The most lucrative positions are log-jammed with well-funded, entrenched competition. It can take months, if not years, to establish yourself among the elites.
Identifying low-hanging fruit can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Especially when that haystack numbers in the tens of thousands of potential topics.
This topic report provides an example.
We analyzed 35,920 project management keywords across 98 term groups.
These recommendations are first prioritized into strategic categories, each with a different objective. Then, the top term groups in each category are laid out into a quarterly-focused 12-month implementation plan.
Copying and pasting this exact strategy obviously won’t cut it. But it’s meant as a guide to show you how to strategically break down a competitive space to draw insights. And then turn those into actionable next steps.
We can, however, customize these to your particular business – taking into account things like product or customer relevance, existing topical authority and content you might already have, or how to “enter” other competitive topic categories to establish long-term brand dominance.
Our methodology is based on over a decade of getting results in competitive spaces, and draws on first-hand knowledge of this specific product category working with brands like monday.com and Miro. So if you’d like to customize a similar plan like this for you, reach out.
Otherwise, let’s get into it.
This SEO and content strategy analysis examined 35,920 project management-related keywords to identify high-value opportunities for SaaS companies.
Here is the summarized Google spreadsheet with the data. Source data pulled from Ahrefs & analyzed on September 14th 2025.
The analysis utilized multiple ranking factors including search volume, keyword difficulty, commercial value, and competitive positioning to categorize keywords into strategic buckets that align with different stages of the customer journey and business objectives.
The methodology involved calculating percentile-based scores across four key metrics: search volume (monthly searches), keyword difficulty (competition level), cost-per-click (commercial intent), and commercial value (business impact potential).
These metrics were weighted and combined to create a strategic keyword scoring system that identifies the most valuable opportunities for organic search visibility.
The “project management” keyword universe was segmented into three primary strategic categories, each serving distinct business purposes and targeting different user intents within the project management software ecosystem.
These strategic categories include:
Let’s examine each of these strategic categories in a little more detail, giving you a better idea of the term groups included. We’ll also provide some additional context to explain the reasoning for their categorization as well.
The Entry category focuses on educational and career-development content that captures users early in their project management journey.
This category includes degree, masters, mba, associate, resume, and videos term groups.
These keywords target individuals seeking to enter or advance in project management careers, representing a significant opportunity to build brand awareness and establish thought leadership while capturing users who will eventually need project management tools and training.
The Entry category shows strong commercial potential with 48,360 monthly searches for Top Targets keywords and $460,044 in commercial value.
The relatively low competition in this space (many keywords with difficulty scores under 10) makes this an attractive area for quick wins and authority building.
The Commercial category represents the highest-value opportunity with keywords directly related to purchasing decisions and solution evaluation.
This category encompasses software, certification, online, google, teams, crm, marketing, certified, small, master, programs, and agency term groups.
These keywords capture users actively seeking project management solutions, comparing vendors, or looking for implementation guidance.
The Commercial category demonstrates high business potential with 311,770 monthly searches for Top Targets alone and $1,745,821 in commercial value.
This category includes high-intent keywords like “google project management certificate” (11,000 monthly searches) and “agency project management software” that directly align with SaaS product positioning and lead generation objectives.
The Awareness category targets users seeking information about project management methodologies, tools, and best practices.
This includes best, agile, construction, certificate, portfolio, asana, resource, trello, and engineering term groups.
While these keywords may not immediately convert to sales, they build brand authority and capture users in the research phase who may become customers over time.
The Awareness category offers substantial reach with 184,630 monthly searches for Top Targets and significant opportunities for content marketing and thought leadership positioning.
After categorizing term groups into those three strategic categories, we then analyzed and prioritized the individual keywords. We focused on the “higher” priority categories overall, including Entry, Commercial, and Awareness term groups.
Here’s how the individual keywords within each were scored and sorted:
We’ll provide a few examples of the prioritized keywords below to again give you a better idea of the approach. The implementation plan below will then go into more detail on how to prioritize these in sequential order.
Quick Wins represent keywords with high commercial value but relatively low competition, offering the fastest path to ranking improvements and traffic growth.
These keywords typically have difficulty scores below 15 and strong commercial intent.
Example Entry Quick Wins include “online project management masters” (350 monthly searches, difficulty 3) and “project management associate degree” (200 monthly searches, difficulty 0). These keywords allow for rapid content creation and ranking success while building authority in the education space.
