Your keyword tool says “0 searches.” But real people are typing these terms into Google every day. Here’s how to find the ones worth writing about.
You open your keyword tool. You type in a keyword that feels perfect for your product. Specific. High-intent. Exactly how your buyers talk.
And the tool says: 0 monthly searches.
So you skip it. You go after something with 500+ volume instead. Something broader. Something every other SaaS company is also targeting. And six months later, that post is sitting on page four… doing nothing.
I’ve worked with 30+ B2B SaaS companies on their content, and this is one of the most common patterns I see. Teams trust the number in the tool over their own instincts about what their buyers are searching for. The thing is, “zero volume” almost never means zero people searching. It means the tool can’t measure it.
Let me walk you through how to find these keywords, how to tell which ones are worth your time, and why they tend to convert better than the high-volume terms everyone fights over.
Key Takeaways
- Zero search volume doesn’t mean zero searches. It means the tool can’t detect demand below its measurement floor.
- B2B SaaS queries get undercounted more than most because clickstream panels miss corporate and privacy-focused users.
- Specific, long-tail keywords convert at higher rates than broad, high-volume terms because the searcher is closer to a buying decision.
- Google Autocomplete and People Also Ask surface real queries before keyword tools ever pick them up.
- Google Search Console gives you first-party proof of actual search demand, regardless of what third-party tools report.
- Customer conversations and community forums reveal the exact language your buyers use, and that language becomes your keyword list.
- Always validate before you write by checking SERP overlap, traffic potential, and whether the keyword maps to a real buying stage.
- Zero-volume keywords compound over time. A cluster of specific, well-written posts builds topical authority and helps your whole site rank better.
What Are Zero Search Volume Keywords?
These are search queries that keyword research tools (Ahrefs, Semrush, Google Keyword Planner) report as having no measurable monthly searches.
But here’s the thing. These tools pull their data from Google Keyword Planner estimates and clickstream panels. Both have a detection floor. If a query falls below that threshold, it gets rounded down to zero. That doesn’t mean nobody’s searching for it.
The volume estimates these tools provide are just approximations based on limited data sources. And those data sources have blind spots, especially when it comes to niche and technical B2B searches.
And in SaaS specifically, this matters more than in most industries. Your buyers use niche, technical, product-specific language. They search for things like “CRM with built-in invoicing for freelancers” or “onboarding tools for remote HR teams.” Those queries are real with considerable demand. They just don’t register on the dashboard.
Why Zero Search Volume Keywords Matter in SaaS
There are a few reasons these terms are especially valuable for SaaS content teams.
The Tools Undercount B2B Queries
Clickstream panels (the secondary data source most SEO tools rely on) tend to underrepresent corporate users and privacy-focused browsers. That means enterprise and niche SaaS queries get missed more often than consumer searches. If your keyword research only relies on what the tool shows, you’re working with incomplete data.
SaaS Creates New Categories All the Time
Your product might solve a problem that prospects don’t have standard vocabulary for yet. Google has confirmed that roughly 15% of daily searches are queries that have never been searched before. In SaaS, where new tools and categories pop up constantly, that number probably hits even harder.
Specific Queries Convert Better
This is the big one. Someone searching “project management software” is browsing. Someone searching “project management tool for creative agencies under 20 people” is buying. The more specific the search, the closer that person is to a decision. An NP Digital study across 40 companies found that six-word keywords converted at 1.94%, while single-word terms converted at just 0.17%. That’s a huge gap.
Lower Competition, Faster Rankings
When a keyword shows zero volume, most teams skip it. That means fewer competing pages. For SaaS startups without big domain authority, that’s a real advantage. You can rank on page one within weeks instead of competing for months against established players.
How to Find Zero Search Volume Keywords in SaaS
Here are six methods that actually work. You don’t need all of them. Pick two or three that fit your workflow and use them consistently.
1. Google Autocomplete and People Also Ask
This is the simplest starting point. Type a broad term related to your product category into Google and watch what shows up in the autocomplete dropdown and the People Also Ask box.
For instance, if you sell a CRM and type “best CRM for…” you could see Google finish that sentence with phrases like “best CRM for consulting firms” or “best CRM for nonprofits under 50 people.” Many of these will show zero volume in Ahrefs, but Google wouldn’t suggest them if nobody was searching.
