We decoded the SEO and content marketing success secrets of 10 ESG software companies – so you don’t have to. Startups that not only offer a high-quality product but also develop a content marketing strategy that makes a difference.
LinkedIn, Twitter, and blogs tend to share the same, generic marketing advice: “Start early with SEO”, “Create once, distribute forever”, and “If you’re not doing ABM in 2024, you’re losing”. But something’s missing.
Most of this advice has good intentions and works for some SaaS marketers, but that doesn’t mean that it’s right for your ESG startup, go-to-market motion, and strategy.
Instead of writing yet another SEO playbook, we decided to go into the wild and study those that are doing SEO and content marketing well. We break down their strategies so you can get inspired and build your roadmap based on these real-world examples.
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
1. Audit Board
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 70, 19.7K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 14.2K live backlinks |
We cannot overlook AuditBoard’s marketing for its ESG software. This success is evident in their Ahrefs metrics: a Domain Rating (DR) of 70, an achievement signaling strong domain authority. Coupled with 19.7K ranking keywords in constant growth and backed by 14.2K live backlinks.
But AuditBoard’s excellence goes beyond mere numbers since they’ve sharpened a user experience (UX) that’s functional and intuitive, turning their website into a hub of engagement for potential customers.
Perhaps most innovative is their TV section, a video series designed to educate and inspire. Each series targets a unique facet of internal auditing and risk management. For example, “Agents of Change” celebrates pioneers in internal auditing, while “Spotlight on Success” shares transformation stories from globally recognized brands. A standout episode, featured by Patty Miller, delves into internal audit’s evolving role, successful Chief Audit Executives (CAEs), and new standards proposed by The IIA!
The educational tactics extend to their library of over 100 ebooks. Each ebook is a deep dive into a specific topic, such as the potential of AI in audit, risk, and compliance. Plus, it’s on-demand webinars. Numbering over 120, from technology to cybersecurity topics. These resources position AuditBoard as an educator in the ESG field.
| Key takeaways: – Diversify your content to include videos, eBooks, and webinars to engage different learning preferences. – Improve content relevance by focusing on case studies and real-world applications that showcase the practical benefits of your services or products. – Establish credibility and authority by involving industry experts in your content, through interviews, discussions, and collaborations. |
2. Bizagi
A cornerstone of Bizagi’s marketing strategy is the use of landing pages. Their website is a well-organized ecosystem of information, categorized to cater to specific industries and user needs. Through their automated solution pages, they address three pillars, Industry, Business, and Technology Solutions.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 68, 2.5KK ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 12K live backlinks |
For example, their business-specific page on Supply Chain automation solutions. These pages are more than just informational; they are narratives that illustrate Bizagi’s role in enhancing operational agility and boosting productivity through automation. This is evidence of their commitment to innovation and adaptability in the world of ESG.
You can check out more about this development in our recent case study on SaaS businesses’ secrets behind landing pages!
Their engagement extends to their YouTube channel, a vital component of their digital strategy with over 10.5K subscribers. Here, Bizagi combines educational content with updates on their latest offerings, like the video on “New Methodology to Create Apps with Bizagi — Process Professor”, where they exemplify their approach to simplifying complex processes, making them accessible to a wider audience.
Moreover, Bizagi’s active presence on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook further solidifies its market presence.
| Key takeaways: – Categorize your content to target specific industry needs and practical applications—like creating separate landing pages for different sectors and use cases. – Deliver educational content to position your brand as a thought leader. – Maintain an active social media presence to share updates, interact with users, and keep your audience engaged with your brand. |
3. Greenly
Greenly’s website rocks an innovative UX design, with unique icons, images, and creative visual elements that convey complex information in a digestible and attractive manner.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 72, 32.1K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 6.8K live backlinks |
A glossary is key to educating your top-of-the-funnel (TOFU) audience, and Greenly stands out with a deep, varied glossary. Take, for example, their page on carbon assessment. Despite a concise word count of 386 words, it ranks in top positions for multiple keywords (‘carbon check definition’, ‘what is carbon management’, or ‘carbon credit definition’). They applied this process across their glossary, with most terms detailed in less than 600 words, striking the balance between brevity and informativeness.
