Archive's Competitor Insights feature helps you monitor and analyze your competitors' user-generated content across social media platforms. Understanding how our tracking system works will help you make the most of this powerful competitive intelligence tool.
How Competitor Tracking Works
Archive maintains a comprehensive database of brands that we track across various social media platforms. When you request competitor tracking for a brand, we collect UGC data based on specific tracking parameters that have been configured for that brand.
Required vs. Optional Tracking Parameters
Required:
Instagram mentions - Every tracked brand must include Instagram mention detection
Optional:
Hashtag tracking - Brands may include one or more relevant hashtags
TikTok mentions - Additional TikTok content collection when requested
Brand Database Structure
Our competitor tracking system operates on a shared database model:
Initial Brand Setup: When a customer first requests tracking for a brand, we add it to our database with the specified parameters (Instagram mentions plus any requested hashtags or TikTok mentions).
Shared Updates: If another customer requests tracking for the same brand but wants additional hashtags included, we add those hashtags to the existing brand profile.
Universal Benefits: Once updated, all customers tracking that brand will benefit from the expanded tracking parameters.
Understanding Content Volume Variations
The amount of UGC content collected can vary significantly between different competitor brands due to several factors:
Tracking Configuration Differences
Some brands may only have Instagram mention tracking enabled
Others include Instagram + TikTok mentions + multiple hashtags
The specific combination depends on what has been requested by various customers over time
Platform Limitations
3,000-Follower Limitation: There are known limitations in content detection that can affect the volume of UGC collected
Platform API restrictions may impact content accessibility
Brand Popularity and Activity
More popular brands naturally generate more UGC content
Different brands have varying levels of social media engagement
Managing Expectations
It's important to understand that competitor insights will never provide perfectly comparable "apples to apples" data between brands due to:
Different tracking configurations per brand
Varying levels of social media activity
Platform-specific limitations
Timeline differences in when tracking began
Optimizing Your Competitor Tracking
Current Setup Review
We can provide you with the current tracking setup for each competitor brand you're following, including:
Which platforms are being monitored
What hashtags are included
When tracking began
Requesting Updates
If you identify gaps in a competitor's tracking setup, you can request additional parameters such as:
New hashtags to monitor
TikTok mention tracking (if not already enabled)
Additional social platforms as they become available
Best Practices
Regular Reviews: Periodically review your competitor tracking setup to ensure it captures relevant content
Strategic Hashtag Selection: When requesting new hashtags, choose those most relevant to your competitive analysis
Understand Limitations: Keep platform limitations in mind when analyzing competitor performance
Future Improvements
Archive is committed to enhancing the competitor insights feature. We continue to work on:
Improving content detection accuracy
Expanding platform coverage
Reducing tracking limitations
Enhancing data consistency across brands