How I Accidentally Became an SEO Nerd and What I Learned About SaaS Websites

We often end up at a point in life where we did not even consider living our lives on. And the same is the case with me. Yes, I am making a confession here.

At this point, I may seem like someone who always dreamed about making a career in this line of work, as an SEO nerd. However, the actual path to this career is different. I was pulled into it. I did not think about optimizing websites and playing with algorithms. I unexpectedly fell into SEO, just like tripping over my own feet while walking and texting. Yes, I often wonder about the scenario myself a lot of times.

These wandering thoughts of mine also revolve around making the most of my nerdiness. Geeking over schema markups and search intents, as they are the trending teas of this year. Mind you, these topics are a fact though.

Anyhow, other than me becoming an accidental SEO nerd and gaining knowledge about SaaS websites, here, I am going to spill some factual tea on SEO strategies helpful for SaaS product websites. And trust me, this tea will shift the whole game of any SaaS website. I don’t want others to repeat the mistakes I encountered. So, grab an aromatic cup of warm tea or a cold energy drink, and let’s get with sipping the beans.

Hold the reins to the SaaS SEO

For instant clarity: do not think of SaaS SEO as your usual and average blog website. If you think that, it would be a big blunder to your understanding. These sites demand your constant attention for optimizations and upgrades. You have to be consistent with them providing proper elements (adequate keyword research and minimal spammy links) to thrive and stand out.

This way, SaaS websites sell proper and useful solutions to audiences, not just a product. They claim to offer the best tools for your needs if you just sign up with them. These are all visible in the SEO strategy provided. Having said that, let’s continue with the process.

Step 1: Begin with sneaky customer research

While knowing your audience is fine, at this point, it is actually the most overrated advice. There are tons of trending ways to follow up with this tactic. Hear me out. You need to go full-on detective mode on your audience, not just skimming over, when it comes to a SaaS website.

You should broaden the scope of your target audience outside of people who only are looking for a tool or software. Target marketers who are trying their best and are at their wits end, or HR managers overloaded with admin tasks. Be creative and advertise in a way to get their attention and get into their heads. Start by stalking at early hours. What they are searching for the most, analyze their core problems, and what kind of solution they might be looking for.

Step 2: Keywords? But it's more about key intentions. It's about Why.

Everyone in this line of work knows what keywords are. But when it comes to SaaS, it is more about why these people are looking into that keyword. Are they going to make a comparison of feasible tools? Learn new skills? Searching for a solution? Why?

Say, you hold a project management tool as your SaaS product. And, of course, with the category of the product, you would obviously want to achieve the “best project management tool” position. One way to go about it is to shift details on long-tail keywords like “ways to simplify task delegation process” or “how to manage remote teams effectively.” These focus on details imply real intent of why people are searching for them for more likely conversion.

Also, do not sleep in question-based keywords. Because people are there asking Google anything and everything . Your SaaS product might just be what they need.

Step 3: Relatable content is the king

Content is fine. But, content that is highly relatable and communicable with the audience is what the SaaS websites must produce. They should feel human, not like a dictation by a robot.

Plus, a content can be more memorable if you weave in stories and humor tone in it. When people remember the feeling, it is easy to make them understand even the cloud-based integrations. But do keep in mind, while talking about your product, focus on the audience's pain points, actionable solutions, and even industry trends. This will build trust.

Step 4: Leverage technical SEO

Even within the SEO realm, the technical part of it is not exactly the easiest of the whole process. Rather, it is critical for SaaS websites. Well, here’s what all you can do, though:

• Mobile optimization: People are always on their phones, even when they are attending important events.
• Speed up the site: Customers tend to be impatient. If the page does not fully load in seconds, there won’t be any conversion. Here, you can leverage tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix.
• Fix crawl issues: Always ensure to fix those random 404 errors, so that search engines can promptly find and index your SaaS pages.

Step 5: Build a link strategy

SEO nerds have a unique connection with backlinks. Especially for SaaS websites, high-quality backlinks from reputable websites are mandatory. So, spamming random sites or blogs is not an option. Rather, emphasize on partnerships, guest posting, and content creation that quality people want to link with. Go, with in-depth guides, do original research, or case studies. Try all that works for quality digital PR.

Step 6: Focus on CRO

Your website traffic without actual conversions means nothing. So, ensure that your SaaS sites has:

• Social proof: Show evidence of your legitimacy - company logos, testimonials, reviews, etc.

• Clear CTAs: Don’t suggest guesswork to your audience, instead, give them the option to “start your free trial now.”

• Kicker onboarding: Your customers should not feel overwhelmed after they sign up for the free trial.

  
  

So, what do I want to convey, lastly?

First things first, SEO for SaaS websites is tricky. It is not a one-time deal. When everything goes right, your traffic converts, leads roll in, and even your SaaS products will sell themselves. Just remember to keep up with trends and follow this, so that you never underestimate the capability of a well-placed keyword. So, upgrade, move forward, and start optimizing.