Episode Details

Spencer Haws spent $5,000 on a cheap developer to build his first software product. It broke after two weeks. He started over, invested $30,000 more, and turned a 1,000-person email list into a six-figure business using SaaS SEO strategy on his blog NichePursuits.com.

Spencer reveals how his SaaS SEO strategy grew his email list 3-4x between launches, why his relaunch did 3x the sales of his first attempt, and how consistent blogging about SEO experiments drove SaaS organic growth that compounded month after month.

🔑 Key Lessons

• 🛠️ Solve your own problem to build SaaS SEO strategy credibility: Spencer built Long Tail Pro because he needed faster keyword research for his own niche sites. Being your own target customer gives you built-in authority.
• 📉 A failed launch does not mean a failed market: Spencer's first version broke after two weeks. Instead of quitting, he invested $30,000 in a better developer and rebuilt from scratch.
• 💰 Content marketing compounds into a SaaS SEO strategy growth engine: NichePursuits.com grew his email list 3-4x between launches. Consistent blogging turned readers into customers month after month, driving SEO strategy for SaaS organically.
• 🎯 Validate with competitor data before building: Spencer confirmed the market after Market Samurai disclosed $6.7 million in revenue through an email. One data point removed his biggest uncertainty.
• 🤝 Affiliate partnerships amplify reach: Spencer used ClickBank to manage affiliates and reached out to SEO bloggers who already had his target audience. This SaaS search strategy drove sales beyond his own blog.
• 🧠 Hire the best developer, not the cheapest: The first cheap developer produced software that broke in two weeks. The expensive Elance hire became a three-year partner who delivered a stable product.

Chapters

• Introduction
• Who is Spencer Haws
• Success quote: Make hay while the sun shines
• What Long Tail Pro does and who it serves
• Why keyword research still matters after Google updates
• How Long Tail Pro differentiates from competitors
• Building niche websites and learning SaaS SEO strategy
• The moment Spencer decided to build Long Tail Pro
• Hiring a developer as a non-technical founder
• Validating the market with competitor revenue data
• Total cost to build the first version
• Getting the first customers from an email list
• Charging from day one at $37-47
• The product breaks and Spencer starts over
• Relaunching with a bigger email list
• Relaunch results: $10,000+ in the first two weeks
• Content marketing and affiliates as growth drivers
• Ongoing challenges of competing in a crowded market
• Revenue today: a healthy six-figure business
• Growth potential and hiring a marketing employee
• Lightning round

Resources

• Full show notes: https://saasclub.io/23
• Join 5,000+ SaaS founders: https://saasclub.io/email