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The Simple SEO Strategy That Grew Our Startup

Hey there, founders and entrepreneurs. I want to share a strategy that could save you a lot of time, money, and stress. It's the approach that helped our startup grow from a small team to serving millions of users in just 4 years.

The Strategy

The strategy? It's surprisingly straightforward: Build what people are already searching for.

That's the core of it. But let's dive a bit deeper, shall we?

The Two Key Questions in Product Development

When you're building a product, you're essentially trying to answer two critical questions:

  1. What should we build?
  2. How do we get people to use it?

Many founders spend months grappling with these questions, often burning through resources in the process. We found a way to tackle both at once.

Our Approach: Building for Search Intent

We were in the business of creating video tools. But here's what set us apart: Instead of guessing what to build or copying competitors, we looked at what people were actively searching for online.

How It Worked

Our process was simple but effective:

  • We used tools to see exactly what people were typing into Google.
  • We built products that directly addressed those search queries.
  • When we launched, there was already an audience searching for our solution.

It was like having insider knowledge of market demand.

The Results

This approach had some significant benefits:

  • Prioritization became straightforward.
  • Our product backlog was always full of validated ideas.
  • We had built-in distribution from day one.

Our top-of-funnel growth was strong, and we saw a healthy conversion rate to paid users. Plus, we didn't need to rely heavily on paid advertising - our organic traffic was robust.

Tools You Can Use

Want to try this approach? Here are some tools that can help:

Paid Tools:

  • Ahrefs: Comprehensive SEO toolkit. It's pricey but powerful.
  • Clicks.so: A newer option, offering competitive features at a good price point.
  • Mangools & SEMrush: Solid alternatives with a range of useful features.

Free Tools:

  • Ahrefs free tier: Limited, but a good starting point.
  • Google Trends: Great for understanding search interest over time.
  • YouTube search bar: The autocomplete suggestions can be goldmines of information.
  • Glimpse: Useful for identifying emerging trends.
  • Keywords Everywhere: A handy browser extension for quick insights.

A Tool I Built:

I've also created a tool to streamline this process. It helps you identify the most promising keywords to research for your niche. You can check it out at sidecart.co/keywords.

Companies Successfully Using This Strategy

  • Zapier: They've created numerous landing pages, each targeting specific user needs identified through search data.
  • Canva: They excel at understanding user intent and tailoring their product experience accordingly.
  • Various PDF chat tools: These newer companies are finding success by addressing specific problems people are searching for solutions to.

In Summary

Here's the process boiled down:

  1. Identify what people are searching for in your niche.
  2. Build products or features that directly address those searches.
  3. Launch to an audience already looking for your solution.
  4. Grow your user base through strong organic discovery.

It's a straightforward approach, but it can be remarkably effective.

Wrapping Up

Next time you're planning your product roadmap or thinking about growth strategies, consider this approach. It could save you a lot of guesswork and resources.

If you found this post helpful, I'd appreciate if you'd share it with other entrepreneurs who might benefit from this strategy.

Here's to building products people are actively seeking!