The Ultimate SEO Checklist for SaaS Websites

Search Engine Optimization can feel overwhelming, but getting the fundamentals right is the key to consistent organic growth. Here is a checklist to ensure your SaaS website is set up for success.

On-Page SEO Fundamentals

• [ ] Keyword Research: Identify a primary keyword for each core page (homepage, features, pricing).
• [ ] Title Tags: Ensure your title tag is under 60 characters and includes your primary keyword.
• [ ] Meta Descriptions: Write compelling descriptions (under 160 characters) that act as a mini-ad for your page in search results.
• [ ] Header Tags (H1, H2, H3): Use one H1 per page for the main title. Use H2s and H3s to structure your content logically.
• [ ] Clean URLs: Use short, descriptive URLs (e.g., /features/reporting instead of /p-id=123).
• [ ] Internal Linking: Link between relevant pages on your site to help search engines understand the structure and spread authority.
• [ ] Image Alt Text: Add descriptive alt text to all images for accessibility and image search.

Technical SEO Basics

• [ ] HTTPS: Ensure your entire site uses a secure SSL certificate.
• [ ] Mobile-Friendliness: Your website must be fully responsive and easy to use on mobile devices.
• [ ] Site Speed: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your loading times. Aim for a load time under 3 seconds.
• [ ] XML Sitemap: Create and submit an XML sitemap to Google Search Console to help it find all your pages.
• [ ] Robots.txt: Use a robots.txt file to tell search engines which pages to avoid crawling (like admin pages).
• [ ] Schema Markup: Implement SoftwareApplication schema to give search engines detailed information about your product.
• [ ] No Broken Links: Regularly crawl your site to find and fix any broken internal or external links.
• [ ] Canonical Tags: Use rel="canonical" on pages with similar content to avoid duplicate content issues.

Content Strategy for SaaS

• [ ] Create a Blog: Regularly publish high-quality articles that solve problems for your target customers.
• [ ] Build Landing Pages: Create dedicated landing pages for each feature or use case.
• [ ] Develop Free Tools: Offer a simple, free tool (like a calculator or template) to attract relevant traffic.
• [ ] Write Comparison Pages: Create pages that compare your product to competitors (e.g., "YourProduct vs. Competitor").
• [ ] Gather Customer Reviews: Encourage reviews on sites like G2 and Capterra, as these often rank highly.

By systematically working through this checklist, you can build a strong SEO foundation that will pay dividends for years to come.