You don’t need endless blog posts. You need an SEO strategy that actually converts.
Smartsheet pulled in 1M+ organic visits per month; and they didn’t do it by churning out generic content.
Instead, they built a traffic engine with one simple formula: targeting high-intent users with practical solutions.
How? By dominating search results for essential business templates like:
- “Daily expenses Excel sheet”
- “Work order format”
- “Sales report in Excel”
The best part? Smartsheet didn’t just rank for generic keywords.
They capitalized on the high-demand, low-competition niches that their audience was actively searching for; then delivered immediate value in the form of downloadable, ready-to-use templates.
This teardown will show you exactly how Smartsheet turned their templates into a traffic magnet and conversion machine &
- How they capture high-intent search traffic
- Why their content strategy drives sign-ups; not just visits
Smartsheet’s SEO Snapshot: The Numbers That Matter
| Organic Traffic (Monthly) | 1M |
| Domain Rating (DR) | 90 |
| Backlinks | 450K |
How Smartsheet Captures Traffic: Breaking Down the Sources
#1 Branded searches: 467.2K visits (Users already familiar with the brand)
#2 Non-branded searches: 550K visits (Capturing users before they know the brand)
#3 Informational searches: 726.3K visits (Users seeking knowledge and insights)
#4 Navigational searches: 349.1K visits (Users looking for a specific website or page)
#5 Commercial searches: 398.3K visits (Users researching before making a purchase)
Traffic MVPs: Top Pages Driving Smartsheet’s Success
| Page | Keyword | Position | Monthly Traffic |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/content/excel-expense-report-templates | daily expenses excel sheet | 1 | 2,282 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/free-work-order-templates | work order format | 1 | 1,865 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/content/receipt-templates-microsoft-word | payment receipt word format | 1 | 1,781 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/content/sales-report-form-templates | sales report in excel | 1 | 1,691 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/content/excel-attendance-tracking-templates | attendance sheet in excel | 7 | 1,688 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/content/excel-purchase-order-templates | purchase order format | 8 | 1,375 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/32-free-excel-spreadsheet-templates | excel format sheet | 5 | 1,309 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/content/daily-progress-reports | daily report format | 2 | 1,296 |
| https://www.smartsheet.com/content/swot-templates-microsoft-word | swot analysis template | 4 | 1,149 |
Smartsheet’s Winning Pages
#1 The homepage dominates, ranking #1 for “Smartsheet” and capturing users who are already familiar with the brand.
#2 Free templates drive demand, with pages like “Excel Expense Report Templates” and “Work Order Templates” pulling in users searching for ready-to-use solutions.
#3 Business tool guides attract professionals, with “Sales Report Form Templates” and “Daily Progress Reports” ranking high for those looking to streamline their workflows.
Smartsheet Wins with Search Intent
#1 Practical tools lead the way, as users searching for “attendance sheet in Excel” and “purchase order format” land on dedicated pages that provide instant solutions.
#2 Document templates secure high intent traffic, with “SWOT Templates in Microsoft Word” catering to professionals needing structured business documents.
#3 Niche queries fuel conversions, with searches like “daily expenses Excel sheet” bringing in users actively looking for financial tracking solutions.
Smartsheet’s content-led growth approach aligns with how 1Password structures its content strategy to rank for security-related queries.
Smartsheet’s Profile: How They Build Authority
| Metric | Value |
| Total backlinks | 450K |
| Referring Domains | 16.4K |
| High-Authority Links | Links from Google, Microsoft, Apple, Wikipedia, Amazon |
Insights
#1 Smartsheet earns trust from top-tier domains, with backlinks from Google, Microsoft, and Apple reinforcing its authority in the business and productivity space.
#2 A strong backlink profile of 450K links across 16.4K domains signals widespread recognition, boosting its visibility in competitive search results.
Smartsheet’s Technical Health
Core Web Vitals (Desktop):
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): 1.3s (Good)
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): 0.02 (Excellent)
Interaction to Next Paint (INP): 121ms (Good)
Source: PageSpeed Insights
Insights
#1 Smartsheet’s LCP of 1.3s ensures fast loading times, providing users with a smooth experience right from the start.
#2 With an exceptional CLS of 0.02, the site maintains visual stability, reducing unexpected shifts that could disrupt navigation.
Smartsheet’s Traffic by Location
| Country | Monthly Visits | % of Total Traffic |
| United States | 612.3K | 60.2% |
| India | 90.1K | 8.9% |
| United Kingdom | 55.5K | 5.5% |
| Philippines | 47.1K | 4.6% |
| Canada | 45.1K | 4.4% |
Insights
#1 The U.S. dominates Smartsheet’s traffic, contributing over 60% of total visits, making it the brand’s primary market.
