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Let’s be honnest most of us ship something that looks, relatively close, like a smaller version of an existing tool.
You’re “like Product Hunt,” “like Intercom,” “like Notion,” just for a narrower use case.
Instead of fighting that, you can turn it into a growth channel.
You do it by writing articles that explicitly position your product as an alternative to those bigger competitors.
Not “we’re the best!!”
How the “Alternative to X” Angle Works
The idea is simple:
Pick your bigger competitors, more visible, the ones everyone already knows and searches.
For each one, write a dedicated article: “X alternative” or “Your [product] vs X.”
Use long-tail queries like “X alternative for solo founders,” “X vs Y for small teams,” “X cheaper alternative,” etc.
source : postplanify.com
Why the size of your competitor helps you:
People already search “[Competitor] alternatives” when they’re frustrated, curious, or want more reach.
If your SEO is solid, you can rank on those searches even as a small player.
When they look for “[product] alternatives,” they can land on your project instead of stopping at the big player and have a good surprise.
You’re riding the demand they already created.
Who Searches for “[Competitor] Alternatives”?
Three clear groups:
People who like the competitor but want more tools or exposure (for example, “more launch directories beyond Product Hunt”).
People who tried the competitor and bounced: too expensive, too complex, too noisy.
People who haven’t tried it yet and want to compare before committing.
All of them are high-intent users.
They’re already convinced they need this kind of product.
They just don’t know you exist yet.
You’re redirecting it the demand to your project.
What to Put in Each Article
Each piece should help a real human decide, not just please an algorithm.
For every competitor, write one focused article:
Start with: Who is this competitor great for? Be fair and specific.
Then: Where it falls short for a certain user or workflow.
Then: How your product solves those specific gaps.
Add: Screenshots, concrete examples, maybe one short story of a user who switched.
Close with: “Choose them if you care most about A. Choose us if you care most about B.”
insipired from http://postplanify.com/alternative-to-postbridge
Tone is key. If you’re honest and respectful, you look like a serious alternative.
You’re not begging for attention. You’re explaining why your product exists.
Why This Sharpens Your Positioning
Yes, you get search traffic when people type your competitors’ names.
But the hidden benefit is clarity.
Writing “Us vs Competitor” forces you to answer:
What do we actually do differently?
Where are we deliberately smaller or more focused?
Who should not use us?
You also send a strong signal: you’re not hiding from comparison.
You’re confident enough to stand next to bigger competitors and say, “Here’s where we win for a specific type of user.”
Do it today
You almost certainly have large competitors in your space already.
Here’s a quick way to start:
List your 3–5 most known competitors.
For each one, outline a “vs” or “alternative” article.
Publish at least one honest comparison and link it from your homepage and relevant pages.
If your page appears and actually helps them, you capture both trust and traffic.
if you build something off this email, send me the link. Happy to support your launch.
See you Monday. Jeremy
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