How to Write Comparative SaaS Blogs without Bad-mouthing the Competition

Ever wondered why a comparison blog (X vs Y article) is important to a SaaS content marketing funnel?

Well, for one, it helps you highlight what your software can do and what it can’t. Plus, it’s an easy way to build trust, steal competitor mindshare, and lessen the decision-making hassle for sceptical subscribers.

But the thing is, most brand-powered SaaS comparison articles are bullshit. A peek will leave you feeling worn out due to the excessive use of words like ‘we are the best; we are number one; best in class’ and other silly claims.

Stating the Obvious 

People are not dumb. Especially prospects looking to make a decision. They are well informed. Armed to the tooth and can spot bullshit from a mile away.

Now, among the many SaaS marketing content you have to build trust and help prospects make good decisions, comparison blogs (X vs Y articles) take the top spot. Usually, it’s the last resource prospect turns to before saying YES (becoming subscribers).

So if for any reason—may be because of your brilliant SEO strategy, exceptional positioning, or due to sheer luck—prospects seek out your comparison article at this crucial stage of their buying journey, you’d want to be on your best behaviour, armed with a diamond ring and a proposal they can’t refuse.

Getting to YES: Where SaaS Brands get it Wrong

Getting someone to say YES, be it a potential spouse or prospect, is harder than it sounds.

You are not alone if the simple thought of proposing your SaaS offer makes you feel like you’re walking on pins and needles.

Just know that getting to YES is a tense action that requires rigorous planning and sophisticated strategizing. Not to forget the harsh reality that not all prospects care about the facts. 

For some, choosing between your SaaS and another brand’s is a spur-of-the-moment decision they don’t need to think much about.

That’s why asking a client to say YES amidst the hundred-and-one competition is so tense that a handful of SaaS brands (behemoths included) result in small-minded measures.

This is where you will find them shaming the competitor’s core values, bad-mouthing their features, or using biased articles to spread false narratives. And as you already know, prospects see right through it.

So What’s the Alternative: If Not Bad-mouthing, Then What?

If you want to win with SaaS comparison blogs, get your message to cut through the noise and leave a lasting impression that inevitably leads to YES (more subscribers), you need a mindset shift.

Stop thinking about comparison blogs as a means to compete. Instead, focus on the positioning side of things.

Indeed, SaaS comparison blogs involve going toe-to-toe with the competition—stating your argument and backing bold claims with facts—to see who comes out on top.

But unfortunately, generic features/benefits arguments rarely excite prospects. 

As much as potential subscribers would want your software to do specific things and make their workflow a breeze, they’d gladly say YES with a simple recommendation from a friend or co-worker than with all your best-in-class features/benefits claims.

The easy way out is positioning (ultra-specificity). There is this age-old saying from Al Ries and Jack Trout’s book on Positioning: 

The mind has no room for what is new and different except it’s related to the old.

Instead of desperately trying to highlight your new features or argue your way to the top spot, appeal to the information or idea already existing in the mind of prospects. 

For example, if you’re new in an overcrowded industry, focus on drawing insights from what subscribers think of the brands with the highest mindshare. Then capitalize on the needs and desires of prospects using an ultra-specific lens.

Sounds confusing? Let’s look at a theory in motion. 

In the following paragraphs, I’ll intuitively highlight the need for a positioning strategy and tips to compliment it with a ‘So what’ argument that gets readers to say YES. 

How to Position Your SaaS Comparison Blog for Success 

Against the popular opinion of going about a comparison article by studying your software and defining how well it serves your audience, I’d say you start by redefining your ideal customer profile (ICP).

One of the most obvious mistakes SaaS brands make when creating a comparison blog is forgetting that ICPs change across touchpoints. 

For instance, let’s say you want to compare two project management software, Coda and Notion. For the sake of this piece, I’m assuming you’re Notion’s copywriter and want your brand to come out on top.

First, avoid diving into the comparison game with the same old knowledge or ICP logs you use in creating regular blogs.

