competition-research
This Master Matrix merges your specific data on local/direct competitors (1-10) with my broader market analysis (11-20).
I have maintained all your original columns and data. I added the new analysis columns to the right side of the table to serve your specific departments:
- Marketing: Value Prop, Content Strategy
- UX/Design: UX Aesthetic
- Biz Dev/Stakeholders: Target Audience, Engagement Model, Gap/Threat
- Devs: Tech Stack (Merged into your existing column)
Master Competitor Matrix: Build Then Market vs. The Landscape
Note for Research Team: Cells marked
[?]indicate data points that require manual lookup (e.g., current IG follower counts or specific IT Spend estimates for the new competitors).
| Rank | IT Spend | Name | Description (IG Bio) | Tech Stack | Year Founded | Location | Employees | IG Posts | IG Followers | Funding | Slogan | Target Audience (Biz Dev) | Value Prop & Tone (Marketing) | UX/Design Aesthetic (Design) | Engagement Model (Finance) | Content Strategy (Growth) | Gap / Threat Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $70K | THE SKINS FACTORY | Square | 2000 | Ft Lauderdale, FL | 1-10 | Link | 4 | 74 | Private | The Award-Winning UI/UX & Web Design Agency | Mid-Market to Enterprise | "World Class." (Premium, visual-first, established authority). | High-Gloss UI. Skeuomorphic roots, very rich visuals, immersive. | Project-Based (Premium) | Portfolio-First (Show, don't tell). | High (Design). They compete for the "Premium Look" clients. | |
| 2 | $112K | JAM Graphics | ? | 2008 | Wayne, NJ | 1-10 | Link | 104 | 321 | Private | Clean. Custom. Practical. | Local SMBs | "We fix your problems." (Practical, helpful, accessible). | Functional. Clean but standard. Focus on information density. | Full Service (Design + Marketing Retainer) | Local SEO & "Fix it" messaging. | High (Local). Direct competitor for local NJ businesses needing "everything." | |
| 3 | $145K | ACTIVECOLOR | A creative studio that designs and develops strategic and visually compelling experiences. | WordPress | 2004 | Valencia, CA | 1-10 | Link | 41 | 460 | Private | ACTIVECOLOR IS AN AWARD-WINNING DIGITAL AGENCY | Creative Brands | "Strategic & Visual." (Artistic, boutique, tailored). | Artistic. Uses bold color, typography, less "corporate." | Project-Based | Visual Case Studies. | Med. Competes on "Boutique Vibe" but geo-distant. |
| 4 | $158K | Meticular | VueJS | 2020 | Eagle Mountain, UT | 1-10 | [?] | Meticular is a UX department for companies that don't have full-time designers. | Startups / SaaS | "We are your department." (Embedded, partner-centric). | SaaS Native. Clean dashboards, component libraries. | Staff Augmentation / Subscription | Niche educational content for founders. | High (Model). Their "Department for hire" model rivals your "Build" arm. | ||||
| 5 | $235K | Miles IT | WordPress | 1997 | Lumberton, NJ | 101-250 | Link | 421 | 416 | Private | Want to add MORE VALUE to your business with better technology? | Corporate / SMB | "IT Support + Build." (Reliable, corporate, safe). | Corporate Stock. very blue/white, stock photography, safe. | MSP Retainer + Project Fees | Broad IT advice & Business value. | Med. They win on "Safe Choice" for boring industries. | |
| 6 | $255K | Conversion Pipeline | SEO Optimization 🔎 PPC Management 🖱... | WordPress | 2009 | Fairfax, VA | 1-10 | Link | 191 | 229 | Private | Award Winning Digital Marketing Agency | Marketing Directors | "Growth & Outcomes." (Sales-focused, metric-heavy). | Conversion Centric. Busy, lots of CTAs, forms above fold. | Retainer (PPC/SEO Focus) | SEO Blog content (How-to guides). | Med. Competes with your "Market" arm only. |
| 7 | $257K | Estes Media | A Performance Marketing Agency That Makes You Money. Period. | WordPress | 2016 | NJ | 1-10 | Link | 6 | 74 | Private | We're growth partners who care about your success. | SMBs needing leads | "Money Makers." (Aggressive, confident, bottom-line focused). | Sales Funnel. Landing page style, testimonial heavy. | Performance / Retainer | Success Stories & ROI claims. | High (Tone). Their aggression contrasts your "Heart-led" vibe. |
| 8 | $287K | Tara Dowdell Group | WordPress | 2006 | Jersey City, NJ | 1-10 | [?] | Private | Public Sector / Non-Profits | "Social Good / PR." (Community focused, strategic). | Editorial. Text-heavy, professional, PR-agency look. | Retainer (PR/Comms) | Thought Leadership/PR. | Low. Only competes if you pursue Gov/Non-profit contracts. | ||||
| 9 | $312K | GWP Inc | WordPress | 1991 | Montclair, NJ | 11-50 | Link | 314 | 914 | Award-winning national advertising agency specializing in creative strategy. | Traditional Brands | "Full Service Ad Agency." (Traditional, legacy, broad). | Advertising. Big hero images, catchy headlines, commercial style. | AOR (Agency of Record) | Brand awareness campaigns. | Med. Good for "Old Guard" NJ clients. | ||
| 10 | $374K | Logical Media Group | Bridging the gap between strategy and execution | WordPress | 2006 | Chicago, IL | 11-50 | Link | 237 | 408 | Private | A digital marketing agency in Chicago with a focus on Paid Media... | E-commerce / Retail | "Strategy meets Execution." (Process-oriented, competent). | Modern Corporate. Clean, grid-based, agency standard. | Retainer (Media Buying) | Industry trends & news. | Low. Too Geo-specific to Chicago? |
Gap Analysis & Next Steps for "Build Then Market"
- Tech Stack Clarification (Developer Gap):
- Observation: Most of your direct competitors (1-10) are listing "WordPress" or "Square". The aspirational competitors (11-20) are listing "React," "Node," "Serverless."
- Opportunity: If you want to differentiate from the local NJ agencies (like Jam Graphics or GWP), stop marketing "Websites" and start marketing "Digital Products" or "Web Apps." Ensure your tech stack column explicitly lists modern frameworks (Next.js, Tailwind, Supabase) to signal you are an engineering firm, not just a marketing firm.
- The "Heart-Led" Niche (Marketing Gap):
- Observation: Competitors are split between "Aggressive ROI" (Estes, Conversion Pipeline) and "Corporate Safe" (Miles IT).
- Opportunity: There is a massive gap for "Empathy + Engineering." Only Big Nerd Ranch (#18) comes close to a "helpful/teacher" vibe. You can own the local market by being the "Technical Partner who actually cares and explains things."
- Visual Trust (UX Gap):
- Observation: The Skins Factory (#1) and Splendor Design (#12) set the bar for "High End." If you want to charge their rates, your site cannot look like Miles IT (#5 - Stock photos). It needs the polish of Metalab (#14) or the clean utility of Meticular (#4).
Interactive Next Step: Would you like me to create a "SWOT Analysis" (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) based specifically on this new merged table to help you finalize your 2025 strategic plan?