“The Competition Doesn’t Matter.”

There seems to be two camps of thought regarding competition:

• Track everything they do
• Pay zero attention to them

Which one is correct?

There are over 98 form builders out there, and I can’t logistically keep up to date with what they are all doing.

That said, I think I should be aware of what they do better than Fantastic Forms. That would allow me to stay competitive and have an idea of what users expect.

On occasion, when I find a new form builder featured on Product Hunt or TinyLaunch, I observe their landing page and feature set. It’s difficult to do so objectively, but it also keeps me humble. It reminds me there is always room for improvement, and the pie is big enough for all of us to succeed in this category.

Perhaps the most useful thing about competitors is the ability to see what users really want.

Looking at their TrustPilot reviews, you can quickly observe what is being done right, and what can be done better.

Beyond that, if there is a publicly available feedback board, you can learn what is lacking from the platform, what users are actively requesting, and where you may be able to gain a competitive edge.

Sometimes, they may even have a dedicated subreddit where you can note what customers are discussing on a routine basis.

I think you can strike a healthy balance of occasionally observing what potential customers are voicing as their main concerns through these feedback loops. I don’t think it’s necessary or beneficial to consume every social media or blog post of theirs; nor is being completely oblivious ideal, either.

The competition doesn’t matter, but the sentiment of the user absolutely does.

— Sebastian