It can be tempting to feel like you're falling behind when you see your competition making headlines. But before you start panic posting, it's important to understand what's behind those headlines. To truly understand your competition, you need to analyze the content of the message and see if there is substance behind the headlines.
Little things can make for big distractions.
A few things can contribute to this kind of visibility, including pay-for-play.
For example, you may see your competition making headlines for winning an award, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are doing better than you. It could simply be a recognition of one small part of their work. Or they paid for it. Same with "top whatever" in those expensive research guides.
To get a clearer picture, you need to analyze the content of the message and see if there is substance behind the headlines. Understanding what is behind the headlines can help you better assess your position and decide whether you need to change your service or your message.
Don't assume that you always have the secret sauce.
Your clients' needs will change over time, and you must constantly re-evaluate the market to continue meeting and exceeding those needs. Take a step back and reanalyze product market fit. Make a simple chart to compare the must-have benefits—the things every competitor has and every client expects. And then look for delighters—those unexpected special touches that are your opportunity to stand out and be different.
Constantly reassessing the market and your service can give you a data-driven understanding of how you're doing compared to your competition.