Mastering Competitive Audits in UX Research: A Step-by-Step Guide

Rika Amijayanti

1/29/20252 min read

Want to launch a new product, or revamp the appearance and user experience of your app? A competitive audit could be just what you need. Learning from what your direct or indirect competitors have already done can provide valuable insights and save you a lot of time.

Stay ahead of the game! Follow these crucial steps before conducting a competitive audit:

  1. Define Your Audit Goals.

Clarify your objectives to set a clear scope for your audit. Focus on key aspects such as accessibility, usability, or the visual appeal of your competitors' apps and websites.

  1. Identify You Direct and Indirect Competitors

Start by listing your competitors, including both direct and indirect ones. Direct competitors sell similar products to the same target audience. Indirect competitors either offer similar products to a different audience or different products to the same audience. Start listing you competitors.

  1. Identify the key aspects of your competitors

Identify the key aspects of your competitors to analyze during your audit. Based on the insights needed, designers typically examine user demographics, interactivity, user flow, visual design, and other elements.

  1. Evaluate Visual & UI Design

Carry out your audit and make detailed notes on the selected aspects of your competitors. A successful audit is consistent, so ensure you apply the same level of attention and detail to every element of each competitor.

  1. Summarize Findings & Actionable Insights

After your audit, put everything together in a report that covers:

  • Strengths: What’s working well for your competitors? Maybe they’ve got smooth navigation, eye-catching design, or a really easy user flow. Take note of what makes their UI/UX shine and why users are likely enjoying it.

  • Weaknesses: What’s not working so well? This could be things like slow loading, confusing navigation, or parts of their design that feel clunky or hard to use. These are the areas where users are probably getting frustrated.

  • Opportunities: Look for spots where your competitors could improve, and where you might be able to step in with something better. If they’ve missed a key feature or their site isn’t mobile-friendly, that could be your chance to do it better.

By following these steps, you'll gain valuable insights to help you improve your product's UI/UX and stay competitive in your market. Still not sure where to start? may be you can use this competitive audits template by google. Good Luck!