> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://storescribe.gitbook.io/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://storescribe.gitbook.io/docs/the-watchdog/adding-competitors.md).

# Getting Started with The Watchdog

The Watchdog is Storescribe's competitive intelligence hub. It monitors your competitors' online presence, Google ratings, reviews, and more - so you always know where you stand in your local market.

## Why Track Competitors?

* **See your market position** - Know how your Google rating and review count compare
* **Spot opportunities** - Find gaps your competitors are missing
* **Stay informed** - Get website crawl data and changes over time
* **Make smarter decisions** - Use real data, not guesswork

## How to Add a Competitor

### Step 1: Navigate to The Watchdog

Click **The Watchdog** in the sidebar to open the competitor tracking section.

### Step 2: Click Add Competitor

Click the **Add Competitor** button in the top-right area of the page.

### Step 3: Search Using Google Places

In the Add Competitor modal:

1. Start typing the business name in the search field
2. Google Places autocomplete will show matching businesses
3. Select the correct business from the dropdown results
4. Storescribe automatically pulls their address, Google Maps data, and website

{% hint style="info" %}
**Tip:** Be specific when searching. Include the city name if there are multiple locations (e.g., "Joe's Pizza Portland" instead of just "Joe's Pizza").
{% endhint %}

### Step 4: Add Notes (Optional)

You can add personal notes about why you're tracking this competitor or what you want to learn from them.

### Step 5: Save

Click **Add** to start tracking this competitor. Storescribe immediately begins gathering data.

## Local vs. Corporate Competitors

The Watchdog has two tabs:

### Local Competitors Tab

Track businesses in your area that compete directly with you. These are found via Google Places and show:

* Google Maps rating and review count
* Website information
* Address and location on the interactive map
* Website crawl data

### Corporate Competitors Tab

Track larger national or regional brands that compete in your market. These are sourced from industry data and show corporate-level news and positioning information.

## Competitor Limits

Your plan determines how many competitors you can track:

| Plan     | Competitor Limit |
| -------- | ---------------- |
| Trial    | 5                |
| Standard | 5                |
| Plus     | 10               |
| Pro      | 10               |

The current count is shown below the page title (e.g., "Tracking 3 of 5 competitors").

## What Happens After Adding

Once you add a competitor, Storescribe begins gathering data:

1. **Google Maps data** - Rating, review count, business category
2. **Website crawl** - Analyzing their website content and structure
3. **Location mapping** - Placing them on the interactive map
4. **Market positioning** - Calculating your rank vs. competitors

{% hint style="info" %}
**Initial data may take a few minutes.** You'll see a "Gathering competitor data..." message while information is being collected. The card will update automatically.
{% endhint %}

## Managing Competitors

### Deactivate a Competitor

If you want to stop tracking a competitor without losing their data:

1. Click the three-dot menu (**...**) on the competitor card
2. Select **Deactivate**
3. Confirm the deactivation

Deactivated competitors move to the **Inactive Competitors** section at the bottom of the page. They won't be updated regularly.

### Reactivate a Competitor

You can bring back a deactivated competitor after a 7-day cooldown period:

1. Scroll to the **Inactive Competitors** section
2. Click **Reactivate** on the competitor card
3. They'll return to your active tracking list

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Cooldown period:** After deactivating a competitor, you must wait 7 days before reactivating them. This prevents excessive API usage.
{% endhint %}

## Best Practices

{% hint style="success" %}
**Start with 2-3 competitors.** Focus on your most direct local competitors first.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
**Use both tabs.** Track local competitors for day-to-day insights and corporate competitors for industry-level awareness.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
**Add notes.** Document why you're tracking each competitor and what you want to learn from them.
{% endhint %}

## Related Articles

* [Local Competitors](/docs/the-watchdog/insights.md)
* [Corporate Competitors](/docs/the-watchdog/analysis.md)
* [Using Competitor Data](/docs/the-watchdog/strategy.md)