While the main copywriting conventions still stand, writing copy for SaaS companies is much different from writing for other industries.
Unique challenges come with selling SaaS products — the sales cycle is much longer, the audience is more educated, and the product itself can be complex to explain.
This comprehensive guide dives into specific strategies you can apply to boost web traffic and conversions.
What’s different about SaaS copywriting?
SaaS copywriters produce a variety of content types, including email campaigns, blog posts, landing pages, and knowledge bases, with the primary goal of driving traffic, nurturing leads, and moving prospects through the sales funnel.
While it seems on the surface that it would follow the same principles as any other industry, writing SaaS copy requires a more delicate balance of persuasive and informative language.
It has to hook the audience, but also educate them on the features and benefits in a clear, objective way.
Beyond that, four key factors differentiate SaaS copywriting from other types:
It’s sometimes highly specialized and technical.
Not every type of software is complicated or requires a niche expertise, but plenty do.
Software development, cybersecurity, big data, AI, FinTech, crypto, and healthcare are just some of the areas where a SaaS copywriter would have to be familiar with the industry terminology, processes, and technology (in addition to how the software works).
Even with research and SaaS copywriting skills, it might be impossible for a writer without prior coding knowledge to write articles for an innovative new programming platform, for example.
It’s exceptionally competitive.
Most of the world’s biggest companies are software companies in some way. From an SEO and content marketing standpoint, you could be competing with massive companies like Adobe, AWS, and Salesforce (even if you only do a fraction of what they do).
It’s constantly evolving.
Customer wants and needs, available technology, content marketing trends, Google algorithm changes, and compliance standards are all factors that drive change at SaaS companies. Not to mention, your product is continuously being updated and improved.
The copy has to keep up.
It’s not always trying to “sell.”
In a lot of direct-to-consumer copywriting, the main goal is to hook the reader and persuade them to hit “Add to Cart” or “Sign Me Up!”
Nobody makes a SaaS purchase decision in an instant. In B2B SaaS, most people don’t even make SaaS purchase decisions alone.
The average SaaS sales cycle lasts 84 days. During that time, multiple people will read through product info, find answers to their questions, and explore different scenarios in-depth. And they need different types of content at each stage of the funnel.
While there will be CTAs (like “Book a Demo”), SaaS content that’s constantly trying to sell or is over-the-top in its approach won’t resonate. And, since it usually isn’t directly tied to revenue, calculating the ROI of a particular landing page or blog post is much more challenging.
B2B vs. B2C SaaS copywriting
While there are lots of things that make B2B copywriting different, they don’t always apply to B2C SaaS products.
There are two reasons for this:
- Most B2C SaaS apps have a B2B counterpart. Buffer, Canva, ClickUp, Dropbox, Figma, Google Suite, Notion, and Slack are all apps with “Individual” plans for personal use. But their copy needs to be consistent with B2B audiences, which are their core revenue drivers.
- Some platforms operate in professional industries. A B2C SaaS product like RocketMoney, for example, needs to have the same level of professionalism and objectivity as a B2B financial software. Even though the audience is different, they’re looking for similar things — advanced features and a secure product.
For these reasons, building trust and authority and creating value through informative, objective copy is just as important for B2C customers.
In general, though, B2C SaaS copywriting is more simple because the customer journey is much shorter. Since there’s nobody involved in the decision but themselves (and it’s often at little to no cost), you can focus more on selling the product directly.
12 tips for SaaS copywriting that converts
1. Exemplify your brand through your voice and tone.
Marketing software to corporations isn’t as glamorous as, say, selling a Scrub Daddy or a Peloton. But that doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Your voice and tone should reflect your brand’s personality, values, and mission.
Gumroad is a brand that does an excellent job at this. On the platform, people can create digital products and sell them. Instead of paying upfront, you can list whatever you like for free and they’ll take a small percentage of whatever you sell.
Their copy and graphics are fun, casual, and quirky because they’re targeting first-timers who are worried about putting up money to sell something.
Throughout the page, they even provide examples of how to make the first step less intimidating by saying, “Instead of selling a book…start by selling a blog post!”
Through just a few headlines and sections of subtext, they’ve communicated that it’s easy to sell anything online, even if you’re a complete beginner. And Gumroad is the platform to do it with.
