Alternative Landing

Alternative Landing Pages

Build or refresh landing pages at src/pages/alternative/[slug].js.

The goal is not generic comparison copy. The goal is a repo-native page that:

• matches the existing alternative landing architecture for its category
• uses benchmark data only from src/pages/benchmarks/screenshot-api.js (screenshot pages only)
• researches the competitor honestly from real sources
• avoids SEO cannibalization with existing alternative pages
• improves the page when a competitor-specific angle is stronger than a boilerplate comparison

Category Selection — Ask First

Before any research or editing, ask the user which Microlink product the competitor competes with:

• Screenshot API — competitor offers headless-browser screenshots / PDFs as their primary product. Examples already in the repo: ScreenshotOne, ApiFlash, Urlbox, Url2Png, Thum.io, ScreenshotAPI, ScreenshotLayer, ScreenshotMachine, Cloudflare (Browser Rendering).
• Embed API — competitor offers URL → card / oEmbed / link preview as their primary product. Example already in the repo: Iframely.
• AI data / scraping — competitor converts URLs into LLM-ready markdown or structured/brand data (Firecrawl, Context.dev). No benchmark exists: use the no-benchmark screenshot structure (cloudflare.js shape — curl-vs-curl hero, no SpeedSection), CTA URLs target /markdown or /metadata, and the TryIt uses MultiCodeEditorInteractive with a markdown or meta mqlCode.

If you can identify the category confidently from the competitor's homepage, confirm with the user before proceeding instead of asking blindly. Phrasing example: "I see [Competitor] leads with [rich-media embeds / headless screenshots / LLM-ready markdown]. I'll use the [embed / screenshot / AI data] template — confirm?"

If a competitor straddles more than one category, pick the dominant product. Lead with embeds → embed template. Lead with screenshots → screenshot template. Lead with LLM-ready markdown or structured data → AI data / scraping structure. Never mix templates.

The category choice changes:

• which reference doc you follow (template-structure.md for screenshot and AI data; embed-template.md for embed)
• which existing page you use as a primary example (screenshotone.js, iframely.js, or cloudflare.js for the no-benchmark shape)
• whether you include SpeedSection — only when the competitor has real benchmark data in src/pages/benchmarks/screenshot-api.js. Embed and AI data / scraping competitors never do, and an unbenchmarked screenshot competitor does not either (cloudflare.js is the reference for that case). Without benchmark data there is no SpeedSection and no RaceContainer.
• which hero visual you use (RaceContainer when benchmarked, a side-by-side curl comparison when not, <InteractiveExample flat hideFooter /> for embed)
• which TryIt visual you use (MultiCodeEditorInteractive for screenshot and AI data, <PreviewVariantsShowcase /> for embed)
• which CTA URLs you target (/screenshot, /embed, or /markdown / /metadata for AI data)

Read First

Before planning or editing, read these in order:

1. If present, .claude/product-marketing-context.md
2. .cursor/skills/alternative-landing/references/microlink-features.md
3. AGENTS.md

Then, depending on the category:

Screenshot category

4. src/pages/alternative/screenshotone.js — primary structural reference
5. src/pages/alternative/screenshotapi.js — secondary reference for a different angle
6. All other src/pages/alternative/*.js files — required for anti-cannibalization
7. src/pages/benchmarks/screenshot-api.js — only source of truth for benchmark numbers
8. .cursor/skills/alternative-landing/references/template-structure.md

Embed category

4. src/pages/alternative/iframely.js — canonical structural reference (the only embed alternative page so far)
5. src/pages/embed.js — source of the InteractiveExample and PreviewVariantsShowcase exports you'll import
6. All other src/pages/alternative/*.js files — required for anti-cannibalization (even though they're screenshot pages, FAQ wording and SEO titles can still clash)
7. src/pages/features/proxy.js — source of truth for proxy / antibot / CAPTCHA claims
8. .cursor/skills/alternative-landing/references/embed-template.md

Core Rules

These are non-negotiable:

• Never guess the competitor URL. Ask if it is missing.
• Never invent competitor features, pricing, SLA, rate limits, integrations, or infrastructure claims.
• Never invent benchmark numbers or extrapolate them to unbenchmarked competitors.
• Never round speed claims up. Use conservative wording and round down.
• Never claim a competitor feature unless it is verified on the competitor website or docs.
• Never claim a Microlink feature unless it exists in references/microlink-features.md.
• Never ship a placeholder comparison page full of assumptions.
• Never repeat the same hero angle, title angle, or FAQ phrasing used by another alternative page if it risks cannibalization.
• Never run Prettier or any formatter as part of this skill. This includes prettier, prettier-standard, repo-wide format commands, or any command that may rewrite unrelated files.

