Social Media Marketing for SaaS Companies
A considerable portion of the cloud market involves Software as a Service, usually shortened to SaaS, and in 2020 alone has generated over $98.9 billion in revenue. The popularity of SaaS services has grown in the past years, especially during the pandemic, where most businesses have shifted to a primarily online model. Due to the sudden changes, not everyone has fully embraced or adapted to the digital landscape. Not everyone has fully grasped the concept of social media marketing and may still be practicing an outdated marketing strategy.
In 2022, social media marketing for SaaS is not only for the younger generation. It’s something everyone should be integrating into their marketing strategy. There are over 4.48 billion social media users worldwide. When you’re not using social media for marketing, you’re missing out on potential customers.
What are SaaS Companies?
As mentioned before, SaaS stands for Software as a Service, and companies that offer these services do so through cloud hosting. They host softwares or applications online to be accessed by the user remotely. Depending on the agreement, they pay monthly to use this service.
Popular SaaS services include server maintenance, database, and whatever program is needed to share the SaaS application on the internet – like web browsers. Unlike traditional programs that need CD ROM and can be installed on one device at a time, any device can access a SaaS application just as long as one has stable access to the internet.
Due to the nature of SaaS applications, clients have to pay a monthly subscription to use the service. The price depends on the amount of data that needs to be stored, the number of users who will use the application, and the amount and kind of technical support required.
SaaS applications can handle multiple business functions. Here are some of the most popular types of SaaS services offered:
CRM (Customer Resource Management) – these are applications that enable SaaS clients to manage their customer information and track their sales progress through a pipeline
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) – this application is dedicated to large scale business that needs multiple SaaS services to function
Accounting – Dedicated SaaS companies develop software for billing and invoicing. Others provide a comprehensive program for tracking finances and reporting services.
Data Management – This is one of the most well-used SaaS services. Aside from storing information, SaaS companies also aid in their analysis and security.
Human Resources – with SaaS applications, you can easily track your employees’ schedules within the company, manage payroll, check on employee hours, and process the hiring process.
Web Hosting and eCommerce – one of the older and also popular services, SaaS companies can host and handle a company’s online
Project Management – SaaS can make it easier to assist collaborators in keeping track of a projects’ progress and communication.
What are the Best Social Networks for SaaS Companies?
DevRev is, API-first, dev-centric CRM that leverages data, design, and machine intelligence to empower developers to build, support, and grow their businesses. The platform that connects developers to customers and helps organizations become Customer and Product centric. DevRev PLuG platform provides an easy-to-use experience that empowers your end users and customer-facing teams with ready access to relevant information to enable more effective communication. Our intention isn’t just to enable a support team, it’s to shift the way customer support and success are approached to benefit the end user, the organization, and the customer support and success team(s).
Social media has leveled the marketing field for businesses of different sizes, whether paid or free posts. You don’t need to buy billboard space or resort to TV spots; there’s no more need to spend money to market your products.
Using social media marketing can give you a platform you may not know you have access to. Through it, you can raise awareness and make your company more familiar to a broad audience: new prospects, partners, and customers.
With that said, it’s essential to be on social media and choose the right platform to show off your product. Not all social media platforms work the same way, and each may have unique unwritten rules regarding virality and success.
The best platforms you can use for your social media marketing for SaaS are LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, and Quora. Here are the reasons why:
As a professional social network, LinkedIn may be one of the best places to advertise your business and products. Make waves here by promoting what you have and sharing some professional tips and knowledge, and reaching out to make connections with people in the same field.
As one of the biggest social media platforms on Earth, it’s only imperative that you have a business page here. Try to mix business-oriented and customer-focused content to gain as many people as you can.
Even though Instagram feels like it’s not appropriate for your SaaS business, don’t forget that in 2020 the platform will have over 1.3 billion users. You can find an audience with this group of people. And as a visual medium, it can lend to creative ways to present your company and what you have to offer. As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words.
For all its faults, Twitter is one of the best ways to become popular in an instant. Many people and businesses have made money by making the correct tweet at the right time. And other times, just having a Twitter is suitable for social interaction with your customer base. It’s a good place for conversation and receiving critiques. Of course, you may have to fend off the trolls here and there, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
Youtube
Youtube is best if you also want to share marketing or informative videos. Think about sharing how to use some of the features of your services and make it easy for people. Some people might want to use your application but might be intimidated by the number of features. Create a YouTube video guide that lasts from 5 – 10 minutes each detailing how to use them might help get started.
