SaaS Content Strategy – Marketing Hacks That Deliver

SaaS content strategy is not only different but completely opposite from the conventional marketing strategies that most businesses adopt.

Unlike others, a big percentage of the SaaS audience is already aware of their problems and wants. So, you, as a SaaS founder, only need to solve their issues and make them feel that your product is going to be the best solution. That’s all!

I’m not saying you should stop creating awareness-based content, but rather focus first on the audience that’s ready to buy rather than those who still need to be informed. After all, your business needs to generate revenue first and foremost.

So, let me guide you through an innovative way to build your next SaaS content strategy that drives growth and boosts your sales. Ultimately, I will also share some mistakes you must avoid in this journey.

Let’s start.

What Is Content Strategy?

A content strategy is just like a map you draw while planning a long journey. As a SaaS founder, you find it as a guide to content creation that helps you understand

• what message to share.
• how to share your message.
• and where to share it.

Well-researched and relevant content speaks volumes about your product and helps you build authority when engaging with the audience.

But it’s not just about writing good sales copy or blog content. A good content strategy creates a story that emotionally engages your audience.

Hence, content strategy is the basic pillar of every marketing goal, and when it comes to the SaaS industry, it’s a crucial one.

Why do SaaS Companies Need to Have a Distinct Content Strategy?

Earlier, I clarified that the SaaS content strategy is radically opposite to the rest of the marketing strategies. Now is the time to dive deeper and explain it in depth.

Firstly, SaaS products often solve complex issues or offer innovative solutions. This requires explaining intricate features and benefits in an accessible way. Hence, effective content writing simplifies complex ideas and makes them comprehensible and relatable to your audience.

Secondly, in the SaaS world, your competition isn’t just about product features or pricing. You’re competing on knowledge, insights, and the ability to position yourself as a leader in your industry. A robust content strategy can showcase your expertise while enhancing credibility and trust with your audience.

And lastly, as a SaaS founder, your ultimate goal is to sell your software. So, you need a strategy that attracts customers rather than mere learners or a crowd that seeks knowledge. And that’s why you must focus on the bottom-of-the-funnel audience who are just a few steps away from buying.

I have dedicated an entire section explaining the marketing funnel that nurtures your audience with different content types.

What Must You Know Before Devising a SaaS Content Marketing Strategy?

Alright, let’s break it down. Before diving into your SaaS content marketing strategy, you must understand the customer journey. Think of it like a road trip – your content is the guide that helps your audience at different stages of their journey.

Top of the Funnel Content

This is where you grab attention. It’s like the sign that says, “Hey, check out this cool spot!” Your top-of-funnel content should be about general awareness and educating your audience at this stage.

Think blog posts, infographics, and social media content about industry trends. Such content gives your audience a taste of what’s to come.

Example: A blog post titled “5 Common Challenges Every SaaS Startup Faces” can catch the eye of a SaaS entrepreneur scrolling through LinkedIn.

Middle of the Funnel Content

Now, they’re interested. It’s time to show a bit more. Here, your content should focus on nurturing that interest and building a relationship. It’s like saying, “Want to know more how you’ll benefit?”

There’s more where that came from.” Webinars, eBooks, and detailed case studies work well here. Now, you’re giving them more detailed info and starting to show how your product fits into the picture.

Example: An eBook titled “The Ultimate Guide to Scaling Your SaaS Business” could be a hit with those who are considering solutions to grow their SaaS company.

Bottom of the Funnel Content

Here’s where you seal the deal. Your audience is almost ready to buy; they just need that final nudge. Your content here should be about decision-making. Your best friends are your detailed product demos, customer testimonials, and data-driven case studies. It’s like saying, “You’ve seen the rest; now try the best.”

Example: A case study video showcasing how your SaaS product helped a similar company overcome specific challenges can convince a potential customer to buy.

Remember: It’s all about providing the right content at the right time.

• The top of the funnel gets them hooked,
• the middle of the funnel builds the relationship,
• and the bottom of the funnel closes the deal.

