Free SaaS Keyword Research Spreadsheet (With Clustering)

Why Keyword Research Spreadsheets Are a Game-Changer for SaaS Growth

Let’s be honest—most SaaS teams treat keyword research like a messy closet. You throw in a few terms here, some search volumes there, maybe a random competitor analysis if you’re feeling fancy. Then you close the door and hope for the best. The problem? When you finally need to find something, you waste hours digging through disorganized data. Worse, you miss golden opportunities because your research isn’t structured to actually drive growth.

Here’s the truth: Scattered keyword lists don’t just slow you down—they cost you money. Without a clear system, you end up:

Targeting the same keywords across multiple blog posts (hello, cannibalization)
Missing high-intent terms that could convert visitors into trial users
Wasting time on topics that don’t align with your product’s core value

What Makes a Spreadsheet “Cluster-Ready”?

A real keyword research spreadsheet isn’t just a dumping ground for data. It’s a strategic tool that turns raw numbers into actionable insights. Here’s what separates a basic list from a cluster-ready system:

Topic grouping: Keywords organized by themes (e.g., “project management software” + “best tools for remote teams”)
Intent mapping: Clear labels for informational, commercial, or transactional searches
SERP analysis: Notes on what’s ranking (videos? comparison tables? long-form guides?)
Interlinking suggestions: Built-in prompts for connecting related content

Think of it like building a house. You wouldn’t start with random bricks—you need a blueprint. A cluster-ready spreadsheet is your blueprint for SEO success.

Your Free Template: Solving SaaS SEO Pain Points

We’ve built a free spreadsheet that does the heavy lifting for you. Here’s what’s inside:

Automated clustering: Plug in your keywords, and the template groups them by topic
Intent tags: Color-coded labels to prioritize high-converting terms
SERP notes: Space to track what’s working (and what’s not) in search results
Interlinking suggestions: Pre-filled ideas to boost internal linking

No more guessing which keywords to target next. No more scrambling to organize data before a content brief. Just a simple, scalable system that grows with your SaaS business.

Who This Guide Is For

This isn’t for SEO beginners who need a 101 on keyword research. It’s for:

SaaS founders who want to stop wasting ad spend on low-intent traffic
Content marketers tired of publishing posts that don’t rank or convert
SEO specialists looking for a repeatable framework to scale their efforts

If you’re ready to turn keyword research from a chaotic chore into a competitive advantage, keep reading. The template—and the results—are waiting.

The Foundations of SaaS Keyword Research (And Why Most Teams Get It Wrong)

Let’s be honest—keyword research for SaaS isn’t like keyword research for e-commerce or local businesses. You’re not just selling a product; you’re selling a solution that often requires education, trust, and a longer decision-making process. Most teams treat SaaS SEO like any other industry, and that’s where they go wrong.

Here’s the problem: SaaS buyers don’t search the same way consumers do. They’re not just looking for “best CRM software” (though that’s part of it). They’re searching for answers to very specific problems—like “how to automate lead scoring in HubSpot” or “best tools for GDPR-compliant email marketing.” These queries might not have the highest search volume, but they’re the ones that actually convert. Why? Because they come from people who already know what they need and are ready to take action.

The Unique Challenges of SaaS Keyword Research

SaaS keyword research is tricky for three big reasons:

Long sales cycles: Unlike buying a pair of shoes, choosing SaaS software often involves multiple stakeholders, demos, and free trials. Your keywords need to align with every stage of this journey—not just the final decision.
Technical jargon: SaaS buyers are often experts in their field. They use industry-specific terms that might not show up in generic keyword tools. Ignoring these means missing out on high-intent traffic.
Feature-specific queries: People don’t just search for “project management tool.” They search for “how to set up recurring tasks in Asana” or “best integrations for Trello.” These micro-intent keywords are gold for SaaS companies, but most teams overlook them.

If you’re only targeting broad, high-volume keywords, you’re leaving money on the table. The real opportunity lies in the long tail—the specific, problem-solving queries that your ideal customers are actually typing into Google.

Intent vs. Volume: The SaaS Prioritization Dilemma

Here’s a hard truth: High-volume keywords often fail for SaaS. Why? Because they’re usually too broad. Someone searching for “best accounting software” might just be doing research, not ready to buy. But someone searching for “QuickBooks vs. Xero for e-commerce” is much closer to making a decision.

The key is to focus on conversion-ready intent. Here’s how to spot it:

Commercial intent: Keywords like “pricing,” “vs.,” “alternatives,” or “reviews” signal someone is comparing options.
Informational intent (with a twist): Not all informational queries are equal. “How to reduce churn” is great, but “how to reduce churn with [your tool’s feature]” is even better.
Transactional intent: These are the holy grail—keywords like “sign up,” “free trial,” or “demo.” They’re low-volume but high-value.

