A UX competitive analysis is essential for UX research in that it allows designers to spot trends, locate gaps in the market, and build a product experience that stands out from its competition. Despite the tactical benefits of identifying competitors’ successes and failures, a UX competitor analysis can reveal much more than just what works and what doesn’t work. By viewing their competitors through users’ eyes — experiences they enjoy and problems they’d like to be solved — designers can better empathize with their audiences and make informed design decisions. In addition to gaining an edge on their competition, UX researchers who conduct a comprehensive UX competitive analysis can discover creative ways to create unique user experiences that make statements instead of settling for conformity.

What is Competitive Analysis in UI/UX Design?

It is true that we all have done at least a little bit of competitor research in our lives – be it casually browsing their websites, using their apps, or reading their mailings. However, this must be formalized and have defined goals if we are to use the information acquired in an effective way. That is why UX competitive analysis exists; it helps us to understand the usability and attractiveness of competitors’ products by gathering data from their experience and figuring out what features are essential for our business. It not only gives us insight into how our rivals handle user experience but also helps us identify problems before they become too big. All in all, user experience competitor research is a very important tool for a successful business.

Why do You Need Competitive Analysis in UI/UX Design?

It is impossible to create a successful user interface or user experience design in the absence of competitive analysis. The competitive analysis involves identifying and analyzing other designs that exist in the industry, understanding how customers are using different products, and gathering information from various sources. By engaging in competitive analysis, it is possible to identify different trends and customer needs showing on other platforms.

Here are some of the main tasks:

• It helps designers compare the strengths and weaknesses of their own designs with those of their competitors.
• The competitive analysis allows for uncovering unknown competitors who may be pursuing a similar idea or concept as yours, but have gone under the radar.
• It provides an opportunity to build upon features from competitors’ products that could benefit your own design.
• It offers guidance on how you can differentiate yourself from the competition while also understanding what users expect when they come across a product within your ecosystem.
• The results of the analysis help to stand out in the market or enter the market more effectively.
• The competitive analysis gives a better idea of the target audience

When is it Appropriate to Do a Competitive Analysis?

Generally, organizations should conduct competitive analysis before making major decisions or when they plan to enter a new market. In this way, businesses can uncover existing customer needs that are not being met by current players and assess potential competition in the targeted markets beforehand. Additionally, regular updates on competitor activities and market trends can assist businesses in determining where they currently stand in comparison with their rivals and discover innovative approaches to stay ahead of them. 

Tips for Competitive Analysis

Here are some hard truths to keep in mind when doing competitor analysis:

• Drawing up criteria for comparison. In order to ensure you have all the information necessary to inform design decisions, before starting research on competitors’ products, it is important to create a short list of comparison criteria. This will help keep your research guided and enable you to easily identify how your own product and design compares with that of competing organizations.
• Choose the main competitors. To start, 3-5 companies are enough, which are the closest competitors. It is desirable to go further by studying more distant competitors in the target niche, but this is only after the analysis and conclusions of the nearest competitors.
• Keep it individual. Remember that instead of blindly copying ideas, designs, and conversion paths from the competitors, be inspired by their solutions and adapt them in order to fit suitably within your brand, product, and user needs.
• Prioritize your business goals and users. It is necessary to take into account the individual and existing target audience of the brand, as well as the intermediate and final goals of the business.

Main UX/UI Competitive Analysis Methods

There are many techniques that can be used in competitor analysis, but the following are the most commonly used:

• SWOT analysis. SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) is a classic comparison strategy. During the analysis, the task is to find out: strengths and weaknesses, opportunities missed by a competitor, and possible risks for your business. As a result, there will be an understanding of which opportunities competitors do not use, and which areas are emphasized.
• Become a competitor’s customer. Using their products gives companies insight into the products, features, and sales strategies of their rivals. By understanding the customer journey through an opponent’s website or app, businesses can identify potential weak spots in the competition’s strategy, as well as areas they can improve upon. It is also important to pay attention to user interfaces design elements like typography, microinteractions, and color schemes to see what strikes a chord with customers.
• Reading reviews. Reviews from a variety of sources– including mobile app stores, social media platforms, marketplaces, and websites like TrustPilot– are invaluable resources when gaining an understanding of your competitors. By reading customer reviews you can gain valuable insight into what customers like and dislike about your competition, enabling you to identify products, services, or features that your competitors may be lacking.
• Comparison table. Comparison charts and sheets are the most efficient mechanisms for evaluating how different competing products compare in delivering these features – and even more so when it comes to analyzing competing products that offer very similar feature sets.

Choosing the right analysis strategy for a particular business can be difficult without professional help. Eleken is ready to share its experience and prepare an exhaustive analysis of competitors in the target niche, as well as offer a wide range of UI / UX design services.

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Conclusion

Competitive analysis is an essential part of any business strategy. By keeping abreast of your competition, you can gain valuable insights into their products and services, better understand customer needs and target appropriate opportunities. By following the tips above, you can see areas where you can improve your business, as well as what needs to be done to better meet customer needs.