Keep it simple, relatable, and focused on your audience’s needs.

Types of Content

Let’s quickly look at the types of content to familiarize yourself with every term I will use later in this blog. Each type serves a different purpose and requires different skillsets to create.

A Step-by-Step Guide to an Effective SaaS Content Strategy

Since you learned all the basics, now is the time to craft a winning strategy for your SaaS business and make crazy sales. Understanding each step and implementing it wisely is a must to achieve your marketing goals

1. Set the basics for your content strategy

First thing first. Before you think about blogging, tweeting, or posting, you need to lay some groundwork. A SaaS content strategy isn’t a one-and-done deal; it’s the foundation for all your marketing efforts.

It starts with your product and brand story. Ask yourself: What’s the heart and soul of your SaaS? No amount of content will stick if you’re not crystal clear on your value proposition and messaging.

Get your team ready, too. May it be crafting words, designing visuals, or diving into data, they need to know the play like the back of their hand. And don’t forget your tech stack. SEO, analytics, and content management tools are also necessary.

Now, about those goals. They should be like a north star that guides every piece of content you create. Whether it’s lead gen, brand awareness, or customer education, each goal needs to be SMART—specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. And remember, every blog post, white paper, or case study should move you closer to these goals.

Once you’ve completed the basics, let’s move to the next, but most crucial, step.

2. Understand your audience for creative content ideas

Diving into your audience’s world is like piecing together a puzzle. It’s all about seeing the bigger picture. In the SaaS realm, especially in the B2B sector, this means rolling up your sleeves and doing some detective work. You’re not just selling a product; you’re fitting into their daily operations, solving real problems, and hitting targets.

Why understanding your audience in SaaS business is different? Because you’re not just selling a product but making sure that it fits into their daily operations, solves problems, and hits targets. 

To nail this, you’ve got to map out who’s interacting with your content. Is it the tech-savvy CMO, the detail-oriented CFO, or the hands-on specialist? Each has different triggers and pain points, and your content must hit them all immediately.

So, you’re about to create a content journey that guides each persona from the first handshake to the final nod.

Now, how do you get that intel? Sure, you could guess, but let’s not. Instead:

• Chat with your customers. Get on calls, send out surveys, and don’t shy away from the tough questions.
• Hang out where they do. Whether it’s LinkedIn groups or industry forums, join the conversation.
• Team up with your frontline crew. Your sales and customer success folks are gold mines of insights.
• Keep an ear to the ground with thought leaders. They’re not just influencers; they’re barometers for what’s buzzing.

Remember, every piece of content you craft should be a stepping stone that brings your audience closer to saying “yes” to your product.

And in the SaaS business, that means knowing each twist and turn of their journey and ensuring that your content marketing isn’t just part of the conversation—it’s driving it.

3. Narrow down on pain points

A content creation journey usually starts with keyword research and ends up writing SEO content. It’s too typical and outdated. You’re not writing for search engines but for humans. So, get it right and perfectly align your content calendar with your audience’s pains.

In the SaaS SEO content game, the key is getting into your prospects’ heads and hearts. That means digging into the real issues that keep them up at night – the inefficiencies, the cost concerns, the support gaps.

When you start with keyword research, you write nothing new but the same marketing content your competitors already do: writing pages and pages. So, what should you do differently to attract your buyer? What should be your marketing tool?

Here’s the deal: when you understand their pain points, you create a content marketing plan that’s more than informative. Yes, it’s relatable and solution-focused.

So, how do you do it? Talk to your customers. Dive into their feedback. And yes, collaboration is key. Get insights from your sales, support, and even product development teams. They’re your eyes and ears on the ground.

The content you develop from this approach won’t just be creating content for content’s sake. It’ll be the type your audience feels like it was made just for them because it was. And that’s how you shift from just another SaaS provider to a brand that truly gets it.