Source Hierarchy

Use sources in this order:

1. Competitor website and official docs
2. src/pages/benchmarks/screenshot-api.js
3. .cursor/skills/alternative-landing/references/microlink-features.md
4. Third-party sources and review sites

Use third-party sources only for:

• understanding market positioning
• identifying likely objections or limitations to verify
• finding missing official pages

Do not use third-party sources as proof for hard claims if the competitor site does not confirm them.

Workflow

1. Gather Inputs

Before editing:

1. Confirm the category — screenshot, embed, or AI data / scraping (see "Category Selection — Ask First" above). Every subsequent step depends on this choice.
2. Confirm the competitor name.
3. Confirm the competitor URL.
4. Confirm the target slug if the user gave one.

Screenshot-only step: map the competitor to a benchmark key in BENCHMARK_DATA.results.

If the competitor is screenshot-category but not benchmarked in src/pages/benchmarks/screenshot-api.js, stop and ask how to proceed. Do not fabricate a speed section.

Recommended options:

• wait until benchmark data exists
• create only an improvement report
• create a non-speed draft only if the user explicitly accepts a deviation from the existing structure

If the competitor is embed-category, skip the benchmark mapping — there is no embed benchmark. Follow embed-template.md which deliberately omits SpeedSection.

If the competitor is AI data / scraping, skip the benchmark mapping too — there is no markdown or structured-data benchmark. Follow the cloudflare.js no-benchmark shape, which omits SpeedSection and RaceContainer.

2. Research the Competitor

This phase is mandatory.

Use WebFetch to fetch and inspect, at minimum:

• homepage
• features or product page
• pricing page
• API docs or docs home
• any page covering integrations, storage, or automation if relevant

Use WebSearch to discover missing official pages and to understand positioning:

• "[Competitor] pricing [year]"
• "[Competitor] [category] api features" — swap [category] for screenshot or embed
• "[Competitor] docs"
• "[Competitor] alternatives"
• "[Competitor] review limitations"

For embed-category competitors, also confirm:

• their pricing unit (per-request, per-hit, per-domain, etc.) and any documented rate limits
• whether they ship a proxy / antibot / CAPTCHA layer (most embed APIs do not — that is the Microlink Pro differentiator)
• their publisher catalog size if they publish one
• their CMS / framework integrations (WordPress plugin, AMP, React component, etc.)

From research, build a working ledger of:

• verified features
• verified missing features
• pricing tiers, quotas, rate limits, and overages
• integrations and workflow tooling
• notable strengths where the competitor is genuinely better
• limitations or tradeoffs worth mentioning
• open questions that remain unverified

If the site is too JS-heavy to verify a claim via fetchable content, treat that claim as unverified and ask the user before using it.

3. Anti-Cannibalization Pass

Every alternative page needs a distinct search and messaging angle.

Read every existing file in src/pages/alternative/*.js and compare:

• <Meta title>
• <Meta description>
• hero heading
• speed-section subhead
• CTA heading
• FAQ questions

Current angle map:

Screenshot category:

• screenshotone.js: speed-first angle ("The fastest ScreenshotOne alternative")
• screenshotapi.js: breadth / "does more" angle ("broader browser workflows")
• urlbox.js: cost per render angle ("better cost per render")
• screenshotmachine.js: upgrade path angle ("richer browser workflows")
• apiflash.js: production workloads angle ("for production workloads")
• url2png.js: modernization angle ("a more modern screenshot API")
• screenshotlayer.js: throughput / overage angle
• thumio.js: final-screenshot vs streamed-thumbnail angle
• cloudflare.js: batteries-included angle ("managed screenshot API vs DIY browser infrastructure") — no benchmark data, so no SpeedSection/RaceContainer; hero uses a side-by-side curl comparison instead

AI data / scraping category:

• firecrawl.js: flat-pricing angle ("without the credit math" — 5× stealth multiplier, one-time free credits, no rollover)
• context-dev.js: one-request bundle angle ("answers in one request" — credit menu vs metadata+logo+markdown+screenshot in a single flat request)

Embed category:

• iframely.js: developer-first angle ("The developer-first Iframely alternative") — emphasizes per-request pricing vs hit-based pricing, no rate-limit ceiling, and the Pro proxy bundle

Pick a primary angle and a secondary angle for the new page. Examples:

• fastest
• more complete platform
• cheaper at scale
• open-source / auditable
• better for AI agents
• better for metadata + screenshot in one API
• better migration path

Avoid collisions such as:

• two pages both leading with "fastest [Competitor] alternative"
• reusing near-identical FAQ wording
• repeating the same title pattern across pages

If the best angle clearly collides with an existing page, change the angle or ask the user which angle to prioritize.

