EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of SaaS-Story in the Making, SaaS Coach Matt Wolach, and Founder and CEO of Tiny Marketing, Sarah Block, talk about optimizing content marketing. She also shares important tips to guide SaaS companies on the right path towards their content marketing journey.
As one of the most powerful marketing strategies, SaaS companies should learn how and where to start. Along with the right actions to leverage the potential of content and expand its reach.
PODCAST-AT-A-GLANCE
Podcast: SaaS-Story in the Making
Episode: Episode No. 208, “Ways to Expand Your Content Reach”
Host: Matt Wolach, a B2B SaaS sales coach, Entrepreneur, and Investor
Guest: Sarah Block, Founder, and CEO of Tiny Marketing
TOP TIPS FROM THIS EPISODE
Build Your Reputation and Get Backlinks
One of the pillars of content marketing is creating and giving valuable content to attract your market. It is a great marketing strategy to build a company’s credibility. While it is recommended for SaaS companies to venture into this marketing approach, there are other things you can do beforehand.
Before the success of Tiny Marketing, Block shared her secret to a successful path: get backlinks. You have to promote your brand first for your company to get noticed. Starting with partnerships and public relations– build your credibility, engage with your market, get seen by the audience first, and earn trust.
By the time you have established your brand, you have leads coming to your website. This is where you can start creating your content. And you can also tap on it again to distribute your content. Block emphasized that “getting those backlinks to your site is pretty essential before creating content and getting that out, so you can rank in Google.”
Give an Edutainment Experience
When companies start creating and giving value, it is often information-heavy and in the form of articles or blogs. While this helps educate, sometimes it does not appear entertaining enough for them to consume. Some alternative forms of value sharing are live streams, podcasts, videos, and webinars. It is very informative, but it also engages other senses, so it does not have to be boring.
Block said, “people are starting to recognize that B2B does not have to be boring. And it can be fun.” Through these forms of content, B2B companies can be more engaging while giving value to the audience. SaaS companies are heard and understood more because they can combine education and entertainment. And distribute these discussions in these forums. The entertainment value that it has helps with the effectiveness of education.
There’s no one-size-fits-all in terms of content. Block shared that she has seen webinars and partner webinars convert best. SaaS companies should still find what fits best for their market. Your market will want to consume content differently.
Repurpose Your Content
It allows you to harness creativity, personalize the topics you want to cover and share your passion with your audience. But it requires a lot of effort. One way marketers optimize content and save time is by repurposing content.
Block explained it as if you have a long-form video. That can be divided into micro-videos for the audience interested only in the learning points. The audio can be turned into audiograms. And the points discussed can be converted into multiple blogs. You can also take advantage of your social account’s features for this.
An example of this is the newsletter option on LinkedIn. It allows you to turn your article into a newsletter with an expanded reach. This way, you can get more backlinks to your account.
Just as what we do at SaaS-Story in the Making, we repurpose our content. We have a podcast, we provide a video version on YouTube, and there is also a blog about the topic discussed on that podcast. The idea is to be able to use the points or topics mentioned in a new form of content to cater to everybody.
Repurposing is an important part of your distribution process. As it lets you optimize content, you are certain that they are all connected and cohesive when you cross-promote them.
Never Copy Content
One of the biggest mistakes SaaS companies are still doing in marketing is copying other companies. When a brand appears successful, there is an urge to do what they do to direct you to the same path. However, it cannot always be successful in marketing.
You will never know if they are on a test cycle. It can be easy for big companies to spend huge amounts on a trial phase for big companies. But marketing is trial-and-error, and it is impractical to copy what is in a trial phase. You can only end up investing in something that would never work.
If you happen to find the right marketing for you, do not let it be stagnant on the website. You should distribute them, make your audience see them on different platforms, and optimize their potential.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
SaaS Needs Content Marketing
Content marketing has a lot of potentials, and when it is done right, it can be the most powerful strategy you can have, especially if you are a SaaS company. But more than being able to provide value and increase engagement, it also lets you bring out your personality.
SaaS companies need to build relationships with their market. Using different forms of content, they can showcase their personality as they provide value. Like Block says, “make people feel like they know who you are– get a grasp for who you are.” Content marketing gives your audience a peek at who they will be working with. And you should leverage this opportunity.
An example is when you are doing a podcast. When you have an expert to interview, you are not solely talking about your agreed topic. You will also explore a more personal side of your lives, what they have been up to at the moment, or their opinion on a specific niche. Your audience or target market knows you better by showing authenticity with value. And this can be your way to earn their trust and establish a relationship with them.
Block says, “no one’s gonna spend their money on your product if they don’t know who you are– they don’t trust you.” SaaS companies should learn how to optimize their content marketing strategy and expand their reach. Not only to build credibility but also to appeal to and earn the trust of your market.
TOP QUOTES
Sarah Block
[06:34] “People are starting to recognize that B2B does not have to be boring and it can be fun, and you can bring in your personality. And I think SaaS does that better than anything else.”
[07:55] “No one’s gonna spend their money on your product if they don’t know who you are— they don’t trust you.”
[12:28] “They’re all different learning styles, and they’re going to want to consume content in different ways.”
[14:06] “Whenever you can bring in your own personality into the content, that’s what stands out. When people start to feel like they know who you are, it makes a big difference.”
Matt Wolach
[16:27] “I’ve seen the inner workings of a lot of companies, especially some of the bigger, more successful companies. And I can tell you, they don’t always have it figured out. So if you’re copying them, you might be copying a bad strategy or a bad tactic.”
[20:20] “I don’t think enough people are promoting their own personal brand. And I have many people say, “Hey, I’m just a director at a company, or I’m a sales rep. Should I be promoting?” Yes, absolutely. Do promote your personal brand.”
[20:44] “Your personal brand can help you regardless of who you are. You don’t have to be an entrepreneur for it to work.”
LEARN MORE
To learn more about Sarah Block and Tiny Marketing, visit https://www.sarahnoelblock.com/.
You can also find Sarah Block on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahnoelblock/.
For more about how host Matt Wolach helps software companies achieve maximum growth, visit https://mattwolach.com/.
