Similarweb is a powerful tool for uncovering insights into your ideal customer.

It helps you dig deep into competitor analysis, audience demographics, and digital behaviour to pinpoint exactly where your high-quality leads are hiding.

Here’s how to make the most of it, step-by-step.

(Step 1) Analyse Competitor Websites

To get started, think of a few competitors who are already doing well in your niche. Plug their website URLs into Similarweb and start uncovering data on their audience.

Here’s what you should be looking for:

Traffic Sources:

Identify where their traffic is coming from – social media, search engines, direct traffic, etc. If a lot of their audience comes from social media, you might want to focus on specific platforms where you can engage with potential leads.

Top Referring Sites:

Check out which other websites are driving traffic to your competitors. This can reveal potential partnerships or content channels you could tap into to reach a similar audience.

(Step 2) Study Audience Demographics

Similarweb can give you a demographic breakdown of age, gender, and interests, so you know exactly who your ideal lead is.
Here's how to make sense of this data:

Age & Gender:

If your competitor’s site is popular among, say, 25-34-year-olds, focus your campaigns on this age range. Knowing the dominant gender can also shape your messaging and visual content to resonate better.

Interests and Hobbies:

Similarweb will show you the kinds of topics that interest their audience. For example, if your target audience has a high interest in fitness, you could create content that speaks to those interests or run ads with related themes.

(Step 3) Pinpoint High-Engagement Platforms

Each audience behaves differently across social platforms. Similarweb allows you to see where your competitors’ leads spend their time. Use this data to guide your marketing strategy:

LinkedIn:

If the data shows LinkedIn as a top traffic source, it’s a clear indicator that this audience values professional content. For high-ticket services or B2B products, LinkedIn is often a goldmine.

Meta Platforms (Facebook & Instagram):

For B2C brands, Similarweb might reveal that most leads come from Meta platforms. These are prime for engaging, creative content, particularly if you’re targeting relaxed, everyday users.

AND

(Step 4) Refine Your Ideal Client Profile

Here’s where you go beyond simple demographics. The beauty of Similarweb is the depth of data it provides. As you analyse each competitor, ask yourself:

What lifestyle does my ideal lead have? (What do they do on weekends?)
What type of education level or profession do they usually hold?
What kind of content or websites do they visit regularly?

By refining these details, you can create more personalised campaigns that attract quality leads who resonate with your offering and are more likely to convert.

(Step 5) Qualify Leads by Identifying 'Tyre Kickers'

One of the best ways to avoid tyre kickers – people who aren’t serious about buying – is by understanding where they lurk.

Similarweb can help by revealing low-quality traffic sources. Look out for these signs:

Short Session Duration:

If traffic from certain sites or sources has a consistently short visit duration, that’s often a red flag.

High Bounce Rates:

Pages that see high bounce rates typically signal disinterest or irrelevant traffic. Avoid these sources in your campaigns to save your budget for better leads.

AND

(Step 6) Assess Lead Quality with Behavioural Insights

Finally, Similarweb provides a treasure trove of behavioural insights that can be used to assess lead quality.

For example:

Pages per Visit:

A high number of pages visited per session usually means that the audience is genuinely interested in the content. Leads like these are worth investing in.

Repeat Visits:

If users from certain sources frequently return to the competitor’s site, there’s a good chance they’re in a buying mindset. This could indicate a high-quality lead source.