4. Build the Page Data

BENCHMARK_DATA (screenshot category only)

Skip this whole subsection on embed pages. Embed alternatives have no benchmark and no SpeedSection.

For screenshot pages, copy only:

• microlink
• the target competitor

Keep the same testUrls array from src/pages/benchmarks/screenshot-api.js. Inline the values exactly. Do not reference helper constants from the benchmark page.

SERVICE_COLORS (screenshot category only)

Embed pages do not render a benchmark race and do not need a SERVICE_COLORS map. Skip.

For screenshot pages, use:

• microlink: colors.red6
• competitor: a color not already used by another alternative page

Currently used:

• screenshotone: colors.pink6
• screenshotapi: colors.grape7
• urlbox: colors.teal6
• screenshotmachine: colors.blue6
• apiflash: colors.orange6

Speed claim math (screenshot category only)

Embed pages do not have speed claims. Skip this subsection.

For screenshot pages, compute conservatively:

• average speed advantage: ((competitorAvg - microlinkAvg) / microlinkAvg) * 100
• per-URL multiplier: competitorUrl / microlinkUrl

For marketing copy:

• floor percentages instead of rounding up
• floor multipliers instead of rounding up
• prefer "up to 2× faster" over "up to 2.4× faster" unless the decimal precision is important and still conservative

If the benchmark result is directionally mixed or too small to support a strong claim, soften the copy.

COMPARISON_DATA

Build the comparison table from:

• Microlink capabilities in references/microlink-features.md
• verified competitor capabilities from official sources

Allowed values:

• true
• false
• 'partial'
• 'on demand'
• short literal strings only when a boolean would be misleading

Ordering:

1. shared capabilities
2. Microlink-only capabilities
3. competitor-only capabilities

Highlighting:

• set highlight: true only when Microlink clearly has the advantage
• do not highlight every differentiator just because it exists

Notes:

• add a short note only when nuance materially helps interpretation
• do not use the table to smuggle in unverified claims

Embed pages: always include three Pro-bundle rows with highlight: true — Rotating residential proxy (Pro), Antibot detection & bypass (Pro), CAPTCHA handling (Pro). The provider lists go in the note field. See references/embed-template.md → "Comparison table — Pro proxy rows" for the canonical wording and provider names. Flip the competitor column to true only if their docs explicitly document the same capabilities — verify on their site before doing so.

Pricing comparison

Use the competitor pricing page as the source of truth.

For Microlink, choose the most relevant tier from references/microlink-features.md.

Prefer apples-to-apples based on:

• comparable request volume
• comparable buyer intent
• comparable recommended plan

Include pricing source URLs in code comments near the pricing copy or pricing constants.

If there is no honest apples-to-apples tier, say so in the copy or ask the user before forcing a comparison.

5. Write the Page

Follow the right reference for the category:

• Screenshot category → references/template-structure.md. Primary live example: src/pages/alternative/screenshotone.js. Secondary: src/pages/alternative/screenshotapi.js.
• Embed category → references/embed-template.md. Canonical live example: src/pages/alternative/iframely.js.

Default rule:

• keep the same overall architecture and section order as the existing alternative pages in the same category

Screenshot section order

1. Hero (with <RaceContainer> from the benchmark)
2. SpeedSection
3. WhySwitchSection
4. PricingSection
5. CTASection
6. ComparisonSection
7. HonestySection
8. TryItSection (with MultiCodeEditorInteractive)
9. FAQSection

Embed section order

1. Hero (with <InteractiveExample flat hideFooter /> imported from pages/embed)
2. WhySwitchSection
3. PricingSection
4. CTASection
5. ComparisonSection
6. HonestySection
7. TryItSection (with <PreviewVariantsShowcase /> imported from pages/embed — link first, preview after)
8. FAQSection

No SpeedSection. No RaceContainer. No MultiCodeEditorInteractive.

Do not run automatic formatting after editing. If verification is needed, prefer targeted linting or manual fixes inside the landing file only.

