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SaaS SEO: The No-Nonsense, Step-by-Step Guide

Discover proven keyword research, content marketing, technical SEO & link-building strategies specifically tailored for SaaS that we use to help our SaaS clients dominate their industry.

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SaaS SEO: The No-Nonsense, Step-by-Step Guide
Last updated: 
May 13, 2025
Table of Contents

Growing a SaaS business takes more than a great product. You need to get in front of the right people exactly when they’re searching for a solution like yours. That’s where SEO comes in.

I know what you’re thinking: SEO takes too long.” And yeah…if you treat it like a checkbox (publish a few blog posts, toss in some keywords, cross your fingers), it probably will.

But when you follow a focused strategy built for how SaaS products actually sell, SEO becomes one of the most cost-effective, scalable ways to drive high-quality leads that turn into trials, demos, and revenue.

I’ve spent nearly two decades helping SaaS companies, from early-stage startups to enterprise platforms, turn SEO into a predictable growth engine. I’ve seen founders sink thousands into content with zero results. I’ve also seen teams double signups in six months by fixing a few overlooked issues.

You're here because you want results. You want more qualified traffic, better rankings, and a strategy that maps to how SaaS buyers make decisions. I wrote this guide to help you do exactly that.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

  • What SaaS SEO is (and how it’s different from traditional SEO)
  • How to align SEO with your actual growth goals
  • A step-by-step framework that’s been tested across dozens of SaaS teams

No fluff. No vague advice. Just what works.

What Is SaaS SEO?

SaaS SEO is simply search engine optimization tailored to software-as-a-service businesses.  It’s about optimizing your website and content so your target customers can find your product when they search for solutions online.

What makes"SaaS SEO" different from "SEO"?

Selling software as a service comes with unique challenges. You're marketing a digital product that has:

  • A subscription-based sales model: The initial sale is just the beginning. Success depends on long-term customer retention, not just acquisition.
  • Educational requirements: Many potential customers don’t even realize they need your product until they’re exposed to the right content that educates and informs them.
  • A complex and technical nature: Your customers often need to understand how your software works and how it solves their problems before they make a purchase.

That means your SEO strategy has to do more than just drive organic traffic to your site. It needs to target high-intent visitors who are actively looking for a tool like yours and are likely to convert into free trial users, demo requests, or paying customers.

Challenges in SaaS SEO

SaaS companies face unique challenges that require specialized SEO approaches. Let’s walk through the key shifts you need to make.

Longer Sales Cycles Require Full-Funnel Content

SaaS buyers aren’t casual browsers. They’re methodical. They use search not just to understand a problem, but to validate options, compare solutions, and build a case for the right choice.

SaaS buyers rarely follow a straight path. One day they’re reading a blog post, the next they’re comparing alternatives, and two weeks later they're finally ready to book a demo.

In fact, the average sales cycle for a SaaS product is around 84 days. 🤯

That’s why your content strategy needs full-funnel coverage. It needs to support the entire buyer journey, from early education to decision-stage validation. Not just traffic drivers. Not just sales pages. Both.

You’re Not Just Competing With Other SaaS Products

Ranking in SaaS means going up against more than just direct competitors. High-authority review sites, aggregator platforms, and affiliate-driven “top 10” listicles often dominate the search results for high-intent keywords.

Search for “best project management software,” and the first page is filled with third-party roundups, not vendor product pages. That’s where many SaaS SEO efforts stall: strong products buried beneath louder, better-linked content.

To break through, you need domain authority and backlinks driven by content that’s actually worth referencing. Top-ranking pages often have over 100 referring domains. That doesn’t mean chasing spammy links, it means earning trust.

You’re publishing content into a crowded arena where every search results page is packed with competitors vying for the same clicks.

If you want SaaS SEO to work, start thinking like your buyer. Expect longer journeys, higher stakes, and more competition. Then build your strategy around those realities.

Why SEO is a Non-Negotiable for SaaS Growth

If you're serious about scaling efficiently, SEO isn’t optional. It’s essential. Here’s why:

SEO Delivers a High ROI

With SEO you’re not paying for every click or impression like with paid ads. Publish one solid piece of content, and it keeps pulling in leads long after it goes live, without burning through your ad budget.

