What Is B2B SaaS Marketing?

B2B SaaS stands for business-to-business Software-as-a-Service.

With that being said, B2B SaaS marketing encompasses all marketing strategies or activities targeting other businesses with the aim of selling software subscriptions.

There are a lot of factors that go into B2B SaaS marketing.

And in this article, we will take a closer look into what it means and how it is different from other forms of marketing.

SaaS Marketing VS Traditional Marketing

To understand what B2B SaaS marketing is, we first need to understand how marketing works in the SaaS industry as opposed to how we market the more “traditional” products.

Traditional Marketing: Generally Limited To A Geographical Location

The target audience for physical products and services is usually the end consumers within a specific geographical location.

Consumer goods, for example, are often distributed through retail channels and the customers are individuals who purchase these products for their personal use and consumption.

Although eCommerce has expanded the geographical reach for many consumer products, a lot of the marketing strategies used are still focused on reaching individuals within a specific location.

This geographical limit is all the more pronounced for services that require face-to-face interactions such as healthcare, beauty services, and so on.

As a result, traditional marketing usually comes in the form of ads.

Whether it’s print ads or digital ads, these marketing materials are designed to reach individuals within a certain geographical area.

SaaS Marketing: Has A Global Target Audience

The SaaS industry is unique in the sense that there are no geographical boundaries when it comes to marketing and selling a SaaS product.

This is because SaaS products are delivered over the internet and can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection. As a result, businesses can market and sell their software products to customers anywhere in the world.

In addition, traditional marketing channels such as print, television, and radio are not as effective in reaching SaaS customers since they are not typically used to search for or purchase software products.

Instead, most SaaS customers are reached through online channels such as search engines, social media, and email marketing.

As a result, B2B SaaS marketing is usually focused on creating online content that can be found by potential customers when they are searching for something related to a SaaS product.

What’s more, SaaS marketing doesn’t just focus on customer acquisition, but on customer retention as well.

In fact, customer retention is one of the most important aspects of the SaaS business model since it is much more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to keep an existing one.

So, B2B SaaS marketing strategies are often designed to earn the potential customer’s trust, build topical authority, and create long-term relationships with customers.

This is done through a combination of content marketing, email marketing, customer success programs, and other retention strategies.

B2C VS B2B SaaS Marketing

Another important distinction of B2B SaaS marketing is how it’s different from business-to-consumer (B2C) SaaS marketing.

B2C SaaS Marketing: Appeals To Convenience

B2C SaaS products are subscription-based software that makes life easier or more convenient. Some popular examples include Netflix, Spotify, and Uber.

As the term “business-to-consumer” suggests, the target audience here is everyday consumers.

The marketing strategies used in B2C SaaS marketing are therefore focused on reaching individuals who will use the software for their personal needs.

You can do this using a mix of digital marketing channels, such as influencer marketing, paid advertising, and even a little bit of content marketing (for some niches).

What’s more, the messaging for B2C SaaS marketing often appeals to consumers’ need for an easier and more comfortable life.

That’s why you have tag lines like “We want to entertain the world” and “Music for everyone.”

It’s all about what the product can do for the customer on a personal level.

B2B SaaS Marketing: Appeals To Business Productivity & Higher ROI

On the other hand, a B2B SaaS product is a software solution that helps businesses run more efficiently or have a higher return on investment (ROI).

Some examples of B2B SaaS solutions include Salesforce, HubSpot, and Slack.

The target audience here is businesses of different sizes.

And the B2B SaaS market itself can be pretty diverse.

One B2B SaaS company may only cater to small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Another SaaS business may focus on selling to large enterprises. While others may target businesses of all sizes.

Plus, there is a vast range of niches that a B2B SaaS product can cater to.

Some solutions help with marketing operations. Some make it easier to do accounting. While some can organize your human resources (HR) processes.

Now, the typical marketing strategy used in B2B SaaS marketing is focused on reaching businesses that can benefit from using the software.

What’s more, the content for B2B SaaS marketing materials is usually technical in nature.

After all, you’re trying to reach and build trust with businessmen and professionals who want to improve their performance or solve a specific business problem.

That’s why a lot of B2B SaaS marketers focus on providing valuable content through easy-to-access blog posts, videos, and eBooks. They also promote these content marketing assets, usually through search engine optimization (SEO), social media, and email marketing.

Final Thoughts: What Is B2B SaaS Marketing?

B2B SaaS marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on creating online content to reach potential customers who are looking for solutions to their business problems.

It’s different from B2C SaaS marketing in that the target audience here is businesses, not individual consumers.

And because of that, the messaging and tone of B2B SaaS marketing materials are usually more technical.

It’s not just about generating hype. But it’s more about creating long-term relationships with your target audience by providing value and building trust with them.

Looking for more guides that can help you take your SaaS business to the next level? Visit our blog or check out our ultimate guide to B2B SaaS marketing.