# How to Analyse Competitor Customer Acquisition Channels
In the competitive Australian landscape, knowing where your rivals get their customers isn't just about curiosity—it's about strategic advantage. By identifying which channels drive traffic and conversions for your competitors, you can stop guessing and start investing in marketing efforts that are already proven to work in your specific niche.
Whether you are a local plumber in Brisbane or a national e-commerce brand, understanding the 'digital footprint' of your competition allows you to find gaps in their strategy and replicate their successes.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:- A list of 3–5 direct competitors (those offering the same service in your area).
- A desktop computer (mobile views often hide the data we need).
- A free account with SimilarWeb or a trial of SEMRush/Ahrefs.
- A spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel) to record your findings.
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Step 1: Identify Your True Digital Competitors
Don't just look at the shop down the road. Search for your primary services on Google (e.g., "Emergency Electrician Brisbane") and see who consistently appears in the top three organic results and the paid ads section. These are your digital competitors. List their URLs in your spreadsheet.Screenshot Description: You should see the Google Search Results Page (SERP) with a mix of 'Sponsored' ads at the top and organic listings below. Note the companies that appear in both sections.
Step 2: Use SimilarWeb for a High-Level Overview
Go to SimilarWeb and enter a competitor’s URL. Scroll down to the 'Marketing Channels' section. This provides a percentage breakdown of their traffic sources: Direct, Referrals, Search, Social, Mail, and Display. What to look for: If a competitor has 60% 'Search' traffic, they are likely investing heavily in SEO or Google Ads. If 'Social' is high, they have a strong community or influencer strategy.Step 3: Deep Dive into Organic Search (SEO)
Using a tool like SEMRush or the free 'Keyword Surfer' Chrome extension, look at which keywords are driving the most traffic to your competitor's site. Australian Context: Pay attention to location-specific keywords. Are they ranking for "Best [Service] Brisbane" or broader terms? If they are ranking for high-intent keywords that you aren't targeting, add these to your SEO hit list.Step 4: Analyse Their Paid Search Strategy (PPC)
Return to Google and search for your competitor's name. Look at their ad copy. What is their 'Hook'? Are they offering a "10% discount for locals" or "24/7 emergency response"?You can also use the Google Ads Transparency Center. Search for the competitor's legal name (check their website footer for an ABN if you're unsure of the entity name) to see every ad they are currently running in Australia.
Step 5: Investigate Social Media Acquisition
Don't just look at their follower count; look at their engagement. Go to the Meta Ad Library. Search for your competitor’s Facebook or Instagram page. What to look for: This tool will show you all active ads they are running across Facebook and Instagram. If they have ads that have been running for more than 3 months, it’s a high probability that those ads are profitable and acquiring customers effectively.Step 6: Check Referral Traffic and Backlinks
Referral traffic comes from other websites linking to theirs. Use a tool like Ahrefs (Backlink Checker) to see who links to them.Are they mentioned in local Brisbane business directories? Are they featured in industry blogs like ArchitectureAU or The Urban Developer? If a specific local directory is sending them traffic, you should ensure your business is listed there too.
Step 7: Examine Their Content and Lead Magnets
Visit their website and look for how they 'capture' the lead. Do they have a free eBook, a 'Request a Quote' form, or a calculator? Pro Tip: Sign up for their newsletter. This allows you to see their 'Email Marketing' channel in action. Note how often they email and what kind of offers they use to convert subscribers into customers.Step 8: Analyse Local Map Packs
For Australian small businesses, the Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is a massive acquisition channel. Look at your competitor's profile.- How many reviews do they get per month?
- Do they post regular updates?
- What categories have they selected?
If they are outranking you in the map pack, it’s likely because their profile is more active or has better local relevance.
Step 9: Synthesize the Data
Open your spreadsheet and look at the patterns.- Competitor A might be dominant in Paid Search.
- Competitor B might be winning through Facebook Ads.
- Competitor C might have the best SEO.
Identify the 'Path of Least Resistance'. If everyone is fighting over expensive Google Ads, perhaps there is an opportunity for you to dominate organic Social Media or Local SEO.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Copying blindly: Just because a competitor is running an ad doesn't mean it's working. Always look for longevity—if an ad has been active for months, it's usually a winner.
- Ignoring the 'Direct' channel: High direct traffic often means strong brand awareness (offline word-of-mouth or physical signage). Don't discount the power of a branded vehicle or local sponsorship.
- Focusing on global data: Ensure your tools are set to 'Australia' in the settings. US or UK data will skew your results and lead to poor local decisions.
Troubleshooting
- "My competitor has no data in SimilarWeb": This usually happens with very small local businesses with low traffic volume. In this case, rely on manual checks: look at their social media posting frequency, their Google reviews, and their search rankings manually.
- "I can't find their ads in the Meta Library": Ensure you have selected 'All Ads' in the category dropdown and that you are searching for the exact name of their Facebook Page.
- "The ABN doesn't match the business name": Many Australian businesses trade under a 'Trading Name' while their legal entity is different. Use the ABN Lookup tool to find the link between the names.
Summary & Next Steps
Now that you know where your competitors are finding their customers, it's time to take action. Pick the channel where you saw the most success for them and perform a 'Gap Analysis' on your own presence in that area.- Audit your own channels against the benchmarks you just discovered.
- Select one channel to optimise over the next 30 days.
- Monitor the results using Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
If you find this process overwhelming or want a professional deep-dive into your local Brisbane market, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. We can provide a comprehensive competitive audit to help you leapfrog the competition. Contact us today to get started.