How to Do Keyword Research for B2B SaaS

B2B SaaS keyword research differs fundamentally from consumer-focused SEO. You’re not targeting millions of shoppers. You’re targeting specific professionals with specific problems who can authorize significant software purchases. A keyword generating 500 monthly searches might be more valuable than one generating 50,000—if those 500 searches come from decision-makers ready to buy.

The stakes are higher in B2B. Average deal values often run into thousands or tens of thousands of dollars annually. One well-ranking page can generate leads worth more than entire marketing budgets. This guide covers how to find and evaluate keywords specifically for B2B SaaS companies.

Why B2B SaaS Keyword Research Is Different

Understanding the unique characteristics of B2B search.

Lower volume, higher value. B2B keywords often have lower search volume but significantly higher customer value.

Longer sales cycles. Buyers research extensively before purchasing. Content must support multiple stages.

Multiple stakeholders. End users, managers, and executives search differently for the same solution.

Technical specificity. B2B searchers often use jargon, technical terms, and specific problem descriptions.

Intent complexity. Same keyword might signal research, comparison, or purchase intent.

Smaller total market. The entire market for your solution might be thousands, not millions.

Applying consumer SEO approaches to B2B SaaS leads to targeting wrong keywords.

Understanding B2B Buyer Stages

Keywords map to stages in the buyer journey.

Problem aware. Searcher knows they have a problem but not what solutions exist. “How to reduce employee churn.”

Solution aware. Searcher knows solutions exist and is researching options. “Employee engagement software.”

Product aware. Searcher knows specific products and is comparing. “Lattice vs Culture Amp.”

Purchase ready. Searcher is ready to buy and needs final information. “Culture Amp pricing.”

Customer keywords. Existing customers searching for help. “Culture Amp integrations.”

Content should target keywords across all stages, not just bottom-of-funnel purchase terms.

Starting with Your Product

Begin keyword research by understanding what you sell.

Core features. What does your software do? List every feature.

Problems solved. What pains do customers experience before using you?

Use cases. Specific scenarios where your product helps.

Buyer personas. Who searches for and buys your solution?

Current customer language. How do customers describe their problems and your solution?

Competitor positioning. How do competitors describe similar functionality?

This foundation generates initial keyword seeds.

Finding Problem-Aware Keywords

Top-of-funnel keywords that drive awareness.

“How to” queries. How to reduce churn, how to improve employee engagement.

“Why” queries. Why employees leave, why CRM adoption fails.

Problem statements. High employee turnover, sales team inefficiency.

Industry challenges. “SaaS customer success challenges,” “healthcare compliance issues.”

Process keywords. Performance review process, customer onboarding workflow.

These keywords have higher volume but lower immediate purchase intent. They build awareness and capture emails for nurturing.

Finding Solution-Aware Keywords

Middle-funnel keywords from active researchers.

Category keywords. Employee engagement software, project management tool, CRM platform.

“Best” queries. Best employee engagement software for startups.

“Tools for” queries. Tools for customer success teams.

Feature keywords. Automated time tracking software, AI-powered chatbot platform.

Industry-specific solutions. Healthcare CRM, construction project management.

Comparison lists. Top 10 CRM alternatives, best Slack alternatives.

Solution-aware keywords indicate active shopping behavior.

Finding Product-Aware Keywords

Bottom-funnel keywords from near-buyers.

Branded searches. Your company name, product name.

Competitor comparisons. “[Your product] vs [competitor],” “[Competitor] alternative.”

Pricing keywords. “[Product] pricing,” “[Product] cost.”

Review keywords. “[Product] reviews,” “is [product] worth it.”

Integration keywords. “[Product] Salesforce integration,” “[Product] API.”

Specific feature searches. “[Product] reporting features,” “[Product] mobile app.”

These keywords have highest purchase intent but lowest volume.

Keyword Research Tools for B2B

Tools that help identify B2B keywords.

Ahrefs/SEMrush. Comprehensive keyword data, competitor analysis, content gap identification.

Google Search Console. What you already rank for—often reveals opportunity gaps.

Answer the Public. Question-based keywords around your topics.

AlsoAsked. “People Also Ask” questions for topic clusters.

SparkToro. Understand what your audience reads and discusses.

Customer conversations. Sales calls, support tickets, reviews—real language from real buyers.

Reddit/Communities. Forums where your buyers discuss problems and solutions.

Combine tool data with qualitative research from actual customer conversations. The best SEO tools can accelerate this research.

Evaluating B2B Keywords

Not all keywords are worth targeting. Evaluate carefully.

