How to Build a Content Strategy For Your SaaS Company

Do you want to boost website traffic and generate leads? Reaching these goals is achievable by learning how to build a content strategy for your SaaS company. You have an incredible solution that helps many different types of professions. Your product could be the answer to the problem your customers have been experiencing but, if your content doesn't come up during a search, then your audience won't find the answers.

Researching and understanding your audience isn't easy. It's important to segment and target your ideal customers. In addition, it's wildly important to set goals and KPIs. Apply these steps to create a content marketing strategy that delivers quality leads, provides value to your audience, and increases user engagement.

1. Perform Competitive Research

Your SaaS competitors can provide a wealth of information.  A competitive content analysis looks at how your competitor addresses customer pain points through content marketing. Assess their content marketing efforts and then find places where opportunity exists.

Use a free or paid tool, like Ubersuggest or Ahrefs, to get information about your competitor's website. Review details like:

• Domain and page authority: Domain authority (DA) refers to the strength of the site as a whole, whereas page authority (PA) looks at individual pages. Numbers range from one to 100. The higher the authority, then the better chance a site has of ranking for search queries.

• Ranking keywords: Sites may rank for industry-specific words and many others unrelated to the site's purpose.

• Number and quality of backlinks: Links tell search engines if your content is relevant and trustworthy. Backlinks from high DA sites give a website more credibility. Think of a link as a vote; when a site provides a link back to you, they're essentially voting for you.

In the next step, review their site map. Uncover all assets, including press releases, webinars, blog posts and downloadable guides. Add up the types of content, like the number of blog posts and eBooks, and estimate their posting frequency. Do this by manually counting, reviewing the sitemap and using an RSS reader. Evaluate the quality of the copy by judging:

• Accuracy and thoroughness

• Spelling and grammar

• Author's area of expertise

Select top content pieces and appraise each by the number of social media shares and blog comments. Write down the average length of the assets along with its structure. Take note of any gated materials as well. Doing so gives you a good idea of how your competitor generates leads.

Use this data to make informed decisions while building your content strategy.

2. Define your Target Audience

An audience-first approach gives you data to create your reader personas and define their pain points. Knowing this type of information provides insight into what your target audience is search for. Well-targeted content gets a specific and measurable response.

Remember, you're not only targeting the C-Suite. Although CEOs have the purchasing power, many other people, like researchers, marketing teams and assistants, find and use your SaaS product before reporting back to the company leaders. Create personas for lower-level positions and executives.

Learn about the demographics and psychographics of your ideal customers. Create a target audience using several research methods:

• Survey existing clients to understand their decision-making process and customer journey.

• Review social media analytics to learn about your clients' habits, interests and values.

• Go through your website analytics. Determine how site visitors navigate and use your site.

• Look at your competitor's case studies for insights into your shared audience.

• Scan review sites to find out what other companies do wrong or to identify new pain points.

• Join social media groups relating to your industry or your customers.

3. Discover Keywords for your Content Strategy

Keyword research is essential to getting your content noticed. But, this data also informs your subject matter and even format. To get results, your keyword research requires a comprehensive approach.

When performing content keyword research, consider keywords that fit your customer's buyer's journey and intent when searching. Get into the mindset of your target consumer.

What pain points would draw them to your product?

What type of solution would solve these pain points?

What types of questions would they be searching to find these answers?

Consider these questions for each stage of the buyer's journey. This is a great starting point for finding content keywords that will resonate with and engage your audience. When your audience lands on your content, ensure it matches their search intent query and provides extra value.

Content keyword research can be a time-intensive process. For best results, flesh out your content strategy using the steps in our SaaS SEO guide.  Organize the research you gather from:

• Google Search Console

• Mangools KWFinder

• Ahrefs or Ubersuggest

• Wordstream's free keyword finder

4. Tailor Content to Your Customer's Journey

Your audience craves content. Yet, some SaaS companies only focus on the top of funnel content and neglect other stages. An effective content strategy covers each part of their journey.

Ideate by using content keyword research and information from your sales and customer service teams. Then design your assets to suit your client's needs. Your SaaS customer journey moves between several stages and doesn't always occur as one straight path. Companies choose different names for each part of the customer lifecycle. But, most include some version of:  

• Awareness: The beginning stage where your client begins researching how to solve their problem.

• Interest: Your customer wants to learn more about their issue or ways to solve it. At this phase, they have discovered your product.

• SaaS trial sign-ups: This is when a client is ready to test solutions to their dilemma.

• Conversion: Your client is ready to purchase, but may still have a few lingering questions.

• Customer retention: After buying your SaaS product, your customer needs support to get the most out of their purchase.

Set Goals and KPIs to Measure Success

No content strategy is complete without clear goals. Create objectives that are specific and measurable. Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate your progress. Regular assessments help you use your resources wisely.

Tie every asset, from webinars to blog posts, to a specific goal. These objectives should fit the stage in your customer's journey as well. Use your KPIs according to the customer's lifecycle:

• Top of the funnel: Measure site traffic and click-based goals such as email opens.

• Middle of the funnel: Track lead generation and engagement objectives like trial sign-ups.

• Bottom of the funnel: Count sales goals, conversion times and customer lifetime value.

Don't forget to set content goals that support your customers after sales as well. Provide and track the use of knowledge bases, email subscriptions, and other pertinent information.

Put your SaaS Content Strategy into Action

Exceptional content marketing starts with your SaaS content strategy. But, for results, turn your research and data into actionable steps. Plan out each piece of content using a content strategy template. Fill in details about your assets. Then, use the template to create content briefs and flesh out your digital campaigns.

Don't leave your content up to chance. Calculate the role it plays throughout your customer's journey. Need help fleshing out your next steps? Start with solutions personalized for your SaaS company.

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