SaaS Keyword Research Methods: Unlocking the Potential for New Strategies

While keyword research might seem like a daunting task, especially in the SaaS industry where competition is fierce, the benefits it offers far outweigh the effort. Armed with a deep understanding of your audience’s search habits, you can create a powerful SEO strategy that drives traffic, leads, and conversions.

With that said, keyword research isn’t just a task to be ticked off a list when launching a SaaS product or service. It’s an ongoing process that underpins the entire digital marketing strategy. Here’s why it’s so crucial:

1. Understanding your audience

Keyword research helps to reveal what your potential customers are searching for, the language they use, and the problems they need solving. It’s like having a direct line into their thoughts, enabling you to tailor your content, product features, and marketing messages to their needs.

2. Navigating SEO

Search engines are programmed to deliver the most relevant results for a search query. By understanding and using the right keywords, you can make sure that your content gets in front of the eyes of people who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

3. Developing content

Keywords can serve as excellent starting points for SaaS content creation. They help you generate topic ideas that resonate with your audience and match their search intent. From there, you can start to create and optimise the content on your website — be it website copy or blog articles — so that it pops up when your potential customers need it.

4. Gain a competitive edge

Knowing which keywords your competitors are ranking for can give you an edge. You can leverage this information to target the same keywords and compete for the same audience or identify gaps they’ve missed and target those instead!

5. Optimise, optimise, optimise

Remember: keyword research isn’t a one-time deal. The digital landscape is continually changing, and what works today might not work tomorrow — which is especially true in SEO. Regular keyword research allows you to stay on top of trends and adapt your strategy accordingly.

In the digital marketing space, you often hear about two main types of keywords: SEO keywords and PPC keywords. They both play a crucial role in driving traffic to your website, but they serve slightly different purposes. Let’s break it down.

SEO keywords

These are the keywords you want your website or blog to rank for in organic (non-paid) search results. They’re the terms and phrases your target audience uses to find services or products like yours on search engines. The goal of SEO keywords is to attract high-quality traffic to your website over a longer period.

An effective SEO strategy takes time to build, but the rewards can be significant, providing a steady stream of organic traffic to your site.

PPC keywords

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) keywords, on the other hand, are the keywords you bid on in advertising platforms like Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising. When someone searches for these keywords, your ad could appear at the top of the search results, but you pay a fee each time someone clicks on your ad.

PPC keywords are about immediate results, driving quick bursts of traffic to your site.

The big difference

While SEO and PPC keywords often overlap, there are times when they differ. For instance, PPC allows you to target more competitive or broad keywords that you might struggle to rank for organically. You can also experiment with PPC keywords to see if they generate traffic and conversions before committing to a long-term SEO strategy around them.

Understanding the different types of keywords and when to use them is an important step in crafting a successful SaaS SEO strategy. Remember, the goal isn’t just to attract any traffic; it’s to attract the right traffic. This means understanding your audience’s intent and meeting them where they are in their buyer’s journey.

Keywords come in many shapes and sizes, but one of the most critical distinctions is between short-tail and long-tail keywords. Let’s delve into what these terms mean and how they impact your SaaS SEO strategy.

Short-tail keywords

Also known as head terms, short-tail keywords are typically one to two words long. They’re broad, generic terms that have a high search volume. For example, in the SaaS world, a short-tail keyword might be “CRM software”.

The main advantage of short-tail keywords is their potential to drive large volumes of traffic due to their broad appeal. However, this comes with a downside — they’re incredibly competitive and can be very difficult to rank for.

Plus, because they’re so generic, the traffic they attract may not be as targeted or as likely to convert as you might like.

Long-tail keywords

These are longer, more specific phrases that people use when they’re closer to a point of purchase or when they’re using voice search. They often contain three or more words. An example might be “CRM software for small businesses”.

While these keywords have lower search volumes than their short-tail counterparts, they often have a higher intent to purchase, meaning they can lead to more conversions. Plus, because they’re more specific, they’re usually less competitive and easier to rank for.

To short-tail, or to long-tail? That is the question

Choosing between short-tail and long-tail keywords isn’t an either/or decision. A well-rounded SaaS SEO strategy should include a mix of both. Short-tail keywords help you reach a broad audience and increase brand awareness, while long-tail keywords help you attract more targeted traffic that’s likely to convert.

However, for many SaaS companies, particularly those in niche markets or just starting their SEO journey, focusing on long-tail keywords can often be a more effective strategy. They allow you to compete on less crowded ground and connect with an audience that’s actively looking for the specific solutions you offer.

