Brand Research
Use this skill to research a company, product, or brand from its website and public sources, then produce a sourced Brand DNA brief. The work is evidence collection plus synthesis; do not invent missing facts.
When To Use
- The user provides a company URL, product URL, brand name, or company/product context and asks for brand research.
- The user wants Brand DNA, positioning, target customers, competitors, brand voice, social proof, pricing, online presence, or content gaps.
- The user needs source-backed context before GTM, SEO, GEO/AEO, content strategy, sales messaging, or competitor analysis.
Do not use for:
- Writing landing pages, ads, articles, or full content plans.
- Running a full SEO audit, website audit, or social media performance analysis.
- Investment, legal, financial, or diligence conclusions.
- Updating or publishing to the user's website.
- Making claims without source evidence.
How To Call
Confirm the input.
- Identify the company URL, company/product name, and optional one-line context.
- If the URL or company identity is ambiguous, ask the user to confirm.
- If the homepage is unreachable after retrying, report the access problem instead of inventing a profile.
Research the company website first.
- Prioritize the homepage, about page, pricing page, product/features pages, customer/case-study pages, docs/help/integrations pages, and blog index when relevant.
- Extract what the product does, who it serves, features, pricing model, target audience signals, integrations, social proof, and repeated messaging.
- Keep source URLs for important claims.
Search public sources second.
- Use third-party sources to clarify category, team, funding, competitors, reviews, alternatives, and user language.
- Do not let low-quality directories override the company's own website.
- Mark sparse, outdated, paywalled, or weak evidence.
Identify competitors.
- Compile 3-5 direct or adjacent competitors when evidence is available.
- For each, note name, URL, overlap, and apparent edge.
- If competitors are unclear, say so and explain the missing evidence.
Synthesize the Brand DNA.
- Use
references/brand-dna-template.md. - Separate sourced facts from interpretation.
- Use "Not found" or "Not disclosed" when facts cannot be verified.
- Be opinionated in content gaps, but label them as analysis rather than fact.
- Use
Deliver safely.
- By default, return the Brand DNA in the conversation.
- Save
brand_dna.mdonly when the user asks for a file or confirms saving. - Include top findings, evidence caveats, and suggested next uses.
Default Output
# Brand DNA - [Company Name]
## Overview
## What It Does
## Target Customer
## Competitors
## Differentiators
## Brand Voice
## Social Proof
## Content Gaps
## Source Notes
External Dependencies
- Web access is required for public website and source research.
- Some websites may block automated access, require JavaScript rendering, or hide content behind login walls.
- Paid sources such as Crunchbase, PitchBook, Ahrefs, Semrush, G2, or Capterra may be unavailable unless the user provides access.
- No API key is required by default.
Limits And Known Issues
- The result is only as reliable as accessible sources.
- Funding, team, pricing, and review information can be outdated, hidden, or paywalled.
- Competitor identification may be low confidence in new or ambiguous categories.
- The skill does not replace legal, financial, investment, or compliance diligence.
- The skill does not publish, edit, or modify the user's website.