Commercial Quick Wins feature “online project management degree” (1,900 monthly searches, difficulty 8) and “master in project management online” (350 monthly searches, difficulty 4). These keywords offer immediate opportunities to capture high-intent traffic with manageable competition levels.
Awareness Quick Wins include “best project management certification” (1,400 monthly searches, difficulty 6) and various tool-specific keywords that can drive traffic while building brand recognition in the broader project management ecosystem.
Top Targets represent the highest-value keywords that require more significant investment but offer substantial returns.
These keywords balance high search volume with manageable competition levels and strong commercial potential.
Entry Top Targets include “project management degree” (7,300 monthly searches) and “masters in project management” (2,000 monthly searches), which can establish educational authority and capture users early in their career development journey.
Commercial Top Targets feature premium opportunities like “google project management certificate” (11,000 monthly searches) and “asana project management” (4,700 monthly searches). These keywords directly align with SaaS positioning and can drive significant qualified traffic.
Awareness Top Targets include “agile project management” (17,000 monthly searches) and “construction project management software” (4,100 monthly searches), offering opportunities to capture broad industry interest while building thought leadership.
Expand Authority keywords represent long-tail opportunities and niche topics that build comprehensive topical coverage and domain authority.
While individual keywords may have lower search volumes, collectively they create a robust content ecosystem that supports rankings for higher-value terms.
These keywords include specific program names, detailed feature comparisons, and industry-specific applications that demonstrate deep expertise and comprehensive coverage of the project management domain.
A SaaS company successfully ranking for the identified high-priority keywords (Quick Wins and Top Targets) would achieve significant visibility and traffic within 12 months. The analysis projects realistic outcomes based on industry-standard organic search capture rates and conversion patterns.
The high-priority keyword portfolio represents 1,349,140 monthly searches across Entry, Commercial, and Awareness categories.
Assuming a conservative 15% market capture rate for targeted keywords (reflecting realistic ranking positions and click-through rates), the company would generate approximately 202,371 monthly organic visitors, translating to 2,428,452 annual organic sessions.
This traffic volume represents a significant increase in qualified prospects, with users actively searching for project management solutions, education, and best practices.
The diverse keyword portfolio is organized to increase traffic across multiple customer journey stages, from early-stage researchers to ready-to-buy prospects.
The high-priority keywords carry a combined commercial value of $5,694,073, indicating strong monetization potential.
With a 15% capture rate, the estimated annual commercial value reaches $854,111, representing the equivalent advertising spend that would be required to generate similar traffic through paid channels.
This organic traffic value provides sustainable competitive advantage, as rankings compound over time and reduce dependence on paid advertising. The diverse keyword portfolio also provides resilience against algorithm changes and competitive pressures.
Beyond direct traffic metrics, ranking for these keywords positions the SaaS company as a trusted authority across the entire project management ecosystem.
The Entry category keywords build brand awareness among future customers, Commercial keywords capture ready-to-buy prospects, and Awareness keywords establish thought leadership that influences purchasing decisions.
The comprehensive keyword coverage creates multiple touchpoints throughout the customer journey, increasing brand recall and consideration when prospects are ready to evaluate solutions. This multi-stage approach typically results in higher conversion rates and customer lifetime value compared to single-touchpoint acquisition strategies.
Successfully executing this keyword strategy would establish the SaaS company as a dominant organic search presence in the project management space. The combination of educational content, solution-focused pages, and thought leadership materials creates a comprehensive digital footprint that competitors would find difficult to replicate quickly.
The authority built through consistent ranking for high-value keywords also improves rankings for new content and keywords, creating a compounding effect that accelerates future SEO success and market share growth.
The 12-month investment in this keyword strategy creates lasting competitive advantages that extend well beyond the initial ranking achievements.
The content assets, domain authority, and search visibility established through this approach provide ongoing returns and support future product launches, market expansion, and customer acquisition efforts.
The comprehensive approach also positions the company to capitalize on emerging trends and new keyword opportunities in the project management space, ensuring sustained organic growth and market leadership.
This 12-month content strategy targets 8,156 high-priority keywords across Entry, Commercial, and Awareness categories to maximize organic search visibility and lead generation.
