| The old adage, "keep your friends close, and | | | | or domain, click the results and view the |
| your enemies closer", is applicable not only | | | | companies top 25 competitors. If any of those |
| to personal relationships but business | | | | websites are using pay per click on Google, |
| relationships as well. While I'm not | | | | you will also be able to obtain a partial |
| suggesting that you befriend your | | | | list of the adwords they have purchased. The |
| competitors, it is important that you are | | | | website gives you a glimpse inside |
| cognizant of your competitors' business | | | | competitors, but the list they provide is by |
| ventures and methods.It is important to | | | | no means exhaustive. Incoming LinksThere are |
| realize that while monitoring your | | | | a number of ways to determine who is linking |
| competitors is essential, it could easily | | | | to a competitor.A simple search can be |
| become an obsession. Therefore, it is crucial | | | | conducted in Google and MSN for |
| that you strike a balance when incorporating | | | | "link:domain.com" (replace with competitor's |
| it into your business plan. There are several | | | | domain). In Yahoo enter a search for |
| ways to conduct successful stealth | | | | "linkdomain:domain.com" (again replacing with |
| competitive intelligence operations. While it | | | | your competitors name). The search will |
| is fanciful to imagine yourself as a secret | | | | produce all webpages that provide a link to |
| agent or spy, none of these techniques are | | | | your competitor. Ideally you can request |
| difficult, hidden or secretive. In fact, most | | | | links from the websites as well.Other |
| of them are tools or services available to | | | | BackLink Tools - for Places to Submit to; |
| all businesses.1. Ego SearchesWhat are ego | | | | this site auto-generates another tools that |
| searches? Ego searches are keywords or | | | | works in a similar way - ; simply enter the |
| keyword phrase searches for a specific brand, | | | | keyword and a list of sites that will allow |
| product, or company name. Ego searches are a | | | | you to request links appears.7. Alexa |
| great way to monitor mentions of a competing | | | | RankingUse Alexa to determine not only who is |
| product. You can automate the set up of ego | | | | linking to a competitor, but also to |
| searches using RSS, so anytime a competitor's | | | | determine what sites are related (list yours) |
| product or brand name is mentioned in the | | | | . Alexa monitors web traffic trends, and a |
| news, blogosphere, or print you receive | | | | list of similar websites. Alexa also has the |
| notification and the details in an RSS | | | | ability to show a website's popularity |
| feed.How to Setup Ego Feeds - RSS Ego | | | | trends. Website MonitoringIt is generally a |
| Searches - Competitive | | | | good practice to monitor competitors, and you |
| IntelligenceCompetitive Intelligence is | | | | can do this using a tool like CodeMonitor. |
| defined as the process of gathering | | | | CodeMonitor takes a snapshot of a websites' |
| actionable information in a competitive | | | | HTML and notifies of any changes. The |
| environment. Competitive Intelligence is | | | | differences in the web pages are highlighted, |
| researching the business environment or | | | | making it easy to discern what changes |
| techniques that another business uses. | | | | occurred. CodeMonitor is a free online tool, |
| Competitive Intelligence is often used to | | | | that can be found at: Comparison |
| influence a strategy for business | | | | ToolsMarketLeap has some great search |
| development.First, it is necessary to know | | | | comparison tools that allow for you to |
| your competition. Background research can be | | | | compare domains and ranking. Marketleap's |
| conducted using the tools at DNS Stuff , and | | | | Trend/History report gives you a view of how |
| various other websites. The DNS stuff website | | | | you or a competitors website's Search Engine |
| will allow you to do a whois lookup. A number | | | | Saturation has performed over time. It also |
| of other research tools are also available on | | | | verifies search engine placement based on |
| the site.3. Google AlertsReceive notification | | | | keywords so you can quickly discern a |
| via email on the latest relevant Google | | | | competitors ranking for various phrases in |
| search results (web, news, etc.). Define the | | | | the top search engines. Other Useful Spy |
| Google Alerts using a competitors company | | | | ToolsDomain tools has a mark alert that |
| name or product name. (3rd party tracking | | | | allows you to monitor the use of a trademark. |
| service) - Google Alert is the web's leading | | | | They also have a number of domain tracking |
| automated search and web intelligence | | | | and monitoring tools that can be helpful. in |
| solution for monitoring your professional | | | | mind that while you should be aware of the |
| interests online. It tracks the entire web | | | | direction a competitor is moving. I do not |
| for your personalized topics and sends you | | | | advocate copying a competitor. These tools |
| new results by daily email.4. Meta TagsHave | | | | above are to assist businesses in monitoring |
| you ever considered what keywords or phrases | | | | their competition. I am not suggesting that |
| a competitor is targeting on their website? | | | | you replicate, duplicate, or copy anything |
| Have a peak at their meta tags by simply | | | | that a competitor does. Use the competitive |
| viewing the webpage source. Pay particular | | | | intelligence to make sound business decisions |
| attention to the header tags that include | | | | about the direction you want to take.Sharon |
| title, description, and keywords. Are these | | | | Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll |
| keywords part of your marketing mix?5. | | | | software for creating, editing, publishing |
| InformationArm yourself with information. The | | | | RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon |
| Googspy website is particularly useful when | | | | manages marketing for NotePage a wireless |
| used properly. Enter a keyword, company name, | | | | text messaging software company. |