Unlocking the Secrets to SaaS SEO

We all know how important it is to have a solid marketing strategy. But developing one is easier said than done. So what the hell?! How does a savvy digital marketer go about developing a SaaS strategy that will work?

Think of a digital marketing strategy like a human body. You need arms to balance many elements, legs to carry your ideas to the finish line, but most importantly, you need a backbone that can support different types of content. A strong, sturdy, stable backbone.

That's where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in - it's the backbone that will help you create amazing content, bring in quality leads, and keep your customers coming back for more. Without it, you might as well kiss your entire digital marketing strategy goodbye.

If you're running a SaaS business, having a great SEO strategy should be your first step. It's the difference between a strategy that can hold its own, and one that falls apart the minute something doesn't go as planned. However, there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to SaaS SEO. It's personal to each and every SaaS company. That's why it's important to tailor your SEO strategy to fit the unique needs of your business.

In this article, we'll go over some technical and keyword strategies that you can use to optimize your web page for search engines, bring in organic traffic, and ultimately grow your business. Sounds good, right? Let's dive in!

What is SaaS SEO?

Ah, the million-dollar question - what the heck is SaaS SEO anyway?

Well, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves tactics that are customized to suit your business needs. And in this article, we're focusing on SEO that's tailored specifically for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies.

So, what's the goal of SaaS SEO? Simple - it's all about improving the visibility and ranking of your SaaS websites, especially when we're talking about Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

Got it! So then what are SERPs?

Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are the list of links that appear on search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo after a user searches for something. They use algorithms to rank landing pages based on relevance, authority, and popularity.

To rank higher on this list, digital marketers target keywords and phrases in their SEO that they know will drive organic traffic and generate leads. (And that’s really the ultimate goal here.) SaaS SEO strategies can differ based on the SaaS product, target audience, and competition.

Understanding the Basics of SEO for SaaS Brands

When it comes to setting up a SaaS SEO strategy, it's all about optimizing your website to cater to your niche and target audience. But first, you need to know your niche and target audience! If you want to stay relevant in the digital game, then you need to do your research. Plain and simple. It's not rocket science, but it's a whole helluva lot different than your traditional marketing strategy.

Keyword Research and Optimization

Keyword Research and Optimization is about identifying relevant keywords and phrases that potential customers might use to Google search for SaaS products. This is the most crucial step in the SaaS SEO process. If you can't identify your target audience or figure out the keywords you want to rank for, then you're basically shooting in the dark.

Even after you've implemented your strategies, you need to keep researching. Track your results. Analyze how each strategy contributes to your target audience finding you through organic search traffic. If your current strategy isn't working as well as you hoped, it might be time to switch up your tactics. Advertising is constantly evolving. By doing your homework and paying close attention to which strategies are working and which strategies may work better, you can stay ahead of the curve.

Once you have a deep understanding of your audience, you can get to work on other strategies to optimize website content and metadata accordingly. For more information about optimizing different keywords, check out our article about optimizing across the marketing funnel. 

Content Marketing

Content Marketing is when marketers create high-quality, relevant, and useful types of content, such as blog posts, case studies, whitepapers, and, of course, social media posts. This type of content strategy educates and informs potential customers about the benefits of your SaaS product.

For example, this article is a perfect example of "Content Marketing." Are we tracking for keywords? You bet we are! We'll let you behind the scenes a bit. In this article, we're tracking terms like "SEO Strategies," "SaaS SEO," "Keyword Optimization," and "Search Engine Optimization," so we pop up whenever someone searches for these SaaS SEO tips.

Social media, on the other hand, can be an effective way to promote content and improve authority/relevance. Sharing content expands the audience and traffic to your website, boosting search engine rankings. Establishing thought leadership enhances credibility, increasing website authority.

Pro tip: Search engines also love fresh and unique content! They eat it up! So it's important to regularly publish new content to improve your website's search engine rankings.

Link Building & Backlinks

Link building is the ultimate SEO flex. It's all about acquiring hyperlinks from other websites to your own website. These links, also known as Backlinks or Inbound Links, are important for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) as they show search engines how popular, authoritative, and relevant your website truly is. AKA — when it comes to building an online presence, this is how it's done, son!

In the eyes of internet search engines like Google, backlinks are like big, fat stamps of approval for your website. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more likely your website will rank higher in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).

But not all backlinks are created equal. Search engines are picky and choosy when it comes to evaluating the quality and relevance of each backlink. So, it's essential to have those backlinks from highly respected websites in your industry. Not some low-quality, irrelevant site that nobody cares about.

So, what's the secret to effective link building? Creating amazing, shareable content, reaching out to influencers in your industry, and participating in guest blogging should do the trick. Who doesn't love a good guest post?

On-Page Optimization 

On-Page Optimization includes fine-tuning every little detail of your website — from title tags to meta descriptions to header tags — to make sure they will be picked up by search engines. Search engines love it when your website is easy to crawl, index, and understand. It's like techno music to their robotic ears. And when you match your content with relevant search queries, it results in the ultimate victory - higher search engine rankings and more relevant traffic to your website.

For SaaS companies, On-Page Optimization is the ultimate weapon in your SEO arsenal. It allows you to target specific keywords and phrases that your potential customers are searching for. And by optimizing your website for these keywords, you can attract more qualified leads and convert them into loyal customers.

Optimizing for Technical SaaS SEO

Technical SEO is all about optimizing a website's technical elements to boost organic search engine rankings. These technical elements include site structure, page speed, mobile-friendliness, and On-Page Optimization (see above).

When it comes to Technical SEO for SaaS companies, site-speed optimization is one of the most important strategies. You’ll want to be sure your website is lightning fast for your searchers. But it's not just about speed. Marketers also need to optimize for crawlability and mobile-friendliness to give potential customers the best possible experience, no matter what device they're using. Desktop computers? Check. Tablets? Check. Smartphones? Double check.

Just remember to do a Technical SEO audit regularly. That way, you can identify any issues that might be holding you back and make a plan to crush it even harder. Like HTTPs security, which is another factor that can make or break your search engine rankings.

Know What Google’s Doing

Of course, the Google algorithm is constantly changing, so it's important to stay on top of the latest trends and ensure that your visitors are having a positive user experience. After all, user engagement plays a major factor in SEO. Google wants to make sure that users are finding relevant and useful information when they search for something online. So pay attention to the quality of your content!

Conclusion

SEO is the backbone of any and all digital marketing strategies. So it’s crucial to tailor the plan to the specific needs of your business. This includes optimizing website elements, Keyword Research and Optimization, Content Marketing, Link Building, On-Page Optimization, and Technical SaaS SEO. It’s important to stay on top of the latest trends in the ever-changing Google algorithm and user engagement. But with a solid SEO strategy, you can crush the competition and turn leads into loyal customers.

With that said, there’s more to SaaS SEO than what we can cover in 1,500 words. So if you have any questions, or want help making your brand stand out, contact us! We love this sh*t. Seriously.