How I’d Build a $10k MRR SaaS Using SEO in 8–12 Months

You don’t need a huge team or ad budget to build a profitable SaaS business. With a smart SEO strategy and some hustle, you can go from $0 to $10k MRR within a year. Here’s how I’d do it.

Phase 1: Keyword Research

SEO starts with solid keyword research—this is the foundation. I’d begin by using a keyword research tool. If that’s not an option, I’d either:

• Hire an SEO expert
• Or use a free tool like OutGenerate

My goal is simple:

• Find a niche that’s easy to monetize with low-competition, high-intent keywords
• Secure an Exact Match Domain (EMD) that aligns with that keyword

A favorite example I found is “ai shopping assistant” — highly monetizable, easy to build around, and has around 1,500 monthly searches.

Phase 2: Building the Product

Once I pick the keyword and domain (e.g., aishoppingassistant.io), it’s time to build.

Key rule: Good SEO needs a good product. Bad products don’t get traffic, even with perfect optimization.

I’d keep the MVP lean but solid—something users can test, love, and talk about. Clean UI, useful features, and clear CTAs are non-negotiables.

Phase 3: Marketing and Launch

Most people wait for SEO to kick in. I wouldn’t.

I’d go hard from day one:

• Launch on Product Hunt, Reddit, Twitter
• Share in niche communities where my users hang out
• Offer a free plan to attract early adopters
• Gather feedback fast and improve rapidly

All of this helps trigger Google crawl sessions, which is crucial early on. If Google doesn’t crawl your site, it can’t rank it.

And with an EMD like aishoppingassistant.io, every visit reinforces my site’s relevance for that exact keyword.

Phase 4: Link Building and Directories

This phase is all about distribution.

I’d start listing the product on directories, SaaS showcases, link roundups, and review sites. Even “low-quality” links can be useful if they drive real traffic or initiate crawls.

Navigational backlinks help build authority. For the next 30 days, I’d be laser-focused on spreading the site across the web.

Phase 5: Monetization

By month 4, I’d start monetizing. But carefully.

Instead of removing the free plan completely, I’d cap it—maybe limit usage or features. Meanwhile, I’d build and share free tools and content that solve problems in my niche.

This helps expand the number of keywords I rank for, and earns more organic traffic.

SEO Traction and Growth

By month 6 to 8, with consistent publishing, backlinks, and a solid product, I should be at around:

• 100,000 monthly visitors
• Even with just 1% of them converting at $10/month, that’s $10k MRR

Conclusion

This roadmap isn’t magic—but it works. With the right keyword, a solid product, and consistent SEO execution, it’s very possible to grow a SaaS to $10k MRR in under a year.

Feel free to steal this plan. Seriously.