SaaS Content Marketing: 10 Steps to More Leads & Conversions (+ Costs)

SaaS content marketing educates prospects about your software using targeted content. It builds trust and drives conversions by addressing customer needs at each stage of the buyer journey. Learn how to use it to drive leads to your site.

Here, you’ll find:

• What is SaaS content marketing?
• Benefits of SaaS content marketing
• How much does SaaS content marketing cost?
• Create a SaaS content marketing strategy in 10 steps
• How to integrate SaaS content marketing and sales
• Getting help from a SaaS content marketing services provider

82% of marketers actively invest in content marketing.

And there are good reasons why.

Content marketing typically helps brands achieve faster growth. And enjoy much higher ROI than traditional marketing methods.

But that’s only if it’s done right. And this is a challenge when it comes to SaaS brands.

SaaS content marketing has its nuances.

For instance, SaaS brands usually have to deal with a committee of decision-makers rather than just one person. Retention is a key focus for them to keep the churn rate low. And with high competition, they have to build excellent content assets for the awareness stage of the funnel.

So, content marketing for SaaS is different. But is it difficult? No way.

We’ll explain the steps to create a SaaS content marketing strategy. Let’s start with the basics.

What is SaaS content marketing?

SaaS content marketing involves creating and distributing helpful content to attract people to your software product. The goal is to inform and educate potential customers about how your software can solve their problems.

By sharing helpful information, you build trust and guide people step-by-step toward trying out your software.

Unlike traditional marketing, which often interrupts your audience with content they didn’t ask for, B2B SaaS content marketing focuses on publishing content your audience is actively searching for.

This could mean articles that answer specific questions, how-to guides that solve real problems, or insights that help users make informed decisions.

A good content marketing SaaS strategy puts the information your audience needs right where they can find it. So when they’re ready to choose a solution, your brand is at the top of their minds.

Further reading: SaaS B2B Marketing: The Ultimate Guide for 2023

Benefits of SaaS content marketing

SaaS content marketing helps you connect with your audience and show them how your software can solve their problems.

Here’s how it benefits you:

• Boosts your brand’s visibility: The more helpful content you publish, the more people will discover your brand
• Teaches your customers: Your content helps customers understand their challenges and how your product helps
• Earns trust: Sharing free, valuable advice shows you’re genuine, making people more likely to trust your brand
• Improves your website’s search ranking: Keyword-optimized content improves the chances of your website showing up in search results and bringing in more visitors
• Brings in leads: People who find your content useful are more likely to sign up or inquire about your product
• Guides potential customers: Your content answers questions and addresses concerns, guiding potential customers toward buying
• Keeps customers returning: Useful content keeps existing customers engaged and interested in sticking with your product

How much does SaaS content marketing cost?

On average, you can expect to spend between $5,000 and $20,000 per month. The cost of SaaS content marketing depends on the stage of your site (startup or established), and whether you need ongoing content production.

The rate will depend on the type of content you’re creating, the length and research required for each piece of content, and how many pieces you need monthly.

Create a SaaS content marketing strategy in 10 steps

Follow these steps to create a SaaS content marketing strategy:

1. Build buyer personas
2. Define business goals and set OKRs
3. Map out the customer journey
4. Do competitive analysis
5. Do keyword research
6. Create content calendar
7. Optimize your website
8. Publish high-quality content
9. Distribute content
10. Track important metrics

1. Build buyer personas

Buyer personas are fictional characters that portray your ideal customers based on data and some educated guesses about their demographics, behavior patterns, motivations, and goals.

Here’s how it may look:

Creating buyer personas helps you understand who you’re talking to, so you can tailor your content to address their specific problems, needs, and questions.

If you know your audience’s challenges, you can create valuable content that shows your product as the solution, making your marketing efforts more effective and personal.

So, gather data from customer interviews, surveys, and your website analytics. Look for patterns in how customers find and use your product. Identify their goals, challenges, and the type of content they engage with.

Then, use this information to create a comprehensive profile that represents a segment of your audience. Many buyer persona templates are easily found online.

Further reading: How to Create Your Ideal Client Persona

2. Define business goals and set OKRs

Your goals are the broad outcomes you want to achieve with your content marketing, like increasing brand awareness or driving more sales.

Without clear goals, you can’t measure success or understand the impact/ROI of your inbound marketing efforts.