4. Define Your Goals and Metrics

Setting your content marketing goals and metrics is like plotting your destination before you start your journey. You want to know where you’re headed and how you’ll know when you’ve arrived.

In content marketing, your goals could range from increasing website traffic to boosting user engagement or generating more qualified leads. But it’s not just about setting these goals but also tracking them.

Metrics are your mile markers on the road to success. If your goal is to increase traffic, your metric could be the number of new visitors per month. If it’s engagement, you can track shares and comments. And for acquisition, it’s about the visitor-to-lead conversion rate.

Hence, goals and metrics are basically short-term strategies that measure your achievements and keep your SaaS content strategy in check.

5. Start with BoFu

Focusing on the bottom-of-the-funnel (BoFu) content is a strategic move in SaaS marketing, as this is where potential customers decide to purchase. BoFu content addresses the last-minute concerns and needs of your prospects, who are already considering your product or service but need that final push to convert.

Plus, it’s not about the timings of content creation but the priorities. So, while I am asking you to focus on the bottom of the funnel, it doesn’t mean you should create thousands of listicles, reviews, or product descriptions and then move to the middle and bottom of the funnel. But it’s about allocating your time and resources wisely.

Here’s how you can think big and tailor your content to the bottom of the funnel:

• Comparison Content: Create content that compares your product directly with competitors. Use objective data to showcase how your features stack up against others. For instance, a comparison landing page can highlight how your product’s free version offers more features than a competitor’s paid one.
• Case Studies and Testimonials: Use real-life success stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of your product. A well-crafted case study can show potential customers how similar companies have benefited from your product, offering both social proof and relatable scenarios.
• Product Demos and Tutorials: Use video content to show how your product works with detailed demonstrations. This could be video walkthroughs or interactive tutorials guiding prospects through your product’s features and practical applications.
• Pricing Pages: Your pricing page should be transparent and informative. It should detail what each pricing tier offers and address common questions and concerns about costs, upgrades, and cancellations.
• Targeted Offers: Craft personalized offers based on customer behavior. For example, if a user shows interest in a premium feature, you might offer a free trial upgrade.

This way, you’re directly speaking to those who are just going to buy and providing them with the information and reassurance they need to choose your solution. Hence, you’re moving your goals from simply generating leads to actually closing sales.

6. Create a B2B SaaS content distribution strategy

Like any other business, a SaaS brand needs a well-designed distribution strategy to reach the audience. With the ever-expanding digital landscape, they can tap into many channels to reach their audiences.

So, your b2b SaaS content marketing will reach new heights with quality content and a perfect distribution strategy. Here are a few tips to help you craft an effective content distribution strategy.

Identify effective distribution channels

It’s crucial to pinpoint where your target audience spends their time. Are they active on professional networks like LinkedIn or engage in industry-specific forums? Place your content in a suitable marketing channel where it is most likely to be seen and engaged.

Leverage content syndication and guest blogging

Expand your reach by syndicating (sharing your existing content) on well-regarded platforms and engaging in guest blogging. This approach broadens your audience and cements your standing as a thought leader in your niche.

You can easily find publications that welcome guest posting by searching “free guest post” + niche on Google.

Maximize social media and community engagement

Platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are like community builders. Use these to share your content and interact, answer questions, and kickstart discussions.

Implement targeted email marketing

Email remains a formidable tool. By segmenting your audience and tailoring content to various stages of the buyer’s journey, you ensure that your emails resonate more personally and effectively.

Monitor and optimize content performance

Keep a close eye on your analytics. Understand what works and doesn’t to fine-tune your strategy, ensuring your content reaches and engages the right audience more effectively.

7. Review and revise

The digital world is dynamic, and so is your audience and their needs. So, just crafting a SaaS content strategy for once and expecting lifelong fruits will not cut it off. You must be on your toes every minute and vigilantly monitor the trends.

With every new trend, you must consider if your content strategy is still viable. It doesn’t mean you keep changing it daily or weekly, but a monthly analysis or a fortnightly meeting among the major thought leaders is a must.

