Traditional and Product-Led SEO

Introduction

In this course we’ll cover the mechanics of the traditional approach to SEO, that we like to call the “keyword school of thought,” which emphasizes putting out content that is packed with keywords targeting related search terms. We’ll also introduce the reader to another trend in the SEO industry known as product-led SEO.

Product-led SEO

This SEO school of thought focuses on optimizing a product’s features and functionality to drive organic traffic and improve search engine visibility. This approach takes advantage of a product’s unique value proposition and user experience to attract and retain users, which in turn leads to higher search engine rankings.

The product itself serves as the main driver of organic traffic, rather than relying on external factors such as backlinks or keywords. Product-led SEO focuses on the user experience by improving the product’s navigation, content, and overall functionality. This approach leverages the product’s strengths to drive organic traffic, improve engagement, and increase user loyalty. Some common tactics used in product-led SEO include improving the product’s user interface, making it easier to navigate, optimizing product descriptions and meta information, and creating user-generated content such as reviews and ratings.

With product-led SEO, the website or platform is refined and improved to pull traffic in rather than the flip model of keyword SEO, where large amounts of content are churned out in an attempt to attract traffic.

Examples

Here are some examples that we discuss of companies that have implemented product-led SEO:

Slack: Slack’s product-led approach to SEO is centered around its messaging and collaboration platform. The company has optimized its product features and user experience to make it easy for users to find and use the platform, which in turn helps improve its visibility in search engines.

HubSpot: HubSpot’s inbound marketing and sales platform is designed to be product-led, with a focus on making it easy for users to find, use, and share the platform and its features. The company’s SEO strategy is focused on creating valuable, relevant, and engaging content that supports its product and user experience.

There are a number of other such companies, e.g., Airtable (a cloud-based database and spreadsheet platform) and Trello (a management and collaboration platform) that focus on the product, making it easier for users to find, use, and share the platform and in turn driving organic traffic.

Comparing traditional vs. product-led SEO

Here are some key differences between the two philosophies of SEO:

Focus: Traditional SEO is focused on optimizing a website’s content and structure to make it more appealing to search engines, while product-led SEO is focused on optimizing the product itself to make it more appealing to users and search engines.

Content: Traditional SEO is focused on creating and promoting content such as blog posts, articles, and infographics, while product-led SEO is focused on the product features and functionality.

User experience: Traditional SEO is focused on improving the user experience by making a website easier to navigate and use, while product-led SEO is focused on making the product itself more appealing and user-friendly.

Metrics: The metrics used for measuring the success of traditional SEO and product-led SEO can differ slightly, as these two approaches have different goals and focus areas. For traditional SEO, the metrics typically used include:

For product-led SEO, the metrics typically used include:

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Conclusion

As SEO practitioners we can view the two methodologies of SEO as the two opposing ends of a spectrum. We don’t have to confine ourself to one or the other SEO strategy; we are free to mix and match from both school of thoughts to achieve our goals.