Search volume. Lower acceptable threshold than B2C—100-500 monthly searches can be valuable.

Keyword difficulty. Competition for the keyword. Factor in your current domain authority.

Business value. Does this keyword attract potential buyers or tire-kickers?

Search intent match. Can your content genuinely serve the searcher’s intent?

Customer value. What’s the potential lifetime value of a customer from this keyword?

Conversion potential. How close to purchase is someone searching this term?

A 50-search keyword that generates $50,000 deals is more valuable than a 10,000-search keyword that generates nothing.

Calculating Keyword Value

Estimate the business value of ranking.

Formula: Monthly searches × CTR for target position × conversion rate × customer value = monthly keyword value.

Example: 500 searches × 5% CTR × 2% conversion × $10,000 ACV = $5,000 monthly value.

CTR by position. Position 1 gets roughly 30% CTR, position 5 roughly 5%.

Conversion rates. Vary wildly by funnel stage and content type.

Customer value. Use your actual ACV or LTV.

This rough calculation helps prioritize keywords by potential business impact.

Building Topic Clusters

Group related keywords into topical authority clusters.

Pillar content. Comprehensive guides on main topics (e.g., “Complete Guide to Customer Success”).

Cluster content. Supporting articles on related subtopics.

Internal linking. Connect cluster content to pillar and each other.

Semantic coverage. Cover the topic comprehensively across multiple pieces.

Authority building. Depth of coverage signals expertise to search engines.

Topic clusters are particularly effective for B2B because they demonstrate expertise.

Competitor Keyword Analysis

Learn from what’s working for competitors.

Identify competitors. Direct competitors plus content competitors in your space.

Analyze their top pages. What keywords drive their most traffic?

Content gaps. Keywords they rank for that you don’t.

Weakness opportunities. Keywords where competitor content is weak or outdated.

Their pillar content. What topics have they invested in building authority around?

Backlink sources. What content earns them links you could replicate?

Competitor analysis reveals proven keyword opportunities in your market. Learn more about getting started with SEO for foundational strategies.

Intent Matching for B2B

Understanding what searchers actually want.

Informational intent. Learning, researching—serve with educational content.

Commercial investigation. Comparing options—serve with comparison content, reviews.

Transactional intent. Ready to act—serve with product pages, pricing, demos.

Check SERPs. What type of content currently ranks? That indicates what Google thinks intent is.

Match content type. If SERP shows comparison posts, don’t try to rank a product page.

Consider buying committee. Same topic might have different intent depending on role.

Mismatched intent means wasted effort even if you rank.

Long-Tail Keywords in B2B

Specific, longer phrases often convert better.

Example progression: CRM → Sales CRM → Sales CRM for startups → Sales CRM for SaaS startups with Stripe integration.

Lower competition. Easier to rank for specific terms.

Higher relevance. Matches specific use cases closely.

Better conversion. Specific searchers have clearer needs.

Combined volume. Many long-tail keywords add up.

Content opportunities. Each long-tail term can warrant its own page.

Long-tail keywords are especially valuable when your solution fits specific niches.

Keyword Research for Different Roles

B2B purchases involve multiple stakeholders.

End users. Search for how to do their jobs better. Tactical, feature-focused.

Managers. Search for team solutions. Productivity, reporting, management features.

Executives. Search for business outcomes. ROI, industry trends, strategic solutions.

IT/Technical. Search for implementation details. Security, integrations, APIs.

Finance/Procurement. Search for pricing, compliance, vendor information.

Content strategy should address keywords from each stakeholder’s perspective.

Implementing Your Keyword Strategy

Turn research into action.

Prioritize keywords. Rank by combination of value and achievability.

Map to content. Assign keywords to existing or planned content.

Identify gaps. What high-value keywords have no current content?

Create calendar. Plan content creation around priority keywords.

Track rankings. Monitor position changes for target keywords.

Measure conversions. Track which keywords actually drive business results.

Keyword research without execution is just academic exercise. Use email marketing to nurture leads from your organic traffic.

Starting Today

Begin your B2B SaaS keyword research.

List your features and use cases. Create comprehensive inventory.

Interview customers. How do they describe their problems and your solution?

Run competitor analysis. What keywords work in your space?

Use tools strategically. Combine tool data with qualitative insights.

Evaluate by business value. Not just volume—potential revenue impact.

Plan content around clusters. Build topical authority systematically.

B2B SaaS keyword research requires understanding that you’re targeting professionals making significant business decisions. Volume matters less than intent and value. Focus on keywords that attract actual buyers at various stages of their journey, and build content that genuinely helps them make better decisions. That’s how content drives growth for B2B SaaS.