Issue #23: How Canva Growth-hacked SEO with Template Pages
Here's what we can learn from Canva
Hey founder!
Ever wondered how Canva built their massive organic traffic without burning through their marketing budget? I've got a fascinating story that might just change how you think about SEO.
🎯 The Power Play: Template-Driven SEO
Canva pulled off something brilliant: they created millions of template pages targeting specific search terms. But here's what made it truly special – when someone searched for "birthday party invitation template" or "professional resume design," they landed directly on a page with exactly what they needed.
Think about that for a second. No generic landing pages. No endless scrolling. Just immediate value.
📊 Real-World Example
Let's break this down with a concrete example:
Search Term: "modern restaurant menu template" Traditional Approach: Generic template gallery page Canva's Approach: Dedicated page with:
Curated restaurant menu templates
Industry-specific design tips
One-click template customization
Related restaurant marketing resources
💡 Why This Matters For Your SaaS
I've seen many founders overlook this approach because it seems too simple. But here's the thing – it works because it perfectly aligns with how people actually search for solutions.
🛠️ Action Steps (You Can Start Today)
Audit Your Users' Search Behavior Map out the specific terms your ideal customers use when looking for solutions like yours. Tools like AnswerThePublic or even your own support tickets are goldmines for this.
Create Dedicated Landing Pages Start small – pick your top 5 use cases and build pages that directly address these needs. Make sure each page has:
Clear value proposition
Immediate solution access
Relevant social proof
Frictionless next steps
Optimize for Conversions Remember: traffic is just the beginning. Each template page should have a clear path to your core product.
🎯 Quick Win for This Week
Pick ONE specific use case for your product. Create a template or solution page that directly addresses it. Optimize it for the exact search terms your ideal users would type into Google.
💬 From the Trenches
"We implemented this approach for our Sales enabled tool startup last quarter. Started with just 9 highly-targeted template pages. Result? 32% increase in organic signups, with these users showing 2x better retention than our average."
Growth Lead at Layerpath
🤔 Something to Think About
💡 What specific problems do your users try to solve first? Those are your template opportunities.Keep building awesome things!
Best, Balaji
P.S. Reply to this email with your biggest SEO challenge – I read and respond to every message.
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