Ever wondered why your SaaS website isn’t attracting the right audience or converting enough leads? The answer might lie in your keyword strategy. Efficient SaaS keyword research is a little tricky but not impossible to learn. SaaS keyword research goes beyond just picking relevant terms.
It’s about understanding what your potential customers need, the problems they’re trying to solve, and the exact search queries they’re typing into search engines. With this insight, you can create content that not only ranks well but also connects with your audience.
Here are eight actionable tips to refine your strategy, increase engagement, and drive qualified leads.
1. Target Keywords Based on Buyer Intent
When selecting keywords for your SaaS business, focus on the buyer’s intent to attract high-quality organic traffic. This means using funnel keywords & long-tail keywords that consider what potential customers are actively searching for at different stages of their buyer journey.
These relevant keywords capture users with specific search intent to purchase, helping improve search engine ranking and driving a more effective content strategy.
While focusing on this list of keywords you extract for your SaaS business, categorize it based on the searcher’s intent, and do not consider all keywords to be equal. This categorization aids in better understanding your buyers’ journey and helps them make the final decision. The keywords are classified as follows:
Informational keywords (I)
Attracting users looking for general information about your SaaS business or SaaS, in general, can drive organic traffic to your website.
For example, guides or informative blogs containing phrases like “How to Find SaaS Blog Topics” or “How to Calculate SaaS SEO ROI” can help uphold your content as an informative resource. By aligning your content with these keywords, you can lead to answers to these common questions, eventually improving user experience and engagement.
Navigational keywords (N)
These are keywords that are used by searchers who are trying to find a specific brand or website.
For instance, potential customers might search for “HubSpot login” or “Asana pricing.” Making sure that your brand ranks for such terms you can capture users who already know your product, enhancing your search engine visibility.
Transactional Keywords (T)
These keywords are ideal for attracting users ready to take action, like subscribing to your platform or making an actual purchase. Phrases that include signing up for a trial or purchasing are used under this category.
Some examples include “buy project management software” or “get a free trial to email marketing SaaS,” indicating the searcher’s high intent to convert eventually.
Focusing on these high-value keywords can boost your organic search efforts, convert leads, and efficiently increase your search engine ranking.
Commercial Investigation Keywords (C)
Keywords that are used by users to compare products or evaluate options before making a decision come under this category. For instance, the phrases “best CRM tools for startups” or “top SaaS for accounting” are some of the keywords used to search for potential customers.
By integrating these long-tail keywords into your content strategy, you can engage traffic in the research phase today but will periodically lean towards making a quick purchase.
Using these keywords in content like comparison guides, case studies, and reviews. Potential customers can find a unique selling point of your SaaS business. This draws their attention and boosts your organic traffic.
2. Conducting Keyword Gap Analysis
One effective method for identifying missed opportunities is through keyword research methods like gap analysis. This approach helps identify competitor keywords your site may be missing out on, enabling you to expand your reach and improve your search engine rankings. Here’s how to conduct a keyword gap analysis and why it’s essential for your SaaS content strategy.
Use Keyword Tools
Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz are essential for keyword gap analysis. Simply enter your domain and that of your competitors to generate a report showing the keywords they rank for, but you don’t. Track search volumes and identify secondary keywords with potential.
By targeting keywords with high monthly search volume, you ensure your content reaches a broader audience while maintaining relevance.
Focus on Low Keyword Difficulty
Once you extract a list of potential keywords, prioritize those with a lower keyword difficulty level. These keywords are easier to rank for and can generate more traffic.
For instance, if you find that an “affordable SaaS project management tool” has low competition, you can create a content strategy around it.
Analyze Competitor Content
When you review your competitor analysis, pay attention to how your competitors are using specific keywords. Check their blogs, landing pages, and product descriptions to understand how they optimize for certain phrases and keywords.
If competitors are driving traffic using specific long-tail keywords, incorporate them into your own content strategy to capture users who are in their research phase right there.
3. Use Long-Tail Keywords to Drive Qualified Traffic
Long-tail keywords are invaluable for B2B SaaS keyword research. They’re one of the most effective ways to attract potential customers to your SaaS website. These are longer, more specific phrases with lower keyword difficulty and higher intent. For example, instead of targeting broad terms like “project management software,” look for phrases like “best project management software for small teams.”
