Direct answer
Define own before comparing topics. A practical observed definition is a topic where a DIRECT competitor appears across answered prompts and your brand is absent or materially less present under the same scope. Verify prompt-level breadth and answer context.Data required
- Answered prompts assigned to stable topics
- Correct SELF and DIRECT competitor classifications
- Fixed provider, model, country, language, tag, funnel, and period filters
- Topic-level Coverage, Mention Rate, Share of Voice, and raw components
- Full answers and exposed sources for gap prompts
Workflow
- In Workspace > Topics, review unassigned prompts and topic boundaries.
- In Cockpit > Compare, apply one topic at a time and select one comparison metric.
- Record SELF and DIRECT competitor raw components.
- In Cockpit > GEO Matrix, identify prompts where a competitor appears and SELF does not.
- Read those answers in Monitor > Response Analysis and inspect relevant sources.
- Review Act > Content Opportunities as a source of hypotheses, then validate each opportunity against the answers.
Interpretation
Coverage is prompt-level, Mention Rate is response-level, and Share of Voice is occurrence-level. A competitor can lead on one and not another. State which metric defines the observed gap. A topic with little data should not be labeled owned. Competitor presence can be incidental or negative, so inspect the underlying answer before prioritizing work.Possible next actions
- Test content for one missing prompt and buyer criterion with verifiable evidence.
- Split or merge a topic when taxonomy design creates the apparent gap.
- Investigate provider-specific gaps separately.
- Track a fixed topic cohort after the experiment.
Limitations
- Topic results depend on your prompt taxonomy.
- DIRECT competitor configuration changes eligible metrics.
- Small or uneven samples can exaggerate gaps.
- Observed presence does not prove expertise, preference, or commercial ownership.