Competitor intelligence is the process of gathering key insights on competitors with regards to their product offerings, pricing strategies, marketing tactics, customer feedback, SEO performance, market positioning, partnerships, and much more. This information helps businesses understand the competition on a deeper level. However, competitor intel should not only be used for keeping tabs on what others are doing, it’s about leveraging that information to give your GTM strategy an edge. With the right info, you can outmaneuver your rivals, exploit their weaknesses, and even grab their customers (oohhh That’s Bad!). 

Whether it’s improving on what they are doing well or capitalizing on their mistakes, competitor intel is a great opportunity for building clever hacks. Here are 10 hacks you can use to make competitor intel your secret weapon:

1. Spy on Their Content Strategy

Want to know what resonates with your shared audience? Look at your competitors’ content. Review their blogs, social media posts, and email campaigns to see which topics get the most engagement. Then, create content that goes deeper or offers a fresh perspective. If they’re posting frequently about a trending topic, jump on it and add more value to the conversation.

2. Borrow Their SEO Tricks

SEO is one of the most powerful ways to get found online, and your competitors’ search rankings can provide valuable insight. Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to analyze their keyword strategy, backlinks, and top-performing pages. Then, optimize your own content for the same high-value keywords, but make it even better—whether that means longer articles, richer media, or more actionable insights.

3. Dissect Their Pricing Model

Your competitors’ pricing structure can tell you a lot about their positioning. Do they offer bundles, discounts, or tiered pricing? Are they focused on premium pricing or budget-conscious consumers? By analyzing their pricing strategy, you can identify gaps or create more attractive pricing tiers that better meet customer needs. Whether it’s being more affordable or offering exclusive value, smart pricing can lure their customers to you.

4. Identify Their Customer Pain Points

No company is perfect, and competitor reviews can be a goldmine for identifying where they’re falling short. Dive into their product reviews, social media complaints, and feedback forums to uncover recurring pain points. Then, position your product as the solution to those frustrations. For example, if their customers frequently mention poor customer support, emphasize your 24/7 assistance and personalized service.

5. Hijack Their Audience with Targeted Ads

Once you know who your competitor’s customers are and what they care about, use targeted ads to hijack their audience. Platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn allow you to create ads specifically designed for users who follow or engage with your competitors. Craft your messaging to highlight your unique strengths and address their pain points, creating an irresistible offer that steals attention—and customers.

6. Spot Gaps in Their Product Offering

Competitors rarely have it all figured out. Review their product features and offerings, and look for areas they’re not addressing. Maybe they’re missing key features your audience wants, or their product lacks versatility. Fill those gaps by highlighting how your product solves those problems or offers more functionality. Better yet, launch a feature that directly targets their weakness.

7. Track Their Hiring Patterns

Want to know where your competitors are headed? Keep an eye on their job postings. If they’re hiring for a ton of roles in AI, you can bet they’re investing heavily in AI-driven solutions. Use this insight to either stay ahead of the curve or position your own offerings as stronger alternatives to what they’re working on. Their hiring needs can offer clues about future product launches and market shifts.

8. Mirror Their Social Media Moves (But Make Them Better)

What social media platforms are your competitors crushing it on? Are they active on Instagram but neglecting LinkedIn, or maybe they’ve built a community on Twitter? Follow their lead—but aim to improve on what they’re doing. If they’re sharing daily tips, take it a step further with live streams or interactive Q&A sessions. By adding your unique touch, you can outperform them on the platforms where they’ve already paved the way.

9. Capitalize on Their Campaign Failures

Not every competitor campaign is a success, and when they flop, it’s your opportunity to step in and do better. Analyze why their campaigns didn’t land. Was it tone-deaf? Did it miss a key audience segment? By learning from their mistakes, you can create smarter campaigns that resonate. Even better, if their missteps led to customer backlash, your timely and well-crafted campaign can come across as the right choice in contrast.

10. Exploit Their Partnerships

Competitor partnerships can offer valuable insights. Who are they aligning with, and why? These partnerships can reveal their strategy, target audience, and growth goals. Look for ways to outmaneuver them by building stronger, more exclusive partnerships or finding complementary partners they overlooked. If they’re working with a key influencer, target another influencer in the same niche who has even greater reach or better alignment with your brand values.

Turn That Intel Into Action

Competitor intel is only useful if you take action. Exploit insights to craft clever strategies that can help you gain more customers and dominate in your market. By spying on your competitors’ content, capitalizing on their weaknesses, and refining their tactics, you can outsmart and outshine them at every turn. Don’t just watch the competition, take action to beat them.