How to Validate Your SaaS Before You Build It
How to Validate Your SaaS Before You Build It
Before you write a single line of code, make sure people actually want what you're building.
I validated SERPtag using this process — and it saved me months of wasted time.
1. Start With Problems, Not Features
No one wants another tool. They want a solution.
Ask:
- What are people already struggling with?
- Are they solving it manually or with spreadsheets?
- Would they pay for a real fix?
2. Go Where the Problems Are
Validation doesn’t start with building. It starts with listening.
Go to:
- Facebook groups
- YouTube comments
- G2/Capterra reviews
- Indie Hackers threads
- Twitter/X advanced search
People complain in public — that's where you'll find pain points.
3. Build a One-Pager and Collect Emails
No code. No product. Just a landing page.
Use tools like:
Include:
- Clear headline with the problem you solve
- Short benefit-driven copy
- Email signup or waitlist form
This is your interest gauge.
4. Share It in Places That Matter
Don’t keep it secret — test demand by sharing where your audience already hangs out.
Post to:
- Reddit threads (reply helpfully, not spammy)
- Indie Hackers milestones
- X/Twitter SEO or SaaS threads
- Slack/Discord groups you’re part of
- DMs if relevant
Be useful first, then drop your page.
5. Use SEO Content as Early Proof
I targeted keywords no one was writing about.
Stuff like:
- "Free keyword rank tracker"
- "SEO tools for beginners"
- "Affordable alternatives to Ahrefs"
Blog posts brought in traffic early. I knew people were searching, so I wrote answers.
Then I used SERPtag — my own tool — to monitor rankings as they grew.
6. Talk to Your Signups
Every waitlist email is someone curious.
Send a quick note:
"Hey! Thanks for signing up. Mind sharing what you’re struggling with in SEO?"
You’ll learn:
- Who they are
- What they need
- If they’d actually pay
- What they expect the tool to do
Better than guessing.
7. Don’t Overbuild
Your MVP can be:
- A Figma prototype
- A no-code workflow
- A walkthrough video
- A dashboard with 1 feature
You don’t need auth, billing, dark mode.
You need one person to say: “Yes, I’d use this.”
What I Did to Validate SERPtag
Here’s exactly what I did:
- Found Reddit threads where people wanted a simple rank tracker
- Made a clean one-pager with a waitlist
- Replied to relevant posts and added value first
- Wrote blog posts targeting long-tail SEO searches
- Used SERPtag to track my own content’s rankings
- Got early feedback and small traffic wins
The first 100 users came from Reddit, SEO, and a waitlist.
TL;DR
Before you build your SaaS, validate it.
- Look for problems people complain about
- Test a simple landing page
- Share it early and talk to users
- Create SEO content to get found
- Track traction with your own tools
This saved me time and got SERPtag real usage before launch.
Let me know if you want a breakdown of how I wrote the blog posts, or how I used Reddit without being spammy — happy to share.