When it comes to SEO, it’s simply not enough to just rely on traditional keyword research methods. Sure, tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or SEMrush are great starting points, but to really stand out from the competition, you need to think outside the box. Here are some innovative strategies for finding the keywords your potential customers are using.

1. Create an onboarding questionnaire for your clients

Understanding your clients’ needs, language, and behaviour is absolutely crucial for effective keyword research. One of the most insightful ways to do this is by creating an onboarding questionnaire for your clients. This tool serves not only to streamline your onboarding process but also to gain valuable insights that can significantly improve your SEO strategy. We do this ourselves!

The responses you gather will often be rich with industry-specific terminology, colloquialisms, and even emergent language that might not yet have made its way into your keyword strategy. Remember, your clients are ultimately the users conducting the searches you want to capitalise on. Therefore, their language — their search language — is a treasure trove.

Also, consider the context in which certain terms are used. Perhaps your clients use a particular term to mean something different than you initially thought. Adjust your keyword strategy and content accordingly to match your audience’s language and search intent.

2. Use reviews to extract keywords

Customer reviews are a treasure trove of potential keywords. They offer unfiltered insight into how your customers talk about your products, what they appreciate most, the challenges they face, and the specific terms they use.

These reviews can be from your site, third-party platforms, social media, or even direct feedback via emails or customer support interactions. The key here is to pay extra attention to the words your customers say to inform your SaaS SEO keyword research strategy.

Here is how to analyse reviews for keywords:

1. Collect Reviews: Start by collecting all the reviews you can find about your SaaS product. Look at your own website, but also explore third-party review platforms, social media, and other channels where your customers might be discussing your product.

2. Read and Highlight: Go through the reviews and highlight any common phrases or terms that stand out. Look for both positive and negative terms, as they can all provide valuable insights.

3. Look for Problems and Solutions: Pay particular attention to the problems customers were looking to solve when they found your product and the solutions or features they found most helpful. These can often translate into valuable keywords.

4. Consider Sentiment: How do customers feel about your product? Do they love it? What features do they rave about? What issues do they have? Analysing sentiment can provide insights into what your customers value most, and this can inform your keyword strategy.

5. Make a List: Once you’ve gone through your reviews, make a list of potential keywords. Look for patterns and trends, and prioritise terms that come up frequently.

6. Test and Refine: Use SEO tools to assess the viability of these potential keywords. Look at factors like search volume and competitiveness, and test them out in your content to see how they perform.

3. Ask your PPC team

Your PPC team is an often-underutilised resource in your keyword research process. PPC campaigns are, by nature, heavily keyword-focused, with constant testing and tweaking to maximise return on investment. This makes your PPC team a goldmine of valuable keyword data.

By tapping into the insights of your PPC team, you can uncover a wealth of keyword opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked. Remember, the goal is to create a symbiotic relationship between your SEO and PPC efforts, where each informs and enhances the other.

But how do you effectively harness this information for SEO? Here are a few strategies:

Regular communication

Establish a regular communication schedule with your PPC team. This could be weekly or monthly meetings where they share insights on the keywords that are performing well in their campaigns.

Analyse PPC data

Look at which keywords are driving clicks and conversions in your PPC campaigns. High-performing PPC keywords are often effective SEO keywords as well, as they show what your potential customers are actively searching for.

Consider ad copy

The ad copy that gets the highest click-through rate can reveal powerful insights about the kind of language that resonates with your audience. This can be used to optimise your SEO content for better engagement.

Share insights

Keyword research is a two-way street. Just as SEO can benefit from PPC data, the insights you gain from organic search can also be useful for refining PPC campaigns. Sharing insights can create a more cohesive and effective overall marketing strategy.

Test those keywords

Use PPC as a testing ground for potential new SEO keywords. Because PPC results are immediate, you can gather data on new keywords much faster than with organic search.

4. Analyse competitor keywords

In the competitive world of SaaS, understanding your competitors’ strategies is crucial, and this includes their keyword strategy. Analysing your competitors’ keywords can reveal new keyword opportunities, help you understand industry trends, and provide insights into how your offering stacks up against others in your field.

Sometimes, thinking outside the box includes having a peek at the boxes of your competitors! You can stay ahead of industry trends and continually refine your keyword strategy to stay competitive by seeing what the competition does. Remember, the goal is not to copy your competitors’ keyword strategy but to learn from it and adapt it to your unique value proposition.

How to effectively analyse those keywords:

1. Identify your competitors: Start by identifying who your main competitors are. These could be direct competitors (those offering a similar product/service) or indirect competitors (those who might offer a substitute or alternative solution).

