![Software Publisher: use SEO so everyone can find you on internet [SEO checklist]](http://onlineyougrow.com/cdn/shop/articles/cov-seo-checklist-2_b412f5fa-ef47-4010-96e8-1910d4c92afa.png?v=1715867383&width=1100)
SEO isn't just for tech giants and e-commerce platforms—it's a powerful tool that the best software publishers use strategically to attract users and clients.
We understand that you're busy developing and refining your software, and the thought of optimizing your website might feel like an additional burden.
But here's the deal: you don't need to be an SEO expert or spend a fortune to make it work. Just a few simple steps can significantly improve your online visibility and bring more users to your software solutions.
To help you out, we have built a free SEO checklist - also, for a full action plan, please check our pack of marketing tactics and strategies for software publishers.
Get the SEO checklist made for software publishers
The best software publishers rank first on Google. Here is a free tool to to get you started.
What is SEO for software publishers exactly?
Simply put, SEO is all about making your software publisher’s website more attractive to search engines like Google.
When someone searches for "best project management software" or "top-rated antivirus software," SEO helps your software show up in the results. The goal is to get your website higher up on the search results page so more people can find and purchase your software.
Why is SEO Important for Software Publishers?
SEO is incredibly important for software publishers, and here’s why:
- Increased Online Visibility:
The higher your website ranks on search engines, the more people will see it. This means more potential customers discovering your software online, especially when they're looking for solutions.
- Higher Rankings on Search Engines:
Most people don’t look past the first page of search results. By optimizing your site, you can climb those rankings and beat out the competition. Imagine someone searching for "best accounting software" and finding your product right at the top!
- Attracting More Targeted Customers:
SEO isn't just about getting anyone to your site—it's about getting the right people. By targeting specific keywords related to your software, you ensure that when someone searches for a solution you offer, your product pops up. This means more qualified leads and higher conversion rates.
Key Components of SEO
Now, let’s break down the main parts of SEO specifically for your software publishing business:
On-Page SEO
This involves making sure the content on your website is optimized. It includes things like:
- Keywords:
Using the words and phrases people are searching for in your titles, descriptions, and content. For example, if you offer cybersecurity software, make sure you use phrases like "best antivirus software" or "cybersecurity solutions" on your site.
- Content Quality:
Providing useful, engaging, and fresh content about your software. Share product features, user guides, case studies, and updates about your software and team.
- Meta Tags:
Using meta titles and descriptions that are relevant and appealing to searchers. For instance, a meta description for your homepage could be "Discover [Your Software Name], the top-rated project management software for teams of all sizes."
Off-Page SEO
This focuses on actions taken outside your website to impact your rankings:
- Backlinks:
Getting other reputable websites to link to your site, which signals to search engines that your site is trustworthy and relevant. This could be from tech bloggers, industry news sites, or software review platforms.
- Social Media:
Being active on social media with your software’s page can drive traffic to your site and improve your online presence. Share product updates, customer testimonials, and industry news to engage with your audience.
Technical SEO
This ensures your website meets the technical requirements of search engines:
- Site Speed:
Making sure your website loads quickly. No one likes to wait, especially potential customers looking for software solutions.
- Mobile-Friendliness:
Ensuring your site looks and works well on mobile devices. Many people search for software solutions on their phones while on the go.
- Secure Website (HTTPS):
Having a secure website that users (and search engines) can trust. This is especially important if you have an online purchasing or subscription system.
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Which keywords should you target for your software publishing company?
Software publishers, like you, must target specific keywords in SEO because it helps your website appear in search results when potential customers look for the type of software solutions you offer. This increases the chances that people will find and purchase your software.
For example, if you specialize in project management software, targeting keywords like "best project management software" or "project management tools" helps attract customers searching for those terms. This makes it easier for people interested in project management solutions to find your software online.
Here are some keyword ideas for you. If you want a more developed strategy with actionable steps, go check out our strategy pack for software publishers.
