If you Google “how to create content that converts”, you’re probably going to see dozens of articles with a listing format that informs you to “write short sentences”, “check which content is ranking”, or “know your audience.”
But they aren’t telling you the actual content strategies that convert customers for your SaaS business.
Most “content conversion” discussions start with redundant outlines like attractive headings, visually appealing images, or testimonials with easy-to-read formatting.
Of course, all these elements are essential for writing blogs and articles, but they don’t really convert.
SaaS Content marketers call it “top-of-the-funnel” (ToFu) tactics, meaning you use high-density keywords to target high traffic but have little to no conversions.
Why? Because although people are searching for that keyword, they don’t have a buying intent.
In other words, it’s just “overly glossy” content that feels like a kindergarten lesson, while your target audience is industry expert decision-makers like directors, executives, etc.
How do you define a glossy content?
Usually, the content starts with a fluffy generic introduction, asks obvious questions, includes assumed ideas, continues with irrelevant definitions, and goes all the way to explain your product while missing out on features and Unique Selling Points (USPs) that only the founders or team members of the company know.
In this blog, I’ll explore how to identify keywords and create content that converts decision-makers into paying customers.
Top of the funnel vs. Bottom of the funnel Keywords
When B2B SaaS companies design their content plan, it usually only includes traffic-focused keywords to target the brand’s niche but not high-intent keywords.
Now, why would SEOs or content strategists not go for high-intent keywords with the highest potential for converting?
Well, usually because these are low-volume, and most SEOs would think it’s not worth it.
Except, it is.
High-volume keywords may bring traffic but no customers because the search intention doesn’t match the company goals. This is called top-of-the-funnel content marketing.
In contrast, starting from the bottom of the funnel is the right way to go up. Blog posts that target high purchase intent content convert better.
For a B2B SaaS content strategy, you need to target dying pain points and pair them with the product’s feature to help readers reach a confirmed decision.
For example, if a company sells a no-code website builder, then the funnel content might look like this:
- Top of the Funnel: The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Building a Website Without Coding
- Bottom of the funnel: Best [category] software for [use case]
The readers at the top of the funnel are in the research phase. The ones at the bottom of the funnel are in the decision-making phase.
Here’s a more detailed diagram for further clarity:
Identifying Bottom-of-the-Funnel (BoFu) Keywords in B2B SaaS
Compared to general SEO content, I dig my keyword research at the bottom of the funnel for B2B SaaS, meaning instead of focusing on maximizing traffic, I focus on maximizing conversions through low-search volume high-intent keywords.
- Low volume means easier to rank.
- High intent means better chances of conversions, which is always my goal with writing for B2B SaaS.
For further clarity, consider this example:
A general SEO strategy would target keywords like “game development”. This is a ToFu (top of the funnel) keyword that doesn’t promise conversion, and probably won’t rank you high since you’re up against big companies like Unity.
Instead, I target keywords like “best SaaS tools for game development.”
These keywords may have fewer searches, but they reflect the specific needs of game developers who intend to buy.
Bottom-of-funnel keywords for B2B SaaS usually fall into 4 specific categories:
- Verses
- Alternatives
- Listicles
- Solution-based
Verses
Usually, buyers compare two products before they make a decision. Using the “Brand A vs. Brand B” and then adding your brand as the third and better option, leads to high conversion.
In other words, you make honest comparisons, while positioning your product as the better solution.
For example, if your SaaS product is a competitor of Shopify or Etsy, I will compare Shopify and Etsy, and bring your product as the third option they can pick.
Alternative
An alternative keyword strategy is when you pick a competitor, and target the keyword like [Competitor] alternatives to bring their target audience in.
While it may be difficult to outrank larger competitors on broad keywords, this approach allows you to engage potential buyers who are actively comparing options. By doing so, you can position your product as a strong alternative, influencing their decision-making process.
Listicles
Listicles break content into easy-to-read lists, making them ideal for decision-makers who want quick, skimmable insights into a company. These keywords include “best” “ways” “tips” or “top” that target users looking for straightforward answers, driving better engagement.
