Your SaaS Content Marketing Playbook to help you create greater B2B B2B marketing
Most SaaS (software as an service) businesses focus on quick successes. Heck, we've been trained to focus on the short-term, like more subscribers, faster sales, and in the case of some companies...sheer volumes! Volume was king (yes, just like content).
However, the landscape is changing. SaaS companies face tighter budgets as well as a volatile market where any effort is counted. In other words, B2B marketers are doing better with less. The volume plays don'ta sustainable, intent-driven marketing plan make.
A better way to approach SaaS Content Marketing. In this post, we'll discuss what's tired in content marketing , and learn the experiences of real marketers who have tested and proven new channels and methods that your company will be able to adopt and use.
The B2B content marketer's playbook
- What's old in SaaS Content Marketing
- The most effective channels for SaaS advertising and content
- SaaS Content Marketing examples to learn from
- Video content marketing for B2B SaaS
- Content strategy suggestions for SaaS firms
- Closing up
What's the issue with SaaS content marketing
Let's examine a few exhausted content marketing that we don't recommend.
Cold, outbound emails with no supporting content
For those who aren't familiar with the concept, a cold pitch is typically sent as an outreach email with no supporting content or worth offering. The recipient doesn't know the reason or how to react and hasn't been given any reason to care about your product or service.
It may have worked when folks were more receptive to sales messages and constantly enticed to purchase however, it's not working now. Nowadays, customers are bombarded with such emails, and most aren't interested because they aren't providing any genuine value or insight into what your product can do to them.
Phil Strazzulla, the creator of SelectSoftware Reviews, a website dedicated to helping HR teams identify and select the most suitable SaaS platforms, agrees:
"The most effective strategy in 2023 will be cold outbound mail with no help. Everybody receives too many emails that come from strangers we've never met due to tools like Outreach, Apollo, and SalesLoft that make it easy to automate and scale outbound email marketing campaigns."
He also said "Marketing teams need to pair this approach with brand advertisements that are geared towards the same audience accounts, calling efforts, and mail-out campaigns offline if your budget supports it."
Content that is generic and doesn't target any specific target audience
There is a temptation to think that all information will appeal to all your audience members, but that's not the reality. Each audience will have their own needs, so you must tailor your content to meet and even exceed their expectations.
B2B customers want to know ways they can utilize your product or service to address their needs. They are looking for proof of how it is effective, however they require tips on how to make it work more efficiently.
A classic example of this is HubSpot. HubSpot's blog HubSpot blog is a resource for content that solve the most common problems of their target audience, who are online marketers, salespeople and professionals in customer service.
The long form content is for the love of it
Long-form content isn't going anywhere in the near future, however it's not always a standout in the eyes of consumers who have a lot to do and aren't as busy. Unfortunately, many B2B businesses produce similar guides, so nurture sequences and gated deals do not have the impact they did in the past.
This is also true for more lengthy documents like white papers or research reports. They are also difficult to read as they are highly technical--and only interesting to a select few prospects. Even lengthy case studies, while valuable social proof, can lose prospects' attention. Do you really want to appear as another tab open on the marketer's busy screen?
If you've invested money in long-form written content think about repackaging it into short videos for quick consumption and distribution.
As an example, the content marketing agency Omniscient Digital offers videos of their case studies in a complement to their regular written case studies. This can be a wonderful method of showcasing results, without requiring folks to go through the whole article for those who prefer video (which most of us do).
Emulating invisibly rivals
The scenario is all too common: a company creates blogs and then copies their competitors' blog posts in a series of one after another. It's an incredibly common SEO play and is most common for companies that sell software to other business since these firms often see the other SaaS firms as competition even though they're in different market segments and markets.
Yash Chavan, founder of the SaaS-based platform for influencer marketing Saral is of the opinion with the idea that copying other businesses and marketing blogs is not an effective strategy. Chavan suggests:
"Understand that every product marketing, market, and products differ... therefore different things work for each. Use your strengths to the fullest. For instance, if your product is able to collect great new information (e.g., survey tool), then use the data to develop original material. If the product you are selling involves inviting other people to it take full advantage of referrals as a strategy. Don't try what marketing blogs advise you to do. you do you!"
The most effective channels for SaaS content marketing
The best channels for reaching your customers are contingent on the preferences of your target audience and pain points, but there are four channels that can be effective that can be used for SaaS content marketing that include video!
