1. Create a Seed List of Topics and Terms 
2. Analyse Your Competitors 
3. Use Keyword Tools such as SEMrush and Ahrefs 
4. Consider Search Intent 
5. Consider Keyword Difficulty 
6. Utilise Google Suggest 
7. Research Long-Tail Keywords
8. Use Powerful AI Tools 

Software as a Service continues to boom as an industry. As the landscape grows more and more competitive, innovation and advancements in technology are not slowing down.

This doesn't mean the opportunity to thrive isn't there, it just means that SaaS SEO is more important than ever.

By now, you're probably well aware of how important search engine optimisation is for your digital marketing efforts. From link building to technical SEO, it all forms a key part of your inbound marketing strategy.

Among the myriad of SEO strategies, keyword research remains a foundational element, driving targeted traffic and enhancing your online visibility - specifically in the eyes of your target audience.

The goal, of course, is to organically reach the top of search engines.

You could spend a fortune bidding on sponsored posts, or learn to master your SaaS SEO strategy and watch the results speak for themselves.

We run through some of the best keyword research tips for SaaS businesses. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your existing SEO strategy, these tips will help you connect with your target audience and boost your search engine rankings.

Keyword Research Tips for Your SaaS SEO Strategy

Keyword research is still as important as ever in 2024. Since SEO's genesis, it has been pivotal to an effective SaaS SEO strategy.

The goal of keyword research is to understand the language and terms your target audience uses, so you can optimise your website content, pay-per-click (PPC) ads, and other digital marketing strategies to attract and engage potential customers effectively.

When you've got a solid grasp on the keywords and queries your target audience is searching, you can begin to utilise that information to your business's advantage. Let's go through some tips.

Create a Seed List of Topics and Terms

Creating a seed list of topics and terms for keyword research involves identifying a broad set of relevant keywords that align with your business, industry, or content goals. You can start by brainstorming key themes and subjects that are central to your niche with your marketing team and business leaders

Always consider the language your target audience uses and the problems they seek to solve. This foundational list will serve as the starting point for deeper keyword exploration, helping to uncover long-tail keywords and search phrases that can drive organic search traffic to your content or website.

The process of choosing your seed list of terms and topics for SaaS SEO can be summed up as follows:

• _{Identify Core Themes: First and foremost, start by listing the main topics relevant to your SaaS business, product, or industry. These should be broad categories that encapsulate what you offer or discuss. For example, if you sell graphic design software, your core themes would include photo editing, creative design, visual design, design tools, photography tools, and more.}
• _{Understand Your Audience: As we stated above, you should then consider the language and terminology your target audience uses. This means thinking about their pain points, interests, and the questions they might ask. Remember your content should ultimately be helpful to your audience.}
• _{Brainstorm Terms: You can now create a list of terms and keywords related to your core themes. Don't forget to include synonyms and variations to cover a wider range of possible search queries. By including a range of keywords for each core theme or term, you're making sure that no digital stone is being left unturned.}

Analyse Your Competitors

When researching keywords and planning an effective SEO strategy, analysing your competitors is one of the most important steps. Finding out what exactly is driving traffic to their websites basically lets you know how to go about taking that traffic for yourself - the best way to do this is to use SaaS SEO tools.

Your competitors can be divided into three distinct categories:

• _{Direct Competitors: The SaaS business and brands offering similar products or services.}
• _{Indirect Competitors: The businesses targeting the same audience but with different products/services.}
• _{SERP Competitors: All the websites that rank for your desired keywords, regardless of their industry, product, or service.}

Okay, now that you've identified your key competitors, it's time to dive into the data. For this, you can use SaaS SEO tools or do some manual Google searches of your terms and themes to see who's ranking well.

SaaS SEO tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs can then be used to determine the top keywords your competitors are ranking for on search engine results pages - giving you a peek into their SaaS SEO strategy.

For example, let's say you compete with HubSpot. You can use SEMrush to identify the top organic keywords that they're ranking for.