2. Make it 100% clear what your product does.
All too often, I check out a SaaS website and have no idea what they do from their homepage or product page.
Headlines like “Unlock Your Full Revenue Potential” or “Empower Your Business to Achieve More” don’t tell the reader anything.
The reader shouldn’t have to try to figure out what your product does. The value proposition should be clear and to the point.
Canva’s homepage headline, “What will you design today?” does an excellent job of grabbing the site visitor’s attention. Following it up with “Canva makes it easy to create professional designs and to share or print them” clarifies what they do without using any jargon or fluff.
3. Survey and interview your customers.
Some of the best copy you’ll write will either come straight out of your customer’s mouth, or out of yours when you respond to their questions. By surveying and interviewing your customers, you’ll better understand their pain points, needs, and motivations.
Ask questions about:
- How they found your product
- What motivated them to purchase
- How they use your product
- Why they continue using your product (or why they stopped)
- The challenges or obstacles they face in their industry or job
- The features they cannot live without
As you talk to more and more of your customers, you’ll start to notice consistencies. These are things you can highlight in your copy.
4. Talk to your sales and customer success teams, too.
Sales and CS reps spend all day talking to customers (or potential customers). They have firsthand experience with objections, customer pain points, problems with the software, and common questions or misconceptions.
Sit down with them and ask about their conversations with customers. What are the most common objections they face? What do customers struggle to understand?
From there, you can address objections straight away, focus on areas where people don’t seem to understand your product, and shift your headlines and body text to highlight the features and benefits buyers are actually excited about.
5. Make your web pages skimmable.
Around 80% of readers never make it past the headline. If they’re interested enough to navigate to your website, they might scroll down the page a bit. But rarely will they read every single word.
As an extreme example, this homepage isn’t selling anyone.
You want to make it as easy as possible for people to read from top to bottom by keeping your headlines and paragraphs short, using bullet points, and incorporating images and graphics.
Monday.com’s landing pages are a great example of this. They use bold headlines, short bullets, and visual aids that add more context.
When readers want to learn more, they can navigate to dedicated pages on the site with more in-depth information. Placing too much text on the screen at once makes it harder for people to keep reading.
6. Write about outcomes instead of features.
When potential customers skim your site, benefits will catch their eye far quicker than features because benefits directly affect them.
On ClickUp’s website, benefits like “Improve collaboration” and “Get your teams working together more closely, even if they’re far apart” stand out more than features like “real-time messaging” or “task management.”
Here are a few more ideas:
- Instead of “Unlimited storage,” say, “Never run out of space again.”
- Instead of “Easy to use,” say, “Spend less time learning and more time doing.”
- Instead of “Customizable,” say, “Make our product yours.”
- Instead of “Comprehensive dashboard,” say, “View data your way.”
7. Use statistics and social proof.
One of the best SaaS copywriting strategies is to just let your customers do the talking. In 2023, growth marketing firm OGM published its B2B Content + SEO Survey, which uncovered two critical findings about the current state of B2B buying:
- Google Search is B2B buyers’ #1 source of information.
- Buyers rank a SaaS company dead last in “sources of information you trust.”
On the contrary, 84% of people say they trust reviews and other forms of social proof as if they came from a personal friend. And 92% of B2B buyers are more likely to invest in a product when they see it.
The reason is simple: You can say anything you want in your SaaS copy. But you have no control over what a customer says about their experience.
That’s why Twilio ditched its old homepage in favor of the recognition it just received from Gartner…
…and highlights multiple case study snippets and customer testimonials below the scroll.
Even without hard evidence of success, incorporating brand names and logos can boost web conversions by up to 400%. Software vendor Anyscale namedrops OpenAI, Canva, and a few others in a headline to immediately build credibility with the site visitor.
Since Google is such a trusted source of info for B2B buyers, website pages with testimonials average 45% more traffic.
Landing page builder and A/B testing software company Unbounce incorporates testimonials like these throughout their whole website to reinforce their main value proposition.
As a plus, there’s a video component. Interested buyers have the option to learn more.
Their copywriters also include jaw-dropping statistics like “Convert 30% more” in some of the site’s most valuable pieces of real estate.
