What Is SaaS Inbound Marketing?
SaaS inbound marketing tactics focus on creating appealing content and resources that lure customers to your website. The purpose is not to shove information about your business down anyone's throat but to attract targeted leads by promoting relevant and high-quality content. Inbound marketing for software companies allows you to select your audience by using multiple filters. This way, only potential buyers see your content and engage with it. SaaS companies need to enforce an inbound marketing strategy if they want to foster long-term growth and success. In fact, your SaaS marketing strategy should be focused at least 50% on inbound tactics. Some of you may be skeptical of such an idea. Isn't it faster to create an ad and invest a nice budget to attract clients? Sure, it may be quicker, but the moment you stop paying to show your ad, leads stop visiting your website.
On the other hand, software inbound marketing attracts relevant audiences and improves your Google rankings. Therefore, your company grows steadily while gaining new, loyal supporters. Knowing how to spend your money from the start helps you make wiser choices and not overspend on generic ads with wide reach but few clicks and conversions.
What Does The SaaS Sales Funnel Look Like?
Before you can even start talking about conversions, you should have a solid understanding of the customer sales funnel. Your B2B lead generation strategies begin at the awareness stage. This is where your inbound marketing strategist or marketing team creates content to make people aware of your business and services. Also, in this stage, prospects may not even know that they have a problem, and seeing your content can make them realize that they actually need a solution. Next, there is the consideration stage, where potential clients actively look into buying something. Resources like eBooks, tutorials, and blog posts continue to showcase thought leadership and expertise in your field.
Once this is done, the decision stage awaits. At this point, your clients know exactly who you are and what you offer. It's where your sales pros show off their selling skills to convince buyers and close deals. But that's not where the sales funnel ends. The last stage belongs to delight or advocacy. You are responsible for ensuring buyers are happy with your product and spreading the word about your business to others. For instance, if you have payroll software, spend some time helping them during the onboarding period so they have a smooth transition.
Inbound Vs. Outbound Marketing
So, how does an inbound marketing strategy differ from an outbound strategy? First of all, their approach is completely different. Outbound tactics are like a salesperson ringing your doorbell and trying to sell you something. You are not expecting them, and they are probably interrupting you. This is what cold calls, cold emails, and ads on various platforms do. Also, these lead generation techniques don't focus on your target demographics but on just anyone. So, your chances of booking meetings and making sales are slim. Additionally, while inbound marketing content is highly targeted to your audience's needs and pain points, outbound content is generic and salesy. Plus, the timing can be problematic since you don't ask clients when and if they want to connect with you.
Moreover, the cost of outbound marketing is often pricey and can't guarantee a positive ROI. On the other hand, SaaS inbound marketing tactics take time to work but focus on long-term growth. Lastly, outbound strategies focus on quick conversions, while inbound techniques build trust and long-lasting business relationships. Do you understand now why you need an inbound SaaS B2B marketing strategy?
The Pros And Cons Of SaaS Inbound Marketing
When you invest in marketing for SaaS startups, you invest in SEO, high-quality content, PPC campaigns, and lead magnets. No Search Engine Optimization specialist will tell you that these work in an instant. They take time to yield results. However, patience will reward you, and your wallet will be happy. Also, great evergreen content can rank high in Google results for years, bringing you thousands, if not millions, of clicks daily. Usually, inbound leads are easier to convert since they are actively looking for a solution—they were not pushed to watch an ad unintentionally. Additionally, new leads trust you more easily when you keep serving them relevant and useful content throughout their customer journey.
And what happens when you present someone with the content they need? Their perception is much stronger, and they will seek even more valuable content. Basically, SaaS inbound marketing tries to guide leads through all the content stages of the sales funnel. This way, when they reach the end, they have read and seen everything relevant to your service and can decide to purchase more easily. And once payroll leads buy your software and are happy using it, they become an advocacy machine, leaving positive reviews and referring their peers.
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10 Best SaaS Inbound Marketing Strategies And Tactics
1. Content Creation
SaaS inbound marketing relies heavily on creating valuable content that educates and engages your audience. Material like eBooks, articles, case studies, webinars, podcasts, and videos is a necessity for your SaaS content marketing strategy. Everything you create and publish should gently encourage people to buy something. When you curate content for all the stages of the sales funnel, you make people eager to read and see more without feeling pressured to do so. Stay consistent with your publishing calendar and publish burning material people are actively searching for. You may take a look at content marketing strategy examples to understand how your calendar should look.
A strategic SaaS content calendar requires deep knowledge of your target audience, their needs, and pain points. This means that you have to build buyer personas. Who is your ideal buyer, and what problems do they want to solve? These two simple questions will help you understand who reads your content and what they want to learn.
