Linkedin Ads Head to Head: Clari VS Gong

For the newest incarnation of the TouchPoints Newsletter, I am doing two "head to head" matchups per issue.

The first will pit two competitors' homepages against eachother.

The second will pit two ads against eachother.

What does #1 rated even mean? Let's find out on our first ever SAAS Website Hero Head to Head: Grain Vs. Fathom

I'm still figuring out this format for my newsletter, but today we're gonna look at 3 aspects of the homepage hero:

- Header & Subheader Copy
- Hero Visuals
- Social Proof

Here's a powerful way to show your prospect's how your product will change their business

This ad is basically all text, but what it does visually is very effective.

Have you ever tried comparing your software tool to the cost of a new hire?

This ad has a few issues, but I love the comparison to hired help they draw for Convert Assist.

Is it actually as effective as hiring a sales coach, a writer, and an assistant?

Want Your Social Proof to be Effective? Don't Do This

Algolia's ad breaks my cardinal rule of social proof: make it specific.

This social proof is one of the vaguest I have seen ever.

Video Editing Software? No. We Do Training Videos

I have seen this trend across multiple video tools lately.

They advertise one specific use case on linkedin: training videos.

Veed is a versatile piece of software, but no one uses a multi tool to cut a pizza.

Competitor-facing Positioning Done Right

Many SAAS companies can say they are like a more established player, but for a different niche/use case.

This is great, especially when that established player is a fast-growing powerhouse like Clay.

Here's an Example of an Ad Where Ease of Use is Spelled Out

Make had the bones of a great ad with this image, and the first paragraph of caption copy.

They hit on the two ultimate elements of message: Capabilities and Outcomes.

I've Said This Before And I'll Say It Again: Repetition Helps Your Messaging

Brevo's add here could be boiled down into 2 statements:
- Brevo will boost your sales and save you money.
- You can get Brevo for 50% off this holiday season.

But how many times do they hit these points?

Every Good Homepage Hero Hits These Points

I have analyzed dozens, maybe hundreds of SAAS landing pages at this point.

A few really hard-and-fast rules have emerged, but there are usually exceptions.

In a groundbreaking report that’s shaking up the world of digital marketing, researchers have revealed that a significant percentage of Marketing Qualified Leads (MQLs) can be traced back to one unlikely source: your mom.

Revenue leaders have reached an unsettling conclusion:
No one will admit they don’t understand the report.

“Everyone assumes they’re the only one confused, so the whole room just nods along,”* said one veteran.

This was projected in the Q4 forecasting.

Here's How Gusto is Taking Advantage of Psychology in Their Ads - Visual Hierarchy.

There is a viral image about visual hierarchy that basically pranks the reader in order to show them how humans tend to read.

This Technique is Helping Gusto Better Resonate with Potential Buyers. 👇

In Gusto's ad below, they pair specific pain points with their competitors.