Typeform's $3,000,000 SEO Strategy (Steal this)
In this blog post, I’m going to share the 4 strategies Typeform used to turn SEO into a $3,000,000 annual lifetime revenue channel.
After reading, you'll not only understand these 4 strategies, but you’ll also know exactly how to infuse them into your own SAAS business for maximum impact.
Disclaimer: Kudos to Ben Goody and the "How the F SEO" podcast for their eye-opening interview with Jake Stainer, the former head of growth at Typeform.
This blog post is what I’ve distilled from that podcast and turned into actionable insights to share with you.
(Check out their LinkedIn profiles and podcasts below this post).
Now, let's dive into the “secrets” behind Typeform's $3,000,000 SEO strategy …
- Keyword strategy:
Jake Stainer gave 3 main tools he used to inform his SEO keyword strategy.
These were using product use cases, using core SEO metrics, and using pay-per-click data.
Let's break these down …
Tool 1: Product Use Cases
Jake recommended using your product's use cases to create the foundation of your keyword research by answering three questions:
-What use cases do you have?
-Which are most loved?
-Which are best for customer attention?
Using these answers, you'll know exactly what topics and keywords you want to create content around in order to grow further.
Tool 2: Core SEO Metrics
The second thing Jake used to inform his SEO strategy was utilizing core SEO metrics.
For this segment, he recommended looking at two metrics:
1-Keyword difficulty
2-Keyword volume.
Essentially, you want to take the use cases that fulfill the first two criteria mentioned in the use case section, then identify keyword opportunities that aren't too hard to rank for and have solid traffic potential.
Tool 3: Pay-Per-Click Data
Thirdly, Jake mentioned using pay-per-click data to identify keywords that have converted best in the past for Typeform, then using this as the last tool to help build their keyword strategy.
In conclusion, we know that Jake's main keyword strategy was geared towards creating content with the main aims of generating new signups and clearly showcasing the value of the product.
However, the main way of showcasing the product's value was through this second strategy …
- Satisfying Intent at Scale
The second technique involves building a template library to meet search intent at scale.
Typeform categorized templates into groups like surveys, quizzes, performance, and tests. They strategically used these categories as modifiers in keywords, such as "X survey" or "X quiz."
Typeform's approach was methodical – creating six templates per month, prioritizing based on the keyword strategy mentioned earlier.
This systematic approach drove traffic and expanded Typeform's customer base.
- Conversion Rate Optimization (at scale)
Jake emphasized the importance of optimizing conversion rates at scale.
Typeform's SEO team conducted A/B tests on landing pages using Google Optimize.
Rather than focusing solely on signups, they concentrated on activations – users signing up, creating a type form, and previewing it.
One noteworthy example involved changing the H1 on their form builder page to be more benefit-driven, resulting in a 15% increase in signups. However, Jake stresses the significance of looking beyond vanity metrics and focusing on activation metrics, which correlates with retention and revenue.
- Leveraging Typeform for Link Acquisition
Typeform ingeniously created a link-building machine using their product.
The cycle involved users finding Typeform in search results, signing up, creating a form, and embedding it on their website.
This, in turn, created backlinks to Typeform, boosting its position in Google results and driving organic growth.
While these links may be considered weak, it was a growth hack to achieve rapid rankings. Additionally, proactive outreach for guest posting and traditional link-building techniques ensured long-term sustainability.
Implementing Strategies for Your SaaS Startup
Here are quick tips to implement these strategies for your SaaS startup:
-Build Topical Authority: Focus on building authority in areas relevant to your target audience to target bottom-of-funnel keywords effectively.
-Develop Tools and Templates: Create tools, templates, or web apps to solve smaller problems related to your SaaS product.
-Optimize Site Structure: Improve your site's structure, create topic clusters, and add internal links for better discoverability by search engines.
-Identify Activation Metrics: Define activation metrics to guide A/B tests, ensuring a focus on actions that represent true customer base growth.
-Blend Traditional and Creative Link-Building: Combine traditional link-building techniques with creative, product-driven strategies to enhance your SEO efforts.
That wraps up our exploration of Typeform's $3,000,000 annual lifetime revenue channel through SEO.
Hope you found this valuable.
-Hamse
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