> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.get3rd.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Identifying your competitors

> Choosing the right competitor set defines Rank, powers the Leaderboard, and shapes nearly half of what 3RD can tell you about your AI visibility.

A **competitor** is another brand in your space, tracked alongside yours with the same metrics so you can compare performance. Your competitor set directly shapes your [Rank](/metrics/rank) and everything on the Leaderboard — choose it deliberately.

## You don't need a perfect list on day one

During onboarding, 3RD **suggests competitors** based on your brand and industry — accept the relevant ones and add your own. And the list isn't locked: you can always add competitors later from settings as your view of the field sharpens.

<Tip>
  Think about who AI actually recommends *instead of you* — not just the brands on your board's competitor slide. Reading a few [Conversations](/results/conversations) for your Must-Win prompts quickly shows which brands keep appearing in your space; if one of them isn't in your tracked set yet, add it.
</Tip>

## Why the set matters so much

* **[Rank](/metrics/rank)** is computed by sorting you and your competitors by visibility — the set defines the number.
* **[Position](/metrics/position)** is only calculated against tracked competitors.
* **[Diagnostics](/drivers/diagnostics)** compares you against these brands to find where you're losing ground.

<Warning>
  Too small a set flatters you: "1 of 3" can be a comfortable illusion if the two real threats aren't tracked. Include the brands winning your Must-Win prompts, even if you don't like thinking of them as competitors.
</Warning>

## Related

* [Rank](/metrics/rank) — the metric your competitor set defines
* [Understanding the Overview & Leaderboard](/results/overview-and-leaderboard) — where the comparison lives