Your SaaS Content Marketing Toolkit to help you create greater effectiveness in B2B B2B marketing

Most SaaS (software as services) firms focus on short-term successes. We've been trained to focus on the short-term, which includes more subscribers as well as faster sales. in the case of some companies...sheer volume! Volume was the king (yes also content).

But the market is shifting. SaaS companies are faced with shrinking budgets and a volatile market where any effort is counted. Also, B2B marketing can be more effective using lesser. The volume plays don'ta sustainable, intent-driven marketing plan make.

You should think about an alternative method of SaaS Content Marketing. In this article, we'll discuss some of the biggest mistakes that people make in the field of content marketing. You'll also hear about real-world marketers who've tried as well as proven methods and strategies which your company is able to implement and use.

The Content Marketer's Playbook for B2B

1.     What's the issue regarding SaaS Content Marketing
2.     The most effective channel to use for SaaS Content Marketing
3.     SaaS Content Marketing Examples to study
4.     Marketing of video content for B2B SaaS
5.     Content strategy suggestions for SaaS businesses
6.     wrapping up

What's tired in SaaS content marketing

Here we will look at some outdated content marketing techniques that we do not advocate.

Cold, outbound emails with little or no content.

If you're not familiar with it, the typical cold pitch is sent out as an email to reach out that isn't accompanied by any kind of content or offering. The recipient doesn't understand why or how to react or take action, and they aren't offered any incentive to buy the item or service you provide.

This strategy might have been effective in the past, when the public was more open to sales offers and also absorbed in the purchasing method, but this approach is no longer effective. Today, prospects are continually being bombarded by such emails. Most don't bother reading them as they aren't providing anything of value, or offer any details about what your product can provide to the prospect.

Phil Strazzulla, the co-founder 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 is to send cold outbound emails without support. There are too many messages that come from strangers whom we've never met, thanks to software like Outreach, Apollo, and SalesLoft which makes it simple to automate and expand outbound email campaigns."

He also said "Marketing teams should combine this approach with advertisements for brands that are targeted at specific customers with similar interests and efforts to contact them, and mail-out campaigns offline if there is a budget for the campaign."

Content that is general in nature isn't targeted at a particular public

It's tempting to think that any information will appeal to your entire audience However, this isn't the case. People you are targeting have different requirements and therefore you need to tailor your content to satisfy and exceed their requirements.

B2B clients want to know the best way to use your service or product to help them solve their issues. They are looking for proof of how it does what it says, but they are looking for tips to make use of it better.

An excellent example is HubSpot. HubSpot's blog HubSpot blog serves as a source for content that solve the most common issues for their readers, who are online marketers, salespeople and experts in customer service.

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The content in long format is intended to be enjoyed for the pleasure of it.

Content that is long-form won't disappear in the near future, however it's difficult to discern before those who are busier and even casual readers. In reality, many B2B firms make similar guides, which means that nurture sequences and gated offers don't have the same impact that they used to have previously.

The same is true for lengthy documents like research papers and white papers. These documents can be difficult to read as they're highly technical and only interesting to a select few prospects. Even lengthy case studies, while valuable social proof can be a waste of a prospect's limited attention. Do you wish to turn into simply another tab that is open on a marketer's crowded desktop?

If you've invested money in lengthy written material think about packaging it in short videos for quick use and dissemination.

As an example The Content marketing firm Omniscient Digital offers short video case studies a complement to their usual written cases. It's a fantastic opportunity to show the results of their work without the need for people to read the entire article in case they like video (which majority of us are).

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Blindly imitating the competition

Every day, it happens that a company starts a blog and starts copying its rivals' blog posts every day. It's a common SEO play and is most common for companies that sell software to other businesses because they tend to view various SaaS companies as competitors regardless of the fact that they're competing in different segment and target markets.

Yash Chavan, who is the founder of the platform that is based on SaaS Influencer Marketing Platform Saral, believes that copying other companies or blogs for marketing isn't the best strategy. Chavan suggests:

"Understand that every market, product and their marketing strategies are different... therefore there are various strategies with each. Make use of your strengths. For instance, if your product can create amazing facts (e.g. Survey tool) Use it to create distinctive content. If your product requires inviting others to join it, go all in on referrals as a strategy. Be sure to not do what marketing blogs tell you to do - it's up to you!"

The best channels to create SaaS marketing content

The best methods to connect with your customers will depend on the interests of your target audience and needs, however these are the best four channels to use to use for SaaS Content Marketing that includes video!

1. SEO and content that are evergreen

Some examples of content that can be described as evergreen include:

• The content of the product
• How-to guides
• Industry best practices
• Customer success stories and testimonials

To ensure that your content is search-friendly, you must make it easier to find by using search engines such as Google in addition to YouTube. This means the creation of backlinks (links to other websites) and writing engaging text, and including common keywords in your articles' titles and bodies to increase its relevance to search engines.