The advantage of long-tail keywords is that they attract users with specific needs, making them more likely to convert. For SaaS companies, this can translate to high-quality organic traffic. Long-tail phrases usually face less competition, making it easier to rank higher on search engines.
Using SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can help you seed out these long-tail phrases and analyze their search volume. For example, if your SaaS product focuses on automation, look for terms like “automated marketing tools for eCommerce.” Phrases like these can bring in traffic that is already prepared to align with your content.
4. Use Competitor Intelligence for Keyword Insights
Understanding what your competitors are doing is an important part of any SaaS keyword research strategy. By conducting a thorough competitive analysis, you can identify gaps in your content and find competitor keywords you might be missing out on. Some SEO tools like SEMrush and Moz offer powerful features that allow you to compare your site’s keywords with those of your competitors.
For instance, if you notice that a competitor is ranking for keywords like “best CRM for startups” or “top SaaS project management tools,” but your site isn’t targeting these phrases, this makes an opportunity. Creating content around these topics can help you capture a share of the organic search traffic they are receiving.
Looking into what keywords your competitors are using for their paid Google Ads and campaigns can also help you to know what they’re working on. See if a competitor is willing to spend on a particular keyword, it’s likely converting well for them.
This is one of the SaaS keyword research strategies that is sometimes neglected but is very critical in extracting potential keywords that ultimately help you improve your SaaS SEO.
5. Optimize for Feature-Based Keywords
The SaaS market is highly competitive, to keep yourself in the business, optimize for feature-based keywords. These keywords focus on the unique selling point of your product that can set you apart from competitors. For instance, if your SaaS product offers built-in reporting tools, use phrases like “SaaS with automated reporting” or “AI-powered data analytics software.”
Focusing on feature-based keywords helps attract users who are searching for specific characteristics. It also shows how your product solves particular problems, making your content more convincing to potential customers.
After identifying your feature-based keywords, you can effectively incorporate them into your content strategy. You can update your product pages to outline your specific keywords in titles and descriptions clearly.
You can include internal links with your features in your blog posts that link back to your detailed product pages. This not only boosts your SEO but also engages relevant traffic.
For more on optimizing feature-based keywords effectively, check out our comprehensive guide: SaaS Keyword Research Guide.
6. Mine Customer Feedback For Pain Point Keywords
An often missed yet powerful source in a keyword research process is customer feedback. By analyzing customer reviews, ratings, and social media comments, you can see common pain points for your SaaS product. Use this feedback and find keywords focused on solving these issues to increase search volumes.
For example, if customers frequently mention difficulties with onboarding, target phrases like “easy SaaS onboarding” or “simplify SaaS user onboarding.” This approach helps you create content that real customers need, this not only improves user experience but also attracts users who are actively seeking solutions.
Another example: if your product coincides with remote collaboration, target keywords like “best SaaS for remote team management.” This allows you to reach customers who are struggling with remote workflows.
7. Use Topic Clusters To Improve Keyword Coverage
Using topic clusters is a smart way to enhance your content strategy and increase your search engine rankings. A topic cluster means creating a central pillar page that focuses on a broad keyword, such as “SaaS SEO strategies,” and then linking it to related content pieces like “how to increase SaaS trial conversions” or “best content marketing tips for SaaS.”
This framework not only improves internal linking but also indicates to search engines that your website covers the topic comprehensively. For example, if your SaaS platform specializes in customer relationship management, your focal page could be “CRM strategies for SaaS,” linked to subtopics like “CRM email marketing tips” and “top CRM tools for lead management.”
By covering all related topics, you can fill in the content gaps and establish an online presence by producing high-quality content.
8. Monitor And Update Keyword Lists Regularly
It’s essential to update your list of keywords to keep up with the trends. Regularly assess monthly search volume, revisit search engine optimization practices, and tweak your blog posts to stay competitive. Tools like Google Analytics and Moz can help you identify which keywords drive traffic and which need to be changed or replaced.