In general, Notion might be known to serve freelancers and small businesses. But the moment the thought of placing Notion side by side with Coda comes to mind, you must redefine its ICP in sync with Coda’s, which in this case, serves large companies.

This way, you’d avoid the small fries pitfall. You won’t go about comparing every feature. You’d know which benefit to place a laser-sharp focus on and easily come to grips with compelling Notion-centric ideas (‘So what’ arguments) Coda’s audience would find amazing.

Ultra-specificity is the keyword here. If you can break your audience down to a specific group of people (finance managers, lab scientists, nurses, etc.) or even a person, do it! 

The success of a brand-powered comparison blog largely depends on how well you can relate to your reader’s needs with an ultra-specific lens.

I call this process of redefining your ICP the ‘positioning strategy.’

The idea is to break your audience down to the smallest bit so you can connect with prospects using arguments, terminologies, and beliefs already existing in their mind: establishing authority by tapping from the competition’s mindshare.

Building Trust and Getting Prospects to Say YES

Positioning is one thing; creating a blow-by-blow comparison content is another. Without much experience, you’d easily find yourself between a rock and a hard place tackling questions like:

• The competitors’ features are better than ours here; what do I do?
• Will basing my argument around features where our software is better off work; won’t readers see through it?
• Do I bold every negative point I can pin on the competition?
• Is it okay to give the competition a shoutout in areas where it’s due?
• What about my software; is it alright to tell a little white lie?

Well, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to these questions. You’ll have to learn to work with your instincts. But one thing is certain, while the truth is bitter; the sweet taste of lies comes at an identity-wrecking price.

The primary goal of your SaaS comparison blog is to give readers the information they need to make an informed decision. Don’t deprive them of that!

But at the same time, don’t forget that you’re a copywriter—a skilled one at that—endeavour to frame your argument rightly. 

Introducing the ‘So what’ Argument 

There is what we call the ‘so what’ argument in copywriting. It’s a product-led style of writing that shows readers why your software is relevant or important and worth their time and attention.

Successful SaaS comparison blogs are phrased around the ‘so what’ argument. It’s a common practice that dates back to David Ogilvy’s era. Here’s an example of a ‘so what’ review/comparison in motion using Notion’s bulletproof workspace as a case study: 

Notion’s knowledge management app is known for its super crisp and uber-organized catalogue because of subtle frameworks like the bulletproof workspace.

So if you’ve issues mentally cataloguing the whereabouts of documents, the bulletproof workspace offers centralized storage with single-click access to docs, ensuring you’ll never stress over finding a file again.

The ‘So what’ argument implies that you make the obvious more obvious till the reader can relate the usage of a said feature or benefit to their everyday experience.

And the only way to do that is to talk with your audience using an ultra-specific lens. Phrase your key features and benefits around a tone of voice prospects can relate with. 

Keeping it Pitch-Perfect

So instead of indulging in foul play and bad-mouthing the competition, capitalize on the strategy at hand: positioning.

When talking about the competition, highlight the competitors’ key features and give them credit where credit is due, but you don’t have to use an ultra-specific lens; you can keep their side of things generic. 

When talking about your software, use the positioning strategy to;

• pinpoint your audience, 
• highlight their pain points about specific features, 
• and use ultra-specific reader-friendly terms to describe your solution. 

The goal is to use an ultra-specific tone to back up your ‘So what’ argument and address key issues without claiming to be best in class.

Wrapping Up

Prospects, readers, and to an extent, you and I love to feel seen. We love it when a person or brand speaks to us in a language we understand, regardless of whether they are trying to tackle our basic needs or help us scale. 

Bragging or boasting appeals to no one. So even if you own next-level software with an out-of-this-world solution, your audience wouldn’t budge if all you do is aggressively tout your ads.

Formula for Success: Make your SaaS comparison blog ultra-specific. Keep content relatable. Distribute ruggedly. Good luck!