Content marketing is by far the most effective lead generation strategy for SaaS & IT companies. But in order to make the most of it, you need to understand its potential and then tailor it to your company. And here's how.
Let me start by asking you a quick question: Do you produce content in your SaaS/IT company? And one more question: Why?
The majority of companies produce content for SEO purposes to boost their organic visibility on Google. And while there's nothing wrong with organic visibility (love it!), it cannot be your only focus.
How so?
Writing for SEO? No, thank you; we're writing for our clients
Writing for SEO is a 2005 thing. People used to produce content with almost no attention the the quality. If the right keywords were there, it was a good piece. Put it on our website, SEO guy!
Today, many companies think similarly, and they have a new arrow in their digital quiver - AI.
Thankfully (yes, thankfully!), earlier in March this year, Google said:
Many SEO guys and marketing specialists replied with loud "WHAAAT?!"
Many websites that were full of generic AI-generated content took a big hit or were even removed from the SERP altogether. If you want to know more, read this article on my blog: AI Kills SERPs.
I wouldn't be surprised if many of those texts were perfectly SEO-optimized! So, what's the problem?
Google calls it people-first content.
If you want to succeed with your content marketing and rank high on Google, you need to focus on producing high-quality, insightful, and practical texts. Google has always been about providing users with relevant and useful information. That's what Google E-E-A-T is about, too.
And that's what content marketing, especially its B2B version, is about - providing value to your clients/users.
Sharing knowledge
Gaining trust
Showcasing expertise and success stories
All this lays perfect foundation for other marketing activities and sales. But when producing content, your first and primary focus should be on providing value. So that people can see that you have something valuable to say and can actually help them with their life or work.
Content that's user-centric, valuable, and practical is the exact type of content you want for your SEO!
These things go hand in hand; mass-produced generic/thin content that's just full of keywords is NOT how we do SEO these days.
Here's how I see it:
We may talk about the percentage values but the simple fact is this: High quality comes first, SEO comes second.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying for a second that SEO is not important. It's incredibly important, it's simply not more important than the quality of what you produce. In fact, it's a perfect symbiosis: High quality strenghtens SEO and SEO strenghtens high quality.
Ok, with this out of the way, what should you expect from SaaS/IT content marketing services and what are they?
Discover content marketing services for SaaS and IT companies
Basically, content marketing is all about two things:
Creating high-quality content that resonates with your ICP (Ideal Client Profile) and buyer personas
Distributing this content so that your ideal clients/users can see it and start interacting with your brand. Frequently, SaaS content marketing is the first touchpoint that starts your clients' buying journey!
Now, there are several tools and techniques you can utilize to make these two points happen:
SAAS/IT CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY
This is where it starts; you need a tailor-made content marketing strategy to know what to write about, with whom in mind, and through what channels. In 2023, Semrush conducted a comprehensive content marketing study. One of their findings was that a whopping 80% of the most successful content marketers have a documented content marketing strategy:
Now that says a lot, doesn't it? The conclusion is obvious - you need a strategy to succeed with your SaaS/IT content marketing.
If you want to create a content marketing strategy for your business on your own, make sure to download my free ebook on how to create such a strategy for a SaaS/IT company.
BLOG POSTS AND GUEST POSTS
For me, that's the foundation of your content marketing. Blog posts allow you to convey valuable knowledge and boost your website's SEO (it has it all: Backlinks, images, content, subpages...).
And guest posts are brilliant if you want to get out there and build your visibility in the channels your clients/users use to get knowledge. Plus, they give you valuable backlinks that also significantly contribute to your organic visibility.
At least 70% of what you do for SEO and content marketing should revolve around blogs and guest posts.
LEAD MAGNET
Lead magnets are awesome when it comes to building your email database. One requirement, though - your magnet has to be really good and 100% practical to your ICP. Lead magnets can come im many different forms and shapes:
Ebook
Online course
Webinar
Checklist
Free trial access
Free consultation
Initial discount, etc.
It can be whatever makes your potential clients take the next step - leave their email or book a call with your team.
NEWSLETTERS
Newsletters are great when it comes to staying in touch with your audience. You should send at least one newsletter per month but not more than two. Why?
First off, for the vast majority of companies, it can be challenging to gather enough good material for three or four newsletters.
And secondly, you can easily overdo it and tire your target audience with your emails.
In content marketing, less is more; create one monthly newsletter that really makes a difference and you're good.
Also, keep in mind that your newsletter is not a propaganda tool. Don't use it to proclaim far and wide how great you are. Focus on what matters everywhere - providing value to your recipients.
PPC ADS
Granted, PPC ads are not the first thing you consider when it comes to content. But you can (and should) use them to promote your best pieces (e.g., your lead magnet and your pillar articles) to new audiences.
I'm not saying that PPC ads should be the only channel you use to promote your content but as a support for other activities, they are great, especially Google Ads.
Why?
Because people use Google to find answers and specific piece of information. That means they are usually either ready to buy or open to talking to you about the solution to their problem. And a relevant piece of content can help them make a decision to reach out to you.
Wrapping up: Make the most of content marketing services for SaaS & IT
Put all that together, and you will end up with a solid strategy that allows you to utilize several lead sources at the same time. Content marketing is also fantastic, considering loyalizing your clients and upselling your services, even though it's NOT a direct sales tool.
Would you like to know how content marketing can give your company a boost? Let's have a nice and free chat!
Speak soon!
Mike