A Market Map is the map of the competitive markets a company actually belongs in. It shows which markets are measured now, which are real but worth watching, and which neighbouring markets were ruled out and why. Standing is then measured on the markets that matter, so each read refers to a defined market rather than a general impression.
In Trendscoded, the map starts with the markets buyers would compare the company in, the rivals in each, and which markets are worth measuring now. A position only means something once that comparison is named.
The examples below are the same boards shown on the Trendscoded homepage: saved Market Map excerpts, ChatGPT Sol snapshots from 5 September 2026. They are a planning exercise, not campaign results.
What does a Market Map show?
A useful map makes the comparison understandable. It should help the reader answer:
- Which markets does this company actually compete in?
- Which rivals belong in each comparison?
- Which buyer needs make the comparison relevant?
- Where do geography or a vertical change the alternatives?
- Which markets deserve attention now?
The Trendscoded Market Map also keeps nearby markets that were ruled out visible, with the reason. This helps the team explain the boundary instead of silently omitting an apparently similar category.
A company can belong to more than one market
Snowflake is one company on more than one board. On cloud data warehouse, Snowflake Platform is first in that snapshot. On cloud data lakehouse, Mosaic AI is first and Snowflake is second. On enterprise AI development, Snowflake is not in the ranked set. The brand is the same. The market changed the comparison.
Place can change the comparison in the same way. On Bitpanda’s cryptocurrency brokerage board for Europe, Kraken is first and Bitpanda is third. On the Middle East brokerage board, Bitpanda is not ranked. The offer looks similar. The geography changed the rival set.
Keep those boards separate. It does not give the company one position everywhere. A market name matters when it changes the work being compared. Geography matters when it changes the rivals.
How is it different from a classic 2×2?
A 2×2 positions selected companies along two chosen dimensions. It can be useful for presenting a contrast once the comparison set and dimensions are clear. A Market Map answers the earlier question: which companies should be compared, and within which markets?
| View | Main question |
|---|---|
| Market Map | Which markets and competitive sets are relevant? |
| Classic 2×2 | How do selected companies differ on two dimensions? |
| Competitive matrix | How do selected alternatives compare on specific criteria? |
| SWOT | What strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats should the team consider? |
These views can support different parts of the same discussion. Choose the one that answers the decision in front of the team.
Read standing after understanding the market
A company may be well established in one market and less recognized in another. Read its position alongside the rival set, buyer context, selected model, date, and available evidence. A warehouse result should not become an enterprise-AI claim. A Europe result should not become a Middle East claim.
In Trendscoded, a board represents one market within the wider map. The map gives the broader view; the board helps you examine the relevant comparison. Read Your Market Map and Your Standing for a guide to interpreting that position.
What can a team use it for?
Use the map to clarify a client brief, select a relevant rival set, prepare a positioning discussion, or decide where further investigation would be useful. If the team later advertises in ChatGPT, advertise the market the board already named. The map supports the team’s judgment. It does not replace customer research or establish a revenue forecast.
For agency applications, read Market Maps for PR Agencies. For paid placements in a named market, read What Are ChatGPT Ads? The Market Map product page explains the current Trendscoded offer.
About Trendscoded
Trendscoded is Market Intelligence for PR, communications, and marketing teams. Start with a Market Map, then measure standing in the markets that matter. The entry purchase is $50, one-time. Creating the map draws its own price from that amount; unused funds remain as credits for further measurement and monitoring. No subscription or auto-renewal.