Greenly’s resource arsenal is extensive, addressing a spectrum of educational and conversion-oriented content needs. This includes a mix of media publications, involvement in the ESG community, and distinctive tools like a quick carbon calculator or a legislation checker.
| Key takeaways: – Use unique icons, images, and visual elements to convey complex data in a digestible and visually engaging manner. – Develop a comprehensive glossary that covers key industry terms and concepts – Create a variety of resources – including media publications, community involvement, and distinctive tools (like calculators and checkers) – to address the majority of user needs. – Focus on content optimization strategies that maintain brevity and informativeness. |
4. Cority
A key element of Cority’s marketing strategy is the display of validations and awards on its homepage. This not only serves as a testament to their success and performance but also instills confidence in potential clients showcasing their expertise in the field.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 59, 2.4K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 18K live backlinks |
Their website features a variety of industries, each represented with unique icons for easy identification. Such a level of customization in content enhances user experience and demonstrates Cority’s understanding of diverse industry requirements.
Moreover, their resources section features an impactful book, “The Impact of Sustainability on EHS Professionals”, which delves into ESG Management, Frameworks and Standards, Responsible Investing, and the Sustainability Cloud. Positioning Cority as a thought leader in the intersection of environmental, health, and safety (EHS) with sustainability.
| Key takeaways: – Display validations and awards on your website’s homepage to confirm your expertise and bolster confidence. – Customize your information featuring a variety of industries, each represented with unique icons for easy identification. – Position Your Brand as a Leader with in-depth resources – exploring topics such as ESG Management, Frameworks and Standards, and Responsible Investing. – Utilize the sustainability cloud to offer cutting-edge solutions. |
5. Benchmark Gensuit EHS
Benchmark Gensuite EHS’s approach is evident right from its homepage, where an offer to join a webinar or book a demo captures visitors’ attention. This upfront invitation sets them apart and directly engages potential clients, demonstrating a proactive approach to customer interaction, besides becoming a lead.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 41, 1.8K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 1.2K live backlinks |
Their blog is categorized into more than ten sections, ensuring an organization that allows tailored content that can meet the needs of its audience. For instance, a blog post on Product Stewardship on Remembering the ‘S’ in ESG not only addresses a specific aspect of ESG but also provides insights from their industry events, adding a layer of personalization and authority to the content.
Their webinar section is another testament to their comprehensive content strategy. Divided into on-demand webinars, conferences, and events, each webinar is educational in its own way. Plus the inclusion of an upcoming agenda!
| Key takeaways: – Utilize direct engagement tools on the homepage to capture customers’ attention. – Organize your blog into multiple sections to deliver content that specifically meets the diverse needs of your audience. – Demonstrate your expertise through educational webinars, live conferences, or special events. – Regularly update and promote an upcoming events agenda to keep your audience informed and engaged. |
6. Onspring
A key element of Onspring’s approach is the product categorization for specific sectors: Government and Enterprises. Each category is further broken down into a variety of topics that they address, showcasing their versatile understanding of different industry needs, and ensuring that each segment of its audience finds relevant and customized solutions.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 52, 1.5K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 9.1K monthly visitors |
Onspring’s Events section features a mix of in-person, online, and on-demand events. Through these, they ensure the audience has flexible access to their knowledge-sharing sessions, and you can find upcoming events in a well-organized agenda that fosters community building!
Moreover, their Success Stories section houses validation stories from customers and partner companies, such as case studies on Management, Security Vulnerability, or IT Risk Management, which serve a dual purpose. They strengthen Onspring’s effectiveness and provide real-life scenarios and solutions that potential clients can relate to.
| Key takeaways: – Tailor your product offerings to specific sectors to demonstrate deep understanding and enhanced relevance. – Foster community engagement through flexible events, such as in-person, online, or knowledge-sharing sessions. – Showcase real-life success stories – including topics on management, security vulnerability, or IT risk management – to validate effectiveness and relatability. |
7. EHS Insight
At the forefront of their website is a display of actionable items, showcasing the various facets of their EHS Product Suite, such as Audit Management, Incident Management, Compliance Tasks, Task Management, Work Observations, Environmental Management, and Quality Management. This suite is laid out in a manner that not only informs but also invites users to explore how these solutions can be put into action.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 48, 9.2K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 4.4K monthly visitors |
EHS Insight’s Resource Center aims to meet the needs of environmental, safety, and health teams. The center is intuitively organized with filters allowing users to easily navigate through various types of content, including ebooks, case studies, checklists, infographics, solution briefs, webinars, and more.
Furthermore, they extend their reach beyond traditional desktop interactions by offering a downloadable app for Google Play and iOS devices. This mobile app availability ensures that users can access critical EHS tools and information anywhere!
| Key takeaways: – Highlight comprehensive EHS product suite with actionable features, such as audit, incident, and quality management. – Organize your resource center to cater specifically to environmental, safety, and health teams. – Offer a downloadable mobile app for both Google Play and iOS devices, extending the reach of your EHS tools. |
8. OneTrust
So, how did OneTrust achieve these numbers?
