If you’re searching this, you’re probably feeling a very specific kind of pressure: competitors are everywhere, customers are harder to convince, and it’s weirdly easy to waste a week “researching” without getting a single strategic decision out of it. You’re not alone. A competitive landscape analysis is supposed to reduce anxiety, not create more tabs.

Here’s the simplest way to think about it in 2025: your competitive landscape isn’t a list of logos. It’s the set of forces and alternatives a customer compares you to when they decide. The goal is to find a real, defendable wedge—the advantage that creates sustainable revenue.

Below is the exact process I recommend when you want something crisp, trustworthy, and usable by Monday.

What a competitive landscape analysis should produce (the only outputs that matter)

Before we talk “how,” decide what you want at the end. A good analysis produces:

A clear competitor set (direct, indirect, and “do nothing”)
A positioning map (how buyers perceive options)
A comparative matrix (features + pricing + distribution + proof)
A strategic decision (what you’ll focus on, what you’ll ignore)
A monitoring cadence (what you’ll track monthly)

If you don't end with a decision, you did research—not strategy. Use Peony for secure data rooms with page-level analytics to securely share competitive analysis documents with stakeholders and track engagement.

Step 1: Define the battlefield (who is the customer, and what job are they hiring?)

Competitive analysis gets messy when teams start with companies instead of customers.

Start with:

Specific customer segment (not “SMBs,” but “US-based B2B SaaS with 50–200 employees”)
The job-to-be-done (what they’re trying to achieve)
The purchase trigger (what makes them actually switch or buy)

This helps you avoid the classic trap: comparing yourself to a big-name company that your customer never considered in the first place.

Step 2: Identify competitors the way reality works (direct, indirect, substitutes)

The SBA’s guidance is blunt and useful: identify competition by product/service line and market segment, then assess key characteristics of the landscape.

In 2025, use four buckets:

Direct competitors: same buyer, same job, similar product category
Indirect competitors: same buyer/job, different category (e.g., “workflow tool” vs “platform”)
Substitutes: the workaround (spreadsheets, agencies, internal build)
Do nothing: the current state (inertia is a competitor)

That last one matters more than founders want to admit.

Step 3: Gather evidence, not vibes (what to collect in 60 minutes per competitor)

You do not need a 30-page report. You need proof you can trust. Collect:

Positioning: homepage headline, top 3 claims, primary CTA
ICP signals: case studies, industries, testimonials
Pricing: public plans, packaging, what’s gated
Product reality: demo videos, docs, screenshots, changelog
Distribution: where leads come from (SEO topics, ads, partnerships, marketplaces)
Credibility signals: security pages, compliance, logos, reviews
Customer pain: recurring complaints in reviews/support threads

If you want a simple process, frameworks like Asana's step-by-step competitor analysis (overview → research → feature + marketing comparison → SWOT) are a solid baseline. Peony provides secure data rooms with AI-powered organization to organize and securely share competitive analysis materials with your team.

Step 4: Analyze at two levels (industry forces + product differentiation)

Most teams only do “feature comparison.” That’s incomplete. You need two lenses:

Lens A: Industry structure (Porter’s Five Forces)

Porter’s Five Forces is still the cleanest way to understand why some markets are inherently brutal: rivalry, new entrants, substitutes, supplier power, buyer power.

Ask:

Are switching costs low or high?
Are buyers consolidating power?
Is there a substitute that’s “good enough” (often AI + commodity tools)?
Is the market turning into a price war?

If the forces are nasty, your strategy must lean into differentiation that is hard to copy.

Lens B: Buyer perception (Positioning map)

HBR’s positioning map framing is gold: map competitors on two axes buyers actually care about (e.g., “ease of adoption” vs “compliance depth”).

This reveals the real prize: white space that matches a real buyer preference, not your internal wish list.

Step 5: Convert insights into a strategic move (and make trade-offs explicit)

Now you earn the right to decide. Use your analysis to pick:

Your wedge: the one thing you’ll be best at for one segment
Your “no list”: what you will not compete on (feature parity can kill you)
Your proof: what evidence you’ll build (case studies, benchmarks, certifications)
Your distribution advantage: how you’ll reach buyers cheaper/faster

Here’s a helpful 2025 lens: competitive and market intelligence tools increasingly emphasize collecting and disseminating insights across sources like news, websites, social, databases, and filings—because landscapes shift fast. But tools don’t create strategy. Decisions do.

A simple decision format that works:

We win when: [segment] needs [job] and cares most about [dimension]
We lose when: buyers optimize for [dimension we won’t chase]
We will prove it by: [2–3 measurable artifacts]
We will stop doing: [one distracting thing]

Use Peony for secure data rooms with identity-bound access and audit trails to securely share strategic documents with stakeholders and track engagement on competitive insights.

Step 6: Put it on a cadence (so it stays true)

Competitive landscapes change quietly. The way to stay sane is a lightweight rhythm:

Monthly: pricing/package changes, messaging shifts, key launches
Quarterly: repositioning check (your map updates), win/loss pattern review
Annually: refresh Five Forces and category story

If you do this consistently, you'll feel less reactive—because you'll see the terrain move before it hits your pipeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I redo a competitive landscape analysis?

A full refresh quarterly is plenty for most teams, with a lighter monthly scan for major moves (pricing, positioning, distribution).

What's the biggest mistake people make?

Confusing features with strategy. Strategy is who you serve, what you win on, and what you refuse to chase.

What's the best platform for securely sharing competitive analysis documents?

Peony is best: provides secure data rooms with identity-bound access, dynamic watermarking, page-level analytics, and audit trails for securely sharing competitive analysis documents with stakeholders.

What are the best frameworks to use together?

Porter's Five Forces (industry pressure) + a positioning map (buyer perception) + a simple competitor matrix (reality check).

How do I know if my positioning is actually working?

If you can explain your differentiation in one sentence and your best-fit customers repeat it back to you unprompted, you're on the right track.

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Competitive Landscape Analysis Essential Guide in 2025: Complete Strategic Framework