The power of high-intent keywords for SaaS growth

‍What are high intent keywords?

High intent content is when you stop connecting with people in the early stages of the funnel and start targeting those who are in their moment of decision (i.e. at the very bottom of the sales funnel).

High-intent content is not just another piece of content for the sake of filling your blog or website. It's deeply tailored, and goes beyond surface-level advice delivering to people ready to act.

High intent vs low intent keywords

Think of it as the difference between a general “Is Webflow good for blogging” article and a very specific one like “Webflow for B2B SaaS blogs” That level of detail signals that the person behind the search (e.g. SaaS co-founder) is past the exploration phase and is now actively deciding.

So, here is the difference between high intent and low intent keywords:

Low-intent keywords answer early questions, showing that people are interested in a topic, product, or service.

High intent keywords show that people are ready to act (e.g. subscribe, sign up, buy) by typing in keywords like “buy something”, “best something” or “someone’s pricing.”

To sum it up:

• Target low-intent keywords to earn trust early.
• Target high-intent keywords to turn prospects into customers.

Now, before we dive into the actual steps to scale your high intent content, let’s explore the benefits it brings for your SaaS business.

How to use high-intent keyword strategy to your SaaS advantage?

High-volume keyword strategy helps you [.green]generate qualified leads, sign-ups and sales[.green].

Instead of providing specific piece of information or answer to a searcher’s question, high intent content frameworks drive leads.

Here is how:

• Gain more leads on a monthly level: Keywords with highest intent can bring thousands of not only monthly organic traffic, but qualified leads.
• Ranking higher than your competition: A high-intent content strategy zeroes in on pain points, boosting your chances of outpacing competitors in organic growth.
• No need to increase ad spend for each click: High-intent content drives organic growth, delivering consistent results without additional costs.

The catch with high-intent keywords you need to know

Would you rather bring in more traffic or conversions?

In other words: Would you rather have 3.9K visitors looking up "What is Webflow?" or 130 people searching for "Webflow for SaaS"?

Sure, top-funnel keywords will bring in more traffic, but those 100+ high-intent visitors are:

• Aware of their problem
• Actively searching for solutions
• Ready to convert

It’s all about conversion potential (when visitors generated from a money-keyword become customers).

Top 3 steps to craft high intent content for SaaS growth

Here are the best-performing steps for high intent content.

1. Learn how to find buyer keywords

There are four ways:

• Use Semrush’ Keywords Explorer
• Use Google’s search bar
• Identify keywords you are missing
• Find ads history of your money-keywords

First, to show you how to find high-intent keywords, we’ll be using Semrush’ Keywords Magic Tool.

Enter a few broad terms related to your primary keyword for business.

Buyer intent keyword refers to “Commercial” (i.e. the user wants to investigate brands or services) or “Transactional” (i.e. the user wants to complete an action) intent keyword.

To speed up your research, filter to list based on specific intent you’re searching for.

Next step is to find buyer keywords via Google’s search. Try to think as your “future” customers.

They might want to “buy”, or compare the “best” solutions before they make a purchase.

For example:

Also use Google related searches:

Then, create a list of buyer intent keywords. And create valuable content.

You can also [.orange]filter your keywords by CPC[.orange] to get highest intent topics:

CPC refers to the average cost in USD advertisers shell out every time someone clicks on a Google Ad linked to a specific keyword.

Now it’s time to learn how to use Semrush’s Keyword Gap Tool to identify keywords for which your domain doesn’t have rankings, but your competitors do.

So, “top Webflow agency” is a high commercial intent keyword we should definitely consider using for our content strategy.

Finally, it’s time to check ads history of your money-keywords.

Insert your keyword in Ads History search bar.

Choose one of your competitors and analyze ad history.

Source the keyword ideas if any valuable.

You can also check their ad copy:

2. Understand people’s pain points on a more human level

At this stage, let go of keyword obsession and transform your in-depth research into a compelling, meaningful story.

Seek forum-based sources, such as Reddit and understand your target audience's issues on a deeper level. Every component of your writing must tie back to your goals. People need to understand [.orange]how your product/service is different[.orange].

