It wasn’t long ago that buying software and keeping it updated was a chore many computer savvy people willingly did to stay on top. Then came software as a service (SaaS). With SaaS, the main computer software stays on a central server. Users buy access to that program on the server, usually for a set time like a month or a week.
Those who owned home computers throughout this SaaS transition know the value of keeping a library of computer discs ready to rescue our computers. Fortunately, SaaS virtually eliminated the need to keep an extensive library of software discs for potential computer rescue. Instead, today’s computer users log into a portal and go from there.
Subscribe or Not Subscribe
With the SaaS model, a user doesn’t own the software. Instead, the user rents permission to use the software to produce a specific result. The most common SaaSs are those that we use every day, like Microsoft Office. For example, if we use Word to make a .docx file, the file is ours, but the software used to create it isn’t.
Marketing for long-term growth and to stand out in the crowd requires highlighting the trust relationship and strengthening it. Sales ready messaging should focus on the consumer habits of your future customers and how your SaaS solves their problems.
5 Ways to Market Your SaaS Company and Stand out from the Crowd
SaaS marketing presents unique challenges. For example, buying a subscription to a software service is not the same as purchasing the software. Hence, when people search for SaaS online, they already have a finished product in mind and are looking to make the product. As such, SaaS marketing must be focused on providing an exceptional customer experience that encourages subscription renewal.
The importance of holistic SEO
SEO has come a long way in the last two decades. That said, holistic SEO looks at SEO from an entire website’s footprint. What started to get pages noticed by web crawlers has now evolved into an industry with hundreds of self-professed gurus. What led to the growth of SEO is the primary reason SEO is valuable to SaaS marketing. There is no better way to gain insight into the amount of potential customers you have.
Web content developed using SEO best practices drives leads organically into your sales funnel. This doesn’t just apply to expert content. All words written throughout the web copy should work to put leads into the sales funnel. In this way, holistic SEO presents a place for leads to go after they’ve been nurtured and ready to explore your SaaS options.
As you consider marketing for your SaaS company, consider hiring a digital marketing company specializing in SaaS Marketing. Web Rocket Media has the SaaS marketing experts you need to help your business stand out.
The Value of Content Marketing
Expert content is vital to a SaaS company for a few key reasons:
- First, with expert content, your SaaS company becomes an expert in the field. With media such as professionally produced video and white papers, your SaaS company comes across as an expert.
- Second, Google’s search algorithms like when they come across content they can link together in relevant groups. The groups of content are credible and help specific site content achieve high SERPs.
- Third, SEO is more than targeted keywords. A talented SEO expert thinks about organic SEO, the kind that leads to extra web traffic. Consequently, what happens is Google’s search results include SEO connections the digital marketer learns from over time.
Of course, these three reasons don’t exist in a vacuum. Other causes are just as important. For example, expert content lets a SaaS company stand out from the crowd by combining it with quality customer service. A SaaS company offers a “service” with the product. Provide the service with expert delivery, and your SaaS company will stand out.
Free Trials
Nothing says “try me” quite like a free trial. SaaS companies are in a perfect position to offer trial offers for their services. The free trial lets a user create the end product using your software service. There are no shipping and handling costs. At the end of the trial, the subscription gets paid, or the consumer cancels it.
Remember, free trials are a chance to show off your entire sales pitch and how you delivery the service. This includes support if needed. Suppose the customer has a memorable trial, the customer pays the subscription, and moves on. If they cancel, your SaaS company has the opportunity to find out why from canceled customers.
Leverage SaaS Review Sites
Online purchasers and consumers have a stable relationship with posting and reading product reviews. Because SaaS offerings are subscriptions, existing and former customers have opportunities to tell others about the experience. People do this on review sites where people go to get consumer advice and opinions.
As the owner of a SaaS company, you would benefit from knowing what review sites are out there. Review sites can be active communities where people benefit from information exchange. Leveraging this type of activity will help drive leads.
Incentives and Easy Sign-Up
Enough cannot be said about the usefulness of a one-month free-trial extension. Indeed, this is the type of incentive a potential customer might use to continue using the free version. Then at the end of two months, the user can’t live without the SaaS service and buys the year subscription at a monthly saving of 67%.
When it comes to signing up for a free trial, your SaaS company should keep it short and straightforward. You want to get your potential customer to your service as quickly as possible. The trick is to make it simple enough that people on the fence don’t have time to change their minds before signing up.
Closing Thoughts
Marketing a SaaS company takes customer trust beyond that of many other businesses. The SaaS company agrees to keep providing the service at the same or better level than before for a regular price. When choosing a digital marketing partner, consider Web Rocket Media. Their advertising experts understand SaaS marketing and will help you stand out in the crowd.