Master the fundamentals of product management, from user research and analytics to strategy, prioritization, communication, and execution.

Learn product management basics through practical lessons in user research, analytics, prioritization, strategy, and execution. Start on web, iOS, or Android.

Product Management Basics

Learn how to leverage AI in product management. Master AI fundamentals, prompt engineering, and practical applications for PMs.

Learn AI for product managers with practical lessons in AI fundamentals, prompt engineering, and everyday PM workflows. Start on web, iOS, or Android.

AI for Product Managers

Learn how to do competitive analysis. Master the fundamentals of competitive analysis and how to use it to make better product decisions.

Learn competitive analysis for product managers with practical lessons in market research and smarter product decisions. Start on web, iOS, or Android.

Competitive Analysis for Product Managers

## Study Alternatives to Improve Your Strategy

Competitive analysis evaluates alternatives customers might choose so you can make better product and business decisions. Compare the same audience and job, then look for meaningful strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.

Fictional example: two scheduling tools both create appointments, but one handles shift handoffs better. That difference matters only if your target customers need handoffs. The goal is to understand choice, not blindly reproduce a rival's feature list.

```productme-visual
{"asset":"resource:assets/content/ad03db7b-6f6e-4556-9ca0-e19ead3974e5/competitive-compare-alternatives.visual.json"}
```

<h2>Study Alternatives to Improve Your Strategy</h2>
Competitive analysis evaluates alternatives customers might choose so you can make better product and business decisions. Compare the same audience and job, then look for meaningful strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities.
Fictional example: two scheduling tools both create appointments, but one handles shift handoffs better. That difference matters only if your target customers need handoffs. The goal is to understand choice, not blindly reproduce a rival's feature list.
<pre><code class="language-productme-visual">{"asset":"/content/ad03db7b-6f6e-4556-9ca0-e19ead3974e5/competitive-compare-alternatives.visual.json"}
</code></pre>

Competitive analysis helps businesses understand their competitors and improve their own strategies.

Competitive analysis helps businesses understand their competitors and improve their own strategies.

What is the main purpose of competitive analysis?

What is the main purpose of competitive analysis?

## Use Precise Comparison Terms

**Benchmarking** compares defined features, prices, or performance. **Positioning** describes the product's place in a customer's choice. **Market share** is a company's portion of a defined market measure.

For market share, specify numerator and denominator, such as company revenue divided by category revenue for the same region and period. Visits, downloads, users, and revenue are different measures. A website traffic estimate is not automatically market share.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  N0["Defined market and measure"]
  N1["Company portion divided by total"]
  N2["Share for the same period"]
  N0 --> N1
  N1 --> N2
```

<h2>Use Precise Comparison Terms</h2>
Benchmarking compares defined features, prices, or performance. Positioning describes the product's place in a customer's choice. Market share is a company's portion of a defined market measure.
For market share, specify numerator and denominator, such as company revenue divided by category revenue for the same region and period. Visits, downloads, users, and revenue are different measures. A website traffic estimate is not automatically market share.
<pre><code class="language-mermaid">flowchart TD
 N0["Defined market and measure"]
 N1["Company portion divided by total"]
 N2["Share for the same period"]
 N0 --> N1
 N1 --> N2
</code></pre>

Benchmarking involves comparing a product’s features, pricing, and performance against competitors.

Benchmarking involves comparing a product’s features, pricing, and performance against competitors.

Which best describes market share?

In a market-share calculation, company revenue is the {{gap}} and matching total market revenue is the {{gap}}.

In a market-share calculation, company revenue is the {{gap}} and matching total market revenue is the {{gap}}.

## Convert Comparison into Judgment

Competitive analysis helps PMs identify customer expectations, investigate unmet needs, and judge pricing and positioning choices. It supports decisions alongside your own customer evidence and business constraints.

An alternative having a feature is not proof you should build it. Ask what customer outcome it improves and whether that outcome fits your strategy. A focused product can compete effectively without matching every capability.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  N0["Relevant comparison"]
  N1["Customer and strategy context"]
  N2["Product decision"]
  N0 --> N1
  N1 --> N2
```

<h2>Convert Comparison into Judgment</h2>
Competitive analysis helps PMs identify customer expectations, investigate unmet needs, and judge pricing and positioning choices. It supports decisions alongside your own customer evidence and business constraints.
An alternative having a feature is not proof you should build it. Ask what customer outcome it improves and whether that outcome fits your strategy. A focused product can compete effectively without matching every capability.
<pre><code class="language-mermaid">flowchart TD
 N0["Relevant comparison"]
 N1["Customer and strategy context"]
 N2["Product decision"]
 N0 --> N1
 N1 --> N2
</code></pre>

Competitive analysis helps product managers make data-driven decisions.

Competitive analysis helps product managers make data-driven decisions.

Which of the following is NOT a reason why competitive analysis is important for product managers?

Which of the following is NOT a reason why competitive analysis is important for product managers?