2. Use SEO tools: Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz offer competitor analysis features that can provide a wealth of information about your competitors’ keyword strategies. These tools can show you what keywords your competitors are ranking for, how much traffic they’re generating, and where their backlinks are coming from.

3. Look for gaps: Once you have this information, look for gaps in your competitors’ keyword strategies that you can exploit. Are there high-value keywords that they’re not ranking for? Are there long-tail keywords they’re overlooking?

4. Consider keyword relevance: Just because a competitor is ranking for a keyword doesn’t mean it’s the right keyword for you. Always consider the relevance of the keyword to your SaaS offering and to the intent of your target audience.

5. Monitor keyword performance: Once you’ve incorporated new keywords into your SEO strategy, monitor their performance over time. SEO is not a one-and-done deal; it requires ongoing refinement and optimisation.

5. Record your sales calls and filter stuffed keywords

Sales calls are an incredible source of valuable keyword data. As you converse with potential customers, you gain insight into their needs, concerns, and the language they use when discussing your product or their problems.

However, it’s essential to note that if you choose to record calls, it is crucial to inform your customers that the call is being recorded. This is not only a matter of courtesy, but it’s also a legal requirement in many jurisdictions. Always ensure that you have explicit consent before recording any calls.

Recording sales calls for keyword research is a unique method that requires careful handling but can yield powerful insights. By understanding your customers’ language and concerns, you can create more engaging, relevant content that resonates with your audience.

6. Survey your customers

Similar to developing onboarding questionnaires, surveys are another excellent way to understand your customers better and uncover potential keywords. This method is direct and straightforward, allowing you to ask your customers specifically about their search habits, their challenges, and how they perceive your SaaS offering.

Asking your customers directly about their habits and language can allow you to gain invaluable insights to inform your keyword strategy.

7. Google’s PAA section

‘People Also Ask’ (PAA) is a feature on Google that displays questions other users have asked that are related to the search query on any search results page. This section is a goldmine for understanding user intent and can provide you with a wealth of long-tail keyword opportunities.

So just how do you leverage Google’s PAA section for keyword research? Here’s a quick step-by-step guide:

1. Conduct a search: Start by conducting a Google search for one of your main keywords. The PAA section typically appears near the top of the search results page.

2. Examine the questions: Look at the questions that appear in the PAA section. These can give you insights into what related information users are interested in and the type of language they use in their queries.

3. Click on questions: When you click on a question, Google often generates additional related questions. This can give you an even broader range of potential keywords.

4. Make a list: Compile a list of potential long-tail keywords based on the questions in the PAA section. These can be used as a basis for blog topics, FAQ sections, or to optimise existing content.

Tools that can help you with PAA extraction

Now that we know how Google’s PAA section can help you create more relevant content for your customer base, it’s time to take a look at some tools that can get you there faster.

Here are some tools you can use to further leverage the PAA section for keyword research:

Answerthepublic

This intuitive tool takes your keyword and visualises the questions that users are asking around it in a search cloud. The tool breaks down these questions into categories such as ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘when’, allowing you to understand the context of the queries related to your keyword. Answerthepublic is an excellent tool for uncovering long-tail keywords and generating content ideas.

SEO minion chrome extension

This handy browser extension offers a range of SEO tools, including an analysis of on-page SEO, broken link checking, and SERP preview. One of its features is the ability to analyse the ‘People Also Ask’ section of Google search results for a given keyword. SEO Minion can quickly pull all the PAA questions, saving you time and providing a more extensive list of related queries to explore.

AlsoAsked

This tool digs deep into Google’s ‘People Also Ask’ feature. You simply input your keyword, and the tool shows you the related questions that users are asking. AlsoAsked then presents the data in a branching visualisation, showing how different questions are interrelated. This can help you understand your audience’s search intent and discover new keyword opportunities.

Google Trends

While not specifically designed for PAA, Google Trends can be a powerful complement to your keyword research. It allows you to track the popularity of specific search terms over time and across different locations. This can help you identify trending keywords, seasonal trends, and predict future keyword trends.

Keyword research sits at the heart of SEO, guiding your content strategy and ensuring your website resonates with your audience and search engine algorithms alike. And in the fast-paced SaaS industry, staying digitally visible is key to growth.

Remember, SEO isn’t static. It requires regular testing, monitoring, and refining to stay ahead of the curve. If it all sounds a bit much, why not consider partnering with a results-driven SaaS SEO agency like ours? Take your SaaS SEO strategy to the next level with our committement to helping you grow your digital presence and dominate your market. Book a free discovery call with us today!