In my experience with SEO content writing, listicles drive more conversions. These are often used to attract clicks because they attract what the users are actually looking for.
For example, if a freelancer is looking for management software, he might search for “best project management software for freelancers”. Listicles will directly go into features, pricing, pros, cons, comparisons, etc. to help the reader make the right decision quickly.
Solution-based
Solution-based or jobs-to-be-done keyword is the most commonly used content marketing strategy. These include how-to articles.
For a B2B SaaS targeting group tour planners, these keywords could look like: “How to promote your group trip” or “How to sell your tour planning subscription package”.
These are intended for buyers looking for certain solutions to their problems.
They may not know about the competitors or the solution to the problem they have.
Here’s a visual representation of a typical B2B SaaS customer journey:
You convince their confused state of mind with solution-based keywords, leading to customer loyalty, credibility, and high SEO ranking in the long run.
By focusing on these specific keywords, I can drive traffic that is more likely to result in booked demos, trials, or sign-ups, effectively increasing the conversion rate for the SaaS company.
How to Find High-Intent Keywords That Can Rank
Interview with Stakeholders
When I am managing SEO content marketing for B2B SaaS companies completely, I begin things by interviewing key stakeholders.
This allows me to learn about:
- Key product features
- Customer pain points
- Testimonials or success stories
Here are a few questions that guide my interview:
| Customer Research Questions | Product-related Pain |
| Who are the decision-makers involved in the buying process? | What are the top 3 benefits that you get from the product or service? |
| What are the most used features of the product? | What would you likely use as an alternative to the product or service if it were no longer available? |
| Is there any situation or circumstance that indicates someone is more likely to buy? | What problem were you trying to solve when you initially came across the product? |
| What customers really see the value of our product or service? | What’s holding you back from using X product/service? |
In my experience, learning from stakeholder insights such as product experience, online habits, and non-product-related pains, saves time and influences the discovery of high-intent keywords for content.
It also helps you explore and talk about the key features in more detail than the usual documented guides/presentation decks companies send to new hires.
Keyword Research Tools
Use keyword research tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs to search up key search terms derived from interviews and see if they have any search volume.
I do this before seeing what competitors are ranking for because it allows me to find keywords that are high-intent and have searches but might not be targeted by any of the competitors.
Competitors Research & Analysis
I also see what competitors are ranking for, and filter search results by keywords like “vs”, “best”, and “alternatives” to find keywords that fall into one of the main categories of bottom-of-funnel content types.
Use the content gaps feature most keyword research tools offer to see potential opportunities that you’re missing out on.
Pro Tip: Only shortlist keywords that are relevant to your product’s features and use case. We can often be tempted to go after keywords that seem great but the key is to sell the product, and you can only do that if the topic ties back to one of the key features.
The Process of Writing BoFu Content that Converts: A Sneak Peek
As I mentioned above, in B2B SaaS, decision-makers have specific needs and criteria they’re looking for in a product. They’re solution-aware but only looking to choose between you and your competitors.
My B2B SaaS content writing strategy is divided into four main steps:
- Content Ideation: Use insights gathered through chats with key stakeholders and competitor analysis to drive content ideation.
- Content Structure: Decide which content type and structure to go with for a specific keyword. This depends on SERP analysis and analyzing what type of content is ranking. Is it product pages, blog posts, or just home pages? This step gives a good idea of what type of content Google is prioritizing.
- Writing: Incorporate conversion-focused content with details of your product’s features, and how they benefit or solve the pain points of the customer, unique differentiators of your product, and comparison with competitor’s products with compelling CTAs.
- On-Page SEO: Add internal links, title tags, and meta descriptions, and optimize the content piece with the primary keyword.
My content has one primary goal: convert high-intent prospects into paying customers. It’s about providing the final push that gives leads the confidence to choose your product.
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Editor’s Note: Some strategies in this post come from Grow and Convert’s content marketing course, which I’ve found effective for my B2B SaaS clients.