Increasing MRR through SEO can feel a bit like a black box.

We created an interactive checklist on how you can crush your SaaS SEO.

Below the checklist is a step by step guide on how to build an SEO program that increases MRR within the next 90 days.

SaaS SEO Checklist

Conduct Comprehensive Keyword Research

1. Identify High-Intent Keywords

Use SEO Tools:

Utilize tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Ubersuggest to discover keywords with high search volume and low competition. For instance, in Ahrefs' Content Explorer, you can:

  • Enter a relevant keyword related to your SaaS product.
  • Apply filters such as:
    • Organic traffic: Set a minimum threshold (e.g., 500 visitors).
    • Referring domains: Set a maximum limit (e.g., 10) to find less competitive topics.
    • Language: Select English or your target language.
  • Analyze the resulting topics to identify those most relevant to your product and audience.Content Guppy

This approach helps in finding what I like to call "golden keywords" that are both popular and easier to rank for.

Focus on Relevance:

Prioritize keywords that align closely with your SaaS product's features and the problems it solves. For example, if your tool offers time tracking, keywords like "employee time tracking software" or "timesheet templates" would be highly relevant. Assess the business value of each keyword by determining how essential your product is in addressing the searcher's intent.

2. Analyze Competitor Keywords

Competitor Analysis:

Identify your direct competitors and analyze their top-performing pages. Using tools like Ahrefs:

  • Enter a competitor's domain into the Site Explorer.
  • Navigate to the "Top Pages" report to see which pages drive the most organic traffic.
  • Examine the keywords these pages rank for and consider creating similar or improved content on those topics.

This method allows you to uncover keyword opportunities that are already proven to attract traffic. Content Guppy

Content Gap Analysis:

Perform a content gap analysis to find keywords your competitors rank for, but you don't. In Ahrefs: Content Guppy+2Content Guppy+2Content Guppy+2

  • Use the "Content Gap" tool.
  • Enter your domain and the domains of your competitors.
  • The tool will display keywords that your competitors rank for, but you don't.

These gaps represent opportunities to create content that fills those voids, potentially capturing traffic your competitors currently receive.

3. Map Keywords to the Buyer’s Journey

Awareness Stage:

Target informational keywords that address common problems or questions your potential customers might have. For example, "how to improve remote team productivity" or "best practices for employee monitoring."

Consideration Stage:

Focus on comparison and solution-based keywords. Examples include "top time tracking tools" or "Time Doctor vs. Hubstaff." These keywords indicate that the searcher is evaluating different solutions.

Decision Stage:

Use transactional keywords that indicate purchase intent, such as "buy time tracking software" or "Time Doctor pricing." These keywords suggest the searcher is ready to make a purchasing decision.

By aligning your content with these stages, you can effectively guide potential customers through the buying process. Content Guppy


Optimize On-Page SEO Elements

1. Craft SEO-Friendly URLs

Keep URLs Short and Descriptive:

Use hyphens to separate words and include primary keywords. For example, use yourdomain.com/employee-time-tracking instead of yourdomain.com/page?id=123.

Avoid Special Characters:

Stick to lowercase letters and avoid unnecessary parameters. Clean URLs are more user-friendly and easier for search engines to understand.

2. Optimize Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Title Tags:

Incorporate primary keywords naturally and keep titles under 60 characters. For example, "Best Time Tracking Software for Remote Teams."Content Guppy

Meta Descriptions:

Write compelling descriptions under 160 characters that encourage clicks. For instance, "Discover top time tracking tools to boost remote team productivity."

3. Structure Content with Headings

Use Header Tags Appropriately:

Organize content using H1 for titles, H2 for main sections, and H3 for subsections. This hierarchy helps search engines understand the structure of your content.

Include Keywords:

Integrate relevant keywords into headings to improve SEO. For example, an H2 could be "Top Time Tracking Tools for Remote Teams."

4. Enhance Readability

Short Paragraphs:

Break content into short, digestible paragraphs. This improves readability and keeps readers engaged.

Bullet Points and Lists:

Use lists to present information clearly. For instance, list features or benefits of your SaaS product.

Visual Elements:

Incorporate images, infographics, and videos to support content. Visuals can make complex information more understandable and engaging.

Implementing these on-page SEO strategies will enhance your website's visibility and user experience, leading to better search engine rankings and increased engagement.


Implement Technical SEO Best Practices

1. Improve Site Speed

Optimize Images:
Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel to reduce load times without sacrificing quality. Content Guppy emphasizes fast-loading content as a key to reducing bounce rates and improving rankings, especially on mobile.

Minimize Code:
Remove unnecessary HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Tools like GTmetrix and PageSpeed Insights can flag render-blocking scripts or unused code. A clean codebase also improves crawl efficiency for search engines.

Use Caching:
Implement browser caching and leverage CDNs (e.g., Cloudflare) to serve assets faster to repeat visitors. This can dramatically improve time-to-first-byte (TTFB), a performance factor Google considers in its Core Web Vitals.

2. Ensure Mobile Friendliness

Responsive Design:
Make sure your SaaS site is responsive across all devices. Use CSS frameworks like Bootstrap or TailwindCSS. Google prioritizes mobile-first indexing — meaning it crawls the mobile version of your site before desktop.

Mobile Testing:
Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to identify usability issues like small tap targets or horizontal scrolling. Content Guppy recommends optimizing not just for appearance but also for mobile UX (like load time and navigation).

