Hady Shaikh’s Quick Guide On Mobile App Competitive Analysis

Are you validating your product idea or scaling your existing mobile app infrastructure? In any case, the most important part of your market fit research is the mobile app competitive analysis that will tell you where to seek inspiration from and how to outrun your competitors. Here is a quick rundown of competitor analysis. With this blueprint that I have developed while working on 100+ mobile app projects of my career, all you have to do is download it, print it and start chalking down your research.

Step 1: App Features and Functionality

Features are the reason any user will download the app – the functionalities and features, their completeness and effectiveness directly impact the user experience.
Start by identifying the core functionalities and unique features of your competitor’s app. Look at:
⦁ Integration of third-party services and APIs like payment merchants
⦁ In-app tools and resources
⦁ Customization options like offline mode, dark mode and custom notification settings
⦁ Device compatibility
⦁ User preferences
⦁ Availability on Android and iOS

Step 2: User Experience (UX) and Design

These are the visual elements that your users interact with, and then witness a specific user experience. When exploring the user experience, ask yourself:
⦁ Is the competitor’s app easy to navigate?
⦁ How does the app provide information?
⦁ How much time does the app take to load?
⦁ Does the app use multimedia content like videos and infographics?
⦁ Is the design minimal, retro, basic, or cluttered?
⦁ How does the app’s design look on different screens?
⦁ What are the problems you faced when accessing the app?
Evaluate the user experience of your website or app by this web development company in dubai by commenting on the overall look and feel of the app – then think about what you can fix, where you can do better, what areas you can simplify and

Step 3: Monetization Strategies

This is why YOU want to launch an app or have already published one – this is the money-making part. By analyzing the competitor’s mobile app’s monetization strategies, you can create similar funnels, and later build onto them.
To understand how your competitor makes money, check:
⦁ If the app is free or paid?
⦁ If it’s a free app, does it ask for money later on – in-app purchases, freemium?
⦁ Does the app show ads?
⦁ What does the app say about selling and monetizing users’ data?
⦁ Does the app sell lives, credits, energy, downloadables or coupons?
⦁ Do you think the competitor’s target audience pays for such experience? Why or why not?
⦁ What are the other ways you can make money? For example, introducing feature packages, etc.?

Step 4: User Acquisition and Engagement

Whichever stage your app business is at, you’ll have to make efforts to acquire users – and so does your competitor!
Check these factors to steal the user acquisition strategies of your competitor:
⦁ Which user acquisition channels is your competitor using? Search engine, app store, ads, referrals?
⦁ Does your competitor run ads on Google and Play Store?
⦁ Does your competitor run ads on Instagram and Facebook?
⦁ Does your competitor pay commission to affiliates?
⦁ How many downloads does the app have on leading app marketplaces?
⦁ What are the estimated daily active users of your app?
⦁ Is there any channel your competitor is missing?
In user acquisition, think about the onboarding process of the app, guest signups, incentives, and first-time user experience.

Step 5: Customer Reviews and Ratings

The best way to decide if users really like the app, or want something different or something new is to go to the listing and read feedback and comments. Answer these questions:
⦁ What is the average rating on Google Play and App Store?
⦁ Do user reviews have a trend? It could be a specific issue or feature.
⦁ Do users have any common complaints?
⦁ Do users have any suggestions for improvement or requests for new features?
⦁ How has the competitor responded to the reviews?
At this stage, you can decide if you want to add a new feature to your app that your competitor currently doesn’t have!

Step 6: Marketing, Market Positioning and Branding

Think about different ways your competitor has maintained differentiation and uniqueness?
⦁ Which target audience is your competitor marketing to?
⦁ What is the USP of your competitor?
⦁ How do they advertise the benefits of their app?
⦁ Which voice and tone do they use?
⦁ How many users on Quora or Reddit know about the app already?
⦁ Does your competitor post regularly on social media?
⦁ Does your competitor participate on community platforms with official IDs?
⦁ Do any industry influencers, bloggers or vloggers talk about your competitor’s app?

Step 7: Scalability

This is your competitor’s plan and strategy to expand the business and revenue. Research and find out answers to:
⦁ Is your competitor’s app an MVP (basic product with essential features) or a full-scale commercial product?
⦁ Does your competitor plan to add more features?
⦁ Has your competitor announced about launching versions for other devices and screens, for example, smart watches?
⦁ Does your competitor’s mission or vision show specific targets about user base, revenue or number of downloads?
⦁ Does your competitor plan to target new locations, professions, demographics or an altogether new target audience?

Conclusion.

Visit mobile app development company dubai and get your competitive analysis concluded here – but also, this is one of the smartest business moves if done thoroughly. If you have analyzed comprehensively, you’ll find out loopholes in your competitor’s brand positioning, technical infrastructure and user experience that will become an opportunity you can capitalize on!
About Hady Shaikh
Hady Shaikh is the Senior President Business Unit and Strategy at CMOLDS UAE – and principal product strategist at heart who spends his typical day building product strategies, custom technology stacks, monetization frameworks and startup funding opportunities for mobile app entrepreneurs in the Middle East. 

Also Read: Iphone’s Storage Wars