Written by Will Soprano, All Things Web & Product
From writer to all things dev & tech, Will has spent a lifetime trying, failing, learning, and growing. In nurturing his ability as a writer, he found that he had a knack for supporting software developers & connecting organizations across functions.
Your product needs adoption and your users need to experience your product so that they can adopt it. This used to be a chicken and the egg thing. But in 2025 we can do both, or to use another dated saying, we can eat our cake and have it too.
We’ve seen the rise of Product-led Growth (PLG) - “activate the user as fast as possible” tactics and interactive demos gain popularity in the last few years. But how are you supposed to get those users to your site to have those experiences? This is the very core of Product-led SEO; creating demand based solely on your user needs through experiences. And when the person responsible for demand generation or SEO is involved in user research we can strike on the concept.
This isn’t your mom’s product marketing
Product marketing has always been an extension of product management & development; with both teams typically sharing the same frameworks, concepts and goals. But product marketing has, unfortunately, been pulled a bit too far off on an island unto itself when it needs to be more baked into the greater Product team, acting as a proper bridge between marketing and product rather than the “sales-deck-prettifying team.”.
There’s a difference between user research for marketing and product decisions. But those working in demand generation and SEO should still use product driven user research to create their strategies and inform plans. And this is how Product-led SEO informs its search experiences.
While research oriented around marketing focuses on the buyer’s journey and pain points before a user purchases, product-driven user research tends to focus more on the activation and “aha” moments of actual usage. When it comes to making that coveted adoption conversion (or better yet, conversion-to-paid), those moments can prove even more valuable than the best understanding of a buyer’s journey. Here’s how:
Demand generation and PLG-driven research
SEO isn’t just a marketing activity. And if we use product-led SEOit becomes a realization of your users’ needs, and your product experience. We want to create those product experiences on the web, easily accessible and imminently findable so that your users can arrive at “aha” before they even purchase.
Instead of sifting through a ton of marketing content (think top-of-funnel articles of dubious usefulness, middle-of-the-funnel content that’s a “cross your fingers and hope the JTBD resonates” play), product-led SEO removes the divider between marketing and product. Meaning that users have had an “aha” moment before signing up.
This leads to…
Designing for the “Aha” moment – A product-led SEO experience
Unlike traditional SEO, which primarily focuses on traffic generation, product-led SEO centers on delivering "aha" moments - the critical points when users realize how a product solves their problem.
These “aha” moments are the linchpin in the product-led growth (PLG) framework. But those moments in that framework are all designed in the product, after a sale has been made. We can deliver these moments & concepts in the discovery phase itself.
Leading users to “aha” moments through interactive value
To guide users to their "aha" moments product-led SEO uses tools or templates that allow users to interact with or conceptualize the product's utility directly. Two examples:
Interactive tools: A project management platform might offer a free workflow builder that allows users to create a task flow tailored to their team’s needs. As users interact with the builder, they can visualize how the tool integrates into their daily operations, demonstrating its value.
Customizable templates: Platforms like Zapier use page templates (e.g., "How to connect [App A] with [App B]") that solve specific problems and showcase how their product fits seamlessly into existing workflows. These pages solve for long-tail keywords and are imminently scalable.
Speaking of the zapier example as a model for product-led SEO
Zapier exemplifies product-led SEO through this programmatic approach. They create thousands of pages targeting specific search queries like "how to connect [App A] with [App B]," Zapier achieves the connection between PLG and Marketing:
Target long-tail keywords: These niche queries directly match user intent, driving high-quality traffic.
Showcase product value: Each page demonstrates how Zapier solves a practical problem, such as automating tasks between two apps.
These pages are designed to only talk about that problem, and not other solutions Zappier might have - or other apps that Zappier might be used with.
Encourage self discovery: Users can envision exactly how the platform works, often realizing its value before they sign up.
This brings the product-led growth model into the market rather than relying on a sign up before implementation of the PLG framework.
Zappier not only educates potential customers but also builds demand for the product by addressing real pain points, and helps them arrive at “aha”.
Building bridges between search and product value
To replicate this approach you’ll need to create content that connects user intent with product benefits / outcomes. And you can’t do that by doing marketing interviews / research. No, you’ll need to do product interviews and analyze product data.
Show your target audience how your product can solve specific, niche problems. Include examples or scenarios that visualize the solution with your product - either screenshots or actually expose part of the product (like a dashboard for example).
What sets your product apart? Advanced features, ease of use, or integrations with popular tools? Show it off!