The ROI can be huge. B2B SaaS companies see a 702% ROI, with a Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS) of 8.75 and a break-even point in just 7 months. 

If you want to stretch your marketing dollars further without sacrificing performance, SEO’s got to be a part of the mix.

That said, SEO and PPC work best together:

  • PPC delivers quick wins, allowing you to test messaging, target specific audiences, and drive immediate conversions.
  • SEO builds long-term authority, capturing demand at every stage of the buyer journey

When combined, they create a balanced acquisition strategy that delivers both short-term growth and long-term efficiency.

🤝 SEO and PPC work better together.

SimpleTiger's SaaS PPC services give you short-term wins while SEO builds long-term momentum, helping you scale faster and lower CAC at the same time.

SimpleTiger
SimpleTiger

SEO Creates Compounding Growth

Every ranking page builds on the last. One well-optimized post on “best payroll software for remote teams” brings in traffic today. Five related posts linked together? Now you’ve got a content cluster that dominates a category.

That’s how I approach content strategy. By building interconnected systems, not isolated assets. Internal links, shared context, and thematic depth work together to boost rankings across the board. 

Over time, that turns into a compounding engine: more keywords, more qualified traffic, and steady growth without a growing ad budget. It’s how SaaS companies build content moats that are hard to outrank and even harder to replicate.

SEO Builds Operational Resilience

Markets shift. Budgets tighten. Campaigns underperform. I’ve seen how quickly pipeline momentum can collapse when you're relying too heavily on paid or outbound channels.

That’s why I treat SEO as a strategic buffer. Organic content keeps generating leads even when everything else slows down. It captures demand, answers key questions, and provides consistent visibility when your team needs it most. 

For SaaS founders, that kind of reliability isn’t just a bonus: it’s what makes the difference between scrambling and scaling.

SEO Content Fuels Every Other Channel

High-ranking content doesn’t just live on your blog. It powers email, fuels paid campaigns, and fills your retargeting audiences.

Here’s how SEO supports your full funnel:

  • PPC: Keyword-aligned pages improve Quality Scores and lower CPCs
  • Retargeting: Organic traffic builds warm audiences for mid-funnel ads
  • Email: Blog posts become nurture sequences and onboarding flows
  • Social: Evergreen content gives you something worth promoting

Every optimized article becomes a Swiss Army knife you can deploy across channels. Build SEO content first, then repurpose it everywhere.

How To Launch & Scale Your SaaS SEO Strategy

If you’ve been reading from the start, thanks for sticking with me.

And if you’ve skipped ahead to this section, welcome! You’re right on time. I'm about to walk through the exact framework I've used to help SaaS brands go from barely ranking for their own name to dominating their category. 

Whether you’re bootstrapped and scrappy or part of a fast-scaling SaaS juggernaut, this guide will help you launch (or fix) your SEO strategy.

Here are the steps to follow:

  • Step 1: Define Your SEO Goals & Set the Right Strategy
  • Step 2: Make Sure Your Website Is SEO-Ready
  • Step 3: Set Up Your Analytics Stack
  • Step 4: Find SEO Opportunities You Can Win
  • Step 5: Build a Full-Funnel Content Engine
  • Step 6: Earn High-Quality Backlinks
  • Step 7: Track, Optimize & Scale Your SEO

Let’s walk through each step.

Step 1: Define Your SEO Goals & Set the Right Strategy

Before you open a keyword tool or start dreaming of that top spot on Google, stop and ask yourself: Why am I doing this? 

SEO isn’t just about traffic. It’s about hitting growth goals: pipeline, CAC, MRR, you name it.

Don’t just chase “more traffic.” Tie your SEO strategy to outcomes that matter:

  • Demo requests
  • Free trial signups
  • Expansion revenue
  • Sales enablement

Nail that answer first and reverse-engineer your roadmap from there.

