The software as a service (SaaS) business model started at the end of the 20th century; since then, the software subscription sector has grown by leaps and bounds. Today, SaaS is among the fastest-growing sectors in the tech industry.
The past seven years have seen SaaS grow by an estimated 500%. Globally, the SaaS market is worth around USD$170 billion in 2021. The service is expected to expand even more in the next few years.
With the current surge in digital transformation, the market for this service will continue to grow, with industries like retail and consumer goods showing the way for the most number of SaaS adoption. Suffice it to say, software products in the digital world are a necessity.
That’s why companies offering SaaS have also increased. And because the SaaS market is uber-competitive, a run-of-the-mill website won’t cut it. A SaaS website design should stand out from the rest of the herd.
A Short Overview Of Software as a Service Platform
SaaS platforms mean users don’t have to install software applications on their machines. The software is available to users on a subscription basis, usually paid for by the month. And as long as the users are connected to the Internet, they can access it from any device.
A company subscribed to a software application means the company’s staff can also use the software, depending on their level of access.
The IT staff don’t have to download and install the software on different computers. Making sure to keep the software updated is also easy, as everything is all in the cloud. The subscription is also more affordable than buying the whole software suite.
Moreover, security services, compliance, and maintenance are all taken care of by the vendor.
Branding Strategy For SaaS Companies
There are around 25,000 SaaS companies worldwide; in the US alone, the number is about 17,000. That means you need a branding strategy that could make your SaaS company stand out.
Businesses increasingly rely on software subscriptions, with thousands of competing brands in the market. As clients get more stringent in making their choices, the price tag alone might not be enough to attract clients. An effective branding strategy should make clients interested in what you have to say.
Branding strategy or brand marketing is the process of creating an identity for your brand that’s uniquely and identifiably yours. That identity can be conveyed through visual means or how you communicate. Your branding strategy should focus on an angle that best represents your brand.
It should create awareness of your strengths and what your brand can bring to the table. Moreover, due to the nature of its business, a SaaS company’s focus isn’t just on customer acquisition. Lowering the churn rate—the rate at which clients cancel—is also a priority.
And as this is the digital age, your SaaS website design is a vital component of your brand marketing strategy.
How SaaS Website Development Helps Branding Strategy
Establishing your brand with the help of your website is vital regardless of the size of your SaaS company. After all, your website is where clients often see you for the first time. So, you must convey your company’s message through your website.
As a SaaS company, you can improve your branding strategy through your website by doing the following
1. Identify Your Target Market
Your target market is the particular group of people who share characteristics and are likely to patronize your product or service. Identifying this group can help you develop a more cohesive and effective branding strategy.
For an effective branding strategy, a SaaS company needs to pinpoint the market niche most likely to use and benefit from the brand. That way, you’ll focus your marketing and branding strategy efforts cost-effectively.
For example, if you want to hone in on SMB (small and midsize businesses) and consumers segment, focus on building up your brand, self-service, and demand generation marketing. Demand generation is a marketing strategy that includes securing new leads, increasing traffic, and building brand awareness.
On the other hand, if you want to target large enterprises instead, concentrate on building a sales team and hiring marketing representatives, as you’ll be doing presentations and trials. Brand recognition, however, is a critical element for both courses.
Finding out your target market takes research—it requires an in-depth study of the marketplace, your potential customers, and your brand.
You’ll also need specialized tools to find the demographics suited to your brand. After you’ve identified your target market, you can design your SaaS website layout that incorporates design principles that appeal to the needs of your target audience.
2. Create A Positive User Experience
A website design that shows cohesion can give a positive user experience (UX). Design elements like fonts, images, colors, logos, etc., are part of what defines your brand. It’s essential to choose these elements meticulously, ensuring they all form a consistent and cohesive message throughout your website.
Your potential clients will instantly see your SaaS products’ value through your website. Make it easy to know what your products can do for them right at the beginning.
For SaaS companies, positive UX can also include easy-to-use services. One of the sure-fire ways to create a positive UX is to improve your site’s loading time. You can do this by condensing your website’s images and other media, caching your web pages, and reducing redirects.
Your customers should also find it easy to achieve what they set out to do on your website. The user certainly doesn’t want to be bombarded with popups urging them to buy or sign up for something every few seconds.
Excessive popups tend to distract site users and discourage them from further engagement. And if they finally decide on something, ensure they can do it in as few steps as possible. No more than five steps should do it.
3. Develop Content That Increases User Engagement
For a SaaS website to make users interested and engaged, establish early on that your software products are tech-driven. The website, therefore, should reflect this characteristic. It should contain white papers, case studies, blog posts, infographics, and guides.
These forms of content can strengthen your credibility with prospective customers and make your brand more memorable. The content can also entice visitors to read and be informed about the usefulness of your software products and the benefits that other companies and people derive from them.
Your site should also be updated constantly, using relevant and engaging content for your target market. Remember, visitors that consume more content mean they’re staying longer. And if they stay longer, there’s a higher chance of them making a call to your sales staff, completing a form, or booking a software demo.
4. Improve Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO means optimizing a website to increase its rankings on various search engines, like Yahoo!, Bing, Google, and others. SEO is probably the most economical way for SaaS companies to increase brand awareness to potential clients.
For SaaS companies, SEO usually involves a mixture of link-building, copywriting, content optimization, and creation. SEO also helps in raising the overall quality of your website. It can determine what users search for online vis-a-vis your SaaS company.
SEO can also guide you to produce quality content appropriate for your market niche. It can do this by analyzing the words, topics, and patterns people employ when searching for something online.
SEO practices can increase your ranking on SERPs (search engine result pages). Users often equate a high search engine rank with being trustworthy. Moreover, your website will be visible to more users, which helps your branding strategy even more.
Final Thoughts
A SaaS company’s website is a vital component of its branding strategy. And as competition in the sector is getting tighter, SaaS companies need to develop a website that boosts their brand strategy. Website development services can help you identify your target market, create a positive user experience, increase user engagement through content, and use SEO to increase search engine ranking.
Additionals
- Need For WordPress Plugins For WordPress SEO
- The Top 10 Most Important Factors for SEO Success
- The Importance Of Performing Technical SEO Audit For Your Website
- What Are The 10 Best Free SEO Tools Suitable For The Beginners In 2022?
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