Let’s be honest, your competitor just launched a new campaign. It looks slick. They’re getting likes on LinkedIn. They dropped a new feature, rolled out a new video, or maybe they’re sponsoring a conference.
And you’re thinking: “We should do that too.” Stop right there.
At Pulsion, we’ve seen this movie before. It’s called “The Copycat Trap”—and it rarely ends well. Here’s why mimicking your competitor’s moves without proper validation is a marketing mistake.
Flash Doesn’t Equal Function
That big-budget explainer video your competitor launched? It might have zero tracking.
That rebrand with the splashy fonts and animations? No change in CTR. No uptick in leads. Just… vanity.
Competitors are just as susceptible to internal politics, bad marketing advice, or ego-driven decisions as anyone. Don’t assume they know what they’re doing.
Instead of copying, analyze:
- Who are they targeting?
- What channels are they using?
- Are there engagement indicators? (comments, shares, actual leads?)
If the data’s not there—don’t be a follower.
The Real Risk: Burning Budget Blindly
We recently saw a courier company who has invested big budget in social media video reels for the past year. The IG has accumulated 8000 followers but most of the comments and engagement are about the silly nature of the videos vs a desire to learn about, or purchase courier services. In this instance this is where they placed most of their marketing budget. Their digital marketing budget was meant to drive revenue yet they couldn’t tied very much direct revenue at all from this investment. Had that same investment been made in Google Ads for example, driving people searching for courier services to where they can register – there would have been substantial, measurable ROI for the same investment.
The did that because an agency convinced them that this would give them an edge over the competition.
Strategy > Imitation
At Pulsion, our approach is simple:
- If it doesn’t align with your ICP, don’t do it.
- If it doesn’t fit your funnel, skip it.
- If it doesn’t reflect your positioning, it will confuse the market.
- If it can’t produce a measurable return, it doesn’t make sense.
You need a bespoke strategy, not borrowed flash. This is why we start all projects with a Search Engine Impact Report. It gives you visibility into:
- What’s working in your niche
- What your competitors are ranking for
- Where your ICP is actually spending time
- How your funnel is (or isn’t) performing
From there, we build, we don’t copy.
What to Do Instead
If you’re tempted to mimic a competitor, pause and:
- Audit Their Strategy: Use tools like SimilarWeb, Semrush, and LinkedIn Ads Library to look at their actual tactics and results.
- Compare to Your ICP: Are they targeting the same audience? Are you at the same lifecycle stage?
- Run a Controlled Test: Instead of jumping in with a full budget, pilot a version of the tactic and measure performance.
- Ask Yourself Why: If the only reason you’re considering a tactic is “they’re doing it,” that’s not strategy.
A Better Way to Compete
You don’t need to match your competitor’s every move. You need to out-think them.
Your marketing should:
- Fit your budget
- Target your ICP
- Be measurable
- Reflect your unique value proposition
- Support a real conversion path
When you do that, your competitor’s flashy new campaign? Just noise. Stop reacting. Start leading. Let us help you build a marketing strategy that wins—not wows. www.gopulsion.io