The customer journey isn’t as simple as going from point A to point B. It’s tangled with multiple variables.
With all the back and forth, how do you keep visitors on track to become paying customers?
Enter SaaS content writing.
Your content keeps them connected to your brand throughout their search for answers related to what you have to offer.
You don’t need an English or journalism degree.
But keep in mind that writing is a skill that doesn’t just develop overnight. It does take time to create content that sells.
For the record, my knowledge is tailored specifically for the SaaS industry. I’ve helped my previous clients get more users and customers through content writing and SEO. I’m not sharing this to brag. It’s because I want you to know I’m not just putting words in your mouth.
What I’ll cover in this guide are the same things I’ve used to get results.
The only thing I want you to do is to leave a comment if you found this useful. Let me know what your biggest takeaway is and if there are any other tips you’d like to share 🙂
Table of Contents
What Makes SaaS Content Different?
Unlike physical products, a software solution isn’t something you’ll know how to use within a few seconds of intuition. There are technical features involved with different functions, which require the user to learn how it works in order to use it to its full potential.
But explaining it to your average Joe isn’t as simple as it seems.
Sometimes, they’re not even aware of the problem they have until they read more about what you do.
When writing SaaS content, it’s your job to communicate those product values in a way that’s easy to understand. This should clarify how it helps your reader eliminate an obstacle and get one step closer to a goal.
You’ll often cover a lot of complex tech-jargon topics that need to be broken down.
Once they’re ready to buy, your product will only be the first that comes to mind if you’ve been providing value along the way.
SaaS Content Writing: 8 Steps to Get More Users and Customers
The customer onboarding process becomes easier when you’ve developed a positive relationship with your audience.
After consistently giving them value, the sales and lead-gen mechanism takes place naturally because of the trust that’s been built.
Now, let’s get right to it before I bore you to sleep.
1. Know Your Unique Selling Points
All software has a different format and works differently even if it does solve the same problem as others.
For example, keyword research tools such as:
- Ahrefs
- SEMrush
- Ubersuggest
They all provide the user with similar functions to get all the information they need.
However, each of them has its own appeal. What makes the product stand out is its unique selling point, which is important to communicate in your content to get in front of a specific type of customer.
Here are some examples of what your unique selling points could involve:
- Feature: Do you offer a unique feature that others don’t?
- Pain points: What are the different pain points you solve?
- Values: How exactly is your mission special compared to your competitors?
- Price: Is your pricing model more affordable or flexible than others?
It’s vital to have an in-depth understanding of the software to communicate the product values effectively. This also helps with writing non-generic content that differentiates you from the competition.
Before diving into any SaaS content, it starts with understanding the software, how it works, and how it benefits the user.
2. Give Your Reader the Answers They’re Looking For
The problem you solve could be looked at from multiple perspectives, and there may be enough demand for you to cover the topic.
Freelance content and SEO strategist, Elise Dopson, summarises it nicely:
“You want people to see your result, click it, and find the answer they need straight away. No more Googling needed.”
In other words, give your reader all the answers they need related to their query. Educate them on the topic by providing fresh insights and actionable steps. You want them to come to the conclusion that you understand their problem better than themselves by answering their questions in great detail. This builds your authority figure and trust with your audience.
However, keep it concise and get straight to the point. Don’t add information that isn’t useful. Otherwise it’s just fluff.
3. Establish Your Brand Voice
You won’t be the preferred option if you’re not relatable.
Most times, you’ll have competitors who offer a product or service which solves the same problem. But your audience will choose the one that hits home more for them. Meaning, they’ll go to the solution that feels most authentic and suited to their own needs.
Your brand messaging is your way of communication. It reflects your personality and values. After this is established, it can then be applied to all forms of content.
Here are three things you can do to find your brand voice:
- List down three adjectives you would use to describe your brand
- Create a persona profile that outlines customer goals and pain points
- Write in the same dialect as your target audience (e.g. use slang and abbreviations)
4. Write For a Specific Type of Person
Another separator of good content from great content is whether or not it connects with the reader.
Content makes it easier to sell. However, it’s expected to happen in the long run when enough trust has been built.
One way to do that is to build a relationship by guiding them on how to overcome each of their obstacles. Aside from creating content based on what those obstacles are, the next important step is to write for a specific type of person.
Let’s imagine you’re a basketball player for just a moment.
You’re looking for advice on what shoes to get.