1. SEO and evergreen content
Examples of content that is evergreen comprise:
- Content from the product
- How-to guides
- Industry-leading practices
- Testimonial and customer success stories
For your evergreen content to be search-friendly, you have to improve its search engine visibility by utilizing engines like Google and YouTube. This includes the creation of backlinks (links from other sites) and writing engaging text, and including common search words in your content's text and title to boost it's relevance on search engines.
2. Email
Email marketing is one of the oldest methods of content marketing, and still among the most effective. As we discussed above strategies for marketing via email have been modified over time (bye cold pitching, bye) However, this medium is still a great tool for SaaS marketers.
As you create pertinent content to meet the needs of every part of the customer's lifecycleincluding nurturing your blog's readers to onboarding and educating new users with video and reminding them about renewal dates to offering special upgrades discounts, email enables you to send your messages to specific groups.
Email also provides a unique one-on-one experience between you and your prospects or customers...something SEO and social media lacks.
The following example of Zoom showcases how SaaS companies can make use of email content for upgrades and renewals.
3. Event (IRL as well as virtual)
Networking events in person like, conferences, and seminars although not as well-known during the pandemic they are now back in a big way as people are hungry for community and live celebrations.
Events help you build connections with prospects and customers, gain fresh insights into your marketplace, validate new product or brand ideas and connect with potential partners, influencers, and industry experts.
4. Social media
- Utilize your company's Facebook Page or Twitter profile to communicate important information to your intended audience. People who follow your brand on social media are opting to believe in you, and could make purchases from your business at some point in the future.
- Share content (videos!) from customers who are using your service or product. The genuine content created by users can make users feel more connected to your company and would like to learn more about it.
- Connect with those who leave comments on posts or ask questions on social media sites. You can even respond by direct message to build deeper relationships with potential customers.
- Don't forget about influencers and the industry's top leaders! Contact them via social media, and ask to agree to share their expertise with others by writing blog posts making videos, writing blog posts, or even speaking at an event.
SaaS Content Marketing examples for you to take a lesson from
HubSpot
Hubspot has been publishing blog posts since 2014, and has since become one of the most successful content marketing success stories.
The blog of the company is used by the business to create content to generate customers and also to offer value to existing customers. The Marketing blog is a resource for topics including marketing automation and social media marketing. blogging, and more.
However, what makes HubSpot distinguish itself is the fact that it uses various types of formats.
In this case, HubSpot uses a mixture of HubSpot ultimate guides, podcasts, and videos within blog posts to give readers the option of choosing.
HubSpot Academy is a different key element of HubSpot's strategy for content. This online academy offers quick courses on everything from basic marketing skills like finding leads on social media, or designing an email drip program to getting to more advanced certificates like Certified Inbound Marketer certification.
What makes it work:
- An emphasis on helping customers to solve real problems
- Different types of content that appeals diverse audiences and broadens the range of interests
- An authentic voice that doesn't attempt to try too hard to be humorous or smart.
Microsoft
With its Office 365 blog, Microsoft has developed a platform of valuable content that helps customers comprehend their options and usage scenarios and also provides customers with advice on how they can get the most value out of their subscriptions.
Microsoft has also done an excellent job on its Microsoft 365 University website. The site has been created as online communities for schoolchildren as well as teachers that allows them to find out more about Microsoft 365 products and services.
Additionally, they offer an online course " Create Your First App," where students learn how develop apps using Visual Studio Code and Azure DevOps Services.
Why it works:
Microsoft concentrated on creating an eBook or video-based series that could live for 18 months while letting customers browse the information at their leisure. This strategy eliminates the pressure to create constantly new content and lets Microsoft to focus on addressing customer needs.
Adobe
Adobe launched CMO.com, a publication/magazine that offers worth to its readers with content spanning the most critical issues for digital leaders. It encompasses articles from experts within the field, as well as perspectives from Adobe regarding technology, product and business trends.
It's a fantastic instance of the way SaaS companies can use content marketing to increase and nurture customer relationships that can result in more sales.
What is the reason it works?
The reason it works is because the content of CMO is non-product-specific, which means they aren't focusing on their business's products and services. Its content is solely focused on challenges, trends and opportunities for avoiding disruptive digital technology.
SARAL
SARAL is an influential marketing platform that connects brands and influencers. Their blog offers valuable info regarding the specifics of influencer marketing. It's and not only for promoting the services but also for helping its customers (marketers) run successful campaigns.
The company's founder doesn't just publish blog entries and promotes his two main ideas across 50 social channels weekly and thus reaches a wider population.
What is the reason it works?
Yash Chavan the founder of Saral and CEO, has stated that changing the focus of his business from publishing two blogs a week to promoting two ideas across 50 channels on social media significantly affected the strategy of his marketing through content.
