Switch Up Your Approach to SaaS Lead Generation with These 5 Keyword Research Tactics

Tactic #1: Reverse-Engineer the SERPs

One of the biggest mistakes I see founders make is relying solely on keyword tools and forgetting the value of rolling up your sleeves and combing through the actual search engine results pages (SERPs). The SERPs themselves are gold mines of real-world data about your market, your competitors, and user intent.

Why It Matters

Think about it: Google is in the business of answering people’s queries accurately. If you want to know what Google thinks is the best answer to “SaaS project management for small teams,” just Google it. Analyzing the results that pop up for each of your target keywords can help you understand two critical aspects:

1. Search Intent: Are people looking for a purchase page, a comparison article, or an educational resource?

2. Content Format: Is Google rewarding blog posts, product category pages, videos, or infographics?

I remember the first time we tested this approach for a client in the customer support SaaS space. We typed in a relevant keyword: “customer support automation tool.” The top three results were in-depth product comparison blog posts, not direct product pages. That gave us immediate insight into how Google interpreted this query: it was an investigative search, not a direct buy intent. So, we pivoted our strategy to produce a detailed comparison post highlighting our client’s unique selling points. Within two months, that post started bringing in consistent leads.

How to Do It

1. Grab a “Seed List”: Start with your initial set of keywords—maybe 15 to 20 terms—that you suspect your audience is typing into Google.

2. Search Manually: Plug each keyword into Google. Analyze the top 5–10 results.

3. Note Down User Intent: Are these results blog articles, ecommerce listings, product pages, or something else? Classify them by content type.

4. Identify Gaps: Check if there’s a specific angle or subtopic missing from the top results. That’s an opportunity for you.

5. Extrapolate: Once you see a pattern, expand your list of potential keywords with more precise variations.

Interpreting the Results

Pay attention to how consistent the SERPs are. If you see the same competitors appearing, you’ll know you need to outdo them by producing something more valuable, more up-to-date, or more targeted. If the first page is scattered with different content types, it might be an indicator that user intent is unclear or that Google isn’t sure which format is best. In that case, you have a chance to create a piece of content that truly “nails” the searcher’s intent and signals to Google that you deserve that top spot.

Tactic #2: Focus on High-Intent, Long-Tail Keywords

When we talk about SaaS lead generation, we’re talking about forging relationships with potential customers who are actually ready to buy. Traffic is great, but 100,000 website visits per month won’t pay your bills if they aren’t coming from the right people.

What Are High-Intent, Long-Tail Keywords?

A high-intent keyword is one that signals the user is near the bottom of the funnel, or at least actively considering a purchase. Pair that with a long-tail approach—niche queries that are very specific and less competitive—and you’ll find yourself in a sweet spot where fewer people are searching, but those who do are more likely to buy.

An example: “best CRM software for B2B SaaS” is long-tail and high-intent. The user is probably aware they need a CRM and are comparing options. On the other hand, “CRM software” is broad and competitive. Sure, you’ll get more traffic if you rank for that term, but capturing it is tough and may not lead to qualified leads.

Growth Marshal Internal Data on Long-Tail Keywords

After analyzing hundreds of keyword data sets for our SaaS clients at Growth Marshal, we found that long-tail keywords contributed 70% of total organic lead conversions. That’s right: the majority of the people who actually filled out contact forms, started free trials, or scheduled demos came in through more precise queries. Broad keywords brought traffic, but the conversion rate was often half or even a third of that from long-tail searches.

How to Find High-Intent Keywords

1. Map Your Customer Journey: Identify the stages of awareness—top, middle, bottom of the funnel.

2. Brainstorm Pain Points: For each stage, list out the questions or problems prospects might have.

3. Use Tools Like Ahrefs or SEMrush: Type in your broad keyword and filter for long-tail variants.

4. Competitive Gap Analysis: Check what your competitors are missing. Are there sub-niches or specific use cases they’re not covering?

5. Refine & Validate: Use search volume and difficulty scores as a guide, but remember that a keyword’s value is not just about volume—it’s also about how well it converts.

Case Study: Our Own Blog

One of our best-performing articles on Growth Marshal’s blog is titled “How to Do Keyword Research Like a Pro.” The monthly search volume for that phrase is modest. But guess what? It brings in a solid number of leads who already have the right mindset: “I need a B2B SaaS lead generation strategy, and I’m open to hiring help.”

Tactic #3: Evaluate the Competition (and Find the Gaps)

When I was new to SEO, I thought of competitor research as something you do once, stick in a folder, and forget. Big mistake. SaaS markets change quickly—new features, new players, new angles. You need an ongoing system to see what your competitors are ranking for, where they’re dropping the ball, and where you can leapfrog.

Tools of the Trade for Lead-Generation

• Competitor Dashboard: At our agency, we’ve developed a proprietary dashboard that combines data from multiple tools to showcase competitor rankings, traffic, and content gaps. If you’re doing this solo, you can replicate a simplified version with SEMrush or Ahrefs.

• Google Alerts: Set alerts for competitor brand names, product launches, or targeted keywords. If a new competitor page starts ranking, you want to know pronto.

How to Perform Competitive Keyword Gap Analysis

1. Identify 3–5 Main Competitors: These can be direct (selling the same type of SaaS solution) or indirect (appealing to your same audience).