Align SEO with Your Growth Stage

SEO works best when it’s built into your growth strategy, not slapped on like a marketing afterthought. Your approach should evolve as your company scales:

  • Early-stage startups: Focus on visibility and trust. Publish helpful, problem-aware content that earns backlinks and positions you as a credible resource in your space.
  • Scaling SaaS companies: Start targeting solution-aware terms. Create use-case content, product comparisons, and integration guides that match how buyers evaluate tools.
  • Enterprise SaaS: Use your domain authority to compete for high-intent keywords and own the conversation in your category. Go deep on competitive, decision-stage content.

Still not sure where to start? Ask yourself: What do I need SEO to accomplish in the next 6–12 months? Then build your strategy around that.

Here’s a cheat sheet:

Goal SEO Strategy Focus Sample Content
Generate demand Problem-aware, top-of-funnel content “How to reduce churn in B2B SaaS”
Capture existing demand Solution-aware, comparison, BOFU content “[Your tool] vs [Competitor]”
Support sales Objection-busting or use-case content “Why compliance teams choose [Your Tool]”
Lower CAC Replace paid keywords with organic content “Best [category] tools for growing teams”

Talk to your sales team. Look at your paid search reports. Identify where you're overspending or underperforming and build content that fills the gap.

Step 2: Make Sure Your Website Is SEO-Ready

Before diving into content creation, I always start by auditing a client's website for technical issues. Many SaaS companies spend money on content without realizing their website has fundamental problems that could be holding back their rankings in search results.

Run a Technical Audit With Screaming Frog

A great first step is running a technical audit using a tool like Screaming Frog. It scans your site for issues like

  • Broken internal links
  • Redirect chains or loops
  • Duplicate title tags or meta descriptions
  • Pages blocked by robots.txt or missing from your sitemap

As your SaaS website grows, keeping everything easy for search engines to crawl becomes even more important. The better search engines can explore your site, the better your rankings will be.

SaaS sites in particular tend to accumulate technical debt, especially after product launches, rebrands, or content migrations. Addressing these problems can lead to noticeable improvements in your site's performance and rankings.

Focus on Core Web Vitals & User Experience

Core Web Vitals are key to SEO today because they measure how real users experience your site. These vitals include things like how quickly your pages load, how stable they are while loading, and how interactive they feel.

Right now, only 43.4% of mobile sites and 51.4% of desktop sites meet Google’s performance standards (meaning most sites still have room for improvement). Optimizing speed doesn’t just boost SEO; it also helps keep visitors engaged.

Studies show users are 24% less likely to leave a page that meets Core Web Vitals standards, which can lead to better user retention and overall site performance.

Structure Your Site for Clarity and Conversions

If Google can’t crawl your site easily, your rankings won’t move. If users can’t find what they need in under three clicks, your conversions are going to suffer. You need a clear, intentional structure that guides both crawlers and humans from Point A to Point B.

The ideal SaaS site hierarchy looks something like this:

  • Homepage (establishes topical authority and brand trust)
  • Main category pages (solutions, features, industries)
  • Specific landing pages (individual features, use cases)
  • Supporting content (blog posts, resources, FAQs)

Your navigation matters a lot. It shows search engines what’s important and helps visitors find what they need without friction. Make sure your key pages are easily accessible from the main menu, and use internal links to connect related content logically. A well-structured site builds context, improves crawlability, and makes it easier for users to convert.

And if your CMS is fighting you every step of the way? Might be time to upgrade. Platforms like Webflow are built with SEO in mind: fast, clean code, built-in SSL, and super easy control over meta tags, structured data, and page URLs. That means fewer technical headaches and more time creating content that actually ranks.

Step 3: Set Up Your Analytics Stack

I’ve tested just about every analytics tool under the sun. These are the ones I always come back to. Not because they’re flashy, but because they’re reliable. They’re the industry standard for a reason. They help me see what’s driving real growth, not just pageviews, and give me the clarity I need to make smart decisions for my clients.

Let’s walk through the stack that’s become the baseline for how I track what’s working, what needs tweaking, and where the biggest growth opportunities live.

Google Analytics 4

GA4 is the new default for a reason. It tracks what actually matters in SaaS: user behavior, not just pageviews. It’s event-based, meaning you can zoom in on actions like button clicks, form fills, demo requests, and pricing page scroll depth.

