How to Find Your Competitors on Instagram (Guide for Dropshipping & E-commerce Brands)

Social Monitoring: Check Competitor Engagement and Growth

Having a lot of followers doesn’t mean much if there is no engaging content. A brand with 100,000 followers but only 100 likes per post probably isn’t connecting with its audience.

Key metrics to track:

• Engagement rate – How many likes, comments, and shares do they get?

• Comment quality – Do people leave generic messages like "Nice post", or do they start real conversations?

• Follower growth trends – Use Social Blade to see if they gain new followers naturally or through paid promotions.

• Real time audience insights– Find out when their audience is most active.

Example:
A beauty e-commerce brand notices that a competitor’s engagement drops after 8 PM. They decide to post between 5-7 PM, when people interact the most.

Use What You Learn to Improve Your Own Content Strategy

The best way to use competitor insights is to apply them to your own brand.

• If a competitor gets top performing posts with Reels or customer reviews, try it too.

• If humor helps a brand get more shares, consider using a casual tone if it fits your image.

• If a store gains new followers by working with influencers, test influencer marketing for your brand.

Example:
A jewelry brand in dropshipping sees that competitors work with nano-influencers (under 10K followers) to create content. They decide to test this approach to see if it increases conversions.

Instagram Marketing: How to Use Competitor Analysis?

Your competitor analysis is important. But using historical data to outperform them is even better. The goal isn’t to copy what they do but to optimize what already works in your niche while adding your unique touch.

Improve Your Instagram Content Strategy

One of the biggest takeaways from competitive analysis is knowing which content formats perform best.

If multiple brands in your niche get many users engaged on Reels, it might be time to rethink your own content.

Example:
A streetwear dropshipping brand noticed that its competitors got better engagement by using UGC (User-Generated Content) from small creators. With this strategy, they boosted social media engagement at lower ad costs.

Beyond content format, you should also look at post frequency and tone. Some brands succeed with three instagram posts per week, while others post daily but get fewer results. Testing different schedules will help you find the right audience instead of randomly posting.

Competitor Hashtag Analysis and Ad Strategies

Using relevant hashtags can significantly boost organic reach. Hashtag analysis can help refine your own strategy.

Example:

 An e-commerce store selling tech gadgets found that competitors used highly popular but very competitive hashtags like #TechLover and #GadgetAddict.
Instead of competing directly, they combined broad hashtags with niche-specific ones, which helped them attract the right audience and improve conversions.

For ads, Meta Ad Library is a powerful tool to track offers and ad formats that work.

Example:
A home decor store noticed that its competitors frequently ran a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" offer. They applied the same strategy in their own ads and saw a clear increase in clicks and conversions.

Dropshipping Instagram Competitor: Stand Out the Smart Way

One of the biggest mistakes in competitor analysis is blindly copying what others do. Instead, use it to spot weaknesses and turn them into opportunities.

Example:
A dropshipping cosmetics brand found that competitors rarely responded to comments and DMs. By setting up a responsive customer service on Instagram, they increased conversions simply by improving user experience.

Similarly, if competitors rely too much on promotional content and see lower engagement, you can focus on authentic content— user friendly interface for customer reviews, product storytelling, and behind-the-scenes videos.

Social media competitor analysis isn’t just about following trends. It’s about adding value and creating a content strategy that makes you stand out.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Instagram Competitor Analysis

Instagram competitive analysis is a powerful tool to spot winning products, improve ads, and track trends. But to get real value, you need to use it the right way. Many dropshippers and e-commerce sellers make mistakes that stop them from using the data effectively.

Here are the most common errors to avoid so you don’t waste time and money on Instagram.

Copying Competitors of Instagram Instead of Adapting

Looking at competitors helps, but copying without thinking is risky. What works for one store might not work for yours.

Example:
A dropshipper selling sports accessories sees a competitor succeed with funny Reels. He tries the same. The problem? His target audience expects informative content about performance and product benefits. His strategy fails, and he loses time on the wrong approach.

➡ Always adapt social media strategies to your niche and audience. Test before committing fully.

Competitor Instagram: Focusing Only on Follower Count

In dropshipping, big numbers can be misleading. Many sellers assume that a 50,000-follower account is a strong competitor. But followers don’t mean sales—engagement does.

What really matters?