3. Set Up XML Sitemap and Robots.txt

XML Sitemap:
Create a sitemap using tools like Screaming Frog, Yoast SEO (WordPress), or manually with XML-sitemaps.com. Submit it via Google Search Console. A sitemap ensures all your key content — blog posts, product pages, features — are crawlable.

Robots.txt:
Use this file to instruct bots what they should or shouldn’t crawl. Be careful not to block important folders like /blog/. Always double-check it doesn’t accidentally de-index valuable content.

4. Implement HTTPS

Secure Your Site:
An SSL certificate isn’t just about trust — it’s a ranking factor. Use Let's Encrypt or Cloudflare’s free SSL to implement HTTPS across your entire domain. Google may flag non-HTTPS pages as “not secure,” which deters users.

5. Use Schema Markup

Structured Data:
Add relevant schema using JSON-LD (Google’s recommended format). For SaaS sites, consider using:

  • SoftwareApplication for your product pages
  • Article or BlogPosting for blog content
  • FAQPage schema for help docs or knowledge base content

Use Schema.org or Google’s Rich Results Testing Tool to validate your implementation.

Develop a Strategic Content Plan

1. Create High-Quality, Valuable Content

Content Guppy repeatedly highlights this: the best-performing SEO content doesn’t just rank — it solves a specific pain point.

Address Pain Points:
Map content to real problems your ICP faces. If you’re targeting HR managers for a payroll SaaS, your content might include:

  • “How to stay compliant with 2024 labor laws”
  • “How to automate employee onboarding in under 15 minutes”

These are not only keyword-rich but highly relevant to your audience’s daily challenges.

Use Various Formats:
To move prospects through the funnel, blend:

  • Blog posts for top-of-funnel education
  • Case studies to show proof of results (Content Guppy case studies convert very well)
  • Whitepapers to establish authority
  • Comparison pages (e.g. “Gusto vs Rippling”) to capture bottom-of-funnel traffic
  • Video content for product walkthroughs or explainers

2. Update Existing Content

Content Audits:
Run quarterly audits to:

  • Identify underperforming posts (use Google Search Console → Pages → Clicks/Impressions)
  • Update outdated stats or screenshots
  • Add internal links to new content

Content Guppy recommends optimizing for freshness — Google favors recently updated content, especially in SaaS where features change fast.

3. Implement a Content Calendar

Consistent Publishing:
Publish weekly or bi-weekly. A steady cadence builds topical authority. Use a Notion or Google Sheets calendar to track:

  • Topics
  • Keyword targets
  • Status (draft, review, live)
  • Promotion plan

Content Guppy uses a systemized editorial pipeline to ensure consistency and tie every piece to a strategic goal (signups, demo requests, links).

Link Building

1. Pursue White-Hat Link Building Strategies

Guest Posting:
Use search strings like SaaS + “write for us” to find guest opportunities. Pitch value-driven content, not just product-centric pieces. Content Guppy recommends starting with mid-tier blogs (DA 30–60) and moving up as your portfolio grows.

Influencer Collaboration:
Partner with B2B creators or niche newsletters. Co-author guides or interview them. When they share, you earn backlinks and trust.

Shareable Content:
Create assets that earn links naturally:

  • “Ultimate guides”
  • Research reports or benchmarks
  • Templates and calculators (Content Guppy’s SEO ROI calculator is a perfect example)

2. Monitor Backlink Profile

Track with Tools:
Ahrefs and Semrush allow you to track new, lost, or toxic backlinks. Look for:

  • Links from low-quality PBNs (Private Blog Networks)
  • Irrelevant forums or spammy directories

Disavow when necessary:
If harmful links are affecting rankings, use Google’s Disavow Tool. This tells Google to ignore them in ranking calculations.

3. Analyze Competitor Backlinks

Backlink Gap Analysis:
Use Ahrefs “Link Intersect” to find sites that link to 2+ competitors but not you.

Example: If both Gusto and Deel have links from a payroll aggregator blog, reach out with a better article or a contribution offer.

Reverse Engineer:
Break down top competitors’ backlink profiles. Where are they guest posting? Which tools or assets are driving links? Replicate and one-up them.

Track Performance and Analytics

1. Set Up Google Analytics and Search Console

  • Google Analytics: Set up Goals or Events to track conversions (like demo requests, free trials)
  • Search Console: Monitor impressions, CTR, and average position for high-value keywords. Fix indexing issues or duplicate meta tags.

Content Guppy emphasizes using performance data to decide which pages to update or expand.

2. Track Keyword Rankings

Use Ahrefs or Semrush position tracking to:

  • Monitor high-converting keywords
  • Spot drops before they impact traffic
  • Measure the effect of optimizations

Tag by funnel stage to understand what’s working where.

3. Measure Conversion Rates

Content alone doesn't close deals. You need to measure how SEO traffic turns into MQLs.

  • Connect GA4 to CRM or signup platform
  • Track page-specific conversion rates (e.g. /blog vs /comparison-page)
  • Identify “assist content” that helps conversions, even if it’s not last-touch

4. Adjust Strategies Based on Data

Your SEO playbook should evolve.

  • Promote what’s working: If backlinks are coming from templates, build more.
  • Improve what isn’t: If a blog has traffic but no conversions, test new CTAs or add comparison links.
  • Expand success: If your “vs” pages convert well, create more.

Content Guppy lives by a principle of iteration — every post is a hypothesis. Test, learn, improve.