When it comes to moving the needle with content marketing, you need a comprehensive, tactical strategy in play. Because we know that a random, haphazard approach to content marketing simply won’t cut it. In order to get the results you’re looking for, you need to go beyond keywords and a few one-off blog posts. Instead, you need to develop a robust SaaS content marketing plan which dials in your content, takes advantage of the different types of content available, and establishes a sprawling, destined-to-work strategy.
If you want to see more dollars in your business’ bank account thanks to your content marketing efforts, then this is for you.
We’ve refined our blueprint for excellence when it comes to content marketing, and we’re sharing it with you. We’ve previously shared everything you need to know about the nitty-gritty of developing a SaaS content strategy, so be sure to start with that post to understand how to make a splash with SEO (we cover everything from why content strategies matter to a specific 7-step plan you should deploy).
This guide will help you create a strategic playbook for your SaaS content marketing plan, and will dive deeply into the different types of content, what they’re used for, and where they can pack the most punch. Because believe it or not, SEO-rich blog posts are just the tip of the iceberg.
Beyond the Blog: What Else Matters?
In order to sink our teeth into this guide, we need to rewind just a little bit.
You probably know that B2B SEO is a powerful inbound marketing strategy, which can skyrocket your traffic and lead to significant business improvements.
And as we touched on in the beginning, an airtight SaaS content strategy is essential for actually achieving the ROI you dream about, so it’s important to understand the basics.
While the article we previously linked to goes in-depth, the steps of creating a general content marketing strategy should include:
- Defining key metrics & objectives
- Scanning the competitive landscape
- Conducting keyword research with search intent in mind
- Performing a SaaS content audit
- Creating an editorial calendar
- Defining a publishing schedule and responsibilities
If you’re like most folks who are thinking about including content marketing in your marketing strategy, you’re probably thinking of blog posts chock full of SEO-optimized keywords. Research shows that 92% of marketers produce blog posts, and that companies with blogs produce 67% more leads per month.
Blog posts are a hot topic when it comes to content marketing, and they can definitely be beneficial. But they’re only one piece of the content marketing puzzle.
A Five-Step Plan to Building a High-Converting SaaS Content Marketing Plan
Building a powerful SaaS content marketing plan that converts requires a multifaceted approach. Here are five steps to follow to properly leverage content marketing in your org.
1. Know the different types of content (and why they exist)
This first step is arguably the most intensive and important, because it requires you to understand the ins and outs of all of the different types of content that are available to you. So bear with us, but we’re going to dive deep here on the different types of content you can consider including in your strategy.
Here’s what they are, what their purposes are, and how they relate to your buyers.
Blog posts
Blog posts can definitely be considered the bread and butter of a SaaS content marketing plan. A cornerstone in content marketing, these posts provide valuable information to your audience, and use SEO to rank as highly as possible in the search engines.
Blog posts are not a one-size-fits-all for your audience. It’s important to link your content to different stages of your buyer’s journey, and create content that hits all the levels of the funnel. The purpose of blog posts can be to attract a wider audience, educate your audience on solutions, and provide in-depth product information.
One misstep I often see is that brands typically over-focus on bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) keywords.
Plenty of clients want to lock in content with keywords that they see as the “big fish,” which have the potential to easily capture leads with a really high intent of purchasing (such as “SaaS content marketing”). But the issue is that you need to build a comprehensive keyword portfolio that has top-of-the-funnel keywords, to target people who aren’t quite ready to buy, but want to be educated on a solution.
Another problem with jumping right to BOFU keywords? It can sometimes seem too spammy, instead of helpful.
Whitepapers
You’ve probably seen whitepapers before, even if you didn’t realize it. Whitepapers are documents created by your org that are informational and data-backed. They’re authoritative, in-depth reports that address issues in your industry, and outline solutions (likely your product or service).
While whitepapers might seem antiquated, they’re anything but: a 2023 report found that 43% of marketers named “ebooks/whitepapers” as an asset type that produced the best results for them. The purpose of whitepapers is to go beyond blog posts, to offer a comprehensive, persuasive exploration of a subject.
I asked one of my fellow Senior SEO Strategists, Tara McQuaide, and she said that whitepapers can be a powerful form of “micro conversions” that can match your buyer’s journey, even if they’re not part of the ultimate end-goal conversion.
Tara says that assets like these can reach people who aren’t ready for your big conversion just yet (like clicking “try a demo now”), but they can still be useful lead magnets that reach your customers where they are today.