The implementation plan prioritizes term groups based on strategic value calculations that combine search volume, commercial intent, and competitive positioning to deliver maximum return on content investment.
The quarterly approach allows for systematic content development while building topical authority across the project management software ecosystem.
Each quarter focuses on specific term groups that complement previous efforts and create comprehensive coverage of customer journey touchpoints.
Quarter 1 establishes the foundation for organic search dominance by targeting the nine highest-value term groups from Entry and Commercial categories.
These term groups represent 1,816 keywords with 374,000 monthly searches and $2,495,084 in commercial value, providing immediate impact opportunities while building long-term authority.
The Q1 strategy prioritizes Quick Wins and Top Targets keywords within each term group to achieve rapid ranking improvements and traffic growth.
This approach balances immediate results with sustainable long-term positioning across critical business-driving search terms.
“Software” term group implementation
The software term group represents the highest strategic value opportunity with 3,344 total keywords and 912 high-priority targets.
Content development should focus on construction project management software, HVAC project management solutions, and electrical contractor tools.
These keywords demonstrate strong commercial intent with users actively evaluating software solutions for specific industry applications.
Content recommendations include comprehensive software comparison guides, industry-specific feature analyses, and implementation case studies.
The relatively high difficulty scores for some keywords require authoritative content that demonstrates deep product knowledge and industry expertise.
“Online” term group strategy
The online term group captures 930 keywords focused on digital education and remote project management solutions.
Priority keywords include online project management degrees, masters programs, and certification courses.
This term group bridges educational content with commercial positioning by targeting users seeking professional development who will eventually need project management tools.
Content should emphasize the connection between education and practical application, featuring success stories from professionals who completed online programs and implemented project management software in their careers.
“Certification” term group development
With 786 keywords targeting professional certification seekers, this term group offers significant authority-building opportunities.
The flagship keyword “project management certification” generates 41,000 monthly searches, representing substantial traffic potential for comprehensive certification guides and comparison content.
Content strategy should position the SaaS platform as essential for certification exam preparation and ongoing professional practice, creating natural pathways from educational content to product trials and subscriptions.
“Google” term group positioning
The Google term group leverages the popularity of Google’s project management certificate program with 486 keywords and strong commercial potential.
The primary keyword “google project management certificate” generates 11,000 monthly searches with low competition, representing an approachable Quick Wins opportunity.
Content should complement rather than compete with Google’s educational offerings, focusing on how SaaS tools enhance the skills learned in certification programs and provide practical application opportunities for newly certified professionals.
“Degree” term group foundation
The degree term group targets 305 keywords focused on formal education pathways in project management.
With keywords like “project management degree” generating 7,300 monthly searches, this category builds brand awareness among future professionals while establishing educational authority.
Content development should create comprehensive degree program guides, career pathway analyses, and skill development frameworks that naturally incorporate project management software as essential professional tools.
“Masters” term group authority
The masters term group encompasses 209 keywords targeting advanced degree seekers with strong commercial potential.
Keywords like “masters in project management” and “masters in project management online” represent users making significant educational investments who will likely need professional tools upon graduation.
Content strategy should emphasize the practical application of advanced project management concepts through software implementation, creating natural bridges between academic learning and professional tool adoption.
“MBA” term group positioning
With 152 keywords targeting MBA students and professionals, this term group captures high-value prospects with significant purchasing power and decision-making authority.
The relatively low competition for MBA-related keywords creates excellent Quick Wins opportunities.
Content should focus on executive-level project management challenges and how advanced software features support strategic business objectives, appealing to the leadership aspirations of MBA students and graduates.
The Q1 content calendar should prioritize Quick Wins keywords for immediate traffic growth while developing comprehensive pillar content for Top Targets keywords.
The 346 Commercial Quick Wins keywords offer rapid ranking opportunities, while the 1,293 Commercial Top Targets require more substantial content investments but provide greater long-term value.
Entry category keywords, while generating lower immediate commercial value, build essential brand awareness and authority that supports rankings for higher-value commercial terms.
The 177 Entry keywords in Q1 create educational touchpoints that influence future purchasing decisions.
Quarter 2 expands content coverage to include high-value Awareness term groups while addressing remaining Commercial opportunities.
This quarter targets 3,903 keywords with 206,310 monthly searches and $780,884 commercial value, focusing on brand building and market education alongside direct commercial targeting.