You can then target the same or similar search queries as your competitors to make sure you aren't being left behind the curb. The keyword difficulty score serves as a guide as to how tough it'll be for you to rank. Not every keyword is worth chasing.

The goal then is to create high-quality and informative content that ranks higher than your competitor SaaS companies.

Checking the structure and quality of your competitors' content can also guide you when preparing content for your SaaS SEO strategy. Of course, you need to continuously refine your content strategy based on your competitors' successes and failures.

Use Keyword Tools

There are several keyword research tools that SaaS companies embrace when preparing SEO strategies. A few of the most important and effective B2B SaaS tools for SaaS SEO services include:

Google Keyword Planner

Paired with Google Ads and Google Analytics, Google Keyword Planner is a free tool that provides you with reliable data straight from Google. It offers basic keyword suggestions, search volume, and competition levels, making it ideal for beginners and those running Google Ads campaigns.

The only downside is its scope is limited to Google’s network, and an AdWords account is needed.

SEMrush

SEMrush is a powerful, all-in-one marketing suite known for its comprehensive keyword data, competitor analysis, and keyword difficulty scores. It's probably one of the most used SEO tools in existence today.

The SaaS website is particularly useful for businesses and advanced users seeking in-depth insights to help drive an effective keyword strategy across multiple marketing channels. Despite its extensive features, it can be expensive and overwhelming for beginners.

Ahrefs

Renowned for its vast keyword database and robust competitor analysis, Ahrefs offers tools for site audits, keyword discovery and backlink tracking, making it a favourite among marketing professionals and SaaS SEO agencies.

While it provides detailed insights, its high cost and steep learning curve may be a barrier for some users. There is a free keyword explorer tool, but it's extremely limited without the paid version.

Ahrefs is easy to use. All you do is enter a core theme or term and they'll provide you with a range of similar keywords as well as difficulty scores and volume stats.

Moz Keyword Explorer

Moz Keyword Explorer, another popular tool for SaaS SEO agencies, is user-friendly and offers accurate keyword difficulty scores and SERP analysis.

The intuitive interface and insightful metrics make it suitable for small to medium-sized SaaS businesses and those new to SEO.

While it can be incredibly helpful, it does it provide fewer keyword suggestions compared to some other tools such as SEMrush and Ahrefs.

Ubersuggest

Ubersuggest, with its free tier and simple interface, offers keyword suggestions, content ideas, and basic SEO analysis.

In general, it's an excellent option for freelancers and small businesses on a tight budget. While it has fewer features than paid tools, it’s a great starting point for getting your keyword strategy right.

KWFinder

KWFinder stands out for its user-friendly design and accurate keyword difficulty scores. The software excels in local keyword research, making it ideal for bloggers and small business owners.

While it offers fewer keyword suggestions than some competitors, its focused approach is beneficial for targeted marketing campaigns - something all SaaS businesses must do.

AnswerThePublic

AnswerThePublic provides a visual representation of keyword data, focusing on question-based queries.

The lesser-known tool is useful for generating content ideas and understanding user intent. With a free tier available, it’s a handy tool for content creators and marketers, although it offers less detailed metrics than many of its competitors.

Consider Search Intent

Search intent refers to the underlying motivation or purpose behind a user's query on a search engine. It is crucial for keyword research as it helps marketers understand what users are actually seeking, enabling them to tailor content that meets these needs.

There are typically four types of search intent:

• _{informational (seeking knowledge)}
• _{navigational (finding a specific website)}
• _{transactional (intending to purchase),}
• _{and commercial investigation (researching before buying).}

You absolutely need to understand search intent for effective keyword research because it ensures that the chosen keywords align with your goals, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

For instance, optimising content with transactional keywords for e-commerce pages can directly impact sales. Moreover, search engines like Google prioritise content that best matches the user intent, so aligning with this can improve Google search results.

Ultimately, grasping search intent improves the relevance and effectiveness of your SEO strategies, helping to drive more qualified traffic to your website.

Consider Keyword Difficulty

Keyword difficulty significantly influences keyword research by determining how challenging it will be for you to rank for a specific term in search engine results.