Here is how you can do this:

• Take detailed notes during your client meetings: Capture their thoughts, pain points, and challenges and make real improvements in your approach.
• Search for your competitor’s customer reviews: Analyze what your competitors excel at and where they fall short. Identify their pros and cons, then focus on improving in areas where they struggle.
• Follow experts in your field on social media: People share raw experiences and work challenges all the time (especially on LinkedIn). It’s a goldmine of insights you can tap into and use to level up your own strategies.

If you skip this step, you won’t be able to apply high intent content to your strategy.

3. Analyze the SERP thoroughly

Search intent is an SEO term explaining why people perform a search engine query.

Let’s start with a tricky one.

Imagine as if you are the founder of a future message app.

The concept of a "future message app" isn’t entirely new, but it is relatively niche and may not be widely known or understood by all audiences.

So, your potential customers might have heard about your services through word of mouth, and now they’re searching for “future message”.

At this stage, their level of awareness is still low. But targeting early-stage searchers will help you build trust and brand awareness, without being buried in the Google’s results.

So, why do they need to send future messages? You have to target their pain points.

If your content is compelling enough to convince them that they need “future message services,” they’ll likely continue searching for “future message app” or “best future message app”.

They are at the end of the sales funnel and [.green]ready to use the app[.green].

Finally, it's time to dive into the actual content types.

3 Types of high-converting content

Now when you know what high intent content is and how to find appropriate keywords, it’s time to learn about the the best-performing types of high intent content.

1. Reviews and comparisons

Pain point: “When people look for our solution, they see our competitors ranking above us. Or they find more valuable resources. Our position isn’t high enough.”

Solution: Comparisons help you natively present your product's features through the competitive context. People can compare the products at their pre-buying stage and finally decide.

How to create comparison articles:

• Be the trusted expert: Show your expertise with first-hand experience, detailed comparisons or reviews, and evidence like visuals or data to build authenticity.
• Focus on user decisions: Highlight what matters most (e.g. key benefits, drawbacks, and standout features) to guide users in choosing the best option for their needs.
• Explain pros and cons: When recommending the product/service as the best overall or (not so good) for a certain purpose, include why and back it up with first-hand supporting evidence.

Example of a high-value comparison:

Don’t forget to:

Source: Google Search Central

2. Case studies

Pain point: “We lack in the quality of our leads and our competitors are better at showcasing the results they achieved on their website.”

Solution: Case studies showcase real-world examples of how your solution works (concrete data, outcomes, and client testimonials) demonstrating expertise and proven success.

How to create case studies:

• Pick a star customer: Choose client with a great story where you can demonstrate your big wins, clear results, or a unique transformation that others will envy.
• Show visuals to support your knowledge: Use real data and helpful visuals as fully as possible to support your first-hand experience.
• Spotlight your process and solution: Start with the client’s problem, describe your process and solution, and end with a mic-drop result that leaves readers inspired and ready to convert.

Example of a case study:

3. “How-to” articles

Pain point: “We rely on paid ads, but the moment we stop spending, everything grinds to a halt. We need killer articles that show prospects how to do something—and why we’re the ones to help them nail it.”

Solution:

How to create how-to articles:

• Start with the struggle: Hook readers by addressing their pain point—make them say, "That's exactly what I need help with!"
• Break it down like a friend would: Use simple steps, clear visuals, and original examples to make the process feel doable.
• Provide raw screenshots: Deliver a detailed step-by-step process quick so they feel progress right away and make them see why you’re the best choice to handle the rest.

Example of a “how-to” article:

Scale your strategy with high volume keywords

You are now ready to create a list of buyer intent keywords and boost your SaaS growth strategy.

Remember:

• Understand keyword intent types thoroughly before starting content creation
• Spend your time on finding best-matching buyer keywords
• Think like your customers (imagine as if you are one of them)

To implement the best high-intent content marketing strategy, follow the steps from this guide. And remember that [.green]understanding keyword search intent[.green] is crucial.

Use high intent keywords for products you’re selling or services you’re offering and organic growth will follow.