The Q2 approach balances thought leadership content with practical solution positioning, establishing the SaaS platform as both an industry authority and preferred vendor across diverse project management applications.
“Best” term group authority
The best term group captures 1,379 keywords focused on comparative and evaluative content.
Users searching for “best project management software” and related terms are actively evaluating solutions, making this category highly valuable for conversion-focused content.
Content strategy should develop comprehensive comparison frameworks, feature analyses, and use case studies that position the SaaS platform favorably against competitors while providing genuine value to evaluation-stage prospects.
“Agile” term group positioning
With 1,041 keywords targeting agile methodology practitioners, this term group builds authority within the growing agile project management community.
Content should demonstrate deep understanding of agile principles while showcasing how modern software tools enhance agile practices.
The focus should be on practical implementation guides, team collaboration features, and workflow optimization content that appeals to agile practitioners seeking better tools for their methodologies.
“Construction” term group specialization
The construction term group represents 1,123 keywords targeting a specific industry vertical with strong commercial potential.
Construction project management requires specialized features and industry knowledge, creating opportunities for highly targeted content that addresses specific pain points.
Content development should include industry-specific case studies, compliance guides, and feature demonstrations that showcase understanding of construction project complexities and regulatory requirements.
“Small” business focus
The small term group targets 248 keywords focused on small business project management needs.
This segment often has different requirements and budget constraints compared to enterprise clients, requiring tailored content that addresses scalability, affordability, and ease of implementation.
“Master”-level content
The master term group encompasses 209 keywords targeting advanced practitioners and thought leaders.
Content should demonstrate sophisticated understanding of project management principles while showcasing advanced software capabilities.
“Agency” specialization
The agency term group captures 134 keywords targeting creative and marketing agencies with specific project management needs.
This vertical requires content that understands agency workflows, client management, and creative project complexities.
Quarter 3 targets 1,580 keywords with 98,910 monthly searches and $282,950 commercial value, focusing on specialized applications and professional development content.
This quarter builds deeper topical authority while addressing niche market segments that complement broader positioning efforts.
“Certificate” term group development
The certificate term group encompasses 540 keywords targeting professional certification seekers across various project management disciplines.
Content should provide comprehensive certification guides while positioning software tools as essential for ongoing professional practice.
“Portfolio” management authority
The portfolio term group captures 575 keywords focused on strategic portfolio management practices.
This content targets senior professionals and executives responsible for multiple projects and strategic initiatives.
“Asana” competitive content
The Asana term group includes 130 keywords where users are specifically researching Asana as a project management solution.
Content strategy should provide balanced comparisons that highlight unique value propositions while respecting competitive positioning.
“Specialized” program content
The program term group targets various certification and training programs, creating opportunities to position the SaaS platform as the preferred tool for program participants and graduates.
Quarter 4 completes the annual content strategy with 857 keywords generating 45,100 monthly searches and $97,648 commercial value.
This quarter focuses on comprehensive coverage completion and long-tail keyword optimization to maximize topical authority and capture niche search opportunities.
“Resource” management content
The resource term group encompasses 303 keywords focused on resource planning and allocation.
Content should demonstrate advanced resource management capabilities while providing practical implementation guidance.
“Platform” integration coverage
The Trello and engineering term groups target specific user communities and use cases, providing opportunities for specialized content that addresses unique workflow requirements and technical considerations.
“Associate”-level content
The associate term group targets entry-level professionals and students beginning their project management careers.
Content should provide foundational knowledge while introducing professional tools as career development investments.
“Resume” and “career” development
The resume and video term groups capture career-focused searches, creating opportunities for professional development content that naturally incorporates project management software as career advancement tools.
The complete 12-month implementation targets 8,156 high-priority keywords across 27 term groups, representing 724,320 monthly searches and $3,656,566 in commercial value.
This approach helps increase market-leading organic search visibility across all customer journey stages and business applications.
The quarterly structure creates sustainable momentum while allowing for strategy refinement based on performance data.
Each quarter builds upon previous efforts, creating compound authority growth that accelerates ranking improvements and traffic generation over time.
By the end of 12 months, this content strategy establishes a SaaS platform as the definitive organic search authority in project management software, creating sustainable competitive advantages that compound over time and support continued business growth.
And if not, we’re just a phone call away