If you’re looking for a new channel for your Software as a Service product (or client), Gartner Digital Market network is a great option that can generate high quality leads for competitive prices.

Let’s look at getting started with this platform and take a look at some tips for getting the most out of it.

What is the Gartner Digital Market Network?

The Gartner Digital Market Network is comprised of Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice directories.

All of these sites are online resources for business software (and app) seekers and sellers. You can use their site to find new software option, compare different solutions and read through reviews from real users.

SaaS companies can set up a free profile with any or all of the directories that will allow you to create a profile. With this account, your product is visible to the millions of folks searching their site each month. You can include features, ratings and reviews and screenshots.

Getting Started with Capterra

Below is an example of a listing on Capterra.

There is also a paid advertising side of Capterra that they call “PPC”. This account type allows you to do all that a free account does and more. You will get “premium placement” in the directory (at the top of the results pages, just like text ads in Google and Bing), multiple links to your site, access to a Capterra account manager, reporting and analytics plus a free landing page that can be optimized for lead generation. But that’s not all: Similar to other advertising platforms, you can set customized bids and track conversions.

Long story short: Instead of bidding on keywords, you bid on software categories.

Through Capterra’s platform, you also gain access to advertise on GetApp and Software Advice, if those fit your needs.

Are you sold? If so, let’s see how to get started.

Setting Up a Campaign on Capterra

Once you have set up your profile, I would recommend working to get more reviews before you begin paying for traffic. According to Capterra, listings with more reviews have 10-20% high CTRs than listings without a decent number of reviews. You can generate these reviews by asking existing customers to review your product; including an email in your nurture sequence for customers a few weeks after purchase that asks for a review; creating a contest and more.

To start on your campaign, head to the Listings tab.

On this tab, you can edit your product listing information, edit links and add screenshots. You can also add products and update logos.

Click “Add a Directory” to get started adding your product to the directory listings.

Unlike other channels, you will need to work with a Capterra representative to get this process started. Once you’re listed in the directories, you’ll be able to manage bids on your own.

Click your rep’s name to send a message about the directory you want to get listed in.

Ahead of contacting your rep, I would recommend getting an estimate of the bids and traffic you can expect to see with that listing. Below is what you can expect from the Bid Estimator Tool.

Once you have contacted your rep and added your product to directories, this is what your screen will look like.

Below is what your dashboard will look like when you log into Capterra once you get directory listings and begin running campaigns. One of my favorite features of this is the Budget Spent and Month Elapsed tools which show you where you’re at with spending your monthly budget.

You can also see top reviewed products from competitors and if your profile needs additional setup to be completed.

Tips for Successful Capterra Campaigns

Competitive Bids

Setting competitive bids that will allow your ad to have a solid page position is key to generating traffic. If you’re listed in multiple directories and across Capterra, GetApp and SoftwareAdvice, you can adjust your individual bids to be competitive in each directory.

Profile Completeness

Filling out the About and Features section is key. You are also able to submit screenshots, which should be actual screenshots of your product, not of people using the product (which is SaaS, is just people looking at a computer). We would also recommend including features for each vertical or major use for the software so that folks can see how it would fit into their workplace.

Think of your profile as a landing page and make sure to offer adequate information about your product.

Monthly Budgets

When it comes to monthly budgets, our experience has been that Gartner’s system doesn’t always do a great job of spending your budget evenly. If you want your budget to be spread out over the course of the month, you’re likely better off setting a lower monthly budget than you’re aiming for at the beginning of the month and then increasing that budget mid-month. Go figure, the budgets tend to run out early.

Above is the budget tool that you’ll see when you log into your account.

Customer Reviews

The selling point of Capterra is to read user reviews from actual users, so having your profile completed with reviews from real customers is key. Here are a few ways to boost reviews:

• Work with the sales team to find how they could ask for reviews in the weeks after the sale.
• Send an automatic email that asks for a review after several weeks of use.
• Run a contest or offer an incentive for leaving a review.

When you sign in to Capterra, the system will alert you if you’re not within the top reviewed products for your directory. See a screenshot below.

Those look like a lot of reviews but don’t let that discourage you or your client. You have to start somewhere.

Lead Quality Review

Keeping a close eye on lead quality will be key in determining if the Capterra platform will work for your account. In my experience, clients tend to see higher quality leads coming from this platform, which makes up for potential higher CPAs.

Have you tried Capterra, GetApp or Software Advice? What kind of performance have you seen from this platform? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!