Navigating the Challenges of Re-Branding and Re-Positioning a SaaS Product: An SEO Perspective
Re-branding a SaaS product is an exciting milestone, often reflecting growth, pivoting strategies, or a desire to better serve target markets. However, it also presents significant SEO challenges that are sometimes underestimated. Based on recent firsthand experience, I’d like to share vital insights into the complexities of re-branding and repositioning a product in the eyes of search engines like Google.
Understanding Google’s Perception of Your Brand
One critical lesson is that Google’s understanding of your product extends beyond your website content. The search engine models your brand’s reputation and relevance based on what others say — articles, mentions, backlinks, and broader online conversations. These external signals influence how Google perceives your product’s intent and ranking algorithms.
Case Study: From blogstatic to BlogMaker
Take my SaaS product, formerly known as blogstatic, which was positioned as an affordable blogging solution at $19/year and $49/year. Recently, I transitioned it to a premium offering with monthly pricing, focusing on SEO-driven blogging. Despite these changes, Google still ranks it for keywords like “best blog for beginners,” even though the marketing content no longer targets that phrase explicitly.
This illustrates that Google’s ranking is not solely dependent on website keywords but is heavily influenced by external mentions and perceived product intent. In this case, the site’s historical reputation and backlinks have anchored certain search positions.
Re-Branding and Re-Positioning: A Cautionary Tale
In November 2024, I undertook both a re-brand and a repositioning effort simultaneously. Looking back, I would recommend against doing both at once—especially for smaller operations—due to the complexity of resetting external perceptions.
What’s crucial here is strategic communication: to establish your current brand identity and positioning in Google’s view, you need to actively promote mentions, backlinks, and content that reflect your new focus — in this case, SEO blogging. This process is more challenging than simply updating your website’s messaging because you are working to change Google’s longstanding perception, which wasn’t built in a day.
A Reflection on Product Positioning Strategy
An important takeaway from this experience is the value of thoughtful product positioning from the outset. When developing a new product, consider your target market, SEO opportunities, competitive landscape, and pricing structure early on. Let the market, through user behavior and external mentions, help