How SaaS Companies Can Win with Content Marketing

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies live in a universe of mathematical code, complex processes, and highly technical jargon.

Potential customers require someone to explain the jargon to them in plain English, or any other language.

SaaS companies are a great fit for content marketing. They can still win in saturated markets with content marketing. Better question is, “Can they still win with content marketing?” We'll answer this in detail.

Quick Takeaways

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  SaaS companies need to communicate complexity while remaining simple.
  
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  The SaaS model demands a long-term customer relationship. Content that nurtures and forms that relationship is crucial.
  
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  Content marketing creates brand awareness in a competitive field and drives ROI.
  
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  SaaS companies can highlight the unique value of their products with a content marketing strategy.
  

SaaS Brands need a long-term marketing strategy

SaaS customers have one of the best advantages: convenience. Customers can choose to have their subscription renewed automatically or by pressing a button. You don't need to visit a physical store or go online to purchase a new software box. It's a long-term relationship.

This is why these brands need a marketing strategy to nurture that relationship. Potential customers can be informed about the benefits of the service by creating content. Videos, blog posts and other content that helps customers get the most from their SaaS investments are also valuable tools to increase customer loyalty and encourage referrals.

Content marketing builds brand awareness

Even if your SaaS company does not have huge industry reach, it is important to inform your customers that you offer a service. This is what content marketing can do. Neil Patel turned his SEO software service from a hobby to a business success by sharing actionable information via his newsletter and blog.

For small-to-medium-sized SaaS companies, content marketing is easy on the budget and can drive more sales than traditional marketing strategies. DemandMetric says that content marketing costs less than advertising and generates three times as many leads as other marketing strategies.

Prospects can see the benefits of your service by reading informative content. SaaS services have the potential to stand out from their competition by providing content that highlights the benefits of doing business with them.

SaaS companies that use content marketing see a dramatic rise in ROI

Pratik Dholakiya, Keap's Pratik Dholakiya, points out that statistics show that SaaS businesses that leverage content marketing see returns as high as 657 percent. That's what I call winning. These numbers can be hard to refute, regardless of whether yours is a startup or a legacy brand.

SaaS Startups

Strategic content marketing has helped many SaaS companies rise to prominence that were just startups a few years back. HubSpot is one example of a company that has seen incredible growth through its content marketing. Moz, an SEO software provider, has also experienced remarkable growth.

Legacy Brands

Technology brands with roots in the past century can also use content marketing to stay ahead of the growing number of newcomers. IBM, a legacy SaaS company, maintains its relevance today by using a large library of thought leadership content. This content was created not only by its marketing department, but also by its regular employees.

SaaS Content Marketing Success is Keyed to Strategy

To drive these numbers to the 657 percent mark and higher, content marketing for SaaS companies requires a solid strategy. Let's look at some marketing strategies that have worked well for SaaS companies.

For the best results, leverage employee expertise in SaaS content

IBM is one of the many brands that use content marketing to showcase their employees' expertise and build trust with their prospects. Statistics show that employees-generated leads convert seven times faster than traditional marketing messages.

Non-marketing employees can create content eight times more engaging than those created by sales and marketing staff. Your brand's authenticity shines when subject matter experts are involved in the content marketing process.

It's all about the customer

Customers today want to work with a company they can trust, a business that is an expert in their field. Content marketing that is customer-centric is the best way for prospects to trust you.

Study customer data

A deep dive into the data of your customers and prospects is key to content marketing. Your content team can gain valuable insight into their needs, desires, and pain points to help them create content that will help them meet their challenges.

Segment your email audiences

Segmenting your audience is crucial, especially for email newsletters. Microsoft, for example, has a wide range of target audiences that it must reach with information about its flagship product Microsoft 365. They range from home users to small businesses, to enterprises in different fields to cover a broad spectrum.

Microsoft 365's blog posts reflect this diversity. Some posts are targeted at specific customer segments while others provide general information. Analytics can be used to distinguish users from retail and healthcare by creating a specific menu of static content. This allows the company to personalize the content it sends users when they become subscribers.

You can use surveys or social media analytics to identify the interests of your users, even if you don't use their online activity.

Tackle your customers' most pressing challenges

Effective SaaS content starts here. The first step to solving the problems of your customers is to define them. Next, you should create content that outlines easy-to-implement steps customers can take to solve their problems.

Your USP will make you stand out from the rest with its unique value proposition

Blog posts don't have to be boring and recite all the features of your software. Prospects want to know what makes your software better than the rest in solving their problems. Your unique selling proposition should be displayed with content that shows rather than tells.

To show why your product is a better match for the needs of your target audience, use case studies, customer success stories and how-to posts. If your business is predominantly B2B, create infographics or graphs that tell the story using numbers.

You can be a thought leader within your industry.

You know well the dangers of yesterday's “shiny new toys” becoming obsolete. Content marketing can help you and your industry expertise stand out.

Your brand can generate buzz by asking thoughtful questions and commenting on social media. Your brand can get noticed by sharing these thoughts via blog posts, whitepapers, and ebooks.

To expand your reach, use current events that have an impact on the industries of your target customers to increase your visibility. If the event is not covered extensively, you can share your thoughts on it to show your brand's leadership.

As a call to actions in bottom-of the-funnel content, offer a free trial

Serious prospects will convert to paying customers if your service meets the expectations of your content. If they aren't using your software to solve a single problem, they will likely discover how your software can help them in their daily work. A free trial is worth it if the time and cost of getting your product to your prospects is shorter than the lifetime value of the customer.

Offer trial customers specialized content to help them get the best value from their trial subscription. They'll see the benefits your software offers in a matter of days and will be more likely to subscribe to paid customers.

Keep customers happy after the sale with exclusive content that customers only can access. This content should be used to teach your customers how to best use your product.

To land big accounts, use account-based marketing content

There are prospects that offer huge potential for revenue. These companies tend to be large businesses with a large user base (if you price per use).

These companies might be so well-known, that you will be able to position yourself as a leader within your industry by having them as customers. Other companies will be more inclined to sign on if they see this company.

Although account-based marketing (ABM), content can be labor-intensive but the benefits of acquiring such customers are well worth it. Create content that addresses the main challenges facing each target company's decision-makers.

Working with your customer service and sales teams can help identify common objections and provide feedback to your prospects. Your development and design teams can help you explain the technical details of your product that will solve your prospect's problems and answer their objections.

You can build up a library of account-based marketing content you can modify and reuse for future prospects. This will enable you to share a modified ABM strategy with multiple prospects simultaneously.

Content marketing is a marketing strategy that stands out above all other strategies for SaaS companies. SaaS companies will continue to use content marketing because of its adaptability to their unique needs.

Our Content Builder Service can help you get more visitors to your website by publishing quality content consistently. Get in touch with me to schedule a consultation and receive a PDF copy of my books for free. Get started today and you'll be able to generate more leads and traffic for your business.