How to Run Profitable Google Ads Competitor Campaigns for SaaS

Running competitor campaigns in Google Ads?

You’re probably doing it wrong.

I see SaaS companies throw money at competitor keywords without any real strategy. They bid on “HubSpot” or “Salesforce” and wonder why they’re burning through budget with terrible conversion rates. Meanwhile, they’re convinced that competitor campaigns “don’t work” for their industry.

The truth is, competitor campaigns can be incredibly effective for SaaS companies—when executed properly. I’ve seen small SaaS companies capture qualified leads at 40% lower cost-per-acquisition by targeting competitor keywords strategically. But I’ve also seen companies waste tens of thousands of dollars by approaching competitor campaigns the wrong way.

The difference comes down to understanding intent, targeting the right audience, and avoiding the common pitfalls that turn competitor campaigns into money pits.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to build profitable competitor campaigns that actually drive conversions, not just expensive clicks from people who will never become customers.

Why Most SaaS Companies Fail at Competitor Campaigns

Before diving into the strategy that works, let’s understand why most competitor campaigns fail. The mistakes are surprisingly consistent across companies of all sizes.

The Broad Keyword Trap

The most common mistake I see is SaaS companies bidding on top-level competitor brand names without any additional qualifiers. They create campaigns targeting keywords like:

• “HubSpot”
• “Salesforce”
• “Monday.com”
• “Slack”
• “Asana”

On the surface, this seems logical. These keywords have massive search volume, and surely some percentage of people searching for competitors are open to alternatives, right?

Wrong.

The reality is that the vast majority of people searching for top-level brand names are existing customers trying to:

• Log into their accounts
• Find customer support
• Access specific features
• Download mobile apps
• Look up their billing information

These people aren’t shopping. They’re not comparing alternatives. They’re certainly not ready to switch to a new platform. When they accidentally click your ad (and they will), they immediately realize it’s not what they’re looking for and bounce.

You end up paying premium prices for traffic that has zero conversion potential.

The Attribution Problem

Even worse, these accidental clicks can actually hurt your campaign performance in Google’s machine learning algorithms. When Google sees that people are clicking your ads but not converting, it assumes your ads aren’t relevant to what people are searching for. This can negatively impact your Quality Score and increase your cost-per-click across your entire account.

You’re not just wasting money on individual clicks—you’re making all your other campaigns less efficient.

The Legal Risk

There’s also a legal consideration that many SaaS companies overlook. Bidding on competitor brand names can put you in a legal gray area, especially if your ads or landing pages could be seen as misleading or attempting to impersonate the competitor.

While it’s generally legal to bid on competitor keywords in the United States, the way you use those keywords in your ads and landing pages matters significantly. We’ll cover this in detail later, but it’s worth noting upfront that competitor campaigns require careful attention to legal compliance.

The Right Way to Target Competitor Keywords

Now that we understand why the conventional approach fails, let’s explore the strategy that actually works. The key is targeting intent, not just brand recognition.

Focus on Intent-Driven Keyword Variations

Instead of targeting broad competitor brand names, focus on specific keyword variations that indicate someone is actively evaluating alternatives or experiencing problems with their current solution.

High-Intent Competitor Keywords:

Pricing-Related:

• “HubSpot pricing”
• “Salesforce cost”
• “Monday.com price”
• “How much does HubSpot cost”
• “Salesforce pricing plans”

Problem-Focused:

• “HubSpot problems”
• “Salesforce issues”
• “Monday.com complaints”
• “HubSpot too expensive”
• “Salesforce integration problems”

Comparison-Seeking:

• “HubSpot alternative”
• “Salesforce competitors”
• “HubSpot vs [your product]”
• “Best alternative to Salesforce”
• “Monday.com vs [your product]”

Review-Focused:

• “HubSpot reviews”
• “Salesforce user reviews”
• “Monday.com customer feedback”
• “HubSpot pros and cons”

These keyword variations indicate that someone is either:

1. Actively shopping and comparing options
2. Experiencing pain points with their current solution
3. Trying to understand the true cost of their current platform
4. Researching what other users think about their current tool

These are the people who are actually open to hearing about alternatives.

Understanding Search Intent Psychology

To build effective competitor campaigns, you need to understand the psychology behind different types of competitor searches.

Pricing Searches indicate someone who is either:

• Currently evaluating multiple solutions
• Concerned about the cost of their current solution
• Going through a renewal process and exploring alternatives

Problem/Complaint Searches suggest someone who is:

• Frustrated with their current solution
• Actively looking for alternatives
• Likely to be receptive to competitive messaging

Alternative/Competitor Searches show someone who is:

• Definitely in shopping mode
• Comparing multiple solutions
• Further along in the buying process

Review Searches indicate someone who is:

• Doing research before making a decision
• Looking for validation or concerns about their current choice
• Potentially early in the evaluation process

Each of these intent types requires different messaging, different landing pages, and different approaches to conversion.

Campaign Structure: Building for Success

The structure of your competitor campaigns is crucial for both performance and optimization. Here’s how to set them up for maximum effectiveness.

