Building a Solid SEO Foundation in a B2B SaaS Company: Insights for Beginners
Embarking on an SEO journey can feel overwhelming, especially when starting from scratch within a B2B SaaS environment. As someone with a front-end development background gained at an agency, I recently transitioned into a role focused on establishing SEO strategies for a rapidly growing SaaS business. Over the past nine months, I’ve uncovered the significance of SEO in driving awareness and conversions, but also the myriad challenges that come with it.
The Initial State: Facing the Basics
When I took over SEO responsibilities, the company’s online presence was minimal. Key issues included:
- Absence of meta descriptions and schema markup
- Multiple or missing H1 tags, duplicate page titles
- Blog content that lacked SEO consideration
- Very poor page load speeds, as highlighted by Google PageSpeed Insights
Addressing these foundational issues has been my starting point, along with creating fresh content to fill gaps. These efforts have improved key metrics like click-through rate (CTR) and average search position; however, impressions, clicks, and conversions remain below our targets. I recognize that SEO is a long-term game, but the ongoing imposter syndrome and uncertainty can be daunting.
The Content Conundrum
A core challenge I face involves content creation. We’ve adopted a content optimization tool similar to SEMrush, which aids in keyword research, interlinking, and overall content strategy. Currently, I am producing 3-5 blog posts weekly, focusing on optimization and internal linking to boost visibility.
However, with our product expanding into new markets—often highly competitive with domain authority scores in the 90s—the difficulty escalates. Competing against well-established domains makes organic rankings a tough mountain to climb. Despite these hurdles, I remain committed to learning and improving, driven by my passion for the company.
Seeking Advice from the SEO Community
While I understand there are no quick fixes, I believe guidance from experienced SaaS-focused SEO professionals could be invaluable. Concerns on my mind include:
- How to craft blog content that truly ranks and attracts genuine traffic, rather than just ticking SEO boxes
- Strategies for selecting the right keywords and topics amidst fierce competition with high-authority rivals
- Balancing SEO-driven content with creating valuable, user-centric information for B2B buyers
- Measuring early progress and ROI in a slow-moving SEO landscape
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Effective, underrated link-building or partnership strategies suitable for smaller SaaS teams