High-difficulty keywords often have substantial competition from renowned and trusted websites, requiring more resources, time, and quality content to achieve top rankings.

On the other hand, low-difficulty keywords offer easier opportunities for ranking, making them attractive for newer or smaller sites looking to gain visibility.

Your job is to balance high and low-difficulty keywords when strategizing content creation, optimising for both quick wins and long-term gains, guaranteeing an all-encompassing approach to improving search engine performance and attracting relevant traffic to your SaaS website.

Use Google Suggest

It may seem simple, but using Google Suggest for keyword research can help you discover popular search queries and uncover new content opportunities.

Start with a Seed Keyword

Begin with a general topic or seed keyword relevant to your niche. For example, if your niche is "digital marketing," you might start with "SEO tips."

Use Google Search Bar

Type your seed keyword into the Google search bar but don't hit enter. Google will display a dropdown list of suggestions. These are real-time popular search queries related to your seed keyword.

Explore Alphabet Soup Technique

After typing your seed keyword, follow it with each letter of the alphabet to see different suggestions. For example, type "SEO tips a," "SEO tips b," and so on. This technique helps uncover a broader range of keywords.

Note Down Relevant Suggestions

Make a list of all the relevant suggestions that appear. These suggestions indicate what people are actively searching for, which can guide your content creation and SEO strategy.

Expand with Variations

Use variations of your seed keyword to get more suggestions. For example, variations of "SEO tips" could include "best SEO tips," "SEO tips for beginners," "advanced SEO tips," etc.

Use Google’s “People Also Ask” Section

Enter your seed keyword and look at the “People Also Ask” section on the search results page. This section provides additional questions related to your keyword, which can offer insights into user intent and more content ideas.

Analyse Related Searches

Finally, scroll to the bottom of the search results page to find the “Related Searches” section. This area provides additional keyword ideas that are associated with your original search.

Consider Long-Tail Keywords

Long tail keywords are highly specific and often longer phrases that people use when searching online. Unlike short, generic keywords, long-tail keywords typically have lower search volumes but higher conversion rates. They cater to niche audiences and are less competitive, making them valuable for targeted marketing strategies.

For example, instead of "SEO" a long tail keyword would be "SEO tips for startups." By focusing on long-tail keywords, you can attract more qualified traffic and improve your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.

The benefits of long-tail keywords are plenty, such as, but not limited to:

Less Competition

Long tail keywords are more specific and often have lower search volumes compared to short, generic keywords. This generally means there is less competition for these keywords, making it easier and more cost-effective for SaaS companies to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

For instance, a generic keyword like "workspace management software" is highly competitive, while a long tail keyword like "workspace management software for small non-profits" is more niche and likely faces less competition.

Higher Conversion Rates

Users searching for long-tail keywords often have a clearer intent and are further along in their buyer’s journey. Which means they tend to be more specific about their needs and what they are looking for, which can result in higher conversion rates for your business.

For example, someone searching for "best CRM software for restaurants" is likely closer to making a purchase decision than someone searching for "CRM software".

Better Targeting

Long tail keywords allow SaaS companies to attract highly targeted traffic. When you address the specific needs and pain points of a well-defined audience, you can tailor your content and offerings to match the exact requirements of potential customers.

This precision helps in attracting the right audience, who are more likely to engage with the content and consider the SaaS solution offered.

Content Marketing Opportunities

Long tail keywords often reflect specific questions or problems users have. This provides SaaS companies with the opportunity to create highly relevant and useful content that directly addresses these queries.

Producing detailed blog posts, guides, tutorials, and case studies around these keywords can attract organic traffic, establish your company as an authority in its niche, and build trust with potential customers.

Enhanced User Experience

By targeting long-tail keywords, you can develop more personalised and relevant content for their audience.

This improves user experience on their website, as visitors find exactly what they are looking for. A better user experience can lead to higher engagement, lower bounce rates, and more effective lead nurturing for your SaaS brands.

