Case Study: How Zapier’s Review Guides Ranked #1 on Google
Results
HubSpot's Digital Marketing Course Review ranks #1
Helped SMBs make confident, purchase-ready decisions.
2 Conversion-Focused B2B Software Review Guides
Drove qualified bottom-of-funnel traffic, demo requests, and free-trial sign-ups.
2 Conversion-Focused SMB Marketing Articles Ranks #1
Ranked on page one for high-intent, competitive marketing keywords.
01 — Client Overview
Zapier | zapier.com
Zapier is a leading no-code automation platform that connects over 6,000 apps— including Gmail, Slack, and Salesforce —to help users automate workflows without requiring technical support.
Trusted by individuals and small businesses alike, Zapier eliminates repetitive tasks and improves operational efficiency. With over 4 million users, 500+ employees, and a $5 billion valuation, Zapier continues to scale as a go-to solution for productivity and automation.
02 — Project Goals
Zapier’s Managing Blog Editor brought me on to lead a highly research-intensive content initiative: reviewing and comparing marketing tools for their SMB audience.
Over six weeks, I tested and evaluated more than 30 B2B SaaS products, analyzing key features, functionality, and use cases.
I created high-impact, product-led content designed not just to inform, but to rank on Google, drive bottom-of-funnel traffic, and generate demo requests and free-trial sign-ups.
Here are a few of the assignments I worked on:
Create two SEO-optimized software review guides
Delivered product-led, comparison-style guides to help SMB buyers confidently evaluate tools and make informed purchase decisions. Each guide was strategically designed to rank on Google for competitive keywords and support bottom-of-funnel intent.Write two educational blog posts for SMB audiences
Taught small business owners how to solve specific challenges using Zapier’s app automation tool. The content was designed to increase product awareness and drive engagement through SEO content aligned with real SMB pain points and use cases.
03— Key Challenges
1. Conducting hands-on software testing at scale
Tested over 30 SMB customer service tools in one month to create content grounded in real product experience. Each review was based on an in-depth evaluation of features, performance, UX, and scalability, ensuring the content was accurate, trustworthy, and conversion-focused.
2. Differentiating between similar tools
Many tools offered nearly identical capabilities. To highlight meaningful differences, I conducted detailed comparisons of integrations, automation workflows, and user experience, allowing me to recommend the best-fit solutions for SMB buyers with specific needs and use cases.
3. Turning technical complexity into product-led content
Each guide needed to make advanced product functionality easy to understand for non-technical readers while still driving bottom-of-funnel action. The goal was to translate complex features into compelling content that highlighted real use cases and supported informed buying decisions.
04 — Solutions
1. Collaborated with Zapier’s editorial team to guide tool selection and review strategy
Worked closely with the Managing Editor to evaluate similar tools through real-world testing, comparison frameworks, and keyword insights, ensuring each guide aligned with buyer needs, SEO goals, and Zapier’s product-led content strategy.
2. Partnered with product teams for expert input
Collaborated with customer support teams to better understand key value propositions, differentiators, and real-world solutions, ensuring each review reflected the product’s strengths and use cases accurately.
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“Maria is a great contributor to Zapier! Her articles have consistently ranked on Google's first page and she keeps you in the loop on the projects she's working on. She's receptive to feedback and willing to adapt to the brand voice and guidelines, which helps connect with the audience and keep readers engaged.
— Deborah Tennen, Senior Managing Editor at Zapier
