In a few steps, theCompetitive mappingIt is a benchmark to locate an offer and to find opportunities that are regularly unsuspected. That you were looking for aexample of positioning mapadapted, an accessible model or simply a proven method to challenge your strategy, this practice allows you to make more relevant decisions and gain the support of investors as teams, without getting lost in too long or complex analyses.
Competitive mapping example – simple method, models and good practices
Would you like to see an example of competitive mapping ready? In less than two minutes, it is worth discovering how to design your own positioning map: select your strategic axes, download a free template and follow a method from the marketing field. Among the models of the HubSpot, the guides of Bpifrance as well as tools like Smappen (which offers mapping on more than5 million enterprises), everything is there to carry out a concrete analysis, without fear of getting lost.
What is competitive mapping?
To sum up, competitive mapping is a graph where each market player takes place according to two main axes (price, quality, innovation, etc.). This map allows you to immediately spot current positions and unoccupied spaces. It is less burdensome than a comprehensive benchmark – but it remains a strategic approach, especially when launching or repositioning.
Some recent guides, such as those published by HubSpot (updated April 2025), highlight one crucial aspect: a competitive mapping is as visual as it is operational. It is better to forget the jargon, the aim being to clarify the situation... While protecting itself from the "confirmation gap" that pushes to overestimate its own position (a advice regularly taken up by strategy specialists).
Definition and objectives of competitive mapping
A competitive positioning map, also known as a perceptual matrix, is used to accurately situate an offer against its direct and indirect rivalries. In general, it is illustrated by a two-axis graph where each (company or product) occupies a separate box.
In practice, competitive mapping enables:
- Identify market areas already saturated or available
- View competing approaches such as low cost, premium or specialized approaches (differentiation effectkey)
- Identify groups to be targeted or bypassed according to the objectives
This visual support can speed up decision making – close to80% of marketing managersSurveyed by large firms report that it facilitates the choice of positioning (a trainer recently mentioned how much a clear mapping avoids scattering).
Why create a competitive positioning map?
In 2024, almost all successful marketing projects began with a competitive mapping. Plan a repositioning, avoid duplication in the offer, identify still neglected customer needs: this is usually the starting point.
Main benefits: differentiation, anticipation, niche identification
Using a mapping is to ensure that the product is not offered "neither made nor made", drowned in a saturated area. But it's also a formidable tool to spot a poorly exploited segment or position an offer on original axes (service, innovation...).
Keep in mind:
- A coherent mapping offers adifferential leverrapid
- It highlights the subcontracted axes: for example, ahigh price coupled with premium service
- It supports a fundraising or business presentation (powerful visual argument)
An example reported on Smappen:5 million enterprisesalone4% occupy the quadrant "high quality, low price"in the specialized distribution market. One professional pointed out that there is still a strategic target for new entrants.
Direct, indirect competition: what difference on a mapping?
Before you start on Excel, a question deserves to be considered: what rivals should be included in mapping? To misidentify its competitors is to distort any analysis. Is it really obvious to distinguish those who matter?
Decrypting levels of competition
Direct competition brings together all those who offer a similar offer targeting the same target (e.g. fast food chains for a vegetarian burger). As for indirect competition, it includes alternatives that meet the need through other channels (e.g. supermarkets, "healthy" restaurants).
Some points to note:
- Start by analyzing3 to 5 direct competitorsto keep a clear view of the market
- Add2 to 3 indirect competitorswhen this illuminates a complementary positioning
We notice quite regularly that many underestimate peripheral threats: according to Bpifrance Creation,38% of product failuresare linked to a poor assessment of indirect competition. A consultant recently testified that a failed mapping can divert a whole project...
How to choose the right axes for your competitive mapping?
This choice is decisive! The more relevant the axes, the more real opportunities the mapping highlights. Is there a reliable method for defining these criteria?
Identify key differentiating criteria
Depending on the sector, the two key strategic attributes are identified. For example, in retail: price vs. quality/width of supply; service side B2B, this can be reactive vs. expertise/innovation. Rather than assuming, it is better to interview its clients (back-to-back surveys, feedback field: a recett often overlooked, yet useful).
Typical examples of axes:
- Price (low/high) versus perceived quality (a central binome in retail)
- Specialisation (generalist/specialist) faced with notoriety
- Level of service related to geographic proximity (key element in TPE)
- Product innovation vs. tradition (typical for food or fashion)
Some market analysis tools, such as SEMrush or Google Trends, help validate the relevance of the axes based on the volume of customer searches. A digital expert recalls: an absent axis of customer questions may not be useful... (It is not uncommon for a "too theoretical" mapping to miss the target).
Good to know
I recommend that you validate your axes by directly questioning your customers, as too theoretical mapping may miss its target.
Perform a competitive mapping in a handful of easy steps
Need a practical field-tested guide? Here are the key steps, taken from the main resources of the domain (HubSpot, Bpifrance, Asana).
1. Setting Objectives
Start by refining your question: locate a niche, adjust a pricing strategy or justify a repositioning? According to field feedback, the clarity of the target increases the relevance of mapping in between 65 and 75% of situations. A marketing expert says that a no-target positioning card is still missing impact.
