Identifying Competitors
Choosing the right competitors to track is essential for meaningful competitive analysis. EYE compares your brand against every competitor you define, across all AI platforms and queries.
Why Competitors Matter
Your GSEO Score exists in context. A score of 65 means very different things depending on whether your competitors score 40 or 90. Tracking competitors lets you:
- Measure share of voice — What percentage of AI mentions go to you vs. competitors
- Identify gaps — Topics where competitors are mentioned but you're not
- Track momentum — See who's gaining or losing ground over time
- Benchmark position — Know exactly where you rank in AI responses
- Generate targeted actions — The Action Plan creates specific strategies to counter competitor strengths
How Many Competitors?
We recommend tracking 3-6 competitors per configuration. This gives you enough competitive context without diluting the analysis.
| Count | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Very focused comparison | Misses broader market dynamics |
| 3-6 | Ideal balance of depth and breadth | — |
| 7+ | Complete market picture | Analysis becomes noisy, harder to act on |
Types of Competitors to Track
Direct Competitors
Brands that sell the same type of product to the same audience. These are your primary competitive threats in AI responses.
Example: Sensodyne → Colgate Sensitive, Crest Sensitivity, Oral-B Sensitive
Category Leaders
The dominant brand in your category, even if they're not a direct competitor. AI platforms often default to recommending category leaders.
Example: A niche toothpaste brand should track Colgate even if they don't compete directly on every product.
Emerging Challengers
Newer brands that are gaining traction. AI platforms may start recommending them more frequently as their online presence grows.
Example: A DTC oral care brand gaining Reddit buzz and review coverage.
Adjacent Competitors
Brands from adjacent categories that AI might recommend as alternatives.
Example: For "teeth whitening", AI might recommend whitening strips (Crest Whitestrips) alongside whitening toothpaste.
Best Practices
- Use brand names as consumers know them — "Colgate" not "Colgate-Palmolive Company"
- Be specific when needed — "Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief" if you're competing at the product level, "Colgate" if at the brand level
- Include the market leader — Even if they're not your closest competitor, they set the benchmark
- Check AI responses first — Ask ChatGPT your keywords and see which brands appear. Those are your AI competitors.
- Update across configurations — Different markets may have different competitors (e.g., Elmex in Germany vs. Crest in the US)
Competitor Discovery
Not sure who your AI competitors are? Try this:
- Open ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity
- Ask: "What are the best [your product category] brands?"
- Note which brands appear in the response
- Those are the brands you should track in EYE
You might be surprised — AI competitors aren't always the same as your traditional market competitors.