Introduction
How do you begin your content writing process for a SaaS product? You go through the well-trodden path of finding a keyword with a high monthly search volume (MSV). Then, you write a piece around the keywords, such as a blog or a technical article.
This keyword MSV-driven SEO strategy has made writing an extremely mechanical process. But remember, you are writing to provide a unique perspective and helpful information, not just to compete in a competitive milieu.
In this blog, let's understand why focusing solely on Search Volume is not the best B2B SaaS content writing strategy. Sometimes, it is best to rely on your expertise in the industry and craft content accordingly rather than fretting over whether that topic has a good Search Volume. This blog also explores the zero and low search volume keywords and whether these could be useful in making your SaaS company's content stand out.
What are Monthly Search Volumes (MSV)?
The monthly search volume indicates how many times a particular term is searched for in a month. It is calculated by taking an average of the last 12 months. It is an indicator of the momentary popularity of a particular keyword. MSV has been the trusted marker on which to base the content strategy and is generally thought of as the first metric to consider when you start content creation.
For instance, if a SaaS company wants to write content on a System for Cross-Domain Identity Management (SCIM) security, the first metric is usually to take out the MSVs of the keywords, like SCIM provisioning.
As we can see, our keyword's MSV is 1600, with a Keyword Difficulty of 37, making it quite challenging to rank.
Does the Search Volume of a Keyword Matter?
Well, yes. MSVs are great, but relying solely on the search volumes of keywords will cause two problems. Firstly, high search volume keywords have intense competition, and hence, content around such keywords will be very tough to rank. Secondly, as Brian Dean puts it, it will not stand out.
MSV tells you what people are searching for. So, it is an obvious strategy to go for what most people demand. It is like a simple supply-demand equation. But have you considered how difficult it is to break through in a market with SaaS content that has high demand? Especially for an early-stage SaaS startup.
So, rather than targeting a high volume of searches by keyword research tools and going for high search volume ones that have proven competitiveness, we go for information gaps that no one else is addressing or think ahead of the curve and write on what we believe will become searched over time.
For instance, long-tail keywords have notoriously low search volume but trump on the intent side, with highly qualified and high-intent audiences searching for them. In this way, long-tail keywords garner higher conversion rates with their niche audience despite their lower search volumes.
Despite low search volume, long-tail keywords can still range up to 50 or 100, but what about keywords with zero search volume? Well, even they have their advantages. Let's understand it in more depth.
Why is Targeting Keywords With Zero Search Volume a Great Strategy?
Keywords with zero search volume indicate that the number of people searching for them is below a registrable threshold, such that the keyword search platforms, like Semrush or Ahrefs, mark it as zero. This means that this keyword has a niche audience, and if you write content on it, you can generate a lot of traffic without competition.
Zero search volume also means that this keyword is likely to blow up in the future, given industry trends. For instance, Artificial Intelligence has seen tremendous growth in the past year and is being increasingly adopted in various industries. Notion, a SaaS-based company offering an online workspace, has incorporated AI such that many of its blogs bear topics like "Notion AI, Your Family Recipe Digitizer" or the fabulous blog named "AI is the New Plastic."
AI was not the "plastic" a short while ago, but now it is, and those who predicted AI's incredible rise and wrote about it are now enjoying the first-mover advantage. So, if you have a team of experts with industry knowledge and insights, they can, at times, accurately predict when a keyword with zero search volume will blow up. Scraping through a pile of null search volume keywords for valuable ones is a task that yields manifold benefits.
Zero search volume keywords offer a sweet spot for content creation, especially if you are a new SaaS-based startup trying to break through.
When Should You Look for Keywords With Low or Zero Search Volume?
What happens when you only rely on search volume for content ideas? You become part of the herd, producing the same content as everyone else, trying to win in a highly saturated market. Going with the trend is good, but if you have been an industry insider with significant experience, don't hesitate to become the trendsetter.
Now that we have established that search volumes are not the end-all of content writing strategies, let's see with a hypothetical example when it is the right time to deviate from search volume.
Say you are an early-stage SaaS-based startup, ZEMP, that provides an online workspace to organize your work. Their niche is productivity tools, organizational tips, and effective team communication. So, if they target a keyword like "content calendar," would their content rank in a good place?
Well, it will be a challenging task because we look at the search volume of our chosen keyword. It is incredibly high, at 4,400, which means it has high competition, and ranking will be tough.
