Editorial
The Gist
-
Intent drives clicks. Content that misses what the reader wants will miss traffic, no matter how optimized it looks.
-
Broad isn’t better. Going after high-volume or trendy keywords can backfire if they don’t match your niche or buyer.
-
SEO needs upkeep. Traffic drops when brands treat SEO like a launch checklist instead of ongoing maintenance.
You have most likely heard that content is king. And yet, despite sprinkling in keywords in your content and consistently publishing blog posts, your traffic isn't where you expected. Meanwhile, your competitors are ranking higher than ever in the SERPs.
Ninety-six percent of content gets no traffic from Google. This means that brands are coming up with innovative SaaS products, but no one can find them. But the good news is that these SEO pitfalls are easily fixable. The payoff is more visitors, more leads and higher conversions.
These are the seven most common SEO mistakes B2B SaaS brands make, along with practical strategies for fixing each one.
Table of Contents
- Ignoring Search Intent
- Targeting the Wrong Keywords
- Neglecting Technical SEO
- Thin or Generic Content
- Forgetting About Link Building
- Treating SEO as a One-Time Task
- Ignoring the Competition
- Summary of Common SEO Mistakes and Fixes for B2B SaaS Brands
- SEO Isn't Magic, It’s Maintenance
Ignoring Search Intent
Search intent is about understanding the customer's needs and goals. Too many brands create content based on what sounds impressive, or worse, what their competitors are doing, without considering the reader. After hiring a B2B SaaS SEO agency and before tackling things like keyword research or building links, the first thing brands should understand is their audience. Who are they, why are they searching, and what do they hope to find?
When your brand’s content doesn't align with the searchers' intents and goals, visitors will bounce quickly because it's not what they are looking for, Google will be less likely to rank it, and you will lose trust and credibility with your customers. Your content will fall short, regardless of how well-optimized it is.
How to Fix it
Begin with your audience, not the algorithm. Understand what the user is trying to solve and what kind of result they are hoping for. Tools like Ahrefs and Semrush will help analyze SERP features and common follow-up questions.
After that, create content that builds trust and solves problems. If the intent is to learn, give them an explainer or a how-to. If it is to compare, a side-by-side breakdown will suffice. And if they want to act, provide a clear call to action.
Targeting the Wrong Keywords
Many brands unknowingly optimize for keywords that are too broad, are too competitive or attract the wrong audience. High search volume doesn't always mean high value. You may rank for a keyword with high traffic, but if it attracts users far outside your target market, your conversion rates will suffer.
How to Fix it
Tools like Ahrefs will help you carry out thorough and detailed keyword research. Don't just focus on the search volume; check the SERP analysis, keyword difficulty and the sites that are currently ranking. Identify niche, long-tail keywords that are less competitive but still highly relevant.
Neglecting Technical SEO
Technical SEO is the backbone of SEO, yet it doesn't get the same attention as content or keywords. Google has repeatedly revealed that your website should provide readers with the best user experience.
Technical issues, such as broken links or slow load times, can significantly impact your site's performance in search engines. And in SaaS, where your website is often your primary conversion machine and first impression, this is a problem you can't afford to ignore. Common technical SEO mistakes include no structured data/ schema markup, broken internal links and 404 errors, missing or incorrect sitemap and poor mobile responsiveness.
How to Fix it
Use tools like Google Search Console to run regular technical audits and monitor problems. Fix indexing and crawl issues. Index important pages, block duplicated pages and submit the updated sitemap to Google. Also, consider compressing images to improve your site's speed. In other words, make sure that everything works fine and that both Google and users can easily access information.
Thin or Generic Content
Too often, brands publish content for the sake of publishing, and some of this content is just copycat versions of what's already published. This doesn't add value, only noise. In a saturated SaaS market, noise gets ignored. Both Google and your readers see generic content as being lazy. You either don't understand the topic or don't care enough to dive deeper. When users don't find value in your content, they won't stick around. Thin and generic content leads to low page time, high bounce rates, poor rankings and a missed opportunity to build topical authority.
How to Fix it
Don't just rehash what's already ranking. Go the extra mile to make your content original. Look for expert quotes, market data and product-specific context. Find an expert to break down complex topics into easy-to-digest content. Show how your tool solves the problem you're writing about. If possible, use videos or step-by-step walkthroughs to help users understand the process.
Forgetting About Link Building
Most brands think the links will come if they publish good content. They normally don't, at least not without a little outreach and strategy behind the scenes.
Links are one of Google's top ranking factors. Internal links help with user navigation, while external ones build credibility. Overlooking linking strategy means orphaning pages on your website.
