Product Led SEO is a book by Eli Schwartz. Eli’s experience at Survey Monkey and consulting for some of the bigger product led companies on the internet has given him a unique perspective on SEO.
I assume he is the one behind the naming of Product Led SEO so he gets extra bonus points for creating his own niche/category in the crowded digital marketing space.
I enjoyed reading the book and captured my notes and takeaways from it.
You can buy or preview the book below👇.
Introduction: What is Product-Led SEO?
Main Idea: Eli Schwartz introduces Product-Led SEO as an alternative to traditional SEO, focusing on how SEO should align with the product, audience needs, and unique value propositions rather than just keywords and backlinks. It emphasizes focusing on conversion over traffic/clicks.
Takeaway: SEO should be PART of the product, not a separate marketing tactic. It should target real users, create valuable content, and help businesses grow by solving problems with the product in mind.
Chapter 1: Why Traditional SEO Is A Red Ocean Strategy
Main Idea: Traditional SEO (keyword research, backlinks, high search volume) works for companies that need a lot of eyeballs (think media companies). They monetize their traffic completely different than a SaaS, e-commerce, or service would. Because many companies chase competitive keywords without understanding their product’s unique strengths or user needs it’s a red ocean strategy that everyone can do.
Takeaway: Instead of following a generic SEO strategy, align your approach with your product’s goals and target audience. For some, ranking for high-traffic keywords might be less effective than focusing on niche, lower-traffic, but high-conversion keywords.
Chapter 2: Defining Product-Led SEO
Main Idea: Product-Led SEO revolves around creating SEO strategies that integrate deeply into the product and are focused on delivering value to the users. It prioritizes intent and relevance over search volume.
Takeaway: Successful SEO isn’t about manipulating algorithms—it’s about understanding your users and building content and tools that naturally attract and engage them. SEO should evolve from the core product offering, not from external marketing pressures. This got me thinking about questions like “how does this new feature improve our SEO content” or “what user intent should we capture with a new feature?“
Chapter 3: Audience and Intent First
Main Idea: The core of Product-Led SEO is understanding who your audience is and what they intend to do when they search. Rather than trying to rank for specific keywords, focus on how your product solves the audience’s problems.
Takeaway: Identify the search intent behind queries and create product-specific content that addresses those needs. It’s about matching the searcher’s intent to the value your product delivers. Therefore, it’s okay to go for low volume keywords if you know customers are looking for that solution.
Chapter 4: Building SEO into Your Product Development
Main Idea: SEO should not be an afterthought. Instead, it needs to be integrated into the product development lifecycle from the start. This includes identifying opportunities for organic growth within the product.
Takeaway: Align product teams and SEO teams early on so that features and content are built in ways that are both user-friendly and optimized for search. This leads to more natural and long-lasting SEO benefits.
Chapter 5: Scaling SEO Without Traditional Tactics
Main Idea: Schwartz challenges the traditional tactics of building tons of backlinks and pumping out keyword-stuffed content. Instead, he recommends scalable strategies that revolve around high-quality, useful content that can organically attract traffic.
Takeaway: Focus on scaling product-centric content that addresses user problems in depth. For example, instead of creating multiple pages targeting slight keyword variations, create comprehensive content that serves multiple user intents. I think about websites like HubSpot and ahrefs who make “go to” resources on given topics in their industry.
Chapter 6: Measuring SEO Success
Main Idea: Traditional SEO metrics like traffic and keyword rankings don’t always reflect true success. Product-Led SEO emphasizes business outcomes such as user engagement, conversion, and product adoption.
Takeaway: Measure what matters—look at how SEO impacts user engagement, product usage, and conversion rates rather than simply traffic. Define SEO success based on how it contributes to the product’s goals and overall business growth.
Chapter 7: Building Authority Through Product-Led Content
Main Idea: Authority and trust come from creating content that people actually want and need. This type of content naturally attracts links and shares because it provides real value.
Takeaway: Instead of actively pursuing backlinks, create genuinely useful and insightful content that aligns with your product. The more valuable your product-centric content is, the more it will attract organic links and engagement.
Chapter 8: SEO and Product Teams Collaboration
Main Idea: To succeed with Product-Led SEO, your SEO and product teams need to work closely together. SEO should influence product decisions, and product development should consider SEO opportunities.
Takeaway: Break down silos between SEO and product teams. Regular communication and shared goals can help ensure that SEO is integrated into product design and development.
Chapter 9: Localizing SEO for Global Expansion
Main Idea: As your product grows, so does the need for localization. This chapter explores how to leverage Product-Led SEO strategies for international markets by focusing on local search behavior and cultural nuances.
Takeaway: Adapt your SEO strategy to fit local contexts and user behavior in different regions. Don’t simply translate content—ensure it’s relevant to the local audience’s needs and language.
Chapter 10: Building a Sustainable SEO Strategy
Main Idea: Schwartz emphasizes that SEO is a long-term investment. Product-Led SEO is not about short-term wins but creating a sustainable strategy that grows as your product grows.
Takeaway: Focus on long-term, sustainable growth rather than quick wins. Build an SEO foundation that aligns with your product’s growth trajectory and continuously improves over time.
Chapter 11: Case Studies of Product-Led SEO Success
Main Idea: The chapter dives into real-world examples of companies that have successfully implemented Product-Led SEO strategies and achieved sustainable growth.
Takeaway: These case studies demonstrate how focusing on product and user intent can lead to significant, long-term SEO success. Learn from these examples to understand how you can adapt similar strategies to your business.
Key Insights:
- Product-Centric SEO: Align your SEO efforts with your product’s unique value and user needs, not just high-traffic keywords.
- Intent Over Keywords: Focus on understanding search intent and creating content that fulfills those needs, rather than just optimizing for keyword volume.
- Collaboration is Key: SEO should be integrated with the product development process from the start. Close collaboration between SEO and product teams is essential.
- Measure What Matters: Success is not just about traffic or rankings but how SEO contributes to product engagement, conversions, and business growth.
- Sustainability: SEO is a long-term game. Build sustainable strategies that evolve as your product and business grow.
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