| Keyword | Competitiveness Level | Tips and Initiatives |
|---|---|---|
| Best [Software Type] for [Industry] | High | Optimize your website with detailed feature lists, gather user testimonials, list on software review sites, and use industry-specific SEO strategies. |
| Top [Software Type] tools | Medium | Create blog posts or pages on your website highlighting your software's best features, use keywords naturally in content, and engage with industry bloggers. |
| Software for [Specific Use Case] | Medium | Use case studies and customer success stories, gather positive user reviews, and ensure your Google My Business profile is complete. |
| Best [Software Type] for small businesses | Medium | Feature small business solutions prominently on your website, use local SEO tactics, and promote special offers on social media. |
| [Software Type] for [Specific Task] | High | Highlight unique aspects of your software, create SEO-friendly content about your features, and engage with the online community. |
| Top-rated [Software Type] | High | Encourage satisfied users to leave positive reviews, optimize your website for mobile, and ensure accurate information on software directories. |
| Affordable [Software Type] | Low | Highlight affordable pricing plans and features on your website, use keywords related to value, and promote deals on social media. |
| Where to find [Software Type] | Medium | Use local SEO strategies, create content around popular features, and ensure your website is optimized for mobile users searching nearby. |
| Popular [Software Type] for [Industry] | Medium | Use social media to share popular features, engage with industry influencers, and gather user testimonials to build credibility. |
| Best [Software Type] for teams | Low | Create team-focused content, highlight collaboration features on your website, and host webinars or events to generate interest. |
What really matters when you do SEO for a software publisher
Actually, we think that SEO often follows the 80/20 rule, meaning that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. For software publishers, like you, this means it's crucial to focus on the right strategies to maximize impact without feeling overwhelmed.
| Action / Initiative | Why It Matters / How It Helps Bring New Users |
|---|---|
| Optimize Google My Business profile | Ensures your software company appears in local search results, provides essential information (hours, location, services), and collects reviews to build trust. |
| Gather and respond to online reviews | Positive reviews build credibility and trust. Responding to reviews shows you value user feedback, encouraging more people to try your software. |
| Create high-quality content with targeted keywords | Helps your website rank higher in search results for relevant queries, attracting users looking for specific software solutions. |
| Optimize for local SEO | Ensures your software company shows up in local searches (e.g., "software companies near me"), driving traffic from nearby potential clients. |
| Ensure website is mobile-friendly | Most users search for software solutions on their phones. A mobile-friendly site provides a better user experience, leading to higher engagement and conversions. |
| Use high-quality screenshots and demo videos | Attractive visuals and demos entice potential users, showcasing your software's features and usability, which can significantly influence their decision to try it. |
| Include detailed product descriptions with keywords | Allows search engines to index your software features, helping you appear in searches for specific functionalities, and makes it easy for users to understand what you offer. |
| List your software on relevant directories | Increases your online presence and backlinks, improving your search engine ranking and making it easier for users to find you. |
| Engage with tech bloggers and influencers | Generates buzz and word-of-mouth, reaching a wider audience and attracting users who trust these tech voices. |
| Promote special offers and free trials | Creates a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging potential users to try your software for unique experiences. |
| Utilize social media to share updates and engage with users | Builds a community around your software, keeps users informed about new features, and drives traffic to your website. |
| Ensure accurate and consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information across all platforms | Prevents confusion, helps search engines trust your business information, and improves your local SEO ranking. |
| Offer online demos and webinars | Makes it convenient for users to understand your software, leading to increased interest and sales. |
| Create blog posts about your software and industry trends | Attracts visitors to your site through informative and engaging content, improving SEO and showcasing what makes your software unique. |
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What is always useless when you do SEO for a software publisher
We have studied a lot of software publishers when we built our strategy pack and we saw a lot of SEO-related initiatives that don't help attract new customers. We explain here why they might be a waste of time or even counterproductive.
| Action / Initiative | Why It Doesn't Matter / How It Doesn't Help Bring New Customers |
|---|---|
| Using meta keyword tags | Search engines no longer use meta keyword tags to rank pages, so focusing on them doesn't improve SEO for your software products. |
| Keyword stuffing in product descriptions | Overusing keywords in product descriptions makes them hard to read and can be penalized by search engines, turning away potential customers. |
| Paying for backlinks from unrelated websites | Backlinks from non-tech related or low-quality websites don't improve your SEO and can even hurt your ranking if considered spammy by search engines. |
| Using exact match domains like bestsoftwareintown.com | Having an exact match domain has minimal impact on SEO and can appear spammy, especially if it doesn't reflect your brand well. |
| Creating multiple pages for the same software features | Duplicate content confuses search engines and can dilute your SEO efforts. Focus on one high-quality page for each unique feature or topic. |
| Using Flash for demo or download pages | Flash is outdated, not supported by many devices, and negatively impacts SEO. Modern alternatives like HTML5 should be used instead. |
| Focusing only on desktop optimization | Many customers search for software solutions on mobile devices. Ignoring mobile optimization leads to poor user experience and lower search rankings. |
| Using automated link-building tools | These tools often create low-quality or spammy links that can be penalized by search engines, hurting your software's SEO efforts. |
| Ignoring structured data for software details | Structured data helps search engines understand your software better. Ignoring it means missing out on potential SEO benefits like rich snippets. |
| Not updating your software information regularly | Outdated software information can frustrate customers and harm your SEO. Regular updates keep content relevant and maintain search rankings. |
| Using irrelevant stock photos on your site | Low-quality or irrelevant images can negatively impact user experience and SEO. Use high-quality photos or graphics that accurately represent your software. |
| Over-optimizing anchor text in links | Using exact match keywords for every link appears unnatural and can be penalized by search engines. Use varied, natural anchor text instead. |
| Ignoring page load speed for your website | Slow-loading pages frustrate users and can lead to higher bounce rates, negatively impacting your software's SEO. Ensure your site loads quickly. |
| Using too many ads above the fold on your homepage | Too many ads at the top of the page can be off-putting for users and may be penalized by search engines, impacting your SEO negatively. |
Should you pay someone for the SEO of your software publishing company?