If you asked a random player they’ll probably send you a list of what everyone likes the most. Whereas, if you ask a basketball friend who knows your playstyle and the things you value such as cushion and lightness, they’ll probably give you a list based on those details.
After you hear your basketball friend’s suggestions, you’ll most likely go for one of those options since they’re speaking in your language.
The point I’m trying to make here is that you want to position yourself like our basketball friend.
Give advice that’s tailored for a specific type of person and speak in the same language as them. Don’t write for everyone. Instead, write for one person. This makes your content stand out because it’s more personalised.
5. Focus on a Niche
Before expanding your content focus, double down on a niche to emphasise your subject matter expertise.
Having a broad focus is good because it widens your audience reach.
But unfortunately, it’s not the most effective approach to building the foundation of your content marketing and SEO strategy. A more effective way to start is by covering selective niche topics for a specific consumer.
I strongly recommend this for four reasons:
- Your marketing strategy becomes more focused and targeted.
- It establishes your expertise for a particular need in the market, which acts as a catalyst for developing your content strategy.
- Build stronger brand loyalty as you’re catering to not just anyone.
- Get new insights about your business and service offering.
On top of this, you’ll find more keywords that you could rank for since you’re not competing with the monsters in the industry.
The right niche is the alignment between your company values and audience interests.
As you continue to grow in that particular segment, only then should you consider putting more effort into other related niches and subject areas.
6. Include Relevant Data to Support Your Points
Don’t make bold claims without linking to any data or research to back them up, e.g. statistics and quotes from industry experts.
People want insights from authority figures in the industry.
It affects your credibility when you mention something disagreeable without using any form of evidence to support your point.
Enter the following into the search engines to find the data you need:
- <keyword> + data
- <keyword> + statistics
You can also use sites such as:
7. Share Your Own Perspective
What you do could be different, why you do it could be different, and how you do it could be different.
You’ll have your own point of view on a topic, and it’s not always going to be the same as everyone else. There’s no issue with writing based on those lenses as long as you explain yourself and include data to make your point valid.
Writing from your own perspective also allows you to be more original.
You could still look at what’s already out there and see how you could use the skyscraper technique to create the best resource.
In fact, it’s better to start by analysing what already works rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. The only drawback I’ve noticed of strictly following this approach though is that you’re prone to creating generic SEO content.
As a rule of thumb, avoid rinsing out general advice unless you can offer something new. Here are a few ways how:
- Conduct original research
- Offer a new perspective
- Draw your own conclusions
- Create infographics
- Include expert quotes and insights
8. Use Product-Led Storytelling
Product-led storytelling is a narrative of how your product solves a problem.
A story about how your product is used to overcome a pain point your customer experiences helps them connect with your product or service offering.
The great thing about it is they never get old. How do you not enjoy a good story?
In every content marketing strategy, this is key to generating more user signups. Moreover, it establishes three things:
- You have a solution to their problem
- You’re an expert in the industry
- Your brand personality
Let’s take a look at one example below.
In Mangool’s long-form article Keyword research for SEO, you’ll see how the writer includes a step-by-step narrative using their software to answer the reader’s query. He uses screenshots to show how the product works.
One of the main purposes behind SaaS content writing is to educate and inform.
In this piece of content, he didn’t hard-sell at all. Yet, he demonstrated how their product can give readers what they’re looking for.
Natural product-led storytelling like this in your content can increase your user acquisition rate. It’s the same technique I used to help one of my clients increase their daily average of paying customers by 39.6%.
Outsourcing the Job to a Skilled Freelancer
Google is getting smarter, and so is your audience.
The search engines are only looking to rank high-quality content that serves the user to a high satisfaction. That’s another reason why research, empathy, and written communication skills are important.
Content writing is a skill that develops over time. It’s not something you perfect in a few days and where you see immediate results.
As for the question of hiring a freelancer, it depends. Ask yourself:
- Do you have time to commit to content creation every week?
- Are you skilled at writing, researching, and editing? If not, can you dedicate yourself to learning and developing those skills?
If you’re bootstrapped and can’t commit, you’re better off outsourcing the job to a skilled freelance writer who specialises in your niche. Compared to hiring a full-time writer, freelancers won’t cost as much.
SaaS Content That Gets Results
You’ve reached the final section of this blog post. Kudos to you if you’ve read up until this far!
I have confidence these tips will help you write SaaS content that gets results such as:
- User signups
- Higher rankings on search engines
- Buyer conversions
It might seem like a lot to take in.
But really, the best way to get better is to constantly apply what you’ve learned and to learn from each of those experiences.