A significant contributor to this backlink portfolio is their Product page on Cookie Consent, which emphasizes the importance of personal data consent and compliance. With over 750,000 websites trusting their Cookie Consent software, OneTrust established itself as a leader in data privacy and as a juggernaut in SEO performance.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 93, 19.6K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 92 million backlinks |
OneTrust’s Trusted Community space is dedicated to sharing events, connecting workshops, and providing data guidance research. A notable feature within this community is the TrustWeek section, which highlights upcoming events and opportunities to learn from experts, creating an interactive platform for knowledge exchange and professional growth.
Their Culture and Values section offers a window into OneTrust’s ethos and vision, humanizing the brand and building a narrative around its commitment to privacy and trust.
An additional strategic move by OneTrust is the multilingual adaptation of their website. By offering content in various languages and catering to different locales, they significantly widen their audience reach!
| Key takeaways: – Highlight your product pages for Cookie Consent, showcasing its importance in data privacy and compliance. – Utilize a trusted community space to host events, workshops, and share data guidance research. – Expand your global reach with multilingual website adaptations. – Humanize the brand with a transparent culture and values section. |
9. Hyperproof
Hyperproof’s YouTube channel features nearly 100 videos and stands as a testament to their commitment to visual and accessible content. This video library is a valuable resource for customers seeking insights and best practices in compliance, cybersecurity, and data privacy.
The Learning section is rich with featured articles, workshops, webinars, events, and blog posts, offering a comprehensive learning experience. Therefore, providing practical, actionable insights, catering to a wide range of learning preferences and needs.
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 64, 10.4K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 5.6K backlinks |
Hyperproof offers a variety of Ebooks, Guides, and Reports, that delve into compliance operations, cybersecurity, and data privacy trends, providing in-depth information and best practices. The Fact Sheets section further enhances their credibility, offering concise and factual information that users can quickly reference for reliable knowledge.
| Key takeaways: – Leverage video content for effective learning and engagement – for example, starting a YouTube channel. – Offer a rich learning environment with diverse educational resources, such as featured articles, workshops, webinars, events, and blog posts. – Distribute a variety of ebooks, guides, and reports that delve deep into topics like compliance operations, cybersecurity, and data privacy trends |
10. VelocityEHS
EHS’ standout feature in its marketing arsenal is Ignite Magazine, a digital publication offering Thought Leadership and Insights from VelocityEHS’ experts. This magazine serves as a key resource for up-to-date EHS and ESG expertise, combining industry insights with the company’s knowledge base.
The Customer Success section is tailored for enterprise strength, reinforcing their commitment to comprehensive support. This section encompasses various sub-sections such as professional services, site and data security services, and case studies. Plus the inclusion of an active EHS (Environmental, Health, and Safety) component further solidifies their role as a supportive and knowledgeable partner to their clients.
VelocityEHS also boasts a wide array of resources designed to assist potential customers in understanding complex ESG issues, becoming experts in their fields, participating in events, or transitioning into buyers. This section amalgamates a blog, experiential content, events, webinars, press releases, and more!
| SEO (Ahrefs): DR 73, 11.9K ranking keywords, traffic growth in the past year, and 74K backlinks |
| Key takeaways: – Highlight Expertise with a Dedicated Digital Publication – for example, through your brand’s onlinemagazine. – Develop a robust Customer Success section tailored for enterprise strength, featuring sub-sections like professional services, site and data security services, and case studies. – Offer a broad selection of resources designed to help potential customers understand complex ESG issues. |
Why We Love Their Content Marketing Strategies
What truly captivates us is not just the variety of marketing strategies employed, but the depth and creativity with which each company approaches its audience. A combination of ingenuity and tactical brilliance. The marketing efforts of these companies merge SEO strategies, with thought leadership, educational content, and community building through different forms.
These companies transformed their websites into hubs of knowledge, where the curious come to learn and the experts come to stay updated. This isn’t just about ranking keywords or backlinks; it’s about creating a narrative around their brand – a narrative that’s rich, engaging, and brimming. And what could be better than being valued for the knowledge and experience behind a product?
The strategies employed by these ESG software companies prove that the key to standing out is not just in the quantity of content, but the quality and relevance of your message. These companies are shaping the conversation, leading towards a more informed, sustainable, and compliant digital world.