Well, we will be transparent. Here’s the thing: SEO can get pretty complex, and having some support can really make a difference. Imagine trying to juggle developing your software, managing your team, keeping clients satisfied, and then on top of that, diving into the world of search engine optimization. It’s a lot, right?
Having someone handle your SEO means you can focus on what you do best—creating and improving your software. SEO experts know the ins and outs of getting your website to rank higher on search engines. They stay updated on the latest trends and algorithms, which means your site will be optimized correctly and consistently. This can lead to more people finding your software online, and ultimately, more clients purchasing or subscribing to your products.
- But here’s the kicker: there are a lot of low-hanging fruits in SEO that you can tackle on your own, even if you don’t know much about it.
You will find a lot of low-hanging fruits that cost nothing, are quick to implement, and will make your software’s website much more visible in strategy pack for software publishers.
Simple actions like optimizing your Google My Business profile, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, and using relevant keywords can significantly improve your online presence. These tasks don't require deep technical knowledge but can make a big impact.
So, should you increase the marketing budget of your software business to pay someone to manage your SEO? If you can do it, it’s a worthwhile investment. But don't underestimate what you can achieve on your own. Start with the basics, see the results, and then decide if you need more specialized help.
Make your software publishing company more profitable
We have studied the strategies of the best software publishers in the world. All their tactics are explained in our pack!
Useful tools software publishers can use for their SEO
Here are some essential tools that our team has collected and listed, to help you enhance your software publishing company's online presence and SEO.
| Tool | How It's Useful |
|---|---|
| Google My Business | Ensures your software company appears in local search results and Google Maps, provides essential information (hours, location, services), and collects customer reviews. |
| SEMrush | Helps identify the best keywords for your software products, analyze competitors, and track your search rankings. Provides insights to improve your content and visibility. |
| Yext | Manages your software company's listings across multiple directories, ensuring consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information to boost local SEO. |
| Google Search Console | Monitors your software website's performance, identifies issues, and provides data on search traffic and keywords to optimize your SEO strategy. |
| Capterra | Collects customer reviews and ratings, which improve your software's online reputation and visibility in search results. |
| BrightLocal | Offers tools for local SEO audits, citation building, and review management, helping your software company improve its local search presence. |
| Moz | Provides keyword research, link building, and site audit tools to enhance your software company's SEO efforts and improve search engine rankings. |
| Ahrefs | Analyzes your software company's backlink profile, identifies top-performing content, and tracks keyword rankings to boost your SEO strategy. |
| Screaming Frog SEO Spider | Crawls your software website to identify technical SEO issues, such as broken links and duplicate content, helping improve site health and rankings. |
| AnswerThePublic | Generates content ideas by showing what people are searching for related to your software, helping you create relevant and engaging blog posts and pages. |
| Canva | Helps create visually appealing social media posts and graphics for your website, which can improve user engagement and indirectly boost SEO. |
| Hotjar | Provides insights into user behavior on your software website through heatmaps and session recordings, helping you optimize user experience and reduce bounce rates. |
Copy the SEO tactics of the best software publishers
We understand why many software publishers might shy away from SEO and marketing.
Managing a software publishing business is already a full-time job, and the concept of SEO can seem vague and foreign. The terminology can be confusing, and it often feels like marketing is a luxury only big tech companies can afford.
Plus, there's the constant worry about costs and whether any marketing efforts will actually pay off. We get that you prefer to focus on immediate, tangible improvements to your software products rather than dive into something that seems complicated and uncertain. No need to deteriorate your software development budget here.
That's why we've created a "marketing pack" specifically for software publishers like you.
Our pack is designed to address all these concerns head-on. It includes easy-to-follow guides that break down SEO and marketing into simple steps, so you don't need to be a tech expert to understand. We offer cost-effective strategies that fit within tight budgets, and our step-by-step plans ensure that you can implement a good marketing strategy for your software without feeling overwhelmed.
Plus, we've included real-life examples and tips that have worked for other small software publishers, so you can see the tangible benefits before you even start.
Our goal is to make marketing accessible and practical, helping your software business thrive without adding extra stress to your already busy life.
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