Set it up to:

  • Auto-track key engagement events like scrolls, outbound clicks, and video plays
  • Set up custom conversions for trial signups, demo requests, or onboarding completions
  • Track logged-in users across devices with User ID
  • Get funnel insights that tie activity to actual outcomes

GA4 is free. And once it’s set up right, it becomes the heartbeat of your SEO attribution.

Google Search Console

GSC is your direct line to Google’s brain. It shows you what queries you’re showing up for, which pages are ranking (or not), and what technical issues might be holding you back.

Here’s what I check weekly:

  • Query-level CTR: are people clicking what they see?
  • Index coverage: is Google actually indexing the pages you care about?
  • Mobile usability and Core Web Vitals issues: UX matters for rankings

Make sure you’ve verified all domain variants, submitted a sitemap, and connected it to GA4 for a full-circle view.

Ahrefs

Google tells you what’s happening. Ahrefs tells you why. I use it to:

  • Benchmark against competitors with the Content Gap tool
  • Track keyword positions daily or weekly
  • Monitor backlinks (both earned and lost)
  • Run site audits for more in-depth diagnostics than GSC provides

If SEO is a serious growth channel for your business, Ahrefs (or a comparable tool) is a must-have, not a nice-to-have.

Looker Studio

Once your tools are feeding you the right data, you need a place to actually see it. Looker Studio (formerly Data Studio) lets you build dashboards that pull from GA4, Search Console, and more. 

I build dashboards that:

  • Track conversions from organic landing pages over time
  • Monitor keyword movement by funnel stage
  • Show how specific pieces of content contribute to revenue, not just sessions

Set it up early, and future-you will thank you. It’s easier to scale content and report wins when you’ve got a clean, visual way to prove what’s working.

Setting up your analytics stack isn’t the most glamorous part of SEO. It’s the part most teams skip. But you can’t improve what you can’t measure, and in SEO, guessing gets expensive. Build your analytics stack like you’re building your growth engine, because that’s exactly what it is.

Step 4: Find SEO Opportunities You Can Win

Before you create a single piece of content, pause for a moment.

Because here’s where most SaaS teams go wrong. They start writing before they’ve answered two critical questions:

  1. Who are we really up against in search?
  2. What are our buyers actually searching for?

Get those answers right, and your strategy shifts from “just publish something” to “rank where it matters.” Here’s how I find SEO opportunities and turn them into wins.

Identify Your Real SEO Competitors

Types of SaaS SEO Competitors

Here’s something I see all the time: SaaS companies obsessed with outranking a business rival… who barely shows up in the SERPs.

Meanwhile, the top results are review sites, content-driven blogs, and tangential tools that just happened to get there first.

Perform a competitive analysis to figure out who you’re really up against:

  • Run a SERP analysis for your top 20 target keywords
  • Note which domains consistently rank in the top 10
  • Categorize the ranking content: product pages, reviews, blogs, etc.
  • Watch for patterns in domain authority, content type, and format

You can also use Ahrefs:

  • Use the Competing Domains tool to identify who overlaps most with your keyword set
  • Explore their top-performing pages to see what’s working

Group competitors into categories:

  • Direct competitors: Other SaaS tools solving the same problem
  • Review aggregators: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius
  • Content publishers: Blogs, media outlets, industry experts
  • Tangential tools: Not direct competitors, but still ranking for key terms

This is keyword research through a competitive lens. You're not just spying. You're collecting data on what ranks, for whom, and why.

Reverse-Engineer What’s Working

Now that you’ve got your true competitors mapped, figure out what’s helping them win:

  • What’s working for them? (page types, content format, keyword strategy)
  • Why is it working? (links, depth, internal structure, UX)

You’re not copying, you’re spotting patterns and building a stronger response.

Use Content Gap Analysis to Uncover Missed Opportunities

Start by identifying content gaps in your space: those opportunities where competitors are ranking for keywords you haven’t touched yet.