2. Select competitors to analyze
Better list5 to 8 competitors, distinguishing clearly directly and indirectly (see previous section). Remember to check that no brand reference has been forgotten in your barge area, with some new digital players shaking the market.
3. Choose and list 2 axes
Cross criteria from your studies and consider validating with your targets if these axes really matter to them, as Excel or Canva models often have pre-filled axes that can be adapted according to the demand.
4. Place each actor on the map
Attribute a measure (note 1 to 5, real price...) to each competitor for each axis, then position it in the right quadrant. To start, test a HubSpot or Asana template to visualize your mapping without any complexity. Some professionals argue that a first mapping is built in about 20 minutes with these tools.
5. Analyze areas and adjust its own positioning
Identify abandoned quadrants (often a source of new opportunities), and dense areas (to be monitored to avoid a "price war"). Ask the question: "Are we threatening the leaders?" or "A customer expectation is not yet fulfilled?" According to a recent study,1 in 3 mappingpushes to change the positioning of the offer.
Quick operational checklist to read again
Before concluding, consider: checking your sources, updating each quarter (guides usually recommend regular review) and soliciting a third party to avoid confirmation bias (tip frequently cited in training).
Concrete examples of sectoral mappings
Viewing several competing mappings by sector means making exercise more alive from the outset. Marketing, retail, services, TPE: there are cases for all profiles! Sometimes a user discovers through a mapping that he never really mapped his rivals.
Case 1: Local food retail
Fictitious example between five supermarket signs, positioned on the price axis (bottom → high) and Perceived quality (basic → premium). Two brands occupy the "low price, high quality" niche, a highly sought after area in recent years.
Case 2 : Web agency B2B
Competitors classified according to Specialization (generalist or SEO expert) and Price. Affordable and highly expert agencies are rare: a niche that regularly attracts project promoters and requires caution and thorough analysis.
Case #3: Startup SaaS (management software)
Functionality (basic to advanced) and Price axes. Cartography developed on 10 publishers: one option displays a very advanced range while remaining at average price, allowing it to seduce60% of regional SMEs/TEE clients. A strategy trainer reported this typical pattern in the local SaaS.
| Sector | Recommended main axes |
|---|---|
| Retail | Price / Perceived quality |
| B2B services | Expertise / Specialization / Prices |
| SaaS/Tech | Functionality / Prize / Innovation |
A useful tip: customize each example using the real competitors of your market. It's best to remap on Excel or Canva to "paste to reality".
Free tools and resources to go further
Are you looking to save time or even automate exercise? Downloadable tools and templates are numerous (some free, others with premium options). Focus on those whose guides are updated regularly (see HubSpot or Asana). For 2025,three out of five modelsremain available free of charge in all sectors.
Top Recommended Tools
To try to build its competitive mapping without difficulty:
- Excel or PowerPoint models offered via HubSpot, Asana or Bpifrance (In practice, they are adaptable to more than 10 sectors)
- Free competitive mapping simulator (Smappen:more than 325 INSEE indicators, 5 million enterprisesintegrated)
- Canva or Miro templates, pre-filled and modular in less than five minutes
A Bpifrance reference indicates that90% of marketershaving downloaded a HubSpot or Smappen template, the exercise is twice as readable as a "craft" mapping. Some experts also state that mapping accelerates the validation of strategic directions.
Competitive mapping FAQ
Step forward calmly with these answers, from real cases and experts in the sector.
What criteria do you choose for a successful competitive mapping?
Focus on two areas that directly impact customer decision: regular price/quality, or innovation/service. To achieve this, analyze your competitors' Google or Trustpilot reviews: it is often rich in teaching. It is not uncommon for a customer return to bring out an axis passed in silence by managers.
Can we do its competitive mapping on Excel or PowerPoint?
It's quite possible:about 70% of market examplesare made on Excel. For better readability, it is better to adopt the models proposed by HubSpot or Bpifrance (updated April 2025), endorsed by many professionals.
Should direct competition be preferred or should mapping be extended to alternatives?
The balance remains the rule: start from3 to 5 direct competitors, add2 to 3 indirectfor reliable analysis. The too narrow mappings regularly mask "non-radar" threats: a consultant mentioned a case of failed repositioning due to lack of integration of the good indirect.
What if my mapping is empty on some quadrants?
This is to be seen as an opening: check the actual demand via Google Trends or via customer interviews to engage on the potential... or avoid a route if there is no waiting. One product manager mentioned that some desert quadrants hide niches, and others simply lack interest.
Frequent limitations and errors to avoid
Do not avoid simplicity: two axes are sufficient in almost all cases to keep a readable message. Consider updating every 6 to 12 months (the dynamic sectors are rather quarterly). Sometimes an obsolete mapping turns the team away from the real target.
Where to download a model or test a simulator for free?
The "download" or "free tools" sections on HubSpot, Asana or Smappen cover most needs. Some even offer subscription to a newsletter with access to premium resources alreadymore than 100,000 registered expertsfor HubSpot in 2024! An entrepreneur confided to having discovered with these tools a new axis for his market.
"Pro" tip to remember
Don't wait for the emergency: launch an anticipated mapping, you'll see, it'sabout 3 times easier to adjustThen!