How to Choose Keywords for a New SaaS Website

You have built a software product. You know it solves a real problem. But when you type a few words into Google that describe what your software does, your website is nowhere to be found. That is a keyword problem.

Choosing the right keywords for a new SaaS website is different from picking keywords for a blog or an online store. Your customers do not search the same way. They compare features. They read reviews. They try free trials. And if you pick the wrong keywords, you will spend months writing content that never brings in a single signup.

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This guide walks you through exactly how to choose keywords for a brand new SaaS website. No fluff. Just steps you can take today, even if you have never done keyword research before.

Why Keyword Choice Matters More for SaaS Than Anything Else

A clothing store can rank for “buy red dress” and sell the same dress to anyone. A SaaS company cannot do that.

Your software solves specific problems for specific people. If you rank for a keyword that brings in the wrong audience, those visitors will bounce. They will never start a trial. You will waste time, money, and energy.

Good SaaS keywords do three things:

• They attract people who actually have the problem your software solves
• They signal buying intent, not just curiosity
• They are reachable for a new website with low authority

Most new founders make the same mistake. They go after big, competitive keywords like “project management software” or “email marketing tool.” Those terms have thousands of searches per month. They also have thousands of established competitors. A new site has zero chance of ranking for them in the first year.

Smart founders start small. They target the long tail. And they build from there.

The Three Types of SaaS Keywords You Need

Before you open any keyword tool, understand the three categories of keywords that matter for a SaaS website. You need all three.

1. Problem-Aware Keywords

These are people who know they have a problem but do not know a solution exists. They search for things like “why is my team missing deadlines” or “how to track client work hours.” They are not looking for software yet. They are looking for answers.

These keywords have lower conversion rates in the short term, but they build trust and brand awareness. A person who reads your guide on missing deadlines today might sign up for your project management tool three months from now.

2. Solution-Aware Keywords

These people know they need software. They just do not know which one. They search for “best task management software” or “top CRM for small business.” They are comparing. They are reading reviews. They are ready to try free trials.

These keywords convert much faster. But they are also more competitive. You will need to work harder to rank for them.

3. Product-Specific Keywords

These people already know about your software or your competitors. They search for “Asana vs Trello” or “[your product name] pricing” or “[your product name] free trial.” These keywords have the highest conversion rates because the person is very close to buying.

For a new website, your own product name keywords are easy to rank for. Nobody else is competing for them. And competitor comparison keywords are also reachable because you can write genuinely helpful comparison content.

A healthy keyword strategy for a new SaaS site has mostly problem-aware and product-specific keywords in the first six months, with a small number of solution-aware keywords that you target very carefully.

How do I Find My First 50 SaaS Keywords?

1. Brainstorm from Your Customer’s Mouth

Do not guess what words people use. Listen. Go through every sales call recording, every email, every support ticket. Write down the exact phrases customers use to describe their problem. Not the technical term. The everyday term.

For example, if you sell accounting software for freelancers, your customers might say “track business expenses” not “expense management system.” They might say “send invoices from phone” not “mobile invoicing solution.” Use their words.

Do this for an hour and you will have twenty solid keyword ideas.

2. Use Free Tools to Expand Your List

Open Google and start typing one of your seed keywords. Look at the autocomplete suggestions. Those are real searches people make. Scroll to the bottom of the search results page and look at the “related searches” section. Those are also keywords.

Then open a free tool like AnswerThePublic or AlsoAsked. These tools show you the questions people ask around a topic. For a SaaS, question keywords like “how to,” “what is,” and “why does” are gold because they match problem-aware searchers.

3. Check Search Volume and Difficulty

Now you need to know if a keyword is worth chasing. A free Google Keyword Planner account gives you search volume ranges. It is not perfect, but it is enough to start.

For a new SaaS website, only target keywords with:

• Search volume between 50 and 500 per month (lower is fine too)
• Low competition (look at the first page of Google. Are there big brands? Are there high-authority domains like Forbes or HubSpot? If yes, skip that keyword for now)

Do not worry about tiny search volumes. Ten keywords with 50 searches each give you 500 visitors. If even 5% of them convert to a free trial, that is 25 trials. From zero budget. That is a win.

4. Prioritize by Intent, Not Volume

This is where most people mess up. They pick the keywords with the highest search volume. Do not do that. Pick the keywords where the searcher is most likely to buy.

