Part 2 — The intent map: category, problem, competitor, brand
Four intent tiers, four different economics — and the order to fund them.
SaaS search demand comes in four distinct intents, and treating them as one keyword pool is the most common structural error in the category. Each tier has its own economics, its own message, and its own place in the funding order. The full playbook is in the SaaS paid acquisition guide; this part is the map.
The four tiers
- Category terms ("crm for agencies", "error monitoring tool") — the searcher knows the solution class exists and is shortlisting. Highest commercial intent you can buy; usually the most expensive CPCs; fund these first and defend them always.
- Problem terms ("how to track client projects", "why is my app slow") — the searcher has the pain but not the solution vocabulary. Cheaper clicks, longer path, needs content-shaped landing experiences rather than demo walls. Fund after category terms saturate.
- Competitor terms — highest desperation-adjacent intent, worst Quality Scores, legally fine in most jurisdictions but economically marginal. Run small, measure to closed-won (not clicks), and expect to be outbid by whoever values switching customers most.
- Brand defense — cheap insurance against competitors doing the above to you. Small budget, isolate it from performance reporting exactly as ecommerce isolates brand (the same measurement logic applies).
Match message to tier, not to product
The classic SaaS ads mistake is one message — the product pitch — served to all four intents. Category searchers want differentiation and proof; problem searchers want to see their pain named before any product appears; competitor searchers want a reason to switch plus a migration path; brand searchers just want the right page fast. Four intents, four ad groups minimum, four landing experiences. This is where landing pages win or lose the click — the ad only sets up the argument.
Volume warning: B2B search volume is thin, and consolidation pressure (part 1 of the ecommerce course covers the learning floor) applies double. Better one campaign per intent tier clearing 30 conversions a month than eight beautifully organized campaigns starving.