People searching for alternatives can't find you
People search "[Competitor] alternative" when they're ready to switch. Be there when they do.
When to use
You have meaningful differentiation from competitors and can articulate it honestly.
Hypothesis template
If we create comparison pages for [competitor] searches, we'll capture high-intent traffic from people ready to switch.
Method
The problem: People searching "[Your competitor] alternative" are ready to buy. They're just not finding you.
What companies like Ahrefs and Monday.com do: Create dedicated landing pages
for every major competitor. "Ahrefs vs SEMrush" and "[Competitor] alternatives"
pages rank and capture high-intent traffic.
Why this traffic converts:
- They're already looking for solutions (high intent)
- They know the category (less education needed)
- They're often frustrated with current tool (motivated to switch)
How to do it:
- List your top 5-10 competitors
- Check search volume for "[Competitor] alternative" and "[Competitor] vs"
- Create honest, detailed comparison pages
- Be fair. Acknowledge where competitors are better (builds trust)
- Highlight your genuine advantages
- Include CTAs for trial/demo
- Update when competitors change
The key: Be honest. Fake comparisons get called out. Real ones build trust.
Success metrics
- •Comparison page traffic
- •Time on comparison pages
- •Comparison to trial rate
- •Traffic for "[competitor] alternative" keywords
Prerequisites
- Clear differentiators
- SEO capability
- Knowledge of competitor products
- Willingness to be fair/honest
Common pitfalls
- •Dishonest comparisons that damage trust
- •Comparing to competitors nobody searches for
- •No clear CTA
- •Outdated information
Source: Ahrefs, Monday.com SEO strategy. Read more
Suggested ICE scores
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