A keyword like “how to send a monthly invoice” has lower volume than “best invoicing software.” But the person searching “how to send a monthly invoice” is actively doing the task.

If your software makes that task easier, they are ready to try it. That keyword might convert twice as well as the higher-volume term.

Rate each keyword as high, medium, or low intent. Then sort by intent first, then by volume. Target high-intent keywords even if they have tiny search volumes.

5. Build Topic Clusters Around Core Themes

Do not pick random keywords. Group them into clusters. For example, if you sell social media scheduling software, your clusters might be:

• Cluster A: Scheduling basics (how to schedule posts, best times to post)
• Cluster B: Analytics (how to track engagement, best metrics for Instagram)
• Cluster C: Competitor comparisons (Buffer vs Hootsuite, Later vs Planoly)

For each cluster, create one pillar page that covers the big topic broadly. Then create smaller articles that cover each specific keyword. Link them all together. This tells Google you are an expert on that topic.

The One Keyword Research Method That Works for New Sites

Here is a specific tactic that almost nobody uses but works incredibly well for new SaaS websites.

Go to G2, Capterra, or any software review site. Look at the reviews for your competitors. Scroll to the “cons” section.

What do people complain about? They will write things like “I wish it had better reporting” or “the mobile app is slow.”

Those complaints are keyword opportunities. Someone who writes “best project management software with reporting” is searching for a solution to that exact complaint.

If your software has good reporting, you can create a page targeting that phrase. And because it is specific, almost nobody else is targeting it.

Do this for ten competitor reviews and you will find low-competition, high-intent keywords that your competitors are ignoring.

Tools You Can Use Without Breaking the Bank

You do not need expensive subscriptions to start. Here is a simple toolkit:

• Google Keyword Planner (free) – Get search volume ranges
• AnswerThePublic (free tier) – Find question keywords
• AlsoAsked (free tier) – See related questions people ask
• Ubersuggest (free tier) – Keyword ideas and difficulty scores
• Google Search Console (free) – See what keywords already bring you traffic once your site has some pages

If you have a small budget, Ahrefs or Semrush are excellent. But do not buy them until you have exhausted the free tools and know exactly what you need.

Common Mistakes New SaaS Websites Make

Targeting keywords that are too broad. 

“CRM software” has massive volume and zero chance of ranking for a new site. Target “CRM for freelance designers” instead.

Ignoring local keywords.

 If you sell to Nigerian businesses, target “best accounting software in Nigeria” or “inventory management for Lagos stores.” Local keywords have less competition and high conversion rates.

Writing content without a conversion path. 

Every keyword you target should lead to a specific page with a clear next step. A blog post about “how to track team productivity” should link to your free trial page for your productivity software. Otherwise, you get traffic but no customers.

Forgetting about your pricing and product pages. 

Your own product pages are keywords too. Optimize your homepage for “

software” and your pricing page for “ pricing.” Those are easy wins.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many keywords should a new SaaS website target in the first three months?

Focus on 10–20 high-intent, low-competition keywords. Create one piece of content for each. Do not spread yourself thin. It is better to have ten well-optimized pages than fifty thin pages.

How long does it take to rank for a new keyword?

For a brand new website with no authority, expect 3–6 months for very low competition keywords. For medium competition, 6–12 months. Do not check rankings every day. Check once a month.

Can I target the same keyword as my competitor?

Yes, but only if you can offer something better. A longer guide. More recent data. A free template. Better examples. Google ranks the best answer, not the oldest.

Should I target keywords with zero search volume?

Sometimes. Zero search volume in keyword tools does not mean zero people search for it. The tools only show a sample. If a keyword is very specific and perfectly describes your software, go for it. You might be the only one ranking for it when someone finally searches.

What is the biggest sign that I picked the wrong keyword?

High traffic but zero trial signups. That means the keyword attracts curious people, not buyers. Drop it and find a better one.

Conclusion

Choosing keywords for a new SaaS website is not about finding the biggest numbers. It is about finding the right people at the right time.

Start with the words your customers actually use. Target problems, not just product names. Prioritize intent over volume. And be patient.

You will not rank for “best CRM” in year one. That is fine. Rank for “best CRM for real estate agents in Kenya” instead. Win that search. Then expand. Then win the next one.

What is the one problem your software solves better than anyone else? Write down the exact phrase a customer would use to describe that problem. That is your first keyword. Start there.