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) help you set specific, measurable steps to reach these goals. They keep you focused, ensuring every piece of content has a purpose and contributes to your broader business objectives.

Start by identifying what you want your content marketing to achieve.

Then, set objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

For each objective, define key results that’ll indicate progress toward that objective.

For example, your objective could be establishing your brand as a thought leader in your industry. A corresponding key result could be to increase your website’s organic traffic by 50% in the next quarter.

3. Map out the customer journey

The customer journey is people’s path from realizing they have a problem to choosing your solution.

Understanding this journey helps you create content that meets potential customers at every stage, addressing their needs and moving them closer to a purchase.

It ensures you’re not just creating content for the sake of it but making content that solves problems, educates, and builds trust.

Break down the journey into stages: awareness, consideration, and decision.

Identify the questions and concerns your customers have at each stage. Then, plan content that answers these questions.

• For awareness, focus on informational content that addresses the problem.
• In the consideration stage, show why your solution is the best.
• For decision, provide proof points like case studies or testimonials.

4. Do competitive analysis

Keyword research helps you find the words and phrases your potential customers use when they’re looking for information online.

It lets you see what works in your industry and where there may be gaps you can leverage.

For example, if all your competitors focus heavily on blog posts but ignore video content, you can capture the audience’s attention through engaging video content. It’s not just about doing what everyone else is doing — it’s about doing it better or differently.

Start with a list of your top competitors and visit their websites, blogs, and social media profiles. Take note of:

• The types of content they produce (blogs, videos, podcasts, infographics)
• The topics they cover and their approach to those topics
• The engagement level with their content (likes, shares, comments)
• Any content formats or topics that seem underexplored

For instance, using BuzzSumo, you can enter a competitor’s website to see its most shared content. This gives you an idea of what topics resonate with its (and potentially your) audience.

Here’s a sample of the BuzzSumo report:

Semrush or Ahrefs can show the keywords it ranks for, indicating the SEO (search engine optimization) strategies it’s employing.

Here’s an example report from Semrush:

If it ranks well for certain keywords but lacks comprehensive content on those topics, that’s your cue to create in-depth content that fills that void.

In the end, don’t just look at what it’s doing right. Note any potential weaknesses or areas of improvement in their content marketing plan.

For example, you may notice a lack of case studies or user testimonials. Producing these types of content can set them apart and provide social proof that your competitor lacks.

Further reading: How to Conduct an SEO Competitor Analysis + 10 Tools We Love

5. Do keyword research

Keyword research helps you understand your potential customers’ words and phrases when looking for information online.

Since content marketing and SEO go hand in hand, keyword research is an essential part of the process. It ensures the content you create matches what people are searching for, making it easier for them to find your website.

Start by thinking about the basic topics related to your product and industry. Use Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, Ahrefs, or other keyword research tools to discover the specific keywords and phrases within those topics.

Pick keywords with a high search volume and low competition. This means many people are searching for these terms, but there aren’t many quality resources answering their questions.

On Google Keyword Planner, a completely free tool, select “Discover new keywords” from the dashboard.

Enter your seed term or phrase to see a list of keyword ideas.

For instance, if you’re selling project management software, keywords may include “best project management tools” or “how to manage a remote team effectively.”

Once you have a list of keywords, include them (naturally and meaningfully) in your content to improve your SaaS SEO and bring more traffic to your site.

Further reading: 7 SaaS SEO Tips That Actually Work (+ What to Avoid)

6. Create content calendar

A content calendar is your roadmap for what content you’ll publish, when, and where. It helps you stay organized, plan for key dates or events, and ensure a consistent content flow to keep your audience engaged.

To create a content calendar, first decide on the frequency of your posts — whether daily, weekly, or monthly.

Then, map out specific topics or types of content (like blog posts, videos, infographics, use cases, whitepapers, product updates, or webinars) for each publication date.

Use insights from your competitive analysis, keyword research, and customer journey mapping. And identify topics that’ll interest and engage your audience at various stages of their journey.

Also, consider seasonal topics, product launches, or industry events that may influence what you should publish and when.

You can use Google Sheets, Asana, or other tools to organize your calendar. Include columns for the content title, keywords, target persona, CTA, stage of the customer journey, and the responsible team member.

This keeps everyone on the same page and makes it easier to track progress.