Use Ahrefs' Content Gap tool:

  • Plug in your domain and 2–3 competitors
  • Filter for high-intent keywords they rank for that you don’t
  • Prioritize those with commercial value: pricing pages, comparison terms, use cases

Then create content that:

  • Goes deeper than the competition
  • Answers the searcher’s actual question, clearly and directly
  • Includes visuals or examples to help users act faster
  • Naturally features your product as the solution

You don’t need to win every SERP. Just the ones that matter, where your product solves a real problem and your content can prove it.

Align Content with Search Intent and the SaaS Buyer’s Journey

SaaS SEO Search Intent Buyer's Journey

Here’s where understanding the SaaS search journey and search intent really comes together. You’ve heard me say it a few times by now: SaaS buyers don’t search randomly, they follow a pattern. If your content doesn’t align with that journey, it’s going to miss the mark.

Here’s a simplified view of how that journey plays out:

  • Problem-aware: These users know they have a pain point but don’t know what the solution looks like. Searches like “how to improve team collaboration” are informational intent. Your job here is to educate with blog posts, guides, and explainer content.
  • Solution-aware: These users now know that tools exist to help solve their problem. Searches shift to “best collaboration tools for remote teams.” This is commercial intent. They’re comparing solutions. Content like listicles, tool roundups, and use case pages work well here.
  • Product-aware: These are your hot leads, comparing brands. Searches like “ClickUp vs Notion” are navigational intent. At this stage, give them comparison pages, customer stories, and key differentiators.
  • Purchase-intent: These users are ready to act. Searches like “Notion pricing for enterprise” or “Notion free trial” show transactional intent. Here’s where your pricing, feature, and demo pages need to be clear and easy to act on.

Each stage deserves its own content type and CTA. When you align content to search intent like this, your strategy stops being a content calendar and becomes a customer acquisition engine.

Focus on Intent Over Keywords

Search engines have gotten much smarter about understanding how people search. Instead of just looking at individual keywords, they now focus on the intent behind those searches (what the person really wants to know or do).

For example, about 52% of Google searches are informational (people looking for answers or learning something), while only ~14% are about comparing products and less than 1% are about making a purchase.

For SaaS companies, this means it’s not just about targeting product or feature keywords. You also need to create content that answers your audience’s questions and addresses their problems. That’s informational intent, and it’s just as important as targeting keywords related to your product.

To be successful, SaaS SEO teams now focus on intent-based keyword research. This means they group searches based on what the user is trying to do: are they just learning? Comparing options? Or ready to buy? Tailoring your content to match these different stages of the customer journey helps you meet users where they are.

Once you know what your buyers are searching for and what your competitors are getting wrong, it’s time to build the content that outranks and outperforms. That’s where your full-funnel content engine comes in.

🔎 Want help identifying high-impact keyword opportunities?

See how we do keyword research at SimpleTiger.

SimpleTiger
SimpleTiger

Step 5: Build a Full-Funnel Content Engine

SaaS Content Strategy Funnel

Now that you’ve mapped out where you can win in search, it’s time to build the content that actually drives conversions.

You can’t rely on blog posts alone. And you definitely can’t wing it. If you want SEO to drive revenue (not just rankings), you need a content plan that covers the full buyer journey and the pages that actually convert.

That means building two types of content:

  • Educational content that attracts problem-aware visitors
  • Commercial content that moves them closer to purchase-intent

Together, they form a system that attracts, educates, and converts on repeat. Let’s break it down.

Start With Your Core Commercial Pages

SaaS SEO Commercial Content

These are your conversion workhorses: the pages that directly support demos, trials, and purchases:

Your Homepage

Your homepage is your most authoritative page and often your first impression. It should answer three things immediately:

  • Who are you?
  • What do you do?
  • Who is this for?

It should target your brand name and core category keyword ( “Project Management Software – Asana”), and link directly to other important sections like Features and Pricing. Think of it as the hub that funnels users (and link equity) to the rest of your site.

Feature & Industry Pages

Don’t cram everything into one generic “Product” page. Dedicated feature and industry pages let you:

  • Target specific keywords (for example. “time tracking tool” or “marketing project management”)
  • Speak directly to unique pain points
  • Capture mid-funnel traffic from people who know what they need

Each page should explain the feature or use case, highlight benefits, and include relevant CTAs. Keep navigation clean so these pages are always easy to find.