Most SaaS teams make the mistake of chasing volume over intent. They end up with traffic that doesn’t convert because they’re not speaking to the right stage of the buyer’s journey.

Why Topic Clusters Are a Game-Changer for SaaS SEO

If you’re still organizing your content around individual keywords, you’re missing out. Topic clusters are the secret weapon for SaaS SEO because they:

Align with the buyer’s journey: A well-structured cluster guides users from awareness (“what is CRM?”) to consideration (“best CRM for small businesses”) to decision (“HubSpot vs. Salesforce pricing”).
Reduce content cannibalization: Ever had two blog posts ranking for the same keyword? That’s cannibalization, and it confuses Google (and your readers). Clusters solve this by clearly defining which page should rank for which query.
Boost authority: Google loves comprehensive content. A pillar page (like “The Ultimate Guide to CRM Software”) supported by cluster pages (like “How to Choose a CRM for Your Industry”) signals expertise.

Here’s the kicker: Topic clusters aren’t just good for SEO—they’re good for your users. They create a seamless experience where every piece of content builds on the last, guiding visitors toward a conversion.

The Biggest Mistakes in SaaS Keyword Research

Even experienced SaaS marketers fall into these traps:

Over-relying on “best [tool]” queries: These are competitive and often low-intent. Instead, focus on keywords that highlight your unique features or use cases.
Ignoring competitor gaps: Your competitors might be ranking for broad terms, but are they covering the technical, feature-specific queries your audience is searching for? Probably not.
Failing to map keywords to the PLG funnel: Product-led growth (PLG) is all about letting users experience your product before committing. Your keywords should reflect this—think “how to [solve problem] with [your tool]” rather than just “why our tool is great.”

The bottom line? SaaS keyword research isn’t about finding the most popular terms. It’s about finding the right terms—the ones that attract the right audience at the right time. And that starts with understanding the unique challenges of your industry.

How to Use the Free Cluster-Ready Spreadsheet (Step-by-Step Guide)

Let’s be honest—keyword research can feel like trying to organize a messy closet. You dump everything out, stare at the pile, and wonder where to even start. That’s where this spreadsheet comes in. It’s not just a template; it’s your roadmap to turning chaos into clarity. Think of it like a GPS for your SEO strategy. You plug in your keywords, and it shows you the fastest route to ranking.

This spreadsheet has four main tabs, each designed to solve a specific problem. The Keyword Input tab is where you dump all your raw data—like a digital junk drawer. The Cluster Builder is where the magic happens, grouping keywords into topics. The SERP Notes tab helps you spy on competitors (in a totally legal way). And the Interlinking Matrix? That’s your secret weapon for building a content network that Google can’t ignore.

Ready to dive in? Let’s break it down step by step.

Step 1: Collect and Input Your Keywords (No Overthinking Allowed)

First things first—you need keywords to work with. If you’re starting from scratch, don’t panic. There are plenty of free and paid tools to help you find them. Here’s where to look:

Google Keyword Planner: Free and reliable, but limited to search volume and basic competition data.
Ahrefs/SEMrush: Paid tools with deeper insights (like keyword difficulty and SERP features), but you can get a free trial if you’re on a budget.
AnswerThePublic: Great for finding long-tail questions people are asking. Free version works fine for most SaaS niches.
Google Search Console: If you already have a website, this shows you what you’re already ranking for (and where you’re missing opportunities).

Once you’ve got your keywords, dump them into the Keyword Input tab. The spreadsheet expects specific columns:

Keyword: The actual search term (e.g., “best project management software”).
Volume: How many people search for it monthly.
Difficulty: A score (usually 0-100) showing how hard it is to rank.
Intent: What the searcher wants (more on this later).
Parent Topic: The broader category (e.g., “project management tools”).

Pro tip: Don’t overcomplicate this step. If a keyword feels relevant, add it. You can always filter or delete later.

Step 2: Let the Spreadsheet Do the Heavy Lifting (Automated Clustering)

Now for the fun part—turning that keyword dump into organized clusters. The Cluster Builder tab uses formulas to group keywords by topic and intent. Here’s how it works:

Parent Topic Matching: The spreadsheet looks for keywords with the same parent topic (e.g., “Gantt charts” and “Kanban boards” both fall under “project management features”).
Intent Grouping: It separates keywords by intent (e.g., “how to use Gantt charts” is informational, while “best Gantt chart software” is commercial).
Volume/Difficulty Sorting: Higher-volume, lower-difficulty keywords get flagged as priorities.

For example, if you’re in the project management space, the spreadsheet might cluster keywords like this:

Core Topic: “Project management software”
- Subtopic 1: “Gantt charts” (keywords like “how to create a Gantt chart,” “best Gantt chart tools”)
- Subtopic 2: “Team collaboration” (keywords like “remote team collaboration tools,” “best software for team communication”)
- Subtopic 3: “Agile workflows” (keywords like “Scrum vs. Kanban,” “best agile project management tools”)

The formulas (VLOOKUP, IF, and REGEXMATCH) do the work for you. All you need to do is double-check the groupings and tweak if something looks off.

