If you sell B2B, keeping tabs on competitors is part of the job. But who has time to manually copy-paste data from dozens (or hundreds) of competitor sites, directories, or review platforms? This guide is for folks who want quick, repeatable competitor intel—without a developer or pricey software. We’ll use Instant Data Scraper, a browser extension that makes web scraping about as easy as it gets.
No fluff, no hype. Just the steps, some honest warnings, and a few shortcuts.
Why automate competitor analysis?
Manual research is fine for one-off projects. But if you want real insight—what your competitors are launching, where they’re listed, or how they position themselves—you need up-to-date info, and lots of it. Automation isn’t magic, but it’s a big time-saver if you set things up right.
Who this helps: - SDRs and sales folks prospecting smarter - Founders and marketing leads who want to spot trends - Anyone tired of “Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V” marathons
Step 1: Understand what Instant Data Scraper can (and can’t) do
Before you start, know this: Instant Data Scraper is a Chrome extension. It grabs tables and repeating elements from web pages—think directories, competitor lists, review summaries. It works best on pages with structured, repeating data.
What it’s good at: - Scraping company directories (think G2, Capterra, Clutch) - Pulling lists of competitors from “top 10” or “alternatives to X” pages - Grabbing product names, URLs, ratings, and sometimes descriptions
What it can’t do: - Scrape sites behind logins or heavy JavaScript (e.g., LinkedIn, some SaaS dashboards) - Parse unstructured text or images - Bypass captchas or hard anti-bot defenses
Pro tip: If the data is in a neat table or list, you’re golden. If it’s scattered across different pages or hidden, you’ll need more advanced tools (or patience).
Step 2: Install Instant Data Scraper
- Open Chrome (or a Chromium-based browser).
- Go to the Chrome Web Store and search for “Instant Data Scraper.”
- Click “Add to Chrome.” That’s it—no account needed, no sneaky data collection.
When you click the extension icon, it’ll scan the current page for tables or repeating sections it can scrape.
Honest take: There are fancier scrapers, but most require coding or monthly fees. Instant Data Scraper is simple, free, and surprisingly powerful for what it is.
Step 3: Identify the sites you want to scrape
Don’t start scraping at random. Decide which competitor sources actually matter. A few ideas:
- Review directories: G2, Capterra, Clutch, TrustRadius
- Marketplace listings: App marketplaces, partner directories
- Comparison blogs: “Top 20 CRM tools in 2024”
- Aggregator lists: Product Hunt, StackShare
Skip these (or proceed with caution): - Sites that require logins (it won’t work) - Sites with “infinite scroll” (it’s hit or miss; sometimes you can scroll and then scrape, but it’s clunky) - Pages with heavy JavaScript rendering (if you don’t see the data in the HTML, the scraper won’t either)
Focus on sources where you can actually get clean, structured data.
Step 4: Scrape your first competitor list
Let’s say you want a list of CRM competitors from Capterra. Here’s the workflow:
- Navigate to the listing page.
- Example: https://www.capterra.com/customer-relationship-management-software/
- Scroll down so all the listings you want are loaded.
- Some sites only load more results as you scroll. If so, keep scrolling until you see all the companies you want.
- Click the Instant Data Scraper extension icon.
- It’ll try to auto-detect tables or repeated elements. You’ll usually see a preview of rows at the bottom of your browser.
- Review the preview.
- Are the columns right? If not, try clicking “Try another table” or “Try another list” in the extension until it grabs the right section.
- Export your data.
- Click “Download CSV.” You’ve got your competitor data in a spreadsheet.
Pro tip: Sometimes you’ll need to fiddle with the “Load more” or “Next page” buttons manually. Scraper can sometimes auto-navigate pages, but it’s not perfect. Watch for weirdly duplicated rows or missing data.
Step 5: Clean up your data
Don’t trust raw scrape output. It’ll often have: - Blank columns - Messy headers (think: “Company Name123”) - Unnecessary footers or ads
How to de-gunk your spreadsheet: - Delete empty or irrelevant columns - Rename headers to something sane - Sort by what matters (e.g., rating, alphabetical order)
If you want to get fancy, you can use filters or conditional formatting. But honestly, a quick cleanup in Google Sheets is enough for most people.
What to ignore: If the data isn’t there (like detailed pricing or deep feature lists), don’t waste time trying to coax it out. Most directories just don’t publish that info.
Step 6: Enrich or cross-reference your list (optional)
A basic list is nice, but sometimes you want more—like social profiles, tech used, or recent funding. Here’s how to go further, if you care:
- Find websites: If the directory didn’t include URLs, Google the company names in bulk.
- Use enrichment tools: Free tools like Clearbit, Hunter, or Snov.io can sometimes fill in missing info (emails, domains). But don’t expect miracles—accuracy varies, and free tiers are limited.
- Manual spot-checks: For your top targets, open their sites and check the basics. Yes, it’s manual, but for a shortlist, it’s worth it.
Reality check: Automation gets you 80% there. The last 20% (like finding the right contact or parsing custom feature lists) usually needs human eyes.
Step 7: Automate regular competitor updates
Competitor data gets stale fast. If you want to keep your lists fresh:
- Set a recurring calendar reminder (weekly, monthly—your call).
- Repeat the scrape and cleanup steps above.
- Compare your new list to the old one.
- Look for new entrants, feature changes, or dropped companies.
If you’re ambitious, you can set up Google Sheets with formulas or simple scripts to highlight changes between scrapes. But for most B2B teams, a manual check every month is enough.
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. Unless your market shifts daily, monthly or quarterly updates are fine.
What works, what doesn’t, and what to ignore
Works well: - Pulling clean lists from public directories - Building a “who’s who” of your competitive landscape - Saving hours vs. manual copy-paste
Doesn’t work: - Scraping behind paywalls, logins, or heavy JavaScript sites (think LinkedIn, Glassdoor) - Getting detailed pricing, deep feature breakdowns, or private info - One-click magic for every site—sometimes you’ll have to tweak or give up
Ignore: - Overcomplicating your process. You don’t need every data point to make smart sales moves. - Chasing “complete” data. Good enough is usually enough.
Keep it simple and iterate
Automating competitor analysis isn’t about building a Silicon Valley-grade workflow. It’s about saving yourself a ton of boring work and getting reliable, repeatable competitor lists you can actually use.
Start with the basics. Scrape one or two directories. Clean the output. Use it. If you need more, add a layer or two. Don’t let “perfect” slow you down. Competitor analysis is only useful if you actually use the data—so keep it simple, keep it current, and get back to selling.