Pricing Page

One of your highest-traffic, highest-intent pages. Don’t bury it or treat it like a throwaway.

Optimize for:

  • “[Product] pricing” keywords
  • Transparent pricing tables
  • Strong CTAs (start trial, book demo)
  • Long-tail FAQs

Make sure it’s indexable and linked from your main nav or footer. No one should have to hunt for pricing and search engines shouldn’t be blocked from crawling it.

Then Build Educational Content

SaaS SEO Educational Content

Once your commercial pages are dialed in, build the content that brings people in, nurtures them, and gets them to those pages.

Focus on:

  • Blog posts that answer problem-aware or solution-aware queries
  • Guides and templates that can be gated to capture leads
  • Comparison content and alternatives pages that bridge the gap to your product

Every piece of educational content should link back to one of your core commercial pages. That’s what turns traffic into traction.

Build Topic Clusters and Link Strategically

Here’s where it all connects. I group related content into clusters around a central topic (for example, “remote team collaboration”). Each supporting article links back to the core page, and vice versa.

Internal linking helps:

  • Spread link equity across your site
  • Guide users through the funnel
  • Reinforce your topical authority with Google

It’s one of the simplest (and most overlooked) SEO levers.

If you’re managing a large library of content, I recommend a tool like LinkScout to help you surface internal linking opportunities automatically so nothing gets buried and every page supports the bigger picture.

Ensure Content Quality and E-E-A-T

Content is still the foundation of SaaS SEO success, but today, the bar for quality and authority is higher than ever. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) has become a critical factor for ranking.

Google prioritizes content that demonstrates real expertise, whether it's from engineers, product experts, or industry thought leaders, and provides genuine value. This means generic blog posts no longer cut it.

For SaaS companies, I focus on publishing authoritative content like how-to guides, case studies, and research reports that showcase deep knowledge. Establishing author credentials, citing reputable sources, and offering firsthand insights are key to building trust with both Google and my audience.

Content that aligns with E-E-A-T is more likely to rank well and drive conversions, as it speaks directly to users’ needs with reliable, in-depth information.

Leverage Comprehensive, Long-Form Content

To truly satisfy user intent, long-form content works best. Research shows that the average first-page result on Google contains about 1,447 words. Top-ranking content tends to be in-depth, covering a topic thoroughly.

That’s why I focus on creating definitive guides or ultimate tutorials that provide comprehensive coverage on key topics for my audience. For example, a SaaS company might publish a 2,000+ word guide on “How to Improve Sales Pipeline Management,” with detailed definitions, strategies, and real-world examples.

This kind of content is not only more likely to rank well, but it also builds trust with users by answering their questions fully. Plus, it’s more likely to be featured in AI-driven search summaries, which makes it easier for users to find your content and engage with it.

Publish Content Frequently and Consistently

To build momentum with SEO, it's important to publish content regularly. Experts suggest aiming for about 20 high-quality content pages per month over the course of a year to significantly boost rankings. While that level of output may not be feasible for everyone, the trend is clear: the more often you publish, the better your SEO results.

I’ve found that consistent publishing helps capture more keywords and keeps your site fresh for search engines to index. But it’s not just about creating new content. I also focus on refreshing older posts by updating information, adding new sections, and improving on-page SEO. This process, known as content refreshes, helps keep your site relevant and can even improve rankings for older content.

By combining regular content creation with content updates, I ensure my site continues to grow its organic presence, staying visible and competitive in search results.

✍️ Want help turning keyword strategy into content that ranks and converts?

See how we do content marketing at SimpleTiger.

SimpleTiger
SimpleTiger

Step 6: Get High-Quality Backlinks Without Spammy Tactics

How To Do SaaS Link Outreach

Link building gets a bad rap (and I get why). You’ve probably seen the same sketchy emails offering “guest posts on DA 90 sites” or some recycled nonsense about “link juice.” Ignore all of it.

Recent studies reinforce that backlinks are a key factor in SEO success. In fact, an analysis of 11.8 million Google search results found that the #1 result has 3.8 times more backlinks than the results ranked #2–#10. In short, top-ranking pages tend to have significantly more sites linking to them.