2. Plug Competitor Domains into a Keyword Tool: Gather the top pages and keywords they rank for.

3. Compare Against Your Domain: In tools like Ahrefs’ “Content Gap,” you can see which keywords they rank for that you don’t. These are opportunities.

4. Prioritize: Not every gap is worth filling. Zero in on those that align with your product’s unique selling points and have a good balance of search volume and difficulty.

5. Build a Strategy: Decide what format your new content will take. Are you going to outdo them with a longer, more comprehensive guide? Or approach the topic from a unique angle they’ve missed?

Interpreting the Results

This is where your founder instincts come into play. A large gap doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the perfect opportunity if you can’t deliver compelling content or if the keyword doesn’t match your product. On the other hand, a small gap might be easy pickings if the topic aligns perfectly with your unique features.

At Growth Marshal, we’ve conducted over 200 competitor gap analyses. In our internal research, we found that startups who proactively filled these content gaps saw a 32% average bump in SEO visibility in under 90 days, leading to a 28% rise in MQLs.

Tactic #4: Use Keyword Groups & Topic Clusters

Gone are the days when you’d stuff the same keyword 20 times in a single blog post to rank higher. Google’s algorithm now rewards depth, context, and authority. This is where the idea of “keyword groups” or “topic clusters” comes in. Instead of creating a single piece of content for each individual keyword, you create a cluster of content around a broader topic, each piece supporting and linking to the others.

Why Clusters Work for SaaS Lead-Generation Effort

Imagine you’re building a fortress of expertise around “SaaS lead generation.” You might have a pillar page (like this very article) that gives a comprehensive overview. Then you’d have supporting articles diving deeper into niche topics like “How to Build a SaaS Lead Generation Funnel with Content Marketing” or “Optimizing Your Product-Led Growth Strategy for SaaS Lead Generation.” Google sees this interlinked network of related content as a strong signal of authority.

How to Build a Topic Cluster

1. Identify Your Core Topic: In this case, it could be “SaaS lead generation.”

2. Brainstorm Subtopics: Using your keyword research, find 5–10 related, more specific themes: “SaaS lead scoring,” “automated email workflows for SaaS,” “SaaS SEO best practices,” etc.

3. Create a Pillar Page: This is your comprehensive guide (or hub) that links to the subtopic content.

4. Create Supporting Content: Individual blog posts or pages dedicated to each subtopic, each linking back to the pillar.

5. Optimize Linking Structure: Ensure you’re linking contextually from subtopic posts back to the main pillar page.

Data Analytics Case Study

We used this approach for a data analytics SaaS client who wanted to rank for “big data analytics for SMBs.” Instead of just writing one blog post, we built a series of interlinked articles covering everything from tools to case studies to ROI calculations. Within four months, the pillar page was on page one for their main keyword, and the supporting articles ranked for various long-tail keywords. The result? A 40% increase in organic traffic and a 22% boost in lead conversions.

Interpret the Results

If Google sees that you have in-depth coverage of a topic and that users engage deeply with your content, it’ll reward you with better rankings and, by extension, a steady flow of qualified leads. Plus, from a user perspective, they get a cohesive journey from broad introduction to specific how-to content, which fosters trust and positions you as the go-to resource.

Tactic #5: Embrace Continuous Optimization & Data Feedback

Here’s a secret that most novice keyword researchers miss: your job doesn’t end when you press “publish.” Keyword research is an ongoing, iterative process. Algorithms change, search intent evolves, and new competitors emerge. To stay ahead in SaaS lead generation, you’ve got to keep one eye on the data and another on your content performance.

The Importance of Measurement

I’m an agency owner, which means I love data. I love seeing charts and graphs going up and to the right. But I’ve also learned that raw traffic can be a vanity metric if it’s not translating into leads or sign-ups. That’s why we measure these key indicators for every single piece of content:

• Rankings: Where do we stand for our target keywords?

• Click-Through Rates (CTRs): Are searchers enticed to click our results over the competition?

• Conversion Rates: Are visitors signing up for trials, demos, or newsletters?

• Time on Page: How deeply are they engaging with the content?

• Bounce Rate: Are they leaving immediately?

Tools & Techniques

• Google Search Console: Monitors your average position, CTR, and impressions for specific queries.

• Analytics Platforms: Whether it’s Google Analytics or a more advanced tool, track page-level conversions.

• Heatmaps & Session Recordings: Tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg can show where users are losing interest.

Iterative Optimization

1. Quarterly Content Audits: At Growth Marshal, we recommend a quarterly checkup of your content. Identify which pages are underperforming relative to your goals.

2. Revamp & Update: If a post isn’t ranking for the intended keyword, reassess your headings, add fresh statistics, or include more relevant information.

3. A/B Test Titles & Meta Descriptions: Sometimes a simple tweak can boost your CTR significantly.

4. Expand High-Performing Content: If a certain post is crushing it, can you turn it into a more comprehensive guide, infographic, or video?

5. Build Internal Links: Keep linking to underperforming pages from your high-authority content to give them a boost.

A Personal Anecdote

I once published an article on our blog about “CRO marketing tactics” and slapped on a generic title. It got zero traction. After a quick review of Search Console data, I saw the click-through rate was abysmal. We changed the title to something with a clearer benefit—“5 CRO Marketing Strategies Growth Hackers Don’t Want You to Know”—and we added new examples. Traffic and engagement shot up by 38% over the next month. Just like that. Small tweaks can yield big results if they’re data-driven.