The People Also Ask box is just as useful. It surfaces questions your buyers are actually asking… and those questions often make great blog post angles.
Tip: Try adding letters after your seed keyword (the “alphabet soup” method). Type “SaaS billing a,” “SaaS billing b,” “SaaS billing c” and see what comes up for each letter.
2. Google Search Console
If you already have content published, Search Console is one of the best places to start. It shows you the actual queries that triggered impressions for your pages, regardless of what third-party tools say the volume is.
Go to Performance > Search Results. Filter by queries. Look for terms that are getting impressions but show zero volume in Ahrefs or Semrush. Those are real queries from real people. You’ve got first-party proof that demand exists.
This is especially useful for finding related terms you can build new content around. If your existing post on your product’s core topic is getting impressions for a specific long-tail phrase you never targeted, that’s a signal worth building a content strategy around.
3. Community Forums and Online Discussions
SaaS buyers talk about their problems in communities long before they type anything into Google. And they use language that keyword tools don’t track.
Spend 30 minutes browsing subreddits, Quora threads, and niche communities where your target buyers hang out. The right community depends on your product’s niche. If you sell HR software, that might be forums where People Ops leaders share challenges. If you sell a sales engagement tool, it could be communities where SDR managers swap tactics. Go where your buyers are already having conversations.
For example, if you sell an employee engagement platform and keep seeing HR leaders ask “how do I measure if our new onboarding process is actually working,” that’s a keyword opportunity. Even if the exact phrase shows zero volume, the demand is clearly there. You could build a blog post targeting that specific question and optimize it for AI search at the same time.
What to look for: Questions that come up repeatedly. Specific frustrations with existing tools. Phrases people use to describe problems (not solutions).
4. Customer Conversations
This one gets overlooked constantly. Your sales team, support team, and customer success team hear the exact words your buyers use every single day.
Review call transcripts, chat logs, support tickets, and onboarding notes. Pull out the phrases people use when they describe their problems.
For instance, if you sell a time-tracking tool and prospects keep saying “we waste hours chasing timesheets from contractors every month,” that maps to a keyword like “how to automate contractor timesheet collection.” That phrase could show zero volume, but it’s exactly what your buyers are typing into Google. Turning that into a well-structured content brief and blog post could land you a page-one ranking with almost no competition.
5. Keyword Tool Filtering (Ahrefs/Semrush)
Even though the tools undercount, you can still use them to find zero-volume keywords. The trick is how you filter.
In Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, enter a broad topic related to your product category and filter for questions. Then sort by lowest volume or filter for KD (keyword difficulty) under 10. You’ll find clusters of specific, long-tail queries that the tool barely registers.
Also check the “Global Volume” column. Sometimes a keyword shows zero for the US but has 20-30 searches globally. That tells you the query has traction even if the country-specific number rounds to nothing.
6. Pain-Point to Keyword Mapping
This is the most underrated method. Instead of starting with a tool, start with a specific customer pain point. Then phrase it the way a buyer would type it into Google.
For example, if you sell an analytics platform and your ICP keeps saying “we can’t tell which features our trial users actually care about,” that maps to a keyword like “how to track feature usage during SaaS trial” or “which product features matter most to trial users.” These terms could show zero volume, but they match exactly how product managers search when they’re trying to solve a real problem. And if your content isn’t ranking right now, this kind of specific, intent-matched content is often what turns things around.
Start with the pain. Then reverse-engineer the keyword. Not the other way around.
How to Validate a Zero Volume Keyword Before You Write
So you’ve found a few zero-volume keywords. Before you invest time writing a full blog post, run through these four checks to make sure the keyword is worth it.
1. Google the Exact Phrase
Type it into Google. If autocomplete finishes it, people are searching for it. If People Also Ask boxes show up, Google considers it a legitimate query. If the top results are forums, outdated posts, or irrelevant pages, there’s a clear opportunity to rank with something better.
2. Check SERP Overlap
Look at the top 5 results. If they’re the exact same pages that rank for a broader, high-volume head term, your “zero volume” keyword is probably just an unpopular way of asking the same question. The real difficulty is actually high. But if the results are different from the head term’s results, you’ve found a genuinely distinct topic.