Improved SEO Strategy

Long tail keywords help diversify your SaaS company's SEO strategy. While it’s beneficial to rank for high-volume keywords, a well-rounded and balanced approach that includes long tail keywords ensures a broader reach and helps capture different segments of the market.

Over time, this diversified strategy can contribute to a more robust and resilient search engine presence for your SaaS business.

Use Powerful AI Tools

AI can significantly enhance keyword research in several ways, leveraging its capabilities to analyse large datasets, predict trends, and provide actionable insights. There is no stopping AI, so we might as well use it.

Automated Keyword Generation

Synonym and Related Term Generation: AI can automatically generate synonyms and related terms for primary keywords, expanding the list of potential keywords.

Long-Tail Keywords: AI tools can identify long-tail keywords that are more specific and less competitive, helping to target niche markets.

Competitor Analysis

Keyword Gap Analysis: AI can analyse the keywords used by competitors and identify gaps or opportunities that your site might be missing.

SERP Analysis: AI can scrape and analyse search engine results pages (SERPs) to understand which keywords competitors are ranking for and why.

Search Intent Analysis

Intent Categorisation: AI can categorise keywords by search intent (e.g., informational, navigational, transactional), helping to tailor content to user needs.

Contextual Understanding: Advanced AI models can understand the context behind queries, ensuring that the keywords chosen align with user intent.

Trend Analysis

Real-Time Trends: AI can monitor and analyse real-time search trends, helping to capitalise on emerging topics.

Predictive Analysis: Machine learning algorithms can predict future search trends based on historical data, aiding in proactive content planning.

Content Optimisation

Keyword Clustering: AI can group similar keywords into clusters, making it easier to create content that targets multiple related terms.

Content Gap Identification: AI can analyse existing content and identify gaps where new keywords or topics could be incorporated.

Performance Tracking and Analysis

Analytics Integration: AI can integrate with analytics tools to track the performance of keywords over time and adjust strategies accordingly.

Sentiment Analysis: By analysing user feedback and engagement, AI can provide insights into how well content is resonating with the audience and suggest keyword adjustments.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Contextual Keyword Suggestions: Using NLP, AI can provide more accurate keyword suggestions based on the context of the content, improving relevancy.

Semantic Search Optimisation: AI can help optimise content for semantic search, ensuring that it aligns with how modern search engines interpret user queries.

Enhanced Data Processing

Large-Scale Data Analysis: AI can process and analyse vast amounts of data quickly, providing insights that would be time-consuming to gather manually.

Pattern Recognition: Machine learning algorithms can recognise patterns and trends in keyword data, offering deeper insights than traditional methods.

Can a SaaS SEO Agency Help?

If all of this sounds like far too much for you to take on, consider reaching out to a SaaS SEO agency for assistance. A reliable and trusted SEO agency will do the work for you, helping to take you to the top of search engine result pages.

There are plenty of SEO agencies in the UK and throughout the world who spearhead effective SEO strategies across multiple industries. In general, SEO agencies offer services including keyword discovery, link building, content marketing, technical SEO, and more.

SEO Rocket, for example, specialises in helping B2B startups navigate growth with a robust SEO strategy to help boost online visibility. As SEO growth partners, SEO Rocket knows exactly how to take your SaaS company to new heights.

Final Word

To this day, effective keyword research is a critical component for SaaS businesses aiming to improve their online presence and drive organic traffic.

By understanding your target audience, leveraging a variety of keyword research tools, analysing competitors, and focusing on long-tail keywords, you can develop a powerful SEO strategy that aligns with your business goals.

Regularly updating and refining your keyword strategy based on performance metrics will ensure your content remains relevant and competitive in an ever-evolving digital landscape. With a strategic approach to keyword research, SaaS businesses can not only attract and engage potential customers but also establish themselves as leaders in their industry.

At SEO Rocket, we help B2B SaaS businesses reach the top of search engines with thorough SEO strategies tailored to your exact needs. Book a call today to learn more about what we do and how we can help your brand thrive in the digital space.

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