#2 India, the UK, and the Philippines collectively make up nearly 19% of traffic, highlighting strong international interest in Smartsheet’s offerings.
If you’re looking for expert guidance, partnering with a B2B SaaS content marketing agency can make all the difference.
Traffic Breakdown
| Source | Value |
| Organic Search | 1M |
| Paid Search | 1.3K |
5 Reasons Why Smartsheet Gets 1M Organic Monthly Visits
#1 Using Templates as SEO Magnets
Smartsheet ranks #2 for “profit and loss statement template” for ranks #4 for “project plan template“, both high-volume keywords. These pages pull in thousands of monthly visits; 9.4K and 3.2K respectively; with high-value traffic worth over $20K combined.
What Smartsheet Did Right:
- High-Intent Keyword Focus: They targeted evergreen, high-search-volume templates that users are actively looking for.
- Direct-to-Value Assets: The top-ranking pages directly link to downloadable PDF or Excel templates; no fluff, just immediate utility.
- Strong Domain Authority Boost: With a DR of 90, their content easily earned backlinks and ranked quickly.
SaaS Playbook: Things To Learn
- Identify High-Utility Keywords: Go after keywords where your audience is looking for tools or downloads, not just information.
- Create Actionable Assets: Offer templates, checklists, or toolkits your audience can use immediately; and gate if needed.
- Use SEO-Optimised File Names: PDFs and downloadables can rank; ensure filenames, alt text, and titles are keyword-rich.
Learning: If you’re not creating free, high-value resources that match search demand, you’re losing traffic to Smartsheet.
#2 Smartsheet Wins with Resource-Rich Content in Low-Competition Niches
Smartsheet ranks #1 for “daily expenses excel sheet” and also #1 for “advertisement examples“; two very different keywords, yet both highly relevant to their audience.
Despite lower competition, these assets bring in valuable organic traffic; 2.2K and 1.3K monthly visits respectively; with minimal backlinking.
What Smartsheet Did Right:
- Targeted Long-Tail Keywords: Focused on niche, intent-heavy search terms like “daily expenses excel sheet” that are easier to rank for and have clear user needs.
- Multi-Template Value: Provided resource hubs with multiple examples/templates, increasing engagement and time-on-page.
- Leveraged Authority: With a DR of 90, they don’t need hundreds of backlinks; just well-structured, keyword-aligned content.
SaaS Playbook: Things To Learn:
● Capture Low-Hanging SERPs: Go after smaller-volume but intent-rich keywords where competitors haven’t optimized properly.
● Solve Micro-Problems: Identify specific, recurring problems your users face; and build focused content around them.
● Bundle for Retention: Group related templates/examples on one page to increase perceived value and SEO potential.
Learning: High-intent searches aren’t just about volume; they’re about conversion. If Smartsheet helps them first, they’ll never look for your tool.
#3 Winning the Ops Audience: Smartsheet’s Template SEO in Action
Smartsheet ranks #1 for “work order template” and #2 for “project charter template“; both high-volume, high-intent keywords with strong B2B relevance.
These pages collectively attract over 5.7K monthly organic visits, driving substantial value with minimal content complexity.
What Smartsheet Did Right:
- Resource-First Strategy: Prioritised templates over blog-heavy formats, getting straight to what users want; editable documents.
- Diverse Format Offering: Promoted multi-format options (PDF, Word, Excel), which appeals to different user preferences and increases download likelihood.
- Strong Technical SEO: Clean URLs, fast-loading pages, and high-authority domain power helped them secure top positions even without huge word counts.
SaaS Playbook: Things To Learn
● Target Core Business Ops: Focus content on universal business functions (e.g. work orders, project charters) that apply across industries and personas.
● Create Utility Assets: Offer ready-to-use templates and tools that address specific operational tasks your users perform daily.
● Add Value with Guidance: Smartsheet supplements templates with expert tips; combining instant usability with educational depth.
Want to Turn Your Templates Into an Organic Traffic Engine?
At Concurate, we help B2B SaaS companies transform practical resources like templates, checklists, and toolkits into high-intent SEO assets that drive qualified traffic and real product adoption.
We design strategies that position your most-used features as discovery points for new buyers, capturing search demand even before brand awareness begins.
Our approach helps you:
● Build SEO-optimized resource hubs around high-value features and solutions
● Capture early-stage buyers with actionable, ready-to-use templates and tools
● Drive measurable growth by turning organic traffic into active users and customers
If you are ready to create content that earns trust, captures demand, and accelerates growth, we are ready to help. Book a strategy consultation with Concurate today.
Disclaimer:
This article is an independent analysis based on publicly available data regarding Smartsheet’s SEO strategy. It is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or sponsored by Smartsheet Inc. All trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