Create Themed Ad Groups

Instead of lumping all competitor keywords into one massive campaign, break them into separate ad groups based on intent and theme. This allows you to:

• Write more relevant ad copy for each intent type
• Create specific landing pages for different pain points
• Optimize bids based on performance by intent type
• Identify which types of competitor searches work best for your business

Recommended Ad Group Structure:

Pricing Ad Group:

• Keywords: “[Competitor] pricing,” “[Competitor] cost,” “How much does [Competitor] cost”
• Ad Copy Focus: Cost comparison, value proposition, transparent pricing
• Landing Page: Pricing comparison page

Problems/Issues Ad Group:

• Keywords: “[Competitor] problems,” “[Competitor] issues,” “[Competitor] complaints”
• Ad Copy Focus: Solving pain points, addressing common issues
• Landing Page: Problem-solution focused page

Alternatives Ad Group:

• Keywords: “[Competitor] alternative,” “[Competitor] competitors,” “Alternative to [Competitor]”
• Ad Copy Focus: Positioning as a better alternative, key differentiators
• Landing Page: Head-to-head comparison page

Reviews Ad Group:

• Keywords: “[Competitor] reviews,” “[Competitor] user reviews,” “[Competitor] pros and cons”
• Ad Copy Focus: Social proof, customer testimonials, third-party validation
• Landing Page: Customer story/testimonial page

Feature Comparison Ad Group:

• Keywords: “[Competitor] vs [Your Product],” “[Competitor] integration,” “[Competitor] features”
• Ad Copy Focus: Feature advantages, technical capabilities
• Landing Page: Feature comparison page

Campaign Settings and Optimization

Bidding Strategy: Start with Manual CPC bidding for competitor campaigns. This gives you more control over costs and allows you to adjust bids based on performance by ad group. Once you have sufficient conversion data (typically 30+ conversions), you can test automated bidding strategies.

Match Types: Use a combination of exact match and phrase match keywords. Avoid broad match for competitor campaigns, as it can trigger your ads for irrelevant searches.

Negative Keywords: This is crucial for competitor campaigns. Add the competitor’s brand name as a negative keyword in exact match to prevent your ads from showing for just the brand name alone. For example, if you’re targeting “HubSpot pricing,” add [HubSpot] as a negative keyword.

Geographic Targeting: Align your geographic targeting with where your ideal customers are located. Don’t assume that competitor campaigns should target the same locations as your other campaigns.

Landing Page Strategy: Converting Competitor Traffic

Your landing pages might be the most important element of successful competitor campaigns. Generic landing pages that work for other traffic sources rarely convert well for competitor traffic.

Dedicated Comparison Pages

Create specific landing pages for each type of competitor traffic. These pages should directly address the intent behind the search and provide clear, compelling reasons to choose your solution.

Pricing Comparison Pages:

• Lead with a clear pricing comparison table
• Highlight where you provide better value
• Include total cost of ownership comparisons
• Feature customer quotes about cost savings
• Provide transparent pricing information

Problem-Solution Pages:

• Address the specific pain points associated with the competitor
• Show how your solution solves these problems
• Include case studies of customers who switched
• Provide technical details about how your approach differs

Alternative/Competitor Pages:

• Create side-by-side feature comparisons
• Highlight your unique differentiators
• Include customer testimonials from switchers
• Provide migration guides or switching resources

Review-Focused Pages:

• Feature customer testimonials and case studies
• Include third-party reviews and ratings
• Show customer success metrics
• Provide social proof through logos and customer count

Landing Page Best Practices

Clear Value Proposition: Within 5 seconds of landing on your page, visitors should understand who you are, what you do differently, and why they should care.

Social Proof: Competitor traffic is inherently skeptical. They need to see evidence that other companies have successfully made the switch.

Specific CTAs: Don’t use generic CTAs like “Get Started.” Use specific CTAs like “See How We Compare” or “Get Your Migration Plan.”

Address Switching Concerns: Acknowledge that switching software is a big decision and address common concerns about implementation, data migration, and team adoption.

Writing Effective Competitor Ad Copy

Your ad copy for competitor campaigns needs to walk a fine line. It must be compelling and relevant without being misleading or potentially infringing on trademark rights.

Ad Copy Guidelines

Do:

• Focus on your unique value proposition
• Highlight genuine advantages and differentiators
• Use customer testimonials and social proof
• Address specific pain points your solution solves
• Include clear, honest comparisons

Don’t:

• Use the competitor’s name in your headline (unless it’s a clear comparison)
• Make false or misleading claims about the competitor
• Try to impersonate or appear to be the competitor
• Use their trademarked terms inappropriately

Sample Ad Copy Templates

For Pricing Searches:

Headline 1: Better CRM for 50% Less
Headline 2: See Why 500+ Companies Switched
Description: Get all the features of [Competitor] at half the cost. Transparent pricing, no hidden fees. See the comparison.

For Problem Searches:

Headline 1: Frustrated with [Competitor]?
Headline 2: [Your Product] Solves What They Can't
Description: Join hundreds of companies who switched from [Competitor] for better reliability, support, and results.