Note: This guide focuses on planning content for your website, like blog posts and landing page content. A comprehensive content calendar can also cover PR, social media, and other activities. Feel free to tailor your calendar to include these elements based on your specific needs, making it as detailed or simple as you prefer.

7. Optimize your website

Website optimization means ensuring your site is designed, written, and coded in a way that will rank it highly on search engines and be easy for visitors to use.

This includes using your researched keywords effectively across your site’s content, improving site speed, ensuring mobile-friendliness, and creating an intuitive navigation structure.

Start with an SEO audit using tools like Semrush or Moz to identify areas for improvement.

Here’s how the site audit report looks on Semrush:

Look for broken links, slow-loading pages, and content not optimized for your target keywords.

Next, make your website mobile-friendly. More people now use their phones to search and browse the web, so your site should look good and work well on a smaller screen.

Finally, enhance your site’s user experience (UX) by organizing your content in a clear, easy-to-follow way.

A well-structured site with a logical hierarchy helps your SEO and makes it easier for visitors to find the information they need and take action, such as signing up for a trial or purchasing.

Of course, optimizing your SaaS website involves a lot more. Check out 6 Ways to Optimize Your SaaS Website

Additionally, you’d need to take several other on-page and technical SEO steps to get better results. We have published separate guides on both topics.

Check them out:

• 20 On-Page SEO Factors Our Experts Use to Rank On Page One
• Technical SEO: An Easy-to-Follow Guide + 6 Improvement Tips

If you need help optimizing your website, talk to our experts today. We’ve helped many SaaS clients optimize their sites with a defined framework and robust workflows that ensure higher agility and faster results.

Book a free consultation.

8. Publish high-quality content

Publishing high-quality content builds trust, keeps your audience engaged, and helps you achieve your defined marketing goals.

Stick to the content calendar you’ve created to ensure a steady flow of material. This consistency keeps your audience engaged and looking forward to what’s next.

If you have an in-house team of writers, build a robust workflow that streamlines everything from research and writing to editing and publishing.

Or consider working with freelance writers or content marketing agencies.

Look for writers who understand your industry and can match your brand’s tone. Clear communication about your expectations, deadlines, and feedback is key to a productive relationship. Regular check-ins and constructive feedback will help maintain quality and alignment with your brand’s values.

“For SaaS content marketing, a writer who understands your product and industry is non-negotiable,” says Rambod Yadegar, President of HawkSEM. “In fact, investing in the right writing talent is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make in your SaaS content strategy.”

He adds that SaaS products solve complex problems. So, your content should clearly communicate your value proposition and address customer pain points. “An experienced writer can create content that resonates, builds trust, and boosts lead generation by translating complex topics into engaging, accessible stories,” he says.

At HawkSEM, we offer end-to-end content marketing services for SaaS brands.

Our team of SaaS content writers and editors has helped the biggest brands build high-value content assets that drive real outcomes.

9. Distribute content

Strategically distributing your content maximizes its visibility and impact. It also helps you engage your audience, driving brand awareness.

To create a content distribution strategy, identify the most effective channels for your target audience. This may include specific social media platforms, email marketing newsletters, and industry forums.

Tailor your message for each marketing channel — short and intriguing for Twitter, detailed and professional for LinkedIn.

Schedule your posts at the right times when your audience is possibly most active.

Also, prioritize engaging with comments and social shares to foster community and increase reach. Tools like Buffer or Hootsuite can streamline this process and provide analytics to refine your strategy over time.

10. Track important metrics

Measuring key metrics allows you to understand the effectiveness of your content marketing and make data-driven decisions.

But how to measure SaaS content marketing success?

Focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) that fit your business goals, such as traffic, engagement, leads, click-through rate, and conversion rates.

Use Google Analytics to assess website activity and social media analytics for engagement trends.

Review these metrics regularly to identify which types of content work best with your audience and adjust your content strategy accordingly.

Setting up dashboards or reports for monthly reviews will keep track of progress and trends.

At HawkSEM, in addition to other tools, we use ConversionIQ. It’s our proprietary marketing tool.

It helps us track every step of the buyer journey so we can understand what aspects of our content marketing campaign are working and what needs improvement. This allows us to optimize the strategy to achieve higher ROI month over month.

All HawkSEM clients get free access to ConversionIQ. Want to learn more? Get in touch with us.

