I’m looking for are complaints that show up again and again. If customers are repeatedly annoyed by something and none of your competitors have addressed it, that’s your chance.

Even better? Look for “I wish…” statements. If users are openly telling you what they want, take notes.

If your competitors are ignoring feedback, they’re handing you an opportunity on a silver platter.

Next, I study their content. I don’t just read it—I scan for what’s not there.

I review their blogs, landing pages, ads, emails, and even job postings. This helps me understand how they talk to their audience and what topics they think matter most.

Sometimes, they’re trying to be everything to everyone—and failing at being useful to anyone. That kind of vague messaging is a sign of strategic confusion. And that’s a huge gap for you to step into with clarity.

Pro tip: check if they’re publishing consistently, and what kind of engagement they’re getting. A lack of interaction often points to a lack of relevance.

While everyone else is looking at dashboards, I’m reading Reddit threads and Twitter replies.

Social media tells me what people are really saying about a brand or product. And it often tells me what they’re not getting from it.

I track hashtags, mentions, and brand keywords to identify trends, complaints, and unmet expectations. I once found a valuable niche idea by reading through a Facebook group for small business owners. One casual complaint turned into a full product pivot for a client.

And yes, it paid off.

I keep it simple.

Instead of making a polished chart, I do this:

• What are they good at?
  
• What are they bad at?
  
• What are they ignoring?
  
• What could threaten them—and benefit you?
  

That’s it. It helps me map out your relative advantage quickly and without falling into buzzword overload.

I also include my own offering in the comparison. Why? Because I’m not just looking for gaps—they have to be gaps you can fill.

There’s a lot of flashy software out there. I stick to a few that get the job done.

• Ahrefs or SEMrush for competitive traffic and keyword gaps
  
• G2 and Capterra for deep review mining
  
• Google Trends to check if demand is rising, falling, or stagnant
  

If you’re curious about what else is in my toolbox, I’ve listed them all here.

You don’t need a $10,000 stack. You need the right insights.

A competitor might be dominating in a space that’s fading fast. That’s not a win—it’s a warning.

I check where demand is shifting and match that against what competitors are (and aren’t) doing. Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t entering the crowded part of a market, but the next part—the space that’s just heating up.

You can read how I track trends and upcoming opportunities in this piece on market shifts.

Found a juicy market gap? Great.

Now slow down.

I’ve learned—sometimes the hard way—that not all gaps are worth chasing. Before acting, I test whether the demand is:

• Big enough
  
• Urgent enough
  
• Willing to pay
  
• Not already saturated by someone better positioned
  

If it passes that test? Now you move.

There are three common mistakes I see even seasoned marketers make:

• Copying competitors 1:1. That’s not innovation—it’s imitation. And it rarely ends well.
  
• Skipping feedback analysis. The answers are out there; ignoring them is costly.
  
• Using stale data. If your info is 6 months old, your strategy already has holes.
  

Before launching anything new, I highly recommend reading this launch prep checklist. It’s saved more than one client from making an expensive misstep.

Here’s the truth: market gaps aren’t hiding. They’re just not sitting on the front page of your competitor’s website.

They show up in what customers complain about, in features your rivals haven’t built, and in messages that fall flat. Finding them takes effort, curiosity, and a willingness to look where others don’t.

That’s what I do.

If you’re serious about using competitor research to drive strategy, start here. Then, go deeper by learning how I build marketing strategies from research or how I turn competitor insights into real growth.

Thanks for reading. Now go find your edge.