So, if you are a new startup, targeting high MSV keywords with equally high keyword difficulty (KD) will not yield desirable results. Instead, search for long-tail keywords or valuable zero-search volume keywords that might blow up.
Where to Find Such Keywords?
Reddit Discussion Forums
A great place to find keywords not driven purely by numerical search volume analysis is where potential audiences and customers discuss. Reddit is a great place to see what words people use to present their queries and what topics they are curious about.
Research to Find Information Gaps
The most definitive missing piece in many SaaS-based content is adequate research. The more you read up on what your competitors are publishing, the more you realize the missing critical piece of information. Then, you can write content that addresses that information void. Doing research requires a thorough analysis or review of the content on any existing topic.
Google Trends
Google Trends provides data about what people are searching for right now, which gives this in a region-specific format, helping you tap into a particular geographical location. And the best thing about it is that it's free.
Steps to Use Google Trends:
- Go to the Google Trends website
- Enter your keyword
- Analyze the trends Google Trends shows you the trends of a particular keyword over a specific time and geographical region.
For example, we can add filters such as the United States and set the time to past day.
This allows us to see how much the keyword "B2B SaaS" is trending region-wise in sub-regions of our chosen geographic area, the United States.
Why is Moving Away from Solely Focusing on Search Volume a Good Idea? Think Ahead of the Curve
Rather than having a purely mechanical outlook towards content creation, which focuses on how often a particular keyword is searched, focus on solving customer pain points and actually adding value to the customer.
However, this does not mean there is nothing in it for the SaaS product. Solving customer pain points through content helps the audience and creates a loyal customer base for your brand. Such content also ranks better since there is low competition, helping newer audiences discover your enterprise.
The main idea behind thinking ahead of the curve is writing content on a topic before it has a high Search Volume, so that when its search volume increases, you are already at the top of the SERP.
How Does Thinking Ahead of the Curve Help?
1. 15% of Google Searches Every Day Are New Searches
People are continually searching for new things to gain information about novel domains. If a whopping 15% of searches are new, then writing content on topics with no MSV can also prove beneficial. In fact, accurately forecasting a probable topic that will be searched can skyrocket your content to rank at the top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
2. Get the First-Mover Advantage
Outranking an established website is a Herculean task. But what if you produce the content first? You automatically rank at the top, operating in virtually no competition.
This is called the first-mover advantage, which happens when you depart from targeting conventional keywords with high Search Volume.
3. Demand Generation - Study Your Niche
If you know your audience well, you will naturally understand what your readers want. For instance, at the Bottom of the Funnel stage, audiences are interested in comparison guides on cost structure or customer testimonials like case studies.
For example, see Notion’s customer story blog, which plays a vital role in gaining trust of potential customers and edging them toward a purchase.
This impeccable insight will yield much better conversion rates than relying on Search Volume to create content.
Conclusion
While Search Volumes are great for building your content strategy, there is a need in the B2B SaaS content space to move away from relying solely on Search Volume for devising a content writing strategy. It is a great move to craft content that you think will do well because, in the B2B SaaS information landscape, there is an information gap that your content will fill.
In this case, don't be deterred by the fact that this does not have MSV; believe in your industry expertise and deep understanding of your audience’s needs.
Book a Demo with Infrasity to get content that meets the audience's expectations and fills critical information gaps with a deep understanding of the niche audience of your SaaS company and product.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How to Find Search Volume for a Keyword?
The Search Volume of keywords can be found through several keyword search tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs, or Google Keyword Planner. These tools provide not only the search volume of keywords but also the density of each keyword and a list of related keywords as well.
2. Are There High Search Volume Low Competition Keywords?
Yes, there are, in fact, some keywords that have search volume, but significantly fewer websites actually produce content on them. Such high search volume but low competition keywords are called "low-hanging fruit" in SEO vocabulary.
They offer a great area to make your content rank since people are searching for it, but not a lot of content exists to satisfy that demand.
3. Why Should You Target Zero Search Volume Keywords?
Keywords with zero search volume can offer an excellent arena for reaching a high-intent and niche audience in a zone of virtually no competition.
Zero search volume does not mean that there are no searches for a keyword, but that a small number of people are searching for it. Many early-stage startups target zero search volume keywords to reach this niche audience.