Additionally, the number of referring domains (distinct websites linking to a page) shows a strong correlation with higher rankings. For SaaS companies, which often target highly competitive keywords, acquiring authoritative backlinks is crucial to climbing the SERPs.

If you want to build authority and rank for competitive SaaS terms, you need backlinks that Google trusts. That means relevance, quality, and a strategy that doesn’t scream desperation.

Quality over quantity is essential for SaaS link-building strategies. One high-quality link from an authoritative site (like a well-known tech publication or .edu resource) is far more valuable than dozens of low-quality links. Google’s algorithms are good at identifying and penalizing spammy links, so focus on earning links that truly matter.

Here's how:

Guest Posting & Thought Leadership

Start with guest posts, but skip the generic stuff. If you’re writing “5 Benefits of CRM Tools” for the 800th time, no one’s linking to it.

Write what only you can write. Share insights from your product, your customer base, or your own marketing experiments. Pitch industry blogs, SaaS publications, and niche newsletters where your ICP hangs out.

Focus on:

  • Subjects that are directly tied to your industry 
  • Industry trend breakdowns 
  • Use-case content tied to a specific anchor keyword that your backlink campaign is working towards

Offer real value, and the backlinks follow.

Create Link-Worthy Content

You want backlinks without begging for them? Create something people want to reference.

Here’s what works:

  • Original research: Survey your users, analyze anonymized product data, or publish industry benchmarks.
  • Data-heavy blog content: Include stats, charts, and visuals others want to quote.
  • Free tools and templates: Offer calculators, spreadsheets, or checklists that solve real problems.

Outreach & Relationship-Based Link Building

You can’t sit back and wait for links to roll in. Outreach still matters but it needs to feel like a conversation, not a cold pitch.

Finding the Right Sites to Pitch 

The best sites already link to your competitors or rank for your core keywords. That’s your shortlist.

Start with:

  • Blogs that publish SaaS content in your category
  • Sites that have linked to similar tools or reports
  • Partners, integrations, or vendors who already know your name

Use Ahrefs to reverse-engineer their backlinks. Sort by relevance and authority. Toss anything with spammy metrics or a sea of outbound links.

Writing Outreach Emails That Get Responses

Nobody wants another “We’d love to collaborate” email. You’ll get ignored if you sound like a template.

Here’s what works:

  • Mention something specific from their recent content
  • Offer a topic or data point they’ll care about
  • Keep it short, casual, and human. Like you’re emailing a colleague
  • Make it easy to say yes (no weird asks, no attachments)

I usually write outreach emails like I’m starting a conversation on LinkedIn. Not pitching. Just showing up with value.

Avoid Link-Building Pitfalls

Link building can backfire fast if you chase the wrong ones. Stay sharp: Google doesn’t hand out second chances easily.

Spot and Disavow Toxic Links

Toxic backlinks usually come from:

  • Spammy blogs that publish 100+ posts a day
  • Irrelevant foreign referring domains
  • Sites with zero traffic and 10,000 outbound links

Use Ahrefs to scan your backlink profile. Flag anything sketchy. If you didn’t earn the link (or it looks automated) disavow it in Google Search Console.

Understand Follow vs. No-Follow Links 

Follow links pass SEO value. No-follow links don’t pass PageRank directly but they still help.

You benefit from no-follow links when:

  • They drive real referral traffic
  • They appear on high-authority sites (news outlets, roundup blogs)
  • They include brand mentions that signal relevance to AI models

Google doesn’t treat no-follow as worthless. Over the last few years, it’s shifted to using no-follow links as hints, not hard stops.

So don’t stress if your highest-traffic link is no-follow. If the site matters, the impact does too.

SEO favors authority, not shortcuts. Focus on earning links that make sense for your niche and your buyers. Build relationships, publish content people actually want to share, and stay far away from anything that smells like a scheme.

🔗 Need better backlinks?

See how we build high-authority links that actually move rankings at SimpleTiger.