Chavan conducted an experiment which revealed that his website traffic decreased by 35% after his content distribution stopped during a period of one month. He also advises the upcoming SaaS marketing and founders to create high-value content instead of tons of lower-value content and share it as much as is possible.
Content marketing via video to B2B SaaS
Video content marketing is an effective tool for B2B and B2C companies. That said, the content created by you may not meet the purposes for B2B or B2C (i.e. educational or. engage).
Actually, HubSpot Blog Research discovered 15% of B2B marketers view establishing thought leadership a primary goal in their video marketing plan compared to only 9 per cent of B2C marketers.
These are just a few more ways in which B2B SaaS companies use video content more than B2C businesses:
- Explainer videos
- Product demos
- Live streamed events
- Video clips of product
- Behind-the-scenes videos
- Testimonials from our customers and personal stories
If you're an B2C company the strategy for social media will also differ from a B2B SaaS firm. The former relies more on TikTok as well as Instagram, while the latter is likely to use Twitter as well as LinkedIn more often.
This is because these channels are more suited for their customers: B2C brands want to engage with customers directly, whereas B2B SaaS companies want to reach industry professionals with long sales cycles as well as larger decision makers.
Tips for content strategy SaaS companies
Let's discuss some content strategy tips for SaaS marketers for 2023.
Find out more about the people you are targeting
Before creating content, you need be aware of who you're speaking about and what they're looking for from your company. To do this, conduct market research and speak with potential customers or users of your service or product. Discover what information they require and the way they consume it in the form of audio, video or even texts.
Make personas that are a reflection of the interests of your audience as well as needs. You can use these personas to help you develop, design and structure your content.
The process of conducting feedback surveys is another method to gain insight into your audience. Feedback surveys are useful as they let you collect the opinions and thoughts of real users to shape future products and services.
Pro tip:Look at Google Trends for keywords in your industry and this will help you decide what topics you'll discuss on your blog or in updates on social media.
Update what you already have
For SaaS businesses, updating your content is a good option to keep your high-value content useful and easily accessible.
As you publish written and videos, be aware of when it goes live, and track its usage and effect. Each quarter, you should review your library to spot any declines in user engagement and prioritize those resources for updates. As your product evolves and grows it is important to ensure your library corresponds to the appropriate features and imagery.
It is also possible to update your the content you have already created by adding fresh content and information. It will be more relevant to users who might have looked for similar information in the past but couldn't find the information they were looking for in your website.
Prioritize distribution
If you don't have a plan to distribute your information, it'll not be seen by people who need it most. It is crucial to determine which areas your audience is hanging around online, for example, blogs, social media networks or chat groups- then develop strategies for connecting with them on those platforms.
Know which metrics matter to you.
It's important to know which metrics matter for you, and also how to measure them.
Suppose your goal is to build brand awareness and provide value to the people who visit your site and to increase retention. Content marketing can be a great way to achieve those goals -- especially in the event that you employ a well-planned method and produce top-quality content that is able to resonate with the target market.
If your aim is to increase leads, your content marketing should concentrate on bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) information that includes product details and opens up the conversion point (e.g., demo requests or free trial sign-ups). You can also supplement your content strategies with advertisements that are paid to bring additional traffic to these assets as well as help you generate qualified leads.
Produce unique, data-driven content
Data-driven content can be a great way to share the latest insights to your customers. It's also a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition.
SaaS firms have an edge in this area since they are able to access a wealth of information regarding their customers and potential clients. With this information they can develop information that directly addresses their needs and aids them in solving their problems.
SaaS marketer and the founder of AdEspresso Massimo Chieruzzi believes that artificial intelligence-based writing tools will soon commoditize content production. And often, the production quality of these software instruments will exceed the work of most copywriters. The only way to compete with the AI is to make original and original content.
"Quality can be a lot of different items. It can be thought leadership with a unique (and certainly not controversial) perspective on the industry. It can also be writing information-driven content using SaaS internal databases ."
Massimo says that when he was at AdEspresso the company initially invested into writing articles that analysed the billions of dollars in Facebook Ads managed through the platform. This approach paid off in creating a brand image, creating trust and returning visitors, and attracting numerous backlinks.
Wrapping up
2023 will focus on offering your customers and prospects with relevant and unique content in multiple formats--including, particularly, video. SaaS users are busy and want content with longevity and an original perspective.
Videos are a way to promote your brand and allow you to stand out from your competitors. But remember -- if you provide targeted, personal information that gives someone real worth, you'll be able to beat the competition in content marketing.