2. Content Syndication
There are so many inbound marketing ideas out there, but few people think of content syndication. What is this, though, and why do you need it? This practice is about republishing your existing content to other relevant content syndication platforms. Many websites are more than willing to publish your material, as it provides them with fresh content. Not only that, but your brand also benefits from having your content viewed by thousands of new people. Besides that, it's a great SEO practice since you receive valuable backlinks. So, instead of buying backlinks by the bunch without knowing whether they are good, you generate trustworthy links.
Another inbound marketing tactic that is often confused with content syndication is guest posting. Many websites allow their users to submit their articles for free. In some cases, they also offer paid submissions, which usually bring many perks, like promotional backlinks, mentioning your company, and social media promotion. These are a few of the benefits you get from posting an article on eLearning Industry.
3. SEO
SaaS inbound marketing goes hand in hand with SEO, particularly in the early funnel stages. But why do you need killer SEO strategies? Imagine someone is searching for employee onboarding software but is initially looking for insightful reads. When your blog post appears at the top of Google searches, they will read it and possibly do some more digging into your website. They may not purchase your solution right away, but they immediately form a positive perception of your brand. Start by doing keyword research to identify relevant and popular keywords. You don't necessarily have to choose high-traffic keywords that are hard to rank for, but high-intent short and long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords, especially, may have a lower number of visitors, but people who type them are more likely to convert.
Another LMS SEO tip for your SaaS marketing strategy is to include as many semantically related words as possible in your articles. Make sure, though, that your content is easy to read and doesn't sound robotic. You don't want to overstuff your content with keywords just to rank higher.
4. Social Media Marketing
Social media growth is crucial for inbound marketing for software companies, as it helps you get closer to your audience. Some people think that publishing posts and answering comments automatically increases conversions. However, that's not exactly the case. Social media platforms are a vehicle to increase engagement, interact with your audience to understand their needs, and boost website clicks. Therefore, you increase your organic traffic and leads. Additionally, many LMS providers create promotional campaigns to attract targeted leads or retarget users who clicked on their website but left without taking further action.
Most B2B businesses use LinkedIn and X to engage with their audiences. However, don't limit yourself to those two. If you have a dilemma between Facebook vs. YouTube, we say you use both. Especially now, videos are gaining traction in the B2B landscape, and you can leverage them on both platforms. Instagram is also a great place to establish your brand voice in a more playful manner. You don't have to be 100% strictly professional all the time.
5. Email Marketing
Email marketing is one of the most reliable streams of income, as for every $1 you spend, you get an average of $44 in return. Like with content, you need to know who you're talking to. Buyer personas help you segment your subscribers and create messages that address their needs and challenges. Payroll marketing, especially, is unique and specific to each client's requirements. So, start by writing a straight-to-the-point subject line without gimmicky sales tactics. Don't send too many emails filled with fluff. Instead, choose quality and quantity and notify people only when you have something valuable for them. Don't forget to add each recipient's name at the beginning for a more personalized approach. Also, your emails should be mobile-friendly, as a large number of your subscribers will read them on their phones.
Are we forgetting something? Oh, yes. CTAs. Marketing for SaaS products requires a clear call-to-action button. What do you want people to do at the end of your email? Buy something, register for an upcoming webinar, or read more articles? You may even leverage AI marketing benefits to automate email drip campaigns depending on user actions. For example, if someone downloads an eBook regarding employee engagement, you can send them the link to your software's demonar.
6. Conversion Rate Optimization
CRO is among the least-talked-about SaaS inbound marketing tactics that help you fix your bounce rates. Once you qualify your prospects and they are ready to move to the consideration and conversion stages, your landing pages are at the forefront. They should be well-designed, clear to navigate, and super engaging. If you're wondering how to optimize a landing page for lead generation, we have some tips for you. For starters, check how user-friendly your pages are. Can someone find exactly what they need within a few seconds, or do they have to search forever? Additionally, you must include relevant CTA buttons that direct users to specific actions. Don't try to fool people by using CTA text that doesn't align with the redirected page.
Lastly, ensure your pages load quickly. Iterative testing examples help you understand which elements you should test and optimize. Usually, B2B SaaS inbound marketing agencies test various CTA texts and styles to find the most alluring ones.
7. Lead Magnets
We can't be talking about SaaS inbound marketing tactics and not mention lead magnets. Content marketing to B2B needs magnets to attract qualified leads who willfully hand you their contact details in exchange for access. This is especially the case when people realize how valuable your content is. So, it's obvious that your lead magnets should be high-quality. Offering poorly written eBooks just to get people to register will lead you nowhere. Yes, you'll get some signups, but these people will probably unsubscribe soon after. Instead, create a strategy for the entirety of the SaaS inbound marketing buyer journey. You may produce whitepapers, case studies, courses, templates, and webinars. This sort of gated content lures leads and establishes you as a thought leader in your niche.