3. Look at Traffic Potential
In Ahrefs, check the Traffic Potential metric for the keyword. If the TP is much higher than the stated volume, that term is a gateway into a bigger topic. You’ll rank for the zero-volume phrase and pick up related queries alongside it.
4. Check if It Maps to a Buying Stage
A zero-volume keyword that maps to a real step in your buyer’s journey (comparing solutions, evaluating features, looking for alternatives) is almost always worth targeting. One that’s purely trivia or curiosity… probably not. The closer it is to a purchase decision, the better it will convert.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Zero-volume keywords can be a great opportunity, but there are a few ways teams mess this up. Here are the most common ones I see.
1. Publishing Thin Content for Every Variation
Don’t create 50 short posts targeting every slight rewording of the same question. Google’s helpful content system evaluates your site as a whole. A bunch of shallow pages can actually hurt you. Fewer posts, more depth. That’s the move.
2. Ignoring SERP Overlap
Some zero-volume keywords look unique but actually return the same top results as a competitive head term. If that’s the case, you’re not really finding an easy win. You’re just finding a different door into the same crowded room. Always check the SERPs before writing. If your team is already making content strategy mistakes like chasing vanity metrics, adding more thin content won’t help.
3. Treating the Keyword Tool as the Final Word
The tool is a starting point. Not the answer. Use it alongside GSC data, community research, and customer conversations. The best keyword strategies I’ve seen combine at least two or three sources instead of relying on one dashboard.
Need SaaS Blog Content That Ranks for the Keywords Your Competitors Skip?
I write SEO blog posts for B2B SaaS companies, focused on specific, high-intent keywords (including the ones that show zero volume in the tools) that turn search traffic into signups. If your team needs a writer who understands SaaS keyword strategy and can create content that actually performs, let’s talk.
Final Thoughts
Zero search volume keywords aren’t some secret hack. They’re just a smarter starting point for SaaS companies that can’t outspend their competitors on content.
The tools aren’t wrong, exactly. They’re just incomplete. And in B2B SaaS, where your buyers use specific, niche, technical language… that gap between what the tool shows and what people actually search is bigger than in most industries.
Pick two or three methods from this post. Build them into your regular content workflow. And start treating “0 volume” as a signal to investigate, not a reason to skip.
You might be surprised how much traffic (and how many signups) are hiding behind that zero.
If you need help creating SaaS blog content that targets these kinds of keywords and actually ranks, I’d be happy to chat. Schedule a call here.
FAQs
1. Are Zero Search Volume Keywords Worth Targeting for SaaS Companies?
Yes. In B2B SaaS, many of the most valuable queries show zero volume because tools can’t measure niche, technical searches. These terms often attract qualified buyers with specific intent, which means they tend to convert better than broad, high-volume keywords.
2. Why Do Keyword Tools Show Zero Volume for Keywords People Are Actually Searching?
Keyword tools rely on Google Keyword Planner data and clickstream panels, both of which have a detection threshold. Queries that fall below that threshold get rounded to zero. This affects B2B and niche SaaS terms more than consumer searches because corporate users are underrepresented in clickstream data.
3. How Do I Know if a Zero Volume Keyword Will Actually Bring Traffic?
Google it first. If autocomplete finishes the phrase or People Also Ask boxes appear, real demand exists. Then check Ahrefs’ Traffic Potential metric and compare the top results against broader head terms. If the results are different, you’ve found a genuinely distinct topic worth targeting.
4. Can I Use Ahrefs or Semrush to Find Zero Search Volume Keywords?
You can, but you need to filter differently. Enter a broad topic, filter for questions or low keyword difficulty, and check the Global Volume column. Also combine tool data with Google Search Console, community research, and customer conversations for a fuller picture of real demand.
5. How Many Zero Search Volume Keywords Should I Target at Once?
Focus on quality over quantity. Publishing clusters of related, in-depth posts works better than creating dozens of thin pages. Target three to five zero-volume keywords per month as part of a broader content strategy, and make sure each post is thorough enough to rank on its own.
6. What Types of Zero Volume Keywords Convert Best in SaaS?
Comparison queries (Product A vs Product B), alternative queries (Competitor alternatives), and feature-specific use-case queries (best tool for specific task) tend to convert best. These terms attract buyers who are actively evaluating solutions and are closer to making a purchase decision.