For Alternative Searches:

Headline 1: The [Competitor] Alternative
Headline 2: That Actually Works Better
Description: Discover why [Your Product] is the preferred alternative to [Competitor]. See the side-by-side comparison.

Legal Considerations and Compliance

Competitor campaigns operate in a complex legal landscape. While bidding on competitor keywords is generally legal, there are important considerations to keep in mind.

Trademark Considerations

In the United States, it’s generally legal to bid on competitor trademarks in Google Ads. However, how you use those trademarks in your ads and landing pages can create legal issues.

Safe Practices:

• Use competitor names only in factual comparisons
• Don’t use competitor names in headlines unless clearly identifying them as competitors
• Avoid using competitor logos or branding elements
• Don’t make false claims about competitors
• Ensure your ads clearly identify your company as the advertiser

Avoiding Legal Issues

The Dynamic Text Insertion Problem: One of the biggest legal risks I see SaaS companies take is using dynamic keyword insertion in their ad headlines. When you use dynamic insertion like “{KeyWord: Default Text}” and someone searches for “HubSpot,” your headline becomes “HubSpot.”

This can make it appear that you’re trying to impersonate the competitor, which can result in:

• Cease and desist letters
• Trademark infringement claims
• Account suspensions from Google
• Damaged relationships with industry partners

Better Approach: Write specific ad copy for each competitor rather than relying on dynamic insertion.

International Considerations

If you’re running competitor campaigns internationally, be aware that trademark laws vary significantly by country. Some countries have stricter rules about using competitor trademarks in advertising.

Measuring Success: KPIs and Optimization

Competitor campaigns require different success metrics than other Google Ads campaigns. Here’s how to measure and optimize performance.

Key Performance Indicators

Primary KPIs:

• Cost per acquisition (CPA) by competitor
• Conversion rate by intent type (pricing, problems, alternatives, etc.)
• Customer lifetime value (CLV) from competitor campaign traffic
• Time to close for leads from competitor campaigns

Secondary KPIs:

• Click-through rate by ad group theme
• Landing page conversion rate by competitor
• Cost per click by intent type
• Search impression share for target competitor keywords

Optimization Strategies

Performance Analysis: Review performance data weekly, looking for patterns in:

• Which competitors drive the highest-quality leads
• Which intent types convert best for your business
• Which ad copy themes generate the most engagement
• Which landing pages have the highest conversion rates

Bid Optimization: Adjust bids based on performance by:

• Increasing bids for high-converting competitor keywords
• Decreasing bids for low-converting but high-volume terms
• Setting bid adjustments based on device and location performance
• Using ad scheduling to focus spend during high-conversion times

Creative Testing: Continuously test new ad copy approaches:

• Test different value propositions
• Experiment with various CTAs
• Try different approaches to addressing competitor pain points
• Test social proof elements in ad copy

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Even with the right strategy, there are several common pitfalls that can derail competitor campaigns.

Pitfall 1: Not Using Enough Negative Keywords

Without proper negative keywords, your competitor campaigns can quickly expand beyond your intended audience. Add comprehensive negative keyword lists including:

• The competitor’s brand name alone
• Product-specific terms that don’t apply to your solution
• Job-related searches (people looking for jobs at competitor companies)
• Investor-related searches (people looking for stock information)

Pitfall 2: Using the Same Landing Page for All Traffic

Different competitor searches have different intent. Sending all competitor traffic to the same landing page significantly reduces conversion rates. Create intent-specific landing pages for maximum effectiveness.

Pitfall 3: Not Monitoring Legal Compliance

Regularly review your ad copy and landing pages to ensure they remain compliant with trademark laws and Google’s policies. What’s acceptable can change over time.

Pitfall 4: Ignoring Customer Feedback

Pay attention to feedback from leads and customers who came through competitor campaigns. They can provide valuable insights into what messaging resonates and what doesn’t.

The Bottom Line

Competitor campaigns can be a powerful growth driver for SaaS companies, but only when executed with strategy and precision. The key is targeting intent, not just brand recognition.

Remember:

• Focus on intent-driven keyword variations, not broad brand terms
• Structure campaigns by intent type for better optimization
• Create dedicated landing pages that address specific pain points
• Write compliant ad copy that highlights your genuine advantages
• Monitor performance closely and optimize based on data

Most importantly, approach competitor campaigns as a way to reach people who are actively looking for alternatives, not as a way to steal traffic from happy customers of other platforms.

When done right, competitor campaigns can capture qualified leads at lower costs than other channels while building awareness among your ideal customer profile. When done wrong, they become expensive exercises in futility that convince you that “Google Ads doesn’t work for our industry.”

The choice is yours. Choose strategy over spray-and-pray, and your competitor campaigns can become a reliable source of qualified leads and new customers.

Have you tried competitor campaigns for your SaaS? What worked (or didn’t work) for you? The most successful competitor campaigns are built on understanding your specific market and customer behavior, so I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments.