Stages and Methods

of Competitor Analysis

for Designers

We understand how important it is to keep your skills honed and craft distinctive designs, especially in a competitive environment. So today, let's dive into some practical tips for conducting thorough competitor analysis in the design sphere.

Competitive analysis helps you understand what approaches your competitors are using, how they present their products, and what features they offer. This helps you find innovative ideas, avoid common pitfalls, and create designs that exceed your clients' expectations and are user-friendly.

There's no one-size-fits-all method here. You can create charts or tables, or simply jot everything down in your favorite note-taking app—whatever works best for you. But remember, it's crucial to organize and keep track of all the information you gather.

What steps should you take to conduct quality competitor analysis?

You can use content blocks to arrange your articles, large texts, instructions. Combine these blocks with media blocks to add illustrations and video tutorials. You can use various content blocks to work with your text. Add quotations, lists, buttons. Select your text to change its formatting or add links. Mobirise is a simple website builder that helps you create amazing web pages without knowing any code.

First things first — what does the user actually need?

Our ultimate goal is to provide something not only useful for the client but also for the end-user. So, let’s think — what do they really need?

Know your enemy (or friend) — identify your competitors.

Start by finding competitors offering similar design products or services. Use tools like Google Advanced Search, Similarweb, Crunchbase, Trustpilot, Owler, and app stores like Google Play and Apple Store.

The important part — gather information.

At this stage, compare design approaches, product presentations, and functionalities among competitors.

Choose a few competitors, create a table in your favorite app, and evaluate:

What’s highlighted as the main advantage? What’s their Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?
What additional features do competitors offer to users?
Is the website user-friendly? (Assess the site structure and design, how intuitive it is to find buttons or tabs)
Technical parameters: Does it have mobile adaptation, how long does it take for content to load, etc.
Gather all the details that catch your eye and interest you, then figure out what to do with them.

Now, it's time to analyze the information.

SWOT analysis tools and comparison tables will help structure information about each competitor.

What's SWOT analysis?

Strengths – what they’re good at

Weaknesses – areas they can improve

Opportunities – potential areas for growth

Threats – factors that could negatively impact them

Method 7P

Another classic competitor analysis method is 7P (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, Physical evidence) — you rate each point and create a comparative analysis table with scoring.

Don't hesitate to create your own comparison categories.

This will help you understand what’s common, what sets each apart, and where the opportunities lie to stand out.

And remember, competitor analysis isn’t about copying — it’s about finding inspiration and developing your unique approach that considers the competitive landscape.

Another crucial tip to remember

is not to imitate others without careful consideration; always analyze why competitors made specific choices. This will give you a broader perspective and help you find your own interesting solutions.