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