Page-writing rules

• Match the repo's import style and styled primitive layout.
• Use theme({...}) for styled-system-supported properties per AGENTS.md.
• Keep prose unique to the competitor and the chosen angle.
• Keep the page honest even when Microlink wins.
• The HonestySection must contain real competitor strengths (3–6 items; Iframely currently ships 3).
• The FAQ must contain 7–9 questions and avoid near-duplicates from existing alternative pages.
• The FAQ schema must mirror the visible FAQ content as plain text.
• The Head export must use a unique title, unique description, correct canonical URL, and FAQ schema.
• Use the FAQ_ITEMS array pattern (with { question, answer, text }) for every new page — this is now the standard, shared by urlbox.js, screenshotmachine.js, apiflash.js, and iframely.js. The text field holds the plain-text version for schema; answer holds the JSX for rendering.
• Never use <code css={theme({...})}> — this repo's css prop transform fails on <code> and throws "Element type is invalid". Use <b> or a styled component instead.
• For embed pages, the WhySwitch list must include one item dedicated to the Pro proxy / antibot / CAPTCHA bundle with a <Link href='/features/proxy'> reference. See embed-template.md for canonical wording.
• For embed pages, the Microlink pricing card bullets must include the proxy/antibot/CAPTCHA line.
• For embed pages, the FAQ list must include one proxy-focused question linking to /features/proxy and mentioning is-antibot (the open-source detection library).
• Add the new page to src/components/patterns/Footer/Footer.js Comparisons list in alphabetical order ({ label: 'vs [Competitor]', href: '/alternative/[slug]' }).

Custom sections or custom angles

The skill should think about whether a competitor-specific section would improve the page.

Examples:

• migration complexity
• SDK or API ergonomics
• storage and webhook workflow
• AI-agent fit
• no-code automation
• anti-bot / proxy depth

Only add a custom section if all are true:

• it is strongly supported by research
• it makes the page materially more useful
• it does not create cannibalization with other alternative pages
• it does not break the core structure without good reason

If unsure, propose the new section to the user instead of silently changing the architecture.

6. Improve Existing Landings

When updating an existing page:

1. Read the current file. Identify its category from the hero and TryIt visuals, not from SpeedSection alone: embed pages import InteractiveExample from components/pages/embed; screenshot and AI data pages use MultiCodeEditorInteractive, and only benchmarked screenshot pages add SpeedSection/RaceContainer.
2. Re-research the competitor's homepage, docs, features, pricing, and relevant workflow pages.
3. Re-read the category source-of-truth:
   • Screenshot pages → src/pages/benchmarks/screenshot-api.js.
   • Embed pages → src/pages/features/proxy.js (for current Pro proxy claims) and src/pages/embed.js (for the imported components).
4. Check for stale benchmark numbers (screenshot only), stale pricing, stale feature claims, stale FAQ answers, and stale honest-strength cards.
5. Re-run the anti-cannibalization pass against all other alternative pages.
6. Compare the file against the category's primary reference:
   • Screenshot pages → screenshotone.js for structural drift.
   • Embed pages → iframely.js for structural drift.
7. Fix inaccuracies first, then improve positioning, then improve SEO uniqueness.

7. Output Back to the User

After drafting or improving a page, always report:

• chosen primary angle
• sources used
• anything still unverified
• SEO or cannibalization risks
• suggested next improvements

Suggestions should focus on:

• missing differentiators worth adding
• sections worth adding or removing
• weak copy or repeated messaging
• SEO opportunities
• research gaps that need the user's help

SEO Pass

If the user asks for an SEO pass, or if title/meta/FAQ/cannibalization choices are unclear, read and follow:

• ~/.claude/skills/seo-audit/SKILL.md

Use it mainly to validate:

• keyword targeting
• title and meta uniqueness
• internal cannibalization risk
• heading structure
• schema completeness

Final Guardrails

• Do not pretend to know a competitor feature because it is common in the category.
• Do not write "fastest" or "best" unless the benchmark or source actually supports it.
• Do not add TODO claims into production copy. If a claim is important but unverified, stop and ask.
• Do not copy FAQ wording from one alternative page to another.
• Do not let benchmark copy dominate the page if the real differentiation is elsewhere.
• Do not let a stronger competitor-specific angle go unused just because the first template you read was speed-first.
• Do not mix templates. Embed competitors get the embed template; screenshot competitors get the screenshot template. Picking the wrong one and patching it produces a Frankenstein page.
• Do not fabricate a SpeedSection for embed competitors. There is no embed benchmark in this repo.
• Do not duplicate HERO_DEMOS, PREVIEW_VARIANTS, or InteractiveExample internals on embed pages — import from pages/embed.
• Do not run prettier, prettier-standard, or any repo-level formatter while using this skill, even on a single file, because this repository's formatter can touch unrelated files.