8. Write in plain, simple English.
In the SaaS industry, there certainly is a time and a place for technical jargon. But when it comes to your marketing copy, avoid using complex terminology that might be confusing for potential customers.
Stick to plain and simple language with everyday words. For headlines, basic terminology like ClickUp’s “One app to replace them all” is more powerful, understandable, and memorable than something like “The most comprehensive task management solution.”
For smaller sections of text, keep sentences short and write like you talk. This makes it easier for people to read and understand your message.
Gong does an excellent job of breaking down its revenue intelligence platform features into easily digestible sections with simple language:
The only exception to this rule is if your target audience is typically an SME. In this case, using some industry-specific terminology can help establish credibility and show that you understand their unique needs.
9. Tie your copy in with the CTA.
Buttons like “Buy Now” or “Sign Up” are boring. From headline to subtext to CTA button, your writing should flow from one element to the next.
This simple fix makes it easier for visitors to understand what they can expect from clicking your CTA. It gets users to click without thinking.
Here’s how Webflow does it:
Below the scroll, they take the CTA beyond the button, giving it an entire section. In doing so, they tie their call-to-action to a direct outcome (“Try Webflow for free for as long as you like.”).
With that additional context and a large visual, the user knows exactly what they’re going to get. And that makes it easier for them to make the decision to sign up.
10. Work with subject matter experts.
The ultimate prerequisite to writing great SaaS copy is knowing your product. Spending ample time learning the ins and outs of what you’re selling, its capabilities, features, and benefits allows you to develop accurate and effective messaging for your target audience.
If you’re not an SME yourself, work closely with subject matter experts (SMEs) within your company or hire one as a consultant. They’ll have additional insights and perspectives from their experience that can enhance your writing.
11. Use words to paint a vivid picture.
Language plays a huge role in how we make decisions. Since the mind tends to anchor on the most vivid and memorable details, trigger words to capture readers’ attention and move them toward a certain action is one of the oldest digital marketing strategies in the book.
There are hundreds of trigger words (LocaliQ has a solid list to get started). And you can use these to paint a picture of what life is like when using your SaaS product.
Instead of saying something boring like “Create and sell online courses and coaching,” Kajabi tells you you can “Go from creator to business” and “Turn your followers into customers.”
Throughout the copy, Kajabi uses simple, yet strong and attention-grabbing words like “diversify” (your revenue streams) and “six-figures” (a common earning potential benchmark for success).
All that said, don’t go over the top with your word choices. Some words, like “unlock,” “secret,” “the only,” and “guaranteed,” are overused and gimmicky.
And keep in mind that you’re selling software solutions, which aren’t inherently interesting. Overusing or misusing colorful language can make you seem inauthentic and turn off potential customers.
A site builder for agencies might say “Dazzle your clients with stunning websites,” but they wouldn’t refer to a particular feature as “magical” when it’s just a drag-and-drop editor.
12. Test everything.
Headlines. Subtext. Pricing pages. CTAs. That little piece of microcopy on the side of your hero image.
Anything could play a role in how people perceive and interact with your SaaS website. And the only way you’ll know is if you test all the elements on your page.
A/B testing, which isolates a single element against its variation and then measures which one performs better, is the best way to do this.
For example, you could test two headlines that evoke different emotions on your homepage or two versions of your pricing page to see which one converts more visitors into customers.
How to find a solid SaaS copywriter
When you’re looking for a writer who takes SaaS clients, there are a few things you need to know:
- Are they an SME? If you’re selling a highly technical or specialized product, they have to be.
- Do they have writing samples? Evaluate if they can adapt to different brand voices and product types. Keep in mind they may not be able to share much if they operate under an NDA.
- Does their writing match the tips we gave above? You should still be able to get a sense of their skill level by seeing if they hit the basics.
- Can they write for SEO? While this might not be a huge consideration for your main product pages, knowledge of search engine algorithms and keyword optimization will help them write copy for the rest of your website (e.g., your blog).
- What does their pre-writing process look like? A pro SaaS copywriter will ask questions about your product and target market, create a list of info they need about your brand, voice, and customer insights, and chat with your SMEs if needed.
Copywriting is just one element of your SaaS marketing plan. Work with us to get the rest of the online visibility equation sorted out.