Ebooks
At the next level of comprehensive content we have ebooks. These in-depth resources are immersive and educational, and are able to deeply explore a topic, thanks to their extended formats. Ebooks serve as educational tools, which guide your readers through a deep dive into specific subjects.
Aside from their content, they’re also visually engaging, and are thoughtfully designed.
Ebooks can be “gated,” meaning that a client needs to input their contact information in order to receive it. This value exchange can be useful for your prospects, who get your educational resource, as well as for your org, which gets a lead.
Guest posting
Guest posting is the practice of creating content for publication on another website. This relies on a symbiotic relationship between you and the host website, and when it’s leveraged properly, it can contribute to increased brand visibility, by helping you reach new audiences. Also, guest posting can emphasize and enhance credibility, especially when you’re featured on reputable platforms in your industry.
Aside from that, other purposes of guest posting include establishing your brand (and maybe even yourself) as a thought leader in your space, and enhancing reader perception and trust with a diverse audience.
LinkedIn social selling
LinkedIn social selling is the process that founders, revenue leaders, and frontline sales and marketing reps use to generate leads and close more deals on LinkedIn. It typically includes crafting and sharing content on LinkedIn, which can be from company pages or personal profiles (keep in mind that stats show that people prefer to engage with personal profiles, as opposed to faceless business profiles).
Content on LinkedIn follows a few typical best practices. It’s usually between 500-600 words, but you can also post longer articles. The content should hit on topics related to your industry or niche, and it also needs to be specifically designed for your target audience.
The purpose of LinkedIn social selling is to share in-depth information, discuss industry news and trends, and demonstrate expertise. When you tap into the power of LinkedIn, you get direct access to individuals who are crucial in the decision-making process.
For a success story in LinkedIn social selling, just look at this case study from a RZ client, Funraise. The Funraise sales and executive teams wanted to amplify their voices and tell stories on LinkedIn, in order to have more meaningful conversations. Within the first two months of partnering with RevenueZen on their LinkedIn strategy, they saw 35 more leads per month, 7.9x ROI closed revenue to spend, and 1000+ more likes, comments, and shares.
2. Create a comprehensive content calendar
While we’ve touched on creating a content calendar in the past, it’s even more important (and complex) when you’re tackling different types of content.
You need to develop an ongoing cadence that involves all of the types of content which are relevant for your brand. This might look like a certain amount of monthly blog posts and guest posts, regularly scheduled LinkedIn content, a bi-annual whitepaper, and a yearly ebook.
Of course, this requires the usual SEO-related best practices, such as keyword research and competition analysis.
3. Oversee content creation
Similarly, overseeing content creation becomes a Medusa-like endeavor when dealing with different types of content.
All of the types of content we outlined above require different approaches. For example, LinkedIn social selling will need to be done in the first-person voice of the relevant account (such as your COO), while whitepaper content needs to be authoritative and persuasive.
When it comes to content creation, one thing I’d flag you on is being 100% sure your content is aligned with your brand.
When we here at RevenueZen start working with a client, we do a deep dive into your tone, and create a content guideline that helps you understand what words match up with your overall brand. One typical misstep that I often see is that clients sometimes have different visions about what they think their voice is, and what actually aligns with their desired brand vision and target audience.
4. Manage and execute content distribution
Next, after your content is researched and created, it needs to be distributed. Again, this depends on the particular type of content. Blog content will simply be posted on your company blog, but what about guest posts?
This sort of content can require communications, negotiations, and a bit of back-and-forth, in order to create content that aligns both with your brand, and with the guest posting platform.
5. Monitor, measure, and adjust
Like all good strategies, your SaaS content marketing plan should be rooted in data. Establish KPIs, metrics, and goals, and benchmark your efforts before you kick things off. Then, as you go, regularly audit and analyze results, to see how you’re faring and if you’re reaching your goals.
If you are, move the goalpost further down the pitch, and reach for more success. If you’re missing the mark, look for ways to adjust your strategy.
Let us knock your SaaS content marketing plan out of the park
We know a SaaS content marketing plan works, and that it can be a powerful tool for bringing in qualified inbound leads. But as you can see, in order for this strategy to really work wonders, it needs to include at least a few of the different types of content – not just blog posts. And each type is really an undertaking of its own.
If you’re ready to fully tap into the potential of a powerhouse SaaS content marketing plan, we’ve got you covered. We help ambitious B2B brands break their records of organic-sourced revenue, and specialize in SEO, LinkedIn marketing, content marketing, and verbal identity branding.
Interested in partnering with us so we can help take your SaaS content marketing plan to the next level? Let’s talk.