2. Email

Email marketing is among the oldest types of marketing through content and is it is among the most efficient. We've already mentioned that email marketing tactics have evolved over the years (bye cold calls, bye) However, this medium remains invaluable for SaaS marketers.

If you create content that meets the requirements for each stage of the customer's journey, such as assisting your blog's readers to onboarding as well as educating new customers via videos, and reminding them of renewal dates , and offering special discount coupons for upgrades, emails allows you to mail targeted emails.

Email also provides a unique one-on-one experience between you and your prospects or customers...something SEO and social media lacks.

This example from Zoom showcases how SaaS enterprises can gain from emails to upgrade and renew.

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3. (IRL or virtual) Event (IRL or virtual)

Events for networking in person, such as or conference, even though they weren't as well-known because of the epidemic, they have returned in full force as public is hungry for social gatherings and parties that are happening.

The events help you create and strengthen relationships with your clients and prospective clients. You will gain fresh insights into your marketplace and test your ideas regarding new brands or products as well as network with prospective customers, influencers, partners and industry experts.

4. Social media

• Make use of your company's Facebook page or Twitter account to provide useful information to your target audience. Users who like your company's page through social media tend to believe in you, and could purchase from you in the future.
• Upload any content (videos!) from people who use your service or product. Genuine content written by users can make users feel more attracted to the brand and want to learn more.
• Engage with people who post comments on articles or post inquiries on social media websites. Send an email response to create deeper relationships with customers who are interested in becoming clients.
• Do not forget to mention those who influence you as well as industry's top experts! Contact them via social media platforms and ask whether they'd be interested to teach others through blog posts making videos, writing blog postsor even participating in events.

SaaS Content Marketing examples for you to learn from

HubSpot

Hubspot has started publishing blog content from 2014, and has since been one of the most successful examples of content marketing's success.

The company makes use of its blog posts to attract new prospects and offer value for current customers. Its Marketing blog covers subjects like marketing automation as well as social media marketing and blogging and much more.

But what is what is what makes HubSpot distinctive is the use of different kinds of formats.

For instance, HubSpot uses a mixture of HubSpot ultimate guidebooks, podcasts, as well as videos in their blog poststo give its readers the option of choosing.

HubSpot Academy is an additional vital component of HubSpot's content strategy. The online academy provides quick classes on everything from basic marketing concepts like getting leads via social media and making an email-based drip marketing campaign and on to advanced certificates like The Certified Inbound Marketer distinction..

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The reason it works:

• The emphasis is on helping customers solve actual problems
• Diverse types of content are available that appeal to a wide range of people and expand the scope of topics
• A genuine voice that doesn't attempt to try to make it too to look amusing or clever.

Microsoft

With its Office 365 blog, Microsoft has built a website with useful content to help customers understand their choices as well as use-cases and supplies them with tips to help them get the most value out of the subscriptions they currently have.

Microsoft has done a great job on its Microsoft 365 University website. Microsoft has developed an online community for students and teachers to learn about Microsoft 365 offerings and services.

They also offer an online class " Create Your First App," where students learn to create applications using Visual Studio Code and Azure DevOps Services.

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What makes it work:

Microsoft was focused on creating an eBook or video-based series that would run for 18 months and allow consumers to explore the contents at their own pace. This eliminates the need to create constantly updated material and allows Microsoft focus on meeting requirements of customers.

Adobe

Adobe has launched CMO.com, a publication/magazine that offers worth to the readers through facts that address the most important topics to digital executives. It also includes writing by thought-leaders in their field as well as views of Adobe on technology, product, and industry developments.

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It's a fantastic illustration of the ways SaaS businesses can utilize content marketing to increase and strengthen customer relations, leading to more sales.

The reason why it works

The reason this works is due to the fact that the content provided by CMO is product-agnostic, meaning they don't focus on their company's products or services. Its content is solely focused on trends, issues and the opportunities to stay out of the disruption of digital technology.

SARAL

SARAL is an influencer marketing platform which connects brands and influencers. Their blog is a great source of information about the particulars of influencer marketing, and not just to promote the brands but also to assist their customers (marketers) in executing effective campaigns.

The founder of the company isn't content to just write blog posts. He also promotes two concepts by using 50 channels every week on a basis, which allows him to connect with a wider audience.

Why it works

Yash Chavan the co-founder of Saral and CEO, has stated that switching his attention to writing two blog posts per week , to promoting two ideas on fifty different social networks has significantly altered the way he approaches content marketing.

Chavan ran an experiment in which his site traffic dropped by 35% after the end of his distribution for one month. Chavan also suggests the next generation of SaaS marketing and founders to produce high-quality content, not a large amount of content that is low quality and distribute it as widely as they can.