Quora
Quora can be an excellent place to feel your business if you know how to use it. Instead of outright advertising your products, look for questions related to what you offer and offer your professional insights. You can build trust with people, which can help convert them into becoming a customer.
Social Media Marketing Tips for SaaS Companies
Social media marketing is how you make connections, from the simple everyday man to industry thought leaders. People are now using social media to research and purchase products and services. This is why social media marketing is critical. When you’re on a website and are verified, people will most likely trust you and your brand.
Here are some helpful tips that can get you started with your social media marketing:
- Get the word out about your product: The more you post, the more videos you make, the more answers you provide; just in general, create as much buzz as you can. According to some statistics, people use the internet for at least three hours a day. Sometimes, just being exposed to a brand can mean recognition. They may not use your product now, but they may know someone or an appropriate group for your service.
- You can use social media for eCommerce: Facebook has developed the Facebook market, so users don’t have to leave the platform when buying something. Although others may have to catch up, people have been using different networks to advertise their wares. If the platform you’re on doesn’t have a marketplace feature, find a way to put up your products and information about it. Don’t forget to link your store or how they can avail of it.
- Explain how people can utilize your product: You must find a way to show people how they can integrate your product into their lives. Photography marketing can sometimes involve detailed instructions with images for better guidance. Or sometimes, it’s just an informational graphic that explains the steps in primary language that even a child can follow. You can post videos with an instructor going through the use of your products. The more you make it easier for your users, the most likely they’ll stay and even recommend it to their peers.
- Don’t be afraid to use different tools: It’s not easy generating content for your social media marketing. Sometimes, you need the help of SEO tools; they can create words that will get your product picked up by any algorithm. Don’t forget to spruce up your images by using a bg remover, and you can edit them into the background that best represents your brand.
- Run ads on your chosen platforms: People will see your product and automatically clink to inquire about it when done right. As we have mentioned before, social media has made it easy for businesses of every kind to grow in the digital sphere. Nonetheless, this doesn’t come without its caveats. Anyone who logs into Facebook knows that their feed is cluttered with posts of their friends and pages they follow. This also applies to places like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. How can you catch the attention of your potential follower? The research will play a vital role here, and you’ll need to understand what makes your target audience interested and then apply it to your ad.
- Contact influencers that share the same values: People who follow influencers trust their opinions; when they say they trust in a product, they’re most likely to avail of that product’s services. It’s also important to offer discounts or incentives to the audience to make them join or avail of what you offer. SaaS businesses should provide unique discount codes or limited-time premium content access. When they see how good you have it, they’ll pay to keep availing of the application.
- Have a live Q&A session: Organize different online events that offer people a different perspective in the field you’re specializing in. For example, if your SaaS application is excellent for Human Resources, have a small talk about how a company needs to manage their payroll and their employees’ hours. At the end of that, explain how your product is the best solution. Have a question and answer portion to inquire more about the product and how easy it is to use or maintain. The more they know and the more assured they feel, and the more assured they think, the more likely they’ll want to avail of your services. People need to trust that they’re making the best decision by partnering up with you, so give them a reason to believe that going with your company is the best decision they can drive.
- Organize a giveaway: Having a giveaway can help drum up interest in your page or profile as a whole. Make it a requirement that people follow your page and share the post advertising the giveaway.
Conclusion
Social media marketing for SaaS businesses doesn’t have to be complicated. If it’s all too much to take in, consider just creating an account for at least one or two platforms and then maintaining those. When you’re more confident, branch out to other social media sites and study a new marketing strategy. You can apply different kinds of marketing to your business – photography marketing, email marketing, and better social media marketing.
You will need to be consistent with generating content for your different platforms and ensure your product or service is quality. Don’t also forget to open your lines (email, chats, and direct messaging) and, be as engaging as you can, answer as many questions as you can.
When you have all of these, your customers will trust that you have their back. Good luck, and hopefully, you’ll get the results you need!
Read Also: How Project Management Software Can Benefit Your Business
Miguel Davao is a graduate of literature and linguistics and has been writing content for about 5 years now. He particularly writes content on social media, design, photo-editing tools, and content writing tips.
Currently, he works as a full-time writer at Removal.AI – an AI tool used to remove bg from images for social media, eCommerce, web, app development, and marketing automation.
