Running a SaaS

Google for SaaS — Why it matters and how to use it

A beginner-friendly guide to using Google’s ecosystem (Search Console, GA4, Business Profile, Merchant Center, Trends) to get discovered, measure behavior, and grow a SaaS in 2025.

Why Google matters for a SaaS

Google is where people ask questions and discover solutions. For a SaaS business, winning visibility on Google brings two big benefits:

  • Steady, qualified traffic that compounds over time.
  • Insight into what users want and how they find you, so you can improve content, pages, and onboarding.

As of mid‑2025, Google handles roughly 90% of global web searches (desktop + mobile), making it the primary gateway to discovery for most users. Inclusion in organic results is free — your job is to make the site eligible and helpful under Google’s Search Essentials. In practice: create people‑first content, keep pages crawlable and mobile‑friendly, and deliver a good page experience without manipulative tactics.

You don’t need tricks — you need eligibility, discoverability, page experience, and useful content. Google’s own tools will tell you what to fix and how users behave after they land.

Google’s toolkit for SaaS growth

Google Search Console (GSC)

Your SEO control room: shows search queries, impressions, clicks, and position; flags crawl/indexing issues; reports Core Web Vitals; and validates structured data eligibility. Data comes from Google Search (no tag required). Use it to submit sitemaps, inspect URLs, and request re‑crawls when appropriate.

Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

Your on‑site behavior analytics: users, sessions, events, conversions across all traffic sources. GA4 requires a tag or Google Tag Manager and uses an event‑based model. It complements Search Console by explaining what visitors do after they arrive.

Google Business Profile (GBP)

If local visibility matters (office, training, regional focus), GBP helps you appear on Search/Maps. Ranking is based on relevance, distance, and prominence. Keep info accurate (categories, hours), add photos, and manage reviews.

Merchant Center + Product structured data

If you sell products (hardware, merch, etc.), Merchant Center powers free listings across Google surfaces. Even without Merchant Center, Product schema can unlock rich results. In 2024, Google expanded support for Product variants markup to better represent variations.

Trends & Keyword Planner

Use Trends to spot rising topics and seasonality. Use Keyword Planner for ideas and approximate volumes (full access typically requires completing Google Ads setup with billing; running ads is optional).

PageSpeed Insights (PSI) & Core Web Vitals (CWV)

CWV focus on real‑user speed and UX: LCP (loading), INP (interactivity; replaced FID in 2024), and CLS (stability). Aim for LCP ≤ 2.5s, INP ≤ 200ms, CLS < 0.1. Use PSI for diagnostics and monitor GSC’s CWV report.

Looker Studio

Build dashboards blending GSC + GA4 (and more) to connect SEO clicks to sign‑ups/conversions and track progress over time.

A 2025 playbook to rank and grow

  1. Nail the basics (eligibility & policies)
  • Follow Search Essentials; avoid spammy tactics (link schemes, scaled low‑value content). In March 2024, Google rolled out updates targeting expired domain abuse, scaled content abuse, and site reputation abuse.
  • Create helpful, reliable, people‑first content. Expertise and usefulness win over time.
  1. Make sure Google can find and index your pages
  • Page indexing: Use GSC’s report to fix issues and ensure key pages are indexed.
  • XML sitemap: Submit and keep it up to date.
  • URL Inspection: Check specific pages and request indexing for important new/updated URLs.
  • Avoid accidental blocking: robots.txt controls crawling, not indexing; use noindex or authentication for sensitive pages.
  1. Optimize page experience (Core Web Vitals)
  • Targets: LCP ≤ 2.5s, INP ≤ 200ms, CLS < 0.1 (75th percentile of real users).
  • Use PSI for diagnostics (large images, long tasks, render‑blocking scripts). Address systemic issues that affect templates across pages.
  • Note: INP replaced FID in 2024; ensure interactivity remains responsive beyond the first input.
  1. Implement structured data (schema markup)
  • Follow Google’s structured data guidelines and validate in Rich Results Test.
  • Focus on relevant types: Article (blog/docs), Event (webinars), Product or SoftwareApplication (plans/features), Organization (site‑wide info).
  • Changes: HowTo rich results are deprecated; FAQ rich results are limited to authoritative sites — do not rely on them for strategy.
  • Product variants (if applicable) are supported via ProductGroup‑style markup.
  1. Strengthen site structure & internal linking
  • Clear, descriptive URLs; crawlable links with meaningful anchors; accurate canonicals; hreflang for multilingual sites.
  • Prevent orphaned content; fix broken links; ensure a logical hierarchy that matches navigation.
  1. Leverage local SEO (if applicable)
  • Create/claim GBP, choose accurate categories, add hours (incl. holidays), photos, and a concise description.
  • Encourage and respond to reviews; maintain up‑to‑date info. Built‑in chat/call history was retired in 2024; some regions support linking WhatsApp/SMS instead.
  1. E‑commerce considerations (if you sell products)
  • Implement Product schema with price, availability, shipping/returns where relevant; validate with Rich Results Test.
  • Set up Merchant Center and opt into free listings; monitor the Merchant listings report in GSC for issues.
  • If you have physical locations, explore free local product listings/local inventory.
  1. Research demand & topics continuously
  • Use Trends for vocabulary and seasonality; use Keyword Planner (or third‑party tools) for volumes and related terms.
  • Create content for both high‑intent queries (pricing/comparison) and educational queries that map to your product’s value.
  1. Measure and iterate

  • In GSC: monitor Performance (queries/CTR/position), Page indexing/Coverage, and Crawl Stats; watch the Search Status Dashboard for major updates/incidents.