Video content marketing to B2B SaaS

Video marketing is an effective method for B2B and B2C firms. The content that you produce may have distinct goals for B2C and B2B (i.e. educational or. to entertain).

In actual fact, HubSpot Blog Research observed that 15 percent of B2B marketers see creating thought leadership as the primary goal of their video marketing strategies as opposed to just nine percent B2C marketers.

Here are a few additional ways B2B SaaS firms use often than B2C firms:

• Explainer videos
• Product demos
• Live streaming of live events
• Video clips from the product
• Behind-the-scenes videos
• Testimonials from our customers and personal stories

If you're the distinction of one of the B2C firm , and you're the type of B2C company, your strategy in relation to social media might be different from one that is a B2B SaaS company. This kind of business relies more on TikTok along with Instagram in contrast to those who are most likely to use Twitter and LinkedIn most often.

These channels are better than their customers: B2C brands want to interact with customers in person and in person, whereas B2B SaaS firms are looking to connect with industry professionals with long sales cycles , as well as more decision-makers.

Content strategy tips to SaaS companies

We'll look at some ideas for content strategy to SaaS marketing professionals for 2023.

Know all possible about the intended group of customers

Before producing the content you will need to understand who you're talking about and what they're looking for from your company. For this, conduct market research and talk with potential customers or users of your product or service. Find out what they need from you as well as the method they prefer to access it using audio, video or texts.

Then create personas that reflect the interests of your audience and requirements. Use those personas to guide you on the best way to design, create, and present your material.

Feedback surveys is another way to gain insight into those who are using your product. The feedback surveys can be helpful because they allow you to collect the thoughts and opinions from actual customers in order to design future products and services.

Pro Tip:Look at Google Trends to find keywords relevant to the field you work in and aid you in deciding what topics you'll be covering on your blog, or in posts on social media.

Making the necessary changes to what you've got

For SaaS businesses, the process of re-creating your content is a good solution to ensure that your valuable content useful and easily accessible.

When you create written or video content, keep track of the date it becomes live, and track the frequency of use and its impact. Every quarter, review your library for indications of decreases in the number of viewers in your content, then prioritize that content for changes. Also, as your service changes and expands, make sure that your website reflects your product's features in the right imagery.

Also, you can update existing information by adding more articles and other information. This can make your website more useful to visitors who had similar queries before, but didn't get the info they were looking for on your site.

Prioritize distribution

If you don't have the plans to disseminate your content It's unlikely to reach the audience that need it the most. It's crucial to know the places your intended audience is on the internet whether it's websites, blogs or social media networks or even forums for discussion. Then develop strategies to get them to visit your site.

Be aware of the metrics that matter to you

It's important to know what metrics are important to you, and also how you'll be able to measure them.

It is possible that you would like to improve brand recognition, provide the best value to customers, and improve retention. Content marketing is an excellent way to reach your goals that you wish to attain, particularly in the case of a planned strategy and develop quality content that resonates with the target market.

If your goal is to generate leads through your content, then the material that you produce for marketing should focus into bottom-of-funnel (BOFU) content that naturally contains product information and allows you to convert points (e.g. Requests for demos or signing ups for trial trials for free). It is also possible to supplement your content marketing strategy by using paid ads to drive additional customers to your site and aid in creating qualified leads.

Produce unique, data-driven content

Data-driven content is a great way to share new insights with your audience. It's also an effective method to distinguish yourself from the competitors.

SaaS businesses have an edge in this regard due to the fact that they can access an array of details about the customers they serve and their prospects. By leveraging that data it is possible to create information that addresses their needs and aids to solve the challenges they confront.

SaaS marketer and co-founder of the AdEspresso company Massimo Chieruzzi believes that AI-based software for writing could soon be utilized for monetizing the production of content. And often, the production performance of these instruments is higher than that of copywriters. One way of beat this AI is to make unique material.

"Quality can refer to a range of things. This could include an opinion-maker who has a unique (and definitely not controversial) point of view about the market. It can also be writing content that is generated by data using SaaS internal data . "

Massimo says that when working at AdEspresso the company was initially investing in the creation of content that analyzed millions of dollars worth of Facebook ads managed through the platform. The strategy was successful in helping build the trust of the brand as well as attracting returning visitors, and also drawing a large number of backlinks.

Wrapping up

2023 will focus on providing your prospects and customers with relevant and unique information in a variety of formats, especially videos. SaaS customers are engaged and demand material that lasts and unique perspectives.

Videos are a way to promote your business and let you stand out from competitors, however, make sure you provide an audience-centric, personalized content that offers someone real value, and you'll succeed in beating content marketing.

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