How to Fix it
To fix this, first create original and comprehensive content worth linking back to. Then reach out to SaaS directories, relevant blogs and podcast hosts with personalized pitches. Tell them you have content worth linking to and offer value in exchange. Tools like Google Alerts and Ahrefs will help you find mentions of your brand without a link. Reach out and politely ask for one.
When building a link strategy, start with your top-performing content, which is already converting or ranking well. A few quality links can be all that's missing to push them to SERP position one.
Related Article: Is Your Marketing Strategy Built for Economic Uncertainty?
Treating SEO as a One-Time Task
SEO isn't a checklist item you do once and then call it a day. It is a continuous process that requires constant effort and periodic tracking. Google is dynamic and always shifting trends. Every few months, it updates its algorithm and tweaks the ranking factors. On the other hand, your competitors are publishing new content. If you fail to optimize your content regularly, you risk having your rankings decline or never climb at all.
How to Fix it
Treat SEO as an ongoing initiative. Schedule content updates, link-building campaigns and regular audits. Use tools like Google Search Console to get real-time insights into what's working. Finally, monitor your performance periodically to determine which posts are performing well, which pages need a technical fix and where your conversion drop-offs are occurring. Revisit your posts every 12 months to update data and maintain their relevance.
Ignoring the Competition
How can you outperform your competition if you don't know what they are doing? While the goal is to create unique, high-quality content, pretending your competitors don't exist doesn't give you an edge. It leaves you behind. When you don't pay attention to your competitors, you miss out on keywords they are ranking for, content gaps they are capitalizing on and potential backlink sources you could pursue.
How to Fix it
Conduct competitor audits to see what your top competitors rank for and what content brings them traffic. Study their content and create something more in-depth, targeted and helpful. Try to identify what they might have missed or underserved in their content, and then create content that fills these gaps with more clarity and value.
The strategy is to outrank, not copy. Study their strategy, then build something better.
Related Article: 4 Latest SEO Trends to Help With Better Ranking
Webinar
Sep
25
CMS Briefing: A Live Look at What’s Next in AI-Driven Platforms
Learn how leading organizations are using AI‑driven tools to publish faster, personalize smarter and stay secure.
Register
Webinar
Sep
25
Call Spoofing Trends Financial Institutions Can't Afford to Ignore
Don't let robocalls sabotage your customer relationships. Learn how to secure your voice channel.
Register
Webinar
Oct
16
Agentic AI Playbook: Real-World Customer Service Use Cases You Can Deploy Now
Boost self-service by 30% and slash call volume by 63% with agentic AI.
Register
Webinar
On demand
Ready or Not: How Data-First Organizations Are Unlocking Agentforce Potential
Learn how to cut through the noise, activate Agentforce and build a Salesforce AI strategy that actually delivers.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
CX Reality Check: What Your Customers Are Really Thinking
Register now and get the insights you need to not just meet rising expectations, but exceed them.
Watch Now
Webinar
On demand
Content Leaders Collective: What a Good CCMS Actually Looks Like
Discover how content leaders transform clunky systems into growth engines — and why your competitors are ahead.
Watch Now
Summary of Common SEO Mistakes and Fixes for B2B SaaS Brands
This table outlines the top SEO pitfalls SaaS brands often face and provides practical solutions for each issue.
| Mistake | Description | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Ignoring Search Intent | Creating content without understanding what the searcher actually wants. | Focus on solving user problems; tailor content formats to learning, comparison or action intent. |
| Targeting the Wrong Keywords | Going after broad or irrelevant keywords that don’t align with your buyer. | Use tools like Ahrefs to find long-tail, relevant and less competitive keywords. |
| Neglecting Technical SEO | Overlooking load speeds, broken links, sitemaps and mobile usability. | Run regular technical audits; fix crawl issues, optimize speed and ensure mobile responsiveness. |
| Publishing Thin or Generic Content | Creating low-value, unoriginal content that fails to engage or inform. | Produce original content with expert input, data, and real product context; use visuals or walkthroughs. |
| Forgetting About Link Building | Expecting links to come without effort or strategy. | Create quality content and actively pitch it to relevant websites, directories and podcasts. |
| Treating SEO as a One-Time Task | Failing to update content and adjust strategies over time. | Schedule ongoing audits, content updates, and performance tracking every few months. |
| Ignoring the Competition | Not learning from or benchmarking against what competitors are doing. | Conduct regular audits of competitor content and fill gaps with better, more helpful information. |
SEO Isn't Magic, It’s Maintenance
Most B2B SaaS brands fail because they overlook the basics and treat SEO like a one-off campaign. Avoiding the common mistakes outlined above will immediately give you an edge over your competitors. SEO is all about hacking the algorithms and serving people better than competitors.
Learn how you can join our contributor community.