If you notice certain trending keywords, adjust your content to move with this shift. Consistently enhancing your keyword strategies ensures your site remains optimized for organic search and maintains its search engine ranking.
You can also set up automated alerts in keyword tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to monitor keyword performance and identify new potential keywords based on search trends. This helps you to stay responsive to changes and improve your
Why SaaS Keyword Research Requires a Unique Approach
In SaaS, keyword research isn’t as easy as it might be for other industries. SaaS companies operate in a highly competitive space where customers have specific needs and often take longer to make purchasing decisions.
This means your content strategy needs to go beyond basic search terms. Instead, it should focus on understanding your audience’s pain points, the solution you offer, and what features make you different. By this approach, you can attract potential customers and guide them through a longer sales journey.
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Ongoing SaaS Keyword Analysis
The SaaS industry is constantly evolving, with trends and technologies changing abruptly. Thus, we need regular competitive analysis and keyword updates to stay relevant and maintain a high search engine ranking.SaaS keyword research should focus on target keywords related to specific problems your software offers. This helps to attract potential customers who are looking for solutions through your services.
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Problem-Centric Keyword Focus
Unlike other industries, SaaS products often have longer sales cycles, making it important to target potential keywords that answer every stage of the buyer journey- from awareness to ultimately buying the product.
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Boost Leads with Long-Tail Keywords
The SaaS market is highly competitive, especially for broad search engine keywords. Focusing on specific and long-tail keywords can grow your organic search traffic by attracting more leads.
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Pain Point-Driven Keyword Strategy
SaaS keyword strategies should revolve around customer pain points to concentrate on the search intent by addressing specific challenges. This, in turn, helps improve user experience and organic traffic.
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Educational Content for SaaS Leads
A lot of potential customers need a little bit of educational knowledge to understand your software and services. By using potential keywords, including guides and tutorials, you can attract interested buyers who want to learn more about it.
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Feature-Focused Keyword Optimization
SaaS buyers usually look for solutions with specific but unique features. Making a list of keywords related to those features can improve user experience and target more traffic-converting leads.
Wrapping up
SaaS keyword research isn’t just about selecting high-traffic terms. It’s about understanding your audience and strategically aligning your content with their needs and search behavior.
Techniques like identifying long-tail keywords, performing gap analyses, and categorizing keywords by user intent can help you attract the right audience and boost qualified leads.
SEO is a long-term growth strategy, but that doesn’t mean you won’t see quick wins along the way. With the right focus and consistent effort, you’ll improve your search engine rankings, drive organic traffic, and create sustainable growth for your SaaS business.
At Stratigia, we specialize in creating keyword strategies that align with your business goals and audience needs. If you’re ready to take your SaaS platform to the next level with proven, data-backed methods, we’re here to help. Let’s grow together, reach out to us today!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the best keyword research tools for SaaS?
The top tools include Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz. They offer features like keyword gap analysis, competitor research, and keyword difficulty assessments.
2. How can I use long-tail keywords to attract organic traffic?
Long-tail keywords are less competitive and highly specific, making it easier to attract organic traffic. For example, targeting “affordable CRM for startups” instead of just “CRM software.”
3. Why is competitor keyword analysis important for SaaS?
Analyzing competitor keywords helps identify gaps in your content and makes opportunities to attract organic search traffic they might be capturing.
4. What are feature-based keywords, and how can they help SaaS businesses?
Feature-based keywords highlight specific functionalities of your product. These phrases attract users searching for particular features, increasing your chances of conversion.
5. How can customer feedback inform my keyword research strategy?
Customer feedback reveals pain points and frequently asked questions. Use these insights to target keywords related to customer challenges, improving user experience.
6. How often should I update my list of keywords?
It’s recommended to review and update your keyword list every 3-6 months. This helps you stay on top of changing trends in organic search and ensures your content remains relevant.
7. What is a topic cluster, and how does it improve SEO?
A topic cluster is a collection of related articles linked to a central pillar page. It helps boost your site’s authority in a particular niche, leading to better search engine rankings.
8. How do I measure the effectiveness of my SaaS keyword research?
Track metrics like organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates using tools like Google Analytics and Ahrefs to evaluate your strategy’s impact.
