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Article's Content
Every day, people turn to search engines like Google or TikTok to find alternatives for everyday problems. Whether it’s to compare different available options, find a better deal, or simply explore what else is out there, the internet has made it extremely easy for individuals to turn those everyday problems into everyday solutions.
For example, I recently used the internet to research and compare different vacation packages before booking a trip, ultimately finding a great deal that saved me hundreds of dollars.
One of our clients, Jobber, offers comparison pages for researching and comparing different SaaS options for managing their field service businesses. The information can be used to evaluate the features, pricing, and reviews of each platform before making a decision, resulting in the most appropriate solution.
Personally, whenever I need information on ANYTHING, I always turn to search engines like Google and Tiktok for more information.
Want to compare which SaaS companies are the best fit for your business needs? Google it. Want to compare the reviews of two different graphic design platforms? Google it.
Want to discover the best features of two products and hear real user reviews in short-form videos? Watch a TikTok video.
It’s not uncommon for people to look for alternatives to popular products like software, home appliances, or even food items. In many cases, these alternatives can offer similar features or benefits at a lower cost or be more suitable for specific needs.
The trend of searching for alternatives also apply to software products, for example, the field of photo editing.
Example: Are Alternative Pages Adobe’s Photoshop Worst Nightmare?
It’s clear that a significant number of people are searching for alternatives to Photoshop each month, with a whopping 27,100 searches for related keywords happening on Google each month. That’s a lot of searches.
This level of interest in alternatives to Photoshop can be seen as a potential nightmare for Adobe, as it suggests many people aren’t satisfied with their product or are looking for a cheaper option, but for competitors of Photoshop, this search traffic could be an opportunity to capture some market share.
By ranking these keywords and capturing traffic organically, companies can attract many potential customers to their products each month, simply by capitalizing on search intent! This can be especially beneficial for smaller companies or newer products that may not have as much brand recognition as Photoshop.
Ranking well for these keywords can also help these companies establish their products as valid alternatives to Photoshop. This is a great way to increase market share and grow their customer base.
Understanding Search Intent and How It Can Be Used to Capture Low-Hanging Fruit
If you are a marketer looking to take advantage of the opportunities presented by alternative searches, you must understand search intent.
Once you understand what search intent is, and the behavioral impact that it has on your consumer, you will be in a great position to find a way to strategically capitalize. Search intent refers to the reason why a user conducts a specific search query.
By understanding the intent behind a search, marketers can tailor their messaging and marketing efforts to better align with the needs and expectations of their target audience.
For example, if a large number of people are searching with the terms “Photoshop alternatives,” it’s likely that their intent is to find a similar product at a lower cost or with specific features that Photoshop does not offer.
By understanding this intent, competitors can create messaging and marketing campaigns that emphasize their product’s cost-effectiveness or unique features. This can help to attract and convert these users into customers. Search intent can be divided into four main categories:
- Informational: The user is looking for information on a specific topic.
- Navigational: The user is looking for a specific website or webpage.
- Transactional: The user is looking to make a purchase or complete a specific action.
- Commercial: The user is looking for products or services to buy.
Understanding the intent behind a search also helps marketers optimize their website and its content to match the intent of the search query and increase their chances of ranking well in search engine results pages.
The intent behind someone searching for an alternative to software (like Photoshop) can vary, but there are a few common reasons why someone might be looking for a change.
For marketers, these types of searches can be incredibly valuable because they indicate that the user is active in the market for a new product or solution, likely fit your target audience, and is open to considering different options. By understanding search intent and the use of alternative pages, marketers can capture those low-hanging fruit and highly motivated users to their site.
By understanding how alternative pages can drive high-value traffic to your website, you can use this as a strategy to increase conversion rates and improve your return on investment.
Leveraging the Power of Alternative Pages to Boost Conversions and Drive Qualified Traffic
Your website becomes more visible to potential customers when it is ranked higher in these search engines. This is a great thing, but what happens with this traffic? Increased conversion rates.
Alternative pages can be a great driver of high-value traffic that converts to leads and improves your ROI.
An alternative page is a piece of content that compares you to your competitors. It can highlight your products or services’ features, pricing, customer service, etc, with competitors, and can drive high-value traffic to your website in many ways. Let’s unpack this.
1. High Intent:
These pages target users who are actively looking for alternatives to a specific product or service, meaning that they are in the market for a new solution. This makes them a highly-qualified audience that is more likely to convert into paying customers.
For example, when a user types “project management software alternatives” into Google, they are indicating that they are looking for a new project management software solution.
A SaaS company that ranks well for this keyword and has an alternative page that compares their product to the competition, can attract this user to their website and convert them into a paying customer.
2. Relevant Traffic
Alternative pages target users who are specifically interested in the category or product that the page is promoting. This means that the traffic that these pages generate is highly relevant and more likely to convert.
For example, when a user types “graphic design software” into Google, a SaaS company that ranks well for this keyword and has an alternative page that compares their product to the competition, can attract this user to their website and convert them into a paying customer.