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Step 7: Track, Measure & Improve SEO Performance

Alright, you’ve done the heavy lifting. Your content’s live, your pages are indexed, and you’re showing up in search results. But here’s where many SaaS teams miss the mark: they fail to track performance and optimize over time.

Let’s break down the metrics that matter and how to keep that SEO momentum going.

Start with the SEO Metrics That Matter

You don’t need a 40-metric dashboard to know if SEO’s doing its job. Start with the three that drive everything else:

  • Organic traffic – Focus on sessions by page type and funnel stage. If traffic spikes on low-intent posts, don’t celebrate just yet.
  • Keyword rankings – Track rankings for terms tied to your product, pain points, and decision-stage queries. Page 1 is the goal. Top 3 brings the clicks.
  • Referring domains – Higher-quality links move the needle. SaaS pages that rank usually have 100+ solid domains backing them up.

Measure Real Impact: Leads and Revenue

Let’s be clear: traffic is nice, but revenue is the real win.

To measure business impact:

  • Set up GA4 goals for demo requests, trials, and key page views.
  • Use UTM tagging and CRM attribution to trace revenue back to organic.
  • Filter leads by quality, not just volume. Focus on ICP fit, not form fills.

Identify & Fix Drop-Off Points in the Funnel

The traffic lands, but what happens next?

To spot where visitors are losing interest:

  • Check scroll depth and bounce rate on organic landing pages.
  • Watch session flow: do users move deeper or bounce after one read?
  • Review CTA clicks. If nobody’s biting, your offer might need work.

SaaS buyers need context. If they’re stuck in blog purgatory with no clear next step, conversions stall.

Try this:

  • Add a CTA above the fold on every high-traffic post.
  • Link to product pages naturally inside your content body.
  • Break long blocks of text with bullets, visuals, or short explainer videos.

Keep Content Fresh & Growing

Google rewards freshness. So do your readers.

To keep rankings and authority strong:

  • Refresh stats and quotes with current data.
  • Add new keywords and subtopics to match evolving search trends.
  • Rework intros and headlines to improve click-through rates.
  • Replace broken links and outdated screenshots.

Pages updated consistently generate up to 400% more traffic YoY. You don’t need to rewrite everything, just keep it alive.

Scale SEO Without Chaos

More pages, more problems. Unless you’ve got a system in place.

To scale without burning time:

  • Build repeatable content templates for features, use cases, and industries.
  • Organize content by topic cluster with a pillar page at the center.
  • Track keywords, funnel stage, update cycle, and internal links in one doc.

As your team grows, SEO needs structure. Without it, you’ll end up with 200 blog posts and zero direction.

Use AI & Automation to Save Time

AI won’t replace your SEO brain, but it will save you time by handling repetitive tasks. SEO teams are using AI tools as co-pilots to automate keyword clustering, content outlines, and even PPC vs SEO optimizations, freeing up more time for strategy and creativity.

Here’s how I use AI:

  • Draft outlines and meta descriptions quickly.
  • Cluster keywords by topic and intent to improve relevance.
  • Suggest internal links to improve site navigation.
  • Surface content gaps based on competitor analysis.

AI is transforming SEO by automating routine tasks and allowing teams to scale faster. By focusing on high-level strategy and creativity, you can leverage AI to boost productivity, optimize content, and improve ROI. The key is using AI to enhance your process, not replace it, while you focus on driving growth.

Need Help? How to Work with SaaS SEO Experts

You’ve got the roadmap. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get started, do it. Everything in this guide is built from real-world experience, and you can absolutely run with it.

But if you’d rather move faster with someone who’s done this before (a bunch of times), I’d love to help.

At SimpleTiger, we’ve helped SaaS teams at every stage, from first customers to full-scale growth, turn SEO into a predictable, high-leverage growth channel. No fluff. No bloated retainers. Just the stuff that actually drives results.

Want to see what that looks like for your business?

👉 Book a Discovery Call and let’s talk about what’s possible.

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Jeremiah Smith
Jeremiah Smith
CEO

Jeremiah is Chief Executive Officer at SimpleTiger, responsible for high level vision, team growth, partnerships, and revenue generation as well as sometimes consulting clients directly.

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