Start a fake band to own 'alternative' searches

What's the play

You build a fake band named after the thing people search to find your competitors. Zendesk invented a fictional Seattle rock group called Zendesk Alternative, gave it a website, social accounts, fake tour dates, and a concept album about customer service, then let it rank for 'zendesk alternative.' Now anyone shopping around for a competitor runs into a joke grunge band instead of a tidy comparison list.

What was the alternative?

Ha...get it? Alternative? Bid on your own brand's 'alternative' keywords in Google Ads forever, or publish a defensive comparison page like every other SaaS company.

Results / what moved

Zendesk Alternative still lands on the first page for 'zendesk alternative' years after launch. The bit made the rounds on Hacker News and across marketing blogs, where even people who started out grossed out admitted they loved the commitment. Anyone shopping for a competitor keeps hitting a fake rock band instead of a comparison chart.

Would you run it again?

Zendesk has left the band up and ranking for roughly a decade, which is about as loud a yes as a company can give.

Steps

1. 1

   Find the phrase that leaks customers

   Pin down the exact search people run when they're about to shop your competitors. Zendesk's was 'zendesk alternative.' Buy the matching domain before someone else does.

2. 2

   Invent something with nothing to do with software

   Create a persona that can legitimately own that phrase. Zendesk built a fictional Seattle rock band that supposedly had the name first.

3. 3

   Commit to the bit

   Give it a real site, social profiles, tour dates that are forever 'coming soon,' and merch that's forever 'sold out.' Half effort reads as spam. Full effort reads as a joke people share.

4. 4

   Hide your keywords in plain sight

   Work your target terms into the content so it ranks without looking like SEO sludge. The band's lyrics slip in 'zendesk,' 'alternative,' and 'open source' on purpose.

5. 5

   Make one thing worth sharing

   Build a hero piece that earns links on its own. Zendesk shot a music video and recorded a full concept album about customer service, cheesy jingle included.

6. 6

   Leave it up and let it compound

   Treat it as a long game. Keep the site live, let the write-ups and backlinks stack, and let it sit at the top of the results page for years.

Notes

Commit all the way or don't bother. The reason it works is the detail: tour dates stuck on 'coming soon,' merch that's always 'sold out,' lyrics that quietly pack in 'zendesk,' 'alternative,' and 'open source' for the crawler. It's a slow play, so don't expect rankings next week. And know that some people will call it anti-consumer for burying real comparison info, so weigh whether that fits your brand before you swing.

Tools & resources used

Zendeskalternative