Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is all but ubiquitous in the modern world. SaaS plays a critical role in the daily operations of both B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) companies.
Business owners and marketers are continuously looking for ways to stand out from other providers and gain a competitive advantage. Here’s what your SaaS marketing team should know as you set out to drive sales in the coming year.
SaaS Industry Trends
Whether you offer cybersecurity, CRM (customer relationship management), email automation, enterprise resource planning (ERP), or accounting software, employing these seven SaaS trends can give your 2022 marketing strategy a leg up.
1. Lead-Nurturing Content
Successful SaaS marketing strategies must continue to be highly customized and personalized in order to meet customers where they are in their buying journey. Your customers are a great resource for understanding what personalized, relevant content resonates with them. With this data, content marketing teams can develop useful lead-nurturing content.
Lead-nurturing content provides useful information and answers questions while ultimately guiding prospects to sign up for services or otherwise make a conversion. It should educate, engage, and direct a customer to action. Good content can direct prospects to tutorials, highlight key features in a product guide, showcase a platform via a relevant video, or prompt the need to set up an introductory call.
2. SaaS Review Sites
Did you know that upwards of 90% of B2B customers are more likely to buy products or sign up for services after reading a positive review? With this in mind, review sites are now considered a critical component of SaaS marketing. Platforms like Capterra and G2 Crowd allow users to write reviews, compare features, and break down the pricing of competing software.
While you can’t request explicitly positive reviews, you can ask your satisfied clients to discuss their experience with your company. In addition to credibility, the brand mentions and links to your site can also give you an SEO (search engine optimization) boost.
3. Mobile-First Approach
If you haven’t already adopted a mobile-first approach to web development and marketing, now’s the time. While you might think you’re off the hook as a B2B company, half of B2B searches begin on smartphones. What’s more, 90% of B2B customers say they’re more likely to work with providers that have mobile-friendly sites.
4. Micro SaaS
Micro SaaS means offering services that focus on solving a problem or filling a need in a niche market. For instance, Publer allows its users to quickly and easily schedule, publish, and analyze social media posts. Carrd provides a free service for building basic single-page websites.
In many cases, software-as-a-service companies can create a micro offering without spending substantial money. In the end, this can generate brand awareness and lead more potential customers to sign up for your core product.
5. Learning Hubs
Learning hubs are virtual educational platforms that offer valuable resources for businesses and consumers. A software-as-a-service learning hub could include anything from explainer videos and how-to guides to online classes and white papers. While this isn’t a new approach, it’s a tried-and-true component of effective content marketing and SEO.
6. Community Marketing
Community marketing aims to recruit clients by targeting those that align with your organization’s values. The approach is considered active yet non-intrusive, as it engages audiences with content pertaining to causes they care about.
Social media often plays a big role in community marketing. However, there are other ways to implement it, such as designating a sustainability page on your website or becoming a certified B corporation. SaaS teams that expand community partnerships and leverage their mutual networks will see greater engagement with potential customers.
7. Account-Based Marketing
According to a recent survey, 92% of B2B businesses use account-based marketing (ABM). A strong ABM strategy identifies best-fit accounts based on well-developed customer personas and good buying data. Brands use these pieces to target optimal customers with relevant lead-nurturing content. When done well, an ABM strategy nurtures a customer through a sales funnel in a way that keeps them engaged, informed and connected to the brand until they make a purchase. Many SaaS firms have found success with ABM, and it very well could be the key to success in 2022 and beyond.
SaaS Digital Marketing Agency
Want help implementing these B2B SaaS trends? Our digital marketing agency is at your service. Drop us a line to get started.