Solve needs directly in search results! Don’t just optimize the page for SEO, optimize the entire search experience.
Product-led SEO delivers a search experience that creates product experiences, enabling users to recognize value and feel a sense of progress. You’ll improve discoverability (not necessarily traffic) but also create a bridge from search to adoption.
User research for SEO
A deep understanding of user needs begins with effective user research. Through interviews, surveys, and behavioral analysis, you can uncover the specific challenges, goals, and expectations of your target audience. That’s user research, not competitor research - to be clear.
As we discussed in our article on user research, this is mission critical for creating a product that works, and if you pull that unadulterated research into demand generation you’ll find a winning strategy. Combining that user research with SEO data, you’re able to design search optimized content that aligns with how users think, search, and engage with your products.
Remember: if 10 people use your product for reasons x y z, there are at least 10 others that aren't yet using your product. And you won’t find them unless you listen to your current users.
What are your user’s needs?
User search behavior often reflects that of their product behavior in that they’re searching for the problem that your product solves. For example, a user searching “how to automate client follow-ups” is likely exploring a process your product addresses directly.
You can show processes in any number of ways - from flow charts to spreadsheets and screenshots of your own workflows. This. Is. Your. Opportunity.
Searches are either problem focused (intent) or transactional (solution focused). Your product (and user research) holds the answer to both.
tent) or transactional (solution-focused). Your product (and user research) holds the answer to both.
How do people search?
We’re breaking molds. Social media is no longer new, we aren’t in any new era, and where people get information is more fractured than ever. For the last 20 years we’ve asked “how do people search in Google”, but in order to create better experiences for your target audience we need to consider all the places they search. On social, in forums, and on Google Search, etc.
Typically people formulate queries based on their context, urgency, and familiarity with a problem. Pro tip: context, urgency and familiarity can also be related to where in the funnel they are (TOFU, MOFU, BOFU).
Their search language reflects their expectations and emotions, from broad queries “tools for remote work” to precise phrases ”connect Google Sheets to Slack”. Matching this language and tone with your product’s expertise is critical.
Your user research holds all the information you need to identify common phrases, pain points, and preferred terminology, then integrate these into your content.
How do you serve those needs in search?
Meeting user needs in search is a new approach, using concepts that’ve proven effective over a hundred years.
We used to build things because they were cool or someone had a feeling. What we called SEO in the early aughts was a tactic, and those skills are what we’re using to deliver product-led SEO for better Search experiences. We’re just using those skills in a new way.
Things like…
Create content around user needs: Build programmatic content targeting long-tail keywords and specific questions (e.g., “How to schedule social media posts using [Your Product]”) that your product team uncovers during interviews.
Incorporate product successes: Highlight testimonials tied to outcomes, success stories tied to benefits, or examples tied to needs.
Provide interactive tools: Offer interactive elements, (guides or calculators are low hanging fruit here) that allow users to engage with your product’s value proposition before purchasing.
Align intent with product in SERPs: Write meta titles, descriptions, and page headers that reflect the connection point between user research and search intent. (hint: this is the experience we’re referring to)
By focusing on user needs within intent, language, and engagement, you create search experiences that feel personal, relevant, and actionable. Your users will arrive at “aha” before they buy, which leads to better outcomes.
Talk to your users, it’ll help you find more customers
Your new collab with product development will lead you to new users, and a better execution on your organizational strategy for product, marketing, and brand.
Earlier this year a CEO told me, “SEO should be part of every major conversation within a company”, and product-led SEO is one way that those conversations can realize new fruit.
Editor’s note
This article was co-written by Micah McGuire and Will Soprano. Micah is a Product Marketing expert that is currently building her own product (EmberWrite), a mentor on GrowthMentor, and is obsessed with user research. If you want to chat about the concepts in this article you can ping either of us on LinkedIn.
Learn more about Will Soprano on LinkedIn and his personal blog.
Will Soprano, All Things Web & Product
From writer to all things dev & tech, Will has spent a lifetime trying, failing, learning, and growing. In nurturing his ability as a writer, he found that he had a knack for supporting software developers & connecting organizations across functions. As his career arc was hitting its first peak, he found himself broken physically, emotionally, and professionally. That was the beginning of his personal growth. After years of trial and error he finally realized that sobriety was the answer. With nearly 4 years sober, he's not just a new person socially but professionally as well. The mental health community and his peers professionally have responded to his willingness to serve and authenticity.