If you are hosting webinars, ensure that they offer true value and insights into people's lives. Allow them to ask their questions and engage in meaningful conversations. Moreover, you can offer a free trial or freemium to users who want to first try your employee onboarding software before buying a subscription.
8. Competitor Research
Have you ever heard of a market intelligence report? It refers to comprehensive research regarding your target market and key competitors. Every inbound SaaS marketing strategy can leverage this report to understand what your competitors do and how they reach such high rankings in Google. For instance, if you want to promote your HR software, you should visit competitive websites and check what types of content other companies create. Also, use SEO tools to identify the keywords they target and the length of their articles. Take a peek at their social media profiles to understand how they engage with their audience and what types of posts they upload.
A strategic marketing plan shouldn't be based solely on competitive ideas, though. Don't just copy and paste what others are doing. Have you ever heard the sentence "steal like a pro"? This is what you should do. Simply take inspiration from their content and add your unique flair and personality. Your audience must still feel that it's you speaking to them, not your competitors.
9. Feedback Loop
Why is this among the best SaaS inbound marketing tactics? How can feedback bring you leads and potential buyers? eLearning marketing is a demanding space, and most companies rely heavily on returning customers. Sure, new clients are wonderful, but you also have to take care of your existing supporters. A feedback loop helps you identify mistakes and problems early and work toward fixing them. You should regularly contact your clients, asking for their feedback and reviews. You may send out surveys and questionnaires and arrange one-on-one interviews. Use the feedback you gather to refine your inbound marketing techniques. Maybe your messaging is off and your offerings aren't as alluring as you think.
Your SaaS sales strategy will help you with this feedback, as you can craft case studies based on it. The more social proof you gather, the more trust people have for your business. Reviews on their own are not doing the trick. You must show actual proof that your eLearning solution works as promised.
10. Utilize Analytics
The best marketing campaign examples have one thing in common: they are data-driven and optimized. First off, you should identify the SaaS metrics you want to track. Organic traffic, top-performing keywords, new contracts, conversion rates, open rates, and click-through rates (CTR) should be at the top of your priorities. Depending on the content and social media posts that gain the most attention, you should focus more on these topics. When it comes to social media, pay attention to likes, comments, and shares. You will probably notice that videos and interactive media are more appealing to users, whether you publish them on your socials or integrate them into your website. The future of digital marketing is video-focused, and B2B companies are now starting to realize that.
SaaS Inbound Marketing Tips To Remember
Wonderful online marketing strategies take time to build and even more time to convert clients. Just because someone didn't purchase your eLearning or HR solution, it doesn't mean that they are a lost cause. Keep creating inbound marketing activities that resonate with them and retarget them. Promote relevant content and let them come back to you whenever they feel ready. If you want, you can ask them what they want to see next. Customers value companies that get personal and respect their viewpoints. Once you've gathered feedback, curate content based on people's ideas. Furthermore, don't settle for easy, trending news that will be irrelevant next year. Try to write evergreen articles that remain interesting even years from now to create a never-ending stream of traffic.
The Best Inbound Marketing Platforms For SaaS B2B Companies
SaaS inbound marketing is demanding, and it takes a coordinated effort to succeed. Growth strategies for SaaS require not only great ideas and tactics but also the right tools and software. HubSpot is one of the top platforms out there, allowing you to centralize everything. You can use the tool's customer relationship management (CRM) system, email marketing, social media post scheduling, pay-per-click ad management, omnichannel marketing automation, SEO, account-based marketing, and predictive lead scoring. Depending on what you want to do, prices vary. If you want an SEO-focused platform, Semrush and Ahrefs are the best two options. Both platforms allow you to research keywords and decide which ones you'll target based on the competition. You can also check your rankings and how many relevant backlinks you need to add to rank higher.
For content management, HubSpot is, once again, a top choice. WordPress is up there, too, making it super easy to write content and optimize it for SEO purposes by installing reputable plugins like Yoast SEO.
Key Takeaway
Inbound and outbound marketing are both essential to any B2B company's strategy for online visibility and success. SaaS inbound marketing tactics help you gain people's trust and showcase yourself as a thought leader without being pushy or salesy. You show people what you know and let them come to you. Instead of buying leads that may be worthless, you focus on creating high-quality content for all stages of the sales funnel. Content syndication, SEO, social media marketing, and email marketing are amazing SaaS marketing ideas to expand your reach and engage audiences. Lead magnets are also effective at attracting people to your website. However, to generate conversions, you have to build a lead generation website that encourages action. And, lastly, remember that no strategy remains successful forever. You have to keep tracking and optimizing your tactics depending on market changes and consumer shifts.