Not only your content strategy but also your SaaS products need a little tweaking and updating to keep up with the evolving trends.

5 Content Strategy Blunders SaaS Founders Must Avoid

I have seen multiple businesses secure enough organic and paid audiences, but their sales matrix disappoints. Even after consistent content marketing efforts, they lose a large portion of their revenue.

If you’re facing similar predicaments, check out these 5 pitfalls and see if you’re making any of them.

Mistake 1: You might have a leaky sales funnel

Imagine your sales funnel like a bucket you’re trying to fill with water. If there are holes, water escapes. Similarly, if your sales funnel has gaps, potential customers fall through. When they click on an ad, they should have a clear, straightforward path that leads them to buy your product.

Make sure each step is well-defined and leads naturally to the next, keeping the customer’s journey leak-free.

Mistake 2: Vague sales funnel stages

A well-defined sales funnel is like a roadmap for your customer’s journey. Without clear stages, your customers may get lost. Each ad should act like a signpost, pointing them to the next logical step – learning more about the product or making a purchase.

Tailor your content to guide them from one stage to the next, ensuring they always know what action to take.

Mistake 3: Ignoring offline conversion tracking

Not all conversions happen online; some are offline, like phone calls or in-store visits. If you’re not counting these, you’re not seeing the whole picture. It’s like scoring a game without counting all the goals.

Manually track these offline conversions and incorporate them into your online data to measure the effectiveness of your ads.

Mistake 4: Solely focusing on search ads

If you only use search ads, you’re fishing with just one kind of bait. By using different ad formats, like display or video, you cast a wider net. This approach allows you to attract potential customers at various stages of their online experience.

Jenni.AI, for example, has a knack for turning video ads into an engagement magnet for its online education platform.

Mistake 5: Overlooking remarketing efforts

Remarketing is a way to follow up with people who showed interest in your product but didn’t buy. Think of it as a gentle reminder, nudging them to purchase.

Set up targeted ads that will show up as they browse the web. This will keep your product top of mind and encourage them to return and complete the purchase.

Case Studies: Successful SaaS Stories

Let’s discuss some examples of successful implementations of SaaS content strategy. Both of these SaaS businesses identified their audience’s problems and came up with innovative solutions rather than following the crowd.

HubSpot’s inbound marketing mastery

HubSpot hit its stride in 2006 when it embraced the inbound marketing concept and shifted the focus from direct sales to attracting customers through valuable content. They created tools to empower businesses in their online marketing efforts.

Notably, their Website Grader became a cornerstone of their SEO strategy, which provides customers with actionable insights to optimize their web presence.

HubSpot attracted customers and built a loyal customer base, cementing its status as a leader in the marketing industry. It did so by producing content that resonated with its buyer personas and offering tools that delivered real value,

Zoom’s customer-centric onboarding

Zoom’s ascent to success is a masterclass in user experience optimization. Launched in 2011, the company, under Eric Yuan’s leadership, prioritized a frictionless onboarding process.

By meticulously refining each step a customer took from sign-up to actual use, they ensured a smooth and welcoming experience. This attention to the customer journey, augmented by a strong content marketing and SEO strategy, fueled Zoom’s rapid growth.

The approach was simple: make it as easy as possible for customers to see the value and use the product, then support that with content that engaged and retained them. This dual focus on user experience and valuable content is a textbook example of a customer-first strategy propelling a SaaS company to global prominence.

Key Takeaways

• SaaS content strategy targets an audience that already knows their needs, focusing on solutions rather than basic awareness.
• SaaS companies require unique strategies to explain complex products and establish themselves as industry leaders.
• Effective SaaS marketing understands the customer journey, creating content for different stages: awareness, interest, and decision-making.
• SaaS marketing should prioritize bottom-of-the-funnel content, addressing prospects’ final concerns to drive sales.

What strategy are you investing in to grow and scale your SaaS? Share your thoughts in the comment below.