Danny van der Ham
PerplexityIn short
- Buyers ask AI to compare: you or them, this option or that one. The engine needs a clear source to answer.
- A fair comparison page on your own site gives the engine that answer, in your words.
- Be honest, be specific, date it, and say who the other option is better for.
Why AI likes comparisons
A big share of buying questions are comparisons. "Prefab or traditional dormer?" "Bookkeeper or accountant?" "Kooij or Dakkapel Direct?" To answer, an engine needs a page that puts the options side by side, with facts it can lift.
If no such page exists, the engine stitches an answer together from reviews and forum posts. If one does exist, and it's clear and fair, it often becomes the backbone of the answer. Including the link.
Honest beats loud
The comparison pages that get quoted are not the ones that say "we're better at everything". Engines check claims against other sources. A page that admits where the other option is better reads as trustworthy, and trustworthy pages get quoted.
"Kooij places a prefab dormer in one day at a fixed price. Traditional builders are more flexible on custom shapes but usually quote per project."
A typical answer built on a fair comparison page (example)
How to build one
A good comparison page has the same skeleton every time:
- 1A title that matches the question. "Prefab vs traditional dormer: cost, time and what fits your house."
- 2Two or three sentences up top with the short answer, so the engine has something to quote.
- 3A table with the facts that matter to the buyer: price, time, guarantee, what's included.
- 4A section on who each option is best for. Yes, also when it's not you.
- 5A date and your sources, so readers and engines can see it's current.
Five rules
- Facts, not adjectives. "Placed in one day" beats "fast service".
- Name the other option fairly. Describe it the way its own customers would.
- Say when you're not the right choice. It costs you a few leads and wins you credibility.
- Keep it current. An old price on a comparison page does more harm than no page.
- One comparison per page. A page that compares everything answers nothing.
Questions we get
Can I name a competitor on my site?
In general, yes, as long as what you say is factual, fair and not misleading. Stick to facts you can back up and avoid putting the other business down.
Do I need a page for every competitor?
No. Start with the two or three comparisons buyers actually ask about. Comparing types of solutions often works even better than comparing companies.
How long should a comparison page be?
Long enough to answer the question with facts, short enough to scan. Most good ones fit on one screen plus a table.
Written by
Danny van der HamCo-founder of Mentiofy. Runs several small businesses himself and built Mentiofy because he wanted to know what AI says about them.
Quoted by ChatGPT