Techie and simplified in the same sentence? Say what?!
As a developer of an amazing SaaS product, your brain is always wrapped around the cogs, wheels and codes. That’s why it can be a challenge to pull yourself out to focus on something like SaaS copywriting. That’s why we’re taking it back to the basics.
Here’s the deal: you may have the most feature-rich, UX-optimized, expertly developed SaaS product out there, but without clear and captivating copywriting, your audience won’t even know. #cannotcompute
In this guide, we’ll go over the basics of SaaS copywriting, the perks and some tips for creating content that boosts those product trial sign-ups.
What Is SaaS Copywriting?
Copywriting is the process of writing content that connects with an audience to sell a product or service.
SaaS copywriting connects with those who require an internet-based app to solve problems for themselves or their businesses. Sounds simple enough, right? Not so fast. SaaS copywriting comes with its own unique challenges.
Challenges of SaaS Copywriting
To start, the SaaS industry is saturated. Need a file sharing service? Here’s Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, iCloud Drive…the list goes on. And when it comes to selling these products, the benefits of one over the other quickly start to blur.
For businesses looking for SaaS solutions, there are often more people involved in a purchasing decision. So, in addition to standing out in a full-to-bursting market, your copywriting must often connect with and convert a team versus a single visitor.
The one person looking at your website may report to someone else who holds the purchasing power.
And another challenge? Resistance.
Contrary to popular belief in this social media-driven universe, some people are simply “resistant to the robot,” so to speak. Blame it on cost or the “this is how we’ve always done it” mindset, they’ll do anything else before accepting their need for a tech tool.
Your copy will need to convince your audience that they can’t live or work without your SaaS product.
Why You Should Create Content for Your Tech Company
Don’t let the challenges mentioned above scare you. Creating content about your SaaS product can be one of the most rewarding things you ever do for your tech company.
In a recent study by AllTopStartUps, 72% of B2B and SaaS companies said they experience an increase in leads after using a content marketing strategy.
The study also found that content marketing is more effective for these industries than traditional outbound marketing. This is because high-quality, optimized content:
- Drives trial conversions: One of the most common conversion tools for SaaS companies is the free trial. Not only can high-quality content highlight the trial offer, but it can also position you as the best choice for a potential customer. They’ll have no choice but to give up their contact info. And with that contact info, you can nurture the lead further until they become a new customer.
- Builds your thought leadership: We both know that you know what you’re talking about. High-quality content ensures your target audience knows that too by building trust and credibility.
- Helps you stand out in a saturated market: No matter what features you offer, there will always be competition in the tech space. Your unique voice combined with valuable content will help you stand out from others in your niche.
How to Create Content That Converts Visitors Into Product Trials
Whether you’re creating a new landing page or putting together a blog post, there are some tips you can use to boost conversions and make the most of your effort.
1. Showcase Your Trial Offer
Let’s get the simplest tip out of the way first. If your main goal is to have potential customers sign up for a free trial or free account, showcase that offer front and center. It may seem obvious, but you would be surprised at how many SaaS companies forget to give their website visitors a clear next step.
Like Google does in the image above, make the button a different color. Use link copy to entice potential customers to click. Whatever you do, make sure your offer is ready and available for those who say, “yes, let’s do this thing.”
2. Lead With the Benefits, Not the Features
Sure, an open API and automation capabilities are great features that potential customers should know about. But, to truly connect to their needs, you must explain the benefit of those features first.
Instead of listing all of your product’s features on your landing page, illustrate how your product will change the lives of future customers. What problems does it solve? Then, and only then, should you discuss the details.
“Books done for you” is better than “live bookkeeping.” And “Keep using all of your favorite apps with the ease of using one” is much more powerful than “We have an open API.”
3. Drop the Robot Talk
Have you ever heard of gobbledygook? Technical jargon that takes over your message is a perfect example of it. SaaS tools come with their fair share of techie words and phrases, as they’re critical to explain how a platform works. But there’s a time and place for using them.
You only have seconds to connect with your audience on your website. Spend that time wisely by sharing the value you bring. Keep it simple.
4. Share Customer Success Stories
This tip goes hand-in-hand with #3. Many techies worry that they won’t be able to showcase their technical know-how without using technical language. This isn’t true.
The goal is to show, not tell. Show the results customers can expect by building a narrative they can see themselves in. A great way to do this is through sharing success stories.
Also known as case studies (but less formal), customer success stories illustrate a challenge that your solution solved for a real customer that’s just like those perusing your websites.
Potential customers can then better understand how your tool can support them. Plus, customer success stories are fairly easy to put together. Simply define the challenge, how your tool solved it and a few words from the customer sprinkled in. Then, hit “publish.”
Pro Tip
Want to make a bigger impact? Show a success story on your Home page and on your landing pages. You can also create a hub page just for stories and place it in your main navigation.
5. Optimize Your Landing Pages
Ah, the landing page. It’s one of the most important pieces of internet real estate you can have. Many potential customers will meet you for the first time through a landing page.
That’s why it’s critical to optimize each landing page properly. Optimization isn’t just for SEO; it’s also for conversion. After all, a landing page is there for one reason: to inspire your audience to follow through with your call-to-action (CTA).
Now, we can’t dive into every detail about landing pages in this post. After all, optimizing your landing pages isn’t a one-and-done process. It must be managed on an ongoing basis.
What we can tell you, however, are some of the critical elements you should have on your landing pages. These include:
- An engaging headline: Every. Second. Counts. Make sure you immediately draw your audience in by grabbing their attention with a compelling headline.
- Value and benefits: Connect with your audience by sharing the benefits of using your solution. Remember, save features for later.
- Social proof: Testimonials and success stories are powerful. Share them to provide your audience with the social proof required to build trust.
- A clear CTA: Make sure your CTA is clear and noticeable. Want your audience to sign-up for a free trial? Tell them. Should they call for a demo? Let them know.
Optimization is an in-depth subject—one that we couldn’t possibly explain in a single post. If you’re interested in learning more, this guide by HubSpot is a great place to start.
6. Write With UX in Mind
This final tip is simple but so important. You already spend so much time making sure your SaaS solution is easy and intuitive to use. Your website content should be too.
The experience a potential customer has on your website will be what they expect from your product. To make a great first impression:
- Don’t use big blocks of text: Big blocks of text make reading difficult. Keep it short—3-4 sentences is enough.
- Keep sentences short: Be concise and keep sentences to under 20 words.
- Make your website easy to navigate: Use menu header text that is simple to understand. And add in a search bar so visitors can quickly find what they’re looking for.
- Use descriptive language when linking: When linking to other pages or content, link from words that exactly describe where the reader will go next.
Need Tech Content? We Can Help!
Hey, you’ve made it to the end! Way to stick with us. 🎉 You can truly make a big difference with clear, compelling SaaS copywriting just by following the tips above. But you may still find that you’re busy creating more great tools and simply don’t have the time to invest in copywriting.
With the right know-how about content creation, writing copy for SaaS isn’t rocket science. Luckily, our Word Nerds know a thing or two. Do you need content for your tech company? Send us a message today!
