We all know how good content gets leads. 92% of content marketers say their company views content as an important resource. And most SaaS businesses have capitalized on this, too, specifically blogging.
What do we mean by “most SaaS businesses?”
Unfortunately, 11% of big SaaS companies don't have blogs. How strange is that when, on average, SaaS blogs get 1800 organic visitors per month?
Let’s do the math here. Say you convert only 3% among them. That comes out to 54 people ― and that’s a lot!
Getting excited?
But here’s the catch ― writing long-form blogs (that are worth reading) isn’t easy. Since you are in the SaaS niche might as well double that level of uneasiness.
So how do you go about writing long-form SaaS blogs that are worth reading?
In this article, you'll discover how we produce such articles and we’ll show you samples that our clients enjoy. But before we move on, let’s first review what SaaS blogs are and why they're called long-form blogs.
What are long-form SaaS blogs?
Technically in content writing, a long-form blog refers to content that is longer than usual. What are long-form content definitions in 2021?
- Long-form content, as defined by BuzzSumo, is any content that is longer than 2,000 words.
- HubSpot says it can range from 1,000 words to 7,500 ― but you’ll want at least 2,500 to get the most shares and backlinks.
- Core dna system, however, says that your content only gets to wear the badge of long-form once it reaches 4,000 words.
Now bring that definition to the SaaS industry and you get long-form SaaS blogs. They’re about 2000-word articles that aim to explain your services. And make your business appear as the industry leader.
Why do you need them?
If you’re wondering how to get your SaaS business abuzz with anticipation, blogging is an option. Here are some of the reasons that highlight their importance:
1. They establish your brand
Connor Keppell, founder of onsite service provider app Relay, wrote Brand: The Only True Moat in SaaS. He explained that you should strengthen your brand or values more instead of only focusing on product and lead gen.
Blogging your SaaS business can help you with that. Your blog can help you build your unique brand and position. You can find relevant topics and package them in a way that readers will enjoy and learn from.
Because the market is becoming increasingly competitive, you must find a way to stand out from the competition as quickly as possible. Keep this in mind, every great brand is built around values ― this will separate you from others.
2. They attract new visitors
If we are talking about huge content marketing budgets then yes social ads and paid searches are great options. But they'll cost you. So, if you’re just a start-up, you may not find them in your marketing plan.
I'm okay with that.
Blogging is a content marketing tactic that you can optimize so you’ll get free, organic traffic.
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of producing content that satisfies both human search intents and crawling bots. SEO can boost your platform's rankings to make your content more visible to consumers. Attracting them to click your link to eventually visit your website
3. Build customer trust
Let’s put ourselves in the reader’s shoes.
What can you say about a brand that says nothing but praises its products? They produce neither articles nor anything else related to their space. There’s nothing to prove that they know anything about their prospects but their products’ features.
Well, that’s a no for me.
Blog articles have the power to increase your credibility. If you publish posts that are both informative and fun to read then you’ll gain a follower. When they see how you explain things, they'll trust you know what you're doing.
So tell me, how do I write long-form SaaS blogs that are worth reading?
Long-form content is a great way to get your message across and help people understand how you can solve their problems. However, writing long-form SaaS blog posts that are worth reading is a real challenge.
Here are some practical tips that have been working for us:
#1 Plan your content
Given that you already have a keyword, planning out the content is your next task. That includes using top SERPs (Search engine results pages), so you’ll know what information is already available. This way you can plan what unique marketing angle you’ll pursue.
#2 Organize your thoughts with an outline
Writing a successful blog starts with figuring out what you want to say before you start. Outlining helps you keep your thoughts and ideas straight before writing. It gives you time, space ― allowing for thoughtful consideration of what's important so that it can be used in an appropriate manner
#3 Know your audience
It's not effective to write to everyone. So define who your target audience is for your article. It will help if you know what makes them special, such as their specific problems or pain points and even the outcomes they want to achieve. Your blog can address their doubts and objections so it actually catches their attention.
#4 Come up with a BIG idea that ties into the USP
The unique selling proposition (USP) is what makes your business stand out from the competition. It needs to be reflected in every post you. With more than one idea around your industry, make sure all your blogs have the main topic that ties back into this main concept.
#5 Back up your claims with statistics or real-world examples
Did you know that blogs are ranked as the 5th most valuable source of information? Including real-world examples or statistics throughout your blogs can increase your reputation. Relevant statistics and examples support your claim ― that what you said applies to anyone. Plus you appear to Google as an expert in your field.
#6 Keep your paragraphs/sentences short and easy to read.
Sometimes, this is easier said than done. I mean, when you have a lot of information to share, it can be hard to keep your sentences short and easy to read. Long paragraphs and sentences can be hard to follow, and they can also make your blog post look daunting or overwhelming to read.
#7 Add a CTA link/button at the bottom
As a marketer, you want to increase leads and signups. So, why not try SEO blogging? You could try paid advertising or you could get free traffic that helps you attract inbound leads. If you can, lead them to read your post till the end so that they’ll desire to take action. Try adding a call-to-action link or button at the bottom of your long-form blog posts. This will direct them to your goal.
5 samples of long-form SaaS blogs (yes, we made them for our clients!😎)
We understand. Not only is it tough to come up with high-quality content ideas, but it can also be challenging to find the time to actually write them.
Here are 5 of the best works that we wrote for our clients. These are long-form SaaS blogs that word-counts a minimum of 2000.
- How to Automate the Customer Lifecycle Journey to Get More Conversions
- How the Best SaaS Explainer Videos Look Like in 2022
- 10 Shopify Alternatives You Should Know About in 2022
- 11 Document Approval Software That Can Scale Your Operations
- What is SaaS Marketing, Why It’s Different, And Where Can You Start
And here are some from a SaaS blogger we look up to:
- Is Imposter Syndrome Messing With your Confidence? These Stories Will Inspire Your Inner Champion
- How to Write Service Page Content: Tips from 19 Conversion Specialists
Invest in SaaS blogging ASAP
If you're a SaaS marketer, you know that the one way to engage and connect with your audience is to provide valuable SaaS content. But let’s get this straight, quality SaaS content is carefully researched.
Long-form SaaS blogs fit the definition.
Whether you need help crafting your SaaS blog posts or want us to do it for you, we’re here to make sure your long-form content is on point. We know how hard it can be to write them and get people engaged in what you have to say, so that they take the next step with your product.
What are some of the challenges of writing about software? Get in touch with us today.
