competitor-research

1# Competitor Research
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3Guides competitor research for SEO, content, backlinks, and positioning. Use when planning content, auditing articles, building links, or evaluating market position.
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5**When invoking**: On **first use**, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On **subsequent use** or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
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7For marketing engagements, lead with the content and distribution view. Use product comparisons to identify meaningful differences and claims the client can support. For a positioning or replacement question, lead with the product view. Use [research workflow](references/research-workflow.md) to select the evidence, follow discoveries and assemble the final report. The SEO and backlink methods below are optional modules selected by scope.
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9## Discover competitors and classify relationships
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11Start with the reference product or URL, market and user task. Inspect the product page to establish the input, outcome and intended user. Set the comparison unit (company, product, capability or feature). For an unknown site or ambiguous brand, verify identity before adding candidates.
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13Choose a product view for user choice, replacement and switching costs; choose a marketing/content view for who attracts the same audience or answers the same question. For a baseline study, maintain one register and derive both views.
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