Effective B2B marketing for SaaS companies can be very different from traditional organizations, but some strategies apply across the board.
SaaS companies fill a niche by providing subscription services that businesses need online. Most brands use at least one SaaS company for email automation, customer management, and other purposes. But while SaaS companies help business owners find customers, how do people who run SaaS companies market to other businesses?
Leverage content marketing
Content marketing offers tremendous benefits to most brands, but SaaS companies are uniquely positioned to reap the most benefits from this strategy. Content marketing for SaaS companies can take the form of website blogs, informational videos, news articles, or a combination, but they all share some key benefits:
A big advantage of content marketing is that it costs as much as you want. For startups with small staff and limited budgets, creating content in-house can be a great way to increase traffic without sacrificing profits. A simple informational blog is easy to start, and when you’re ready to scale, you can hire writers or a content agency to grow it.
What makes B2B marketing especially interesting for SaaS companies is content marketing’s ability to build trust. When brands are looking for another company to partner with, they want to know who is on the other side of the desk. It’s impossible for a successful SaaS business to meet all of their target customers in person, but content marketing gives your brand a face and voice that these business owners can connect with. Companies often use SaaS platforms to perform tasks they can’t handle in-house. Providing content that helps users navigate this landscape helps users feel empowered when choosing a platform and ensures that your brand is the brand they have in mind when making a decision.
Paid Advertising
It may seem obvious, but paid advertising is popular because it simply works. While content marketing can improve organic traffic, paid advertising on Google, LinkedIn, and other platforms that your ideal customers use regularly will bring you great ROI.
PPC advertising is a great way to achieve this because you only pay for the customers you refer. Once on your website, the rest can be done with design, content, and of course, product. It’s important to target your PPC ads and use voice data to keep the cost per click as low as possible. Make sure your ads are SEO optimized for the most important keywords in your category and closely monitor your Google Ads Quality Score for maximum effectiveness. If you do B2B marketing for your SaaS platform, focus on desktop ads instead of other formats. That’s not to say that mobile marketing isn’t important, but think a little bit about how and when your customers search for software solutions. People think about work while they’re at work, and are more likely to look for solutions on the spot; at their desk when they have a problem. Focusing on desktop ads ensures your solution is the first thing your customers find when they look throughout the day.
Treat your customers according to price
Every penny counts for a startup, and many entrepreneurs are hesitant to spend money on products they’re not sure they need. There are a few ways to overcome this hurdle. Free trials can turn people into customers who would have previously visited your site and left without a second thought, and they cost SaaS companies a relatively small amount. By offering companies a risk-free opportunity to see what your service can do for them, you attract people who never knew what they were missing before.
Once you have attracted a potential customer, entice them by offering a tiered pricing structure. Not every brand needs every service you offer, and just as many will need some extra features beyond your basic offering. Offering different packages at different price points gives your customers more control over their business decisions, allowing you to cast a wider net within your industry. Regardless of what your product can do for consumers, refining your B2B marketing strategy will ensure you get the next best repeat customer.