  • In GA4: define and track conversions (signup, demo, purchase). Review engagement and paths. Implement Consent Mode v2 if you serve the EEA.

  • In Looker Studio: blend GSC + GA4 to connect SEO clicks to sign‑ups; review where to improve (e.g., high clicks but low conversions).

  • Spam/quality updates: https://blog.google/products/search/google-search-update-march-2024/

  • Search Status Dashboard: https://status.search.google.com/summary

Quick reference (cheat sheet)

  • Which queries bring traffic? What are CTR and positions?
    • Search Console → Performance (Search/News/Discover).
  • Is page X indexed? If not, why?
    • Search Console → URL Inspection + Page indexing report.
  • How fast/usable is a page?
    • PageSpeed Insights diagnostics + GSC → Core Web Vitals.
  • Are product pages eligible for rich results/Shopping?
    • GSC → Merchant listings/Products reports; Rich Results Test; Merchant Center feed status.
  • What do visitors do after landing?
    • GA4 (acquisition, events, conversions; segment by Google organic).

Common pitfalls to avoid

  • Quick‑win “hacks” (link schemes, PBNs, thin/auto‑generated content). Recent spam updates target these and can suppress rankings.
  • Relying on deprecated/limited rich results (HowTo/FAQ). Don’t architect content solely around them.
  • Ignoring INP (now the interactivity CWV). A page with good FID might still have poor INP.
  • Weak mobile experience or mismatched mobile/desktop content in a mobile‑first world.
  • Skipping privacy/consent (EEA). Implement Consent Mode v2 so Analytics/Ads adjust to consent and preserve measurement where allowed.
  • Treating SEO as set‑and‑forget. Iterate based on GSC/GA4 insights each quarter.

References for changes and policies:

Key concept: What is a “tag” here?

In web analytics/marketing, a “tag” is a small JavaScript snippet you add to your site to send data to a service (Analytics, Ads, etc.).

  • GA4 → requires a tag. Example: a <script> snippet with a Measurement ID (G‑XXXXXXX) to track pageviews, events, conversions.
  • Google Tag Manager (GTM) → a container to add/manage many tags (Analytics, Ads, remarketing) without editing code each time.
  • Search Console → does not require a tag. You verify site ownership once (DNS TXT, HTML file, or a <meta> in <head>), and Google collects search/index data on its side.

Step‑by‑step setup order (new site)

  1. Search Console
  • Verify ownership (DNS TXT recommended), submit sitemap, and check Page indexing.
  • Fix blockers (noindex, robots.txt, canonicalization) and request re‑crawls when appropriate.
  • Inspect priority URLs and request indexing after major updates.
  1. GA4 (+ optional GTM)
  • Install the GA4 tag (or via GTM). Define 1–3 core conversions (signup, purchase, demo request).
  • If you operate in the EEA, implement Consent Mode v2 (often via your CMP + GTM).
  1. Google Business Profile (if local)
  • Create/claim, verify, and complete key fields (categories, hours, description, photos). Start a review plan.
  1. Merchant Center (if you list products)
  • Implement Product/Merchant structured data; set up Merchant Center; opt into free listings; monitor GSC → Merchant listings.
  1. Reporting
  • Build a Looker Studio dashboard blending Search Console + GA4 to monitor queries, CTR, and conversions.

What to do next

  • Decide which surfaces matter (Search only? Local? Products?).
  • If globally online‑only, prioritize SEO + GA4 measurement; GBP may be optional.
  • If regional/in‑person elements matter, optimize GBP and local SEO basics.
  • If you sell add‑ons/hardware/merch, use Merchant Center + schema for visibility.
  • For everyone: keep an eye on Google updates; fundamentals make adaptation easier.

Glossary (plain English)

  • Google Search Console (GSC) — Search analytics and indexing health; no on‑site tag required.
  • Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — Event‑based analytics requiring a tag or GTM; tracks engagement/conversions.
  • Google Business Profile (GBP) — Your Search/Maps listing; optimize for local visibility and trust.
  • Google Merchant Center (GMC) — Product feeds for free listings and Shopping; monitor eligibility and policy status.
  • Structured data / schema — JSON‑LD markup enabling rich results; must reflect on‑page content.
  • Core Web Vitals (CWV) — LCP, INP, CLS thresholds for good UX.
  • XML sitemap — A URL list to aid discovery; submit in GSC.
  • robots.txt — Controls crawling (not indexing). Use noindex/auth for private pages.
  • Google Tag Manager (GTM) — One container to manage many tags without code pushes.
  • Consent Mode — Signals allowing Google tags to adjust to user consent; critical in the EEA.
  • Looker Studio — Free dashboarding to blend GSC/GA4 and visualize KPIs.

References

Invite, Affiliates & Rewards

Set up invite links, attribution, and configurable affiliate rewards (fixed and/or percent). Learn how cookies capture referrals, how attribution is finalized after login, and how rewards are computed on paid orders.

On this page

Why Google matters for a SaaS
Google’s toolkit for SaaS growth
Google Search Console (GSC)
Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
Google Business Profile (GBP)
Merchant Center + Product structured data
Trends & Keyword Planner
PageSpeed Insights (PSI) & Core Web Vitals (CWV)
Looker Studio
A 2025 playbook to rank and grow
Quick reference (cheat sheet)
Common pitfalls to avoid
Key concept: What is a “tag” here?
Step‑by‑step setup order (new site)
What to do next
Glossary (plain English)
References