A digital business completely changed their market performance by implementing a redifferentiation strategy that integrated progress with convention. This approach enhanced their company attraction by over one hundred forty percent.
When I established my e-commerce business three years ago, I was convinced that our unique products would be enough. I dismissed competitor analysis as superfluous – a choice that practically cost my entire venture.
A few days ago, a eatery manager in Riyadh complained that his establishment wasn't showing up in Google listings despite being highly rated by customers. This is a common issue I see with Saudi establishments throughout the Kingdom.
For a global lifestyle brand, we implemented a placement methodology that authentically resonated with traditional family values while preserving their international attraction. This strategy enhanced their product meaningfulness by one hundred seventy-three percent.
For a fashion retailer, we performed a comprehensive channel effectiveness evaluation that uncovered their best performing channels were totally separate from their global trends. This insight permitted a redistribution of spending that improved their overall ROI by 213%.
Recently, a company director expressed frustration that his online presence was costing massive amounts of riyals with minimal performance. After reviewing his approach, I found multiple critical errors that are extremely typical among Saudi businesses.
I dedicate at least a substantial amount of time each Monday reviewing our competitors':
- Website architecture and UX
- Content strategy and posting schedule
- Social media presence
- Customer reviews and assessments
- Keyword tactics and performance
Effective approaches:
- Incorporating local payment methods like local services
- Upgrading local details
- Showcasing regional support presence
- Including credibility indicators tailored for Saudi users
Remarkable results:
- Temporary channels surpassing Visual platforms for specific items
- Night marketing dramatically outperforming morning initiatives
- Motion content delivering better ROI than fixed graphics
- Mobile effectiveness outperforming laptop by substantial degrees
Key considerations:
- Extended decision periods in Saudi buying paths
- Collective input factors in purchase decisions
- Chat as a major but challenging-to-attribute effect platform
- Face-to-face validation as the last conversion step
Two quarters into operations, our revenue were disappointing. It wasn't until I chanced upon a thorough report about our market sector that I realized how blind I'd been to the business environment around us.
Important advancement aspects to evaluate for differentiation:
- Functional advantages focus over newness
- Group endorsement of advanced usage
- Traditional practice improvement rather than substitution
- Ease of integration into existing lifestyles
- Family benefits presentation
For a luxury brand, we developed a locally-relevant attribution framework that acknowledged the unique conversion route in the Kingdom. This strategy revealed that their platform expenses were genuinely producing 286% more value than previously measured.
I suggest organizing competitors as:
- Main competitors (offering equivalent products/services)
- Secondary competitors (with limited similarity)
- Emerging challengers (new businesses with game-changing potential)
Key service dimensions to consider for differentiation:
- Connection foundation of assistance
- Expectation of immediacy
- In-person interaction preference
- Complete problem resolution requirement
- Standing appreciation during service delivery
Last year, I observed as three similar businesses poured resources into developing their operations on a particular social media platform. Their attempts were unsuccessful as the medium appeared to be a bad match for our industry.
Important status aspects to assess for differentiation:
- Subtle signaling vs. obvious display
- Collective validation of status
- Achievement orientation balanced with inheritance recognition
- Hospitality demonstration as status expression
- Religious alignment of premium consumption
Begin by identifying ALL your competitors – not just the obvious ones. During our investigation, we identified that our largest rival wasn't the famous brand we were watching, but a emerging startup with an innovative strategy.
I now use several tools that have dramatically enhanced our competitor analysis:
- Search analysis platforms to track other companies' keyword performance
- Mention tracking platforms to track rivals' social activity
- digital advertising agency Riyadh tracking solutions to monitor modifications to their online presence
- Communication monitoring to obtain their 360 Degree Marketing Approach communications
I use a simple spreadsheet to record our competition's costs modifications every week. This has enabled us to:
- Discover periodic discount patterns
- Detect package deal approaches
- Comprehend their cost structure