3. Low-Cost
Alternative pages can be an effective way to drive high-value traffic without the need for expensive advertising. By ranking well for relevant keywords, these pages can capture organic traffic and convert it into paying customers. No marketing cost needed.
Creating an alternative page can be as simple as creating a blog post that compares your product to the competition and highlights its unique features. Like this Jobber page that compares their features to their competitor’s features.
By providing this information on alternative pages, businesses can demonstrate the value and cost-effectiveness of their products and services, which can help to attract more cost-conscious users to their website.
Alternative pages can be created relatively quickly and inexpensively, yet they can still generate significant amounts of high-value traffic. Additionally, it assists businesses in attracting users looking for the best deal and helping them stand out from the competition.
4. Comparisons
Alternative pages often provide a side-by-side comparison of different products. This allows the users to understand the benefits and drawbacks of each product and make an informed decision.
For example, if a website has an alternative page for comparing two different websites or even their own competitor, it allows users to compare the features, specifications, and prices of each model, which can help them to feel more confident in their decision to choose a product or service.
5. Unique Features
Alternative pages often highlight the unique features of the products they promote, making them a great option for users who are looking for specific features that the competitors don’t have.
They can do this by providing a comprehensive comparison of different marketing automation solutions and how they stack up against each other and by highlighting the unique features that make their product stand out. For example, this Ahrefs post highlights its features compared to its competitors’.
By highlighting unique features on alternative pages, businesses can help users to understand the benefits of their offerings and how they stand out from the competition
SaaS SEO Strategy: How Alternative Pages Work
In Ross’ piece on “The Yelpification Of Business & B2Bof software,” he refers to the trend where users are looking for reviews and comparison information before making a purchase.
This is evident when you type into Google anything like “Pipedrive Alternatives” or “Salesforce Alternatives” you will typically be met with G2 sites and Gartner showing a list of software alternatives.
This trend is driven by the increasing number of software options available, and the need for users to make informed decisions before committing to a purchase. G2 and Gartner are popular platforms that provide users with unbiased, user-generated reviews and comparisons of software products, allowing them to make informed decisions.
By providing users with a list of alternatives, brands give users the opportunity to discover new software solutions that they may not have known existed, and make a more informed decision.
It’s also an opportunity for the companies that are listed as alternatives because it gives them a chance to be discovered by potential customers who are looking for a similar solution.
This trend is beneficial for both the users and the companies that are listed as alternatives as it gives them a chance to be discovered by potential customers. It’s also very beneficial to SaaS companies specifically because it allows them to target users who are actively looking for alternatives to popular software.
Listed below are some SaaS companies with winning alternative blog posts or pages that you can use as inspiration:
- Hubspot: Hubspot lists and compares its own CRM solution, Hubspot CRM, to other popular CRM software such as Salesforce, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, and more. According to Ahrefs, this blog post generates a good amount of organic traffic.
- Freshworks: Freshworks lists and compares different customer service software solutions, highlighting their own Freshdesk as a viable alternative.
- Insightly: Insightly lists and compares different CRM solutions, highlighting their own Insightly CRM as a viable alternative to Salesforce.
- Zoho: Zoho lists and compares different CRM solutions, highlighting their own Zoho CRM as a viable alternative.
- ActiveCampaign: ActiveCampaign lists and compares different email marketing solutions, highlighting their own ActiveCampaign as a viable alternative to Mailchimp.
By creating comparison content, businesses can establish themselves as a credible source of information and respected player in the industry. This can be beneficial for the business at the bottom of the funnel, as it can help to increase conversions and grow the customer base.
The Hidden Gem of SaaS Marketing: Alternative Pages
Creating alternative pages or blog posts can take your SaaS business to the next level by increasing visibility in the SERP, increasing brand authority, and high-converting traffic. Let’s take a closer look.
1. Increased Visibility in The SERP
By creating alternative pages or blog posts, SaaS companies can increase their visibility in the search engine results pages (SERP) for relevant keywords. This can help to drive more organic traffic to their website, which can lead to more conversions and a larger customer base.
2. Increased Brand Authority
By providing users with a list of alternatives and comparisons, SaaS companies can establish themselves as a credible source of information and respected player in the industry.
This can help to increase brand authority, which can lead to more conversions, more repeat customers, and more word-of-mouth marketing.
3. High Converting Traffic
By targeting users who are actively looking for alternatives to popular software, SaaS companies can attract highly-qualified traffic that is more likely to convert into paying customers.
By providing users with comparison content, SaaS companies can also establish themselves as a credible source of information, which can help to increase conversions.
Wrap-up
Alternative pages are a great investment for SaaS businesses because they allow them to target users who are actively looking for alternatives to a specific product or service.
By highlighting their own products as a viable alternative and providing a list of comparisons and unique features, SaaS companies can attract and convert highly-qualified and relevant traffic into customers, establish themselves as a credible source of information, and increase visibility and exposure to potential customers.
These benefits can ultimately lead to more conversions, a larger customer base, and more word-of-mouth marketing.