Or check out Top 10 Essential SaaS Marketing Tools in 2023

SaaS content marketing examples

Brands like HubSpot, Semrush, and Hootsuite are great SaaS content marketing examples.

Their holistic approach to building valuable content assets has helped them rank consistently higher on SERPs, gain engagement on social media platforms, and establish strong brand recognition.

These brands publish a wide range of content that fits different marketing funnel stages.

HubSpot’s SEO and social strategy

Take HubSpot, for instance. Its website gets over 4.8 million organic search traffic every month.

Over 4% of that traffic comes from a branded keyword.

It has over 107 million backlinks from 456k referring domains.

HubSpot also has a strong brand presence on every social media platform, like Instagram here:

There are also other SaaS content marketing examples of individual campaigns.

Moz’s Whiteboard Friday

Moz shares marketing advice through weekly videos, helping people learn and engage with their brand. Its Whiteboard Friday series made it one of the industry’s most trusted brands.

Unbounce’s video course

Unbounce has a video course on landing page optimization hosted on Skillshare. This helped the brand build thought leadership in its segment and increase its reach through a popular third-party platform.

UpLead’s case studies

UpLead publishes detailed case studies showing how startups succeed using their tool. This helped them attract potential customers interested in similar results by having compelling bottom-of-the-funnel content assets.

How to integrate SaaS content marketing and sales

Integrating SaaS content marketing and sales ensures your content efforts convert into actual revenue.

Your sales and content marketing teams need to collaborate closely to achieve this. Start by sharing insights and data between teams.

For instance, content marketers can inform sales teams about the types of content generating the most leads, while sales teams can provide feedback on what customers are asking for during the sales process.

Implement content ideas that support the entire sales cycle, from awareness to decision.

Create case studies, testimonials, and detailed product guides that sales can use to address potential customers’ concerns and questions. Also, use content to nurture leads by providing information that guides them through the buying journey. This makes it easier for sales to close the deal.

Regular meetings between content marketing and sales ensure that both teams are aligned on goals, messaging, and target audiences.

This alignment means content marketing directly supports sales efforts, leading to a smoother customer journey and impacting the bottom line.

Need help? Partner with a SaaS content marketing services provider

Partnering with a SaaS content marketing services provider can:

• Offer expert insights tailored to your unique market position
• Save time and resources by handling content creation, distribution, and optimization
• Provide access to specialized tools and analytics for better content performance tracking
• Enhance content quality with experienced writers and marketers
• Accelerate your sales cycle by aligning content marketing efforts with sales goals
• Scale your content production to meet growing marketing needs without the overhead of expanding your in-house team

“B2B SaaS content marketing is more than just about attracting eyeballs. It’s about fostering meaningful relationships with your target audience. At a time when customers are flooded with generic marketing messages, authentic content is the key to cutting through the noise and establishing your brand as a trusted advisor,” says Yadegar.

“But, creating an effective SaaS content strategy requires a shift from just pushing product features and publishing content blindly. It’s much more strategic. This is where working with a SaaS content marketing services provider could be a better choice for many brands.”

At HawkSEM, we’ve worked with many SaaS brands, enabling their growth stories with agile content marketing.

For example, we helped Easly:

• Increase the brand’s keyword portfolio by 1500%
• 40% improvement on featured snippet results
• Increase referring domains by more than 2500%

We achieved this primarily by creating keyword-focused content that met the SEO requirements and touched multiple points of the sales funnel.

HawkSEM is one of the fastest-growing digital marketing agencies, working with brands like Nike, Microsoft, Direct TV, and Honda.

Want to work with us? Talk to our expert today, and let’s create a growth map for your SaaS business. Book your free consultation.

Or, check out Top 9 SaaS Marketing Agencies to Drive SQLs & Scale MRR | Vetted and Reviewed

The takeaway

There’s no such thing as standard content marketing. For instance, content marketing for ecommerce is unique to a content strategy for SaaS brands.

The key, however, is to follow the fundamentals:

• Know your audience and goals
• Publish content that helps
• Optimize website for UX

With these taken care of, focus on the tactics. Based on your brand’s needs, it could be anything — from creating lower-funnel landing pages to repurposing guides into videos.

The steps in this article will help you create a more structured and efficient SaaS content marketing strategy.

If you need help in creating a strategy or content, get in touch with us today.