Engage and Convert: A Guide to Effective SaaS Social Media Marketing
SaaS Social Media Marketing might be key to helping your company thrive. Wondering where to get started? Read this blog to learn and implement the right strategies.
Social media marketing is a winning tactic for many businesses, connecting them with a worldwide customer base. In particular, social media can be a fantastic way for SaaS companies to gain brand recognition. On these platforms, SaaS firms can become strong voices in their industry, grow a following, and spread product awareness.
Is your business ready to embrace the world of SaaS social media marketing? If so, look no further! We’ll explore why and how you should use social media to promote your SaaS product.
Why SaaS businesses use social media
Free to use image sourced from Unsplash
Over 58% of internet users are active on social media platforms. SaaS organizations see this as a simple and effective way of reaching their audience. HubSpot, Shopify, and Gong are examples of SaaS companies using social media effectively.
On social media, SaaS companies can achieve more than mere sales. They can also educate potential customers about their offering. They can post bite-sized clips showcasing different product features. Then, followers can comment, and brands can answer questions.
Social media platforms also help SaaS companies spread their content marketing. Through relevant blogs and case studies, businesses can draw more traffic. Valuable content can support SEO and ensure companies rank high in search results.
Over time followers will also become invested in your content. This can help grow brand loyalty. Perhaps, a follower might not be thinking about buying your product today. But with enough nurturing, they might become interested in the future.
Benefits of SaaS social media marketing
Do you still need convincing? Here are some top advantages of using social media to promote your SaaS product:
- No cost - There’s no price for gaining organic traffic on social media.
- Paid advertising - A targeted paid campaign can help you reach your target audience.
- Collect Data - Through paid and organic advertising, social media provides a lot of data. You can use this information to boost your marketing research.
- Build a content community - On social media, you can foster a community around your content. You can share posts, network, and grow name recognition.
- Make the most of trends - There’s no better place to engage with the latest trends than social media. By being on the ball, you can talk about the latest ‘in’ topics and pull in customers.
- Attract new employees - Customers aren’t the only people you can engage on social media. You can post about new openings within your organization, widening the talent pool.
A step-by-step guide for SaaS social media marketing
It should now be clear that SaaS businesses that are not on social media are missing out on a lot of traffic. But how can you avoid social media mistakes and produce a successful strategy? Follow this step-by-step guide to stay on the right path.
Familiarize yourself with your audience
To create winning content, you need to have a strong understanding of your audience. Even if you’ve done audience research before, it's worth brushing up.
This includes:
- Online questionnaires - This can be a simple and effective way to contact your customers. You can set the discussion on your terms, and get to the heart of what you want to know.
- Analyzing competitors - What sorts of social media content do your competitors produce? How strong is their social media presence? What gaps in the market are they failing to address?
- Analytics tools - Look at the data on your current customers. Collect information relating to demographics, interests, and habits.
- Customer feedback - Consider what customers are currently saying about your brand. What do they like about your products? What would they like to see you do more of?
After collecting all this information, collate your data into buyer personas. These will help you to identify the types of customers you need to attract through social media.
Choose a platform
You likely will only be able to tackle some social media platforms. To keep your audience engaged, stick to a set number of channels. Pick platforms that are likely to reach your core audience. Your buyer personas from the previous step will come in handy here.
Some platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, are obvious non-starters for SaaS companies. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are better channels for SaaS social media marketing. These platforms provide the opportunity to connect with both businesses and individual customers. They also enable you to engage with the latest trending topics.
Of course, other useful platforms cater to specific use cases. YouTube, for example, enables you to share a live product demo. Customers can get involved, ask questions, and become part of a community.
Narrow your options to two or three channels. Then, begin the process of planning your content.
Plan your content
What sorts of content are likely to engage your customers? Once again, you won't be able to tackle every content style. Pick forms that align with your buyer personas. Always remember: it's best to aim for quality over quantity.
Here are some of the different types of content that SaaS companies can use to their advantage:
- Customer testimonials - Reviews provide an excellent opportunity to share the word of happy customers. Posting a few testimonials can be a strong way of engaging social media users.
- Product information - Social media can allow you to share info about your products. You also build up ‘hype’ for your upcoming releases.
- Tips - Sharing tips is a chance to showcase your expertise in your field. Followers can view you as a knowledgeable source and feel more positive about your brand.
- Blog posts - Blogs provide the opportunity to jump on the latest trend. Creating content on the latest trending topic can be a great way to spark engagement. Be careful, though, not to appear opportunistic. Focus on topics that are relevant to your brand.
- Polls - Sharing polls can kickstart a debate with your followers. By focusing on fun and relevant topics, you can get people talking and draw more engaged users.
Create a calendar
Producing content for social media marketing can be a demanding process. You'll need to post on most social media platforms daily. If you're not careful, you'll end up with an overwhelming demand for content.
Plucking up a topic off the top of your head is likely to be an ineffective strategy. You need data to back up posts, as well as planning in advance. That’s why you should build a content calendar to stay on top of social media management. As the name suggests, this calendar lists your content deadlines for the year.
You can choose to build your calendar or opt for an off-the-shelf solution. If building your calendar, opt for a simple and accessible layout. Use cloud technologies so that team members can connect regardless of their location. Outline key dates throughout the year and review your calendar often. This will enable you to alter your plan where needed.
Support your SEO strategy with engaging content
One of the biggest bonuses of SaaS social media marketing is that it can support your SEO strategy. Search engines view user engagement as a key ranking factor. What happens when many people find your content through social media? Your website will be higher in the search results.
Having high levels of engagement can also support link building for SaaS companies. Other companies will view you as a strong candidate for linking building. This can further support your brand's search engine position.
Of course, to get users to engage with your content, you need to persuade them to read more. People are less likely to click a link from a random social media account that they don't know. But if you have a history of interesting and engaging posts, people will pay attention.
So, before focusing on external content, consider the effectiveness of social media posts. To assess your current social media strategy, ask the following questions.
- Are posts the appropriate length for your chosen social media platform?
- Are you focusing on the right keywords and hashtags?
- Do you include appropriate visual content to keep your posts appealing?