• Engagement rate – A brand with 10,000 followers and 1,000 likes per post is stronger than one with 100,000 followers but only 500 likes.

• Comment quality – Are people asking questions, tagging friends, and interacting with the brand?

• Audience demographics– If a competitor sells in France but most of their followers are in Indonesia, they aren’t a real competitor.

Don’t be impressed by big numbers—use tools like Social Blade to check real engagement.

Competitor Instagram trap: Skipping long-term trends

Trends in dropshipping change fast. Some products blow up overnight but disappear just as quickly.

Example:
A dropshipper sees a competitor’s TikTok Ad attract thousands of followers in days. He rushes to launch the same product. But by the time he does, the hype is over. He wastes his ad budget.

How to avoid this?

• Track winning products over weeks, not just during a viral moment.

• Check if a trend is growing or already slowing down.

• See if fast-growing instagram competitors keep performing well or start losing engagement.

Don’t chase trends without checking if they will last. Just because a product is hot today doesn’t mean it will sell tomorrow.

Ignoring Instagram competitors Interactions and Engagement

Looking at ads and posts is useful, but deeper insights come from how brands connect with their audience.

 Why does brand sentiment matter in dropshipping?

•  A competitor might run great ads, but if they never reply to comments, they frustrate potential buyers.

• DMs and private messages are often the first step before a purchase. Brands that reply fast get more sales than those that ignore messages.

• If a competitor gets the same customer questions over and over ("Is this waterproof?", "How long does shipping take?"), these are key details to highlight in your product descriptions and ads.

• Don’t just focus on content—watch how Instagram competitors interact with their audience.

Step-by-Step Guide : How to Find Your Competitors on Instagram? E-Commerce & Dropshipping

Competitor analysis on Instagram is a powerful way to find winning products, improve content, and optimize ads. Here’s a simple and effective method to identify, study, and surpass your competitors.

1. How to Find Competitors on Instagram?

Before analyzing them, you need to identify direct and indirect competitors.

Where to look?

• Keywords research and hashtags – Type niche-related hashtags like #dropshipping, #smartwatch, #fitnessgear.

• Use Instagram suggestions – Visit a competitor’s profile and check the "Suggested for You" section.

• Check sponsored ads – Scroll through your feed and note ads from similar brands.

• Look on Google & social media – Search for "[product] Instagram" to find top business accounts in your niche.

2. Analyze Competitor Content and Engagement

Once you have a list of dropshipping instagram competitors, study what works for them.

What to track?

• Types of content – Do they post Reels, Stories, standard or carousels posts?

• Post frequency – Do they publish content daily or a few times per week?

• Engagement rate – How many likes and comments do they get per post?

• Customer interaction – Do they reply to DMs and comments?

Recommended tool: Social Blade to track follower growth and engagement trends, with real time audience insights.

3. Gain Insights on Competitor Ads and Offers

Top e-commerce brands on Instagram rely on paid advertising.

How to analyze their campaigns?

• Use Meta Ad Library to see their active ads.

• Observe their visuals, offers, and call-to-action messages.

• Identify trends – Do they rely on discounts, storytelling, or video posts?

• Test a similar ad format while improving your offer or message.

4. Track Your Competitor Instagram Growth Over Time

Competitor analysis should be continuous. When you track their activity over time, you avoid chasing short-term trends.

Regular social monitoring on: 

•  New promotions and offers (via Meta Ad Library).

• Follower growth and engagement (via Social Blade).

• Influencer partnerships and collaborations.

• Shifts in content strategy.

Recommended tool: Hootsuite Insights to track niche trends and competitor activity.

5. Competitive Edge: Find Competitor Weaknesses 

Instagram competitive analysis is important, but spotting weaknesses is even better.

What to look for?

• Do they ignore DMs and comments? – Be more responsive.

• Is their content too promotional? – Add UGC (customer testimonials, unboxings, reviews).

• Are their offers too generic? – Try exclusive discounts or "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" deals.

Find what competitors don’t do well and turn it into your advantage.

To Sum Up

How to find competitors on Instagram? Through relevant hashtags, Instagram posts suggestions, and sponsored ads:

• Analyze their content to understand what drives engagement.

• Track their ads with Meta Ad Library to see their social media strategies.

• Monitor their progress to stay ahead of trends.

• Capitalize on their weaknesses to stand out and attract more customers.