Step 3: Tag Intent and Prioritize Like a Pro

Not all keywords are created equal. A keyword like “what is project management” (informational) won’t convert as well as “best project management software for startups” (commercial). That’s why intent tagging is crucial.

Here’s how to categorize intent for SaaS:

Informational: “How to [do X]” or “What is [topic]?” (e.g., “how to reduce churn”).
Commercial: “Best [tool] for [use case]” or “[Tool A] vs. [Tool B]” (e.g., “Asana vs. Trello”).
Transactional: “Free trial,” “demo,” or “pricing” (e.g., “Monday.com free trial”).
Navigational: Brand-specific searches (e.g., “ClickUp login”).

The spreadsheet includes a Priority Score column, which combines volume, difficulty, and intent into a single number. Higher scores = higher priority. For example:

A keyword with high volume, low difficulty, and commercial intent gets a top score.
A low-volume, high-difficulty informational keyword gets a lower score.

This helps you focus on keywords that will actually move the needle.

Step 4: Spy on Competitors and Fill the Gaps

The SERP Notes tab is where you turn data into strategy. For each keyword, note:

SERP Features: Is there a featured snippet? A “People Also Ask” section? A video carousel?
Top Competitors: Which domains are ranking? Are they big players (like HubSpot) or niche blogs?
Content Gaps: What’s missing? For example, if everyone’s writing “best project management tools” but no one’s covering “project management for remote teams,” that’s your opportunity.

Here’s a real-world example: Let’s say you’re researching “best CRM for small businesses.” You notice:

The top results are all listicles (e.g., “Top 10 CRMs”).
No one’s written a deep dive on “how to choose a CRM for a solopreneur.”
The “People Also Ask” section includes questions like “What’s the easiest CRM to use?”

Boom—you’ve just found three content angles to outrank the competition.

Final Thought: This Spreadsheet Is Your SEO Swiss Army Knife

This isn’t just a spreadsheet—it’s a system. It takes the guesswork out of keyword research and turns it into a repeatable process. Whether you’re a solo founder or part of a growth team, this template will save you hours of manual work.

So go ahead, download it, and start playing around. The best way to learn is by doing. And who knows? Your next high-ranking blog post might be hiding in that keyword list right now.

Section 3: Advanced Clustering Techniques for SaaS Content Strategy

Moving Beyond Exact-Match Keywords

Most SaaS teams stop at exact-match keywords. They find “best project management software” and call it a day. But search engines are smarter now. They understand topics, not just words. That’s where semantic clustering comes in.

Think about it: when someone searches for “how to organize team tasks,” they might also be interested in “agile workflow templates” or “team collaboration tools.” These aren’t the same keywords, but they’re closely related. A good cluster groups them together because they serve the same intent.

Here’s how to do it right:

Look for keywords that answer the same question in different ways
Group terms by user intent, not just word similarity
Include long-tail variations that cover different angles of the same topic

Why Semantic Clustering Works for SaaS

Let’s say you sell customer support software. A basic cluster might include:

“best help desk software”
“customer service tools”
“ticketing system for small business”

But a semantic cluster goes deeper. It might also include:

“how to reduce customer wait times”
“automating support with AI”
“self-service portal examples”

These terms don’t share keywords, but they all relate to improving customer support. When you create content around this cluster, you’re not just ranking for one term—you’re building authority on the entire topic.

Tools to Help You Cluster Smarter

You don’t need expensive software to do this well. Here are some free and low-cost tools that can help:

Google’s “People also ask” – Shows related questions users are searching for
AnswerThePublic – Visualizes semantic connections between keywords
AlsoAsked – Maps out question-based clusters
Your own spreadsheet – The template we’re sharing makes this easy

The key is to look for patterns. If multiple related terms keep coming up, that’s a strong signal they belong in the same cluster.

Putting It All Together

Semantic clustering isn’t just about SEO—it’s about understanding your audience. When you group keywords this way, you’re forced to think about what your users really want. Are they looking for a tool? A solution? A comparison?

For example, a cluster around “team productivity” might include:

“how to improve team focus”
“best time tracking apps”
“remote work productivity tips”
“meeting efficiency tools”

Each of these serves a different angle of the same core topic. When you create content for this cluster, you’re not just targeting keywords—you’re building a comprehensive resource that answers all the questions your audience has about team productivity.

This approach does two things: it helps you rank for more terms, and it positions your brand as the go-to expert on the topic. That’s how you turn keyword research into real business growth.

Free SaaS keyword research spreadsheet (with clustering)