Any B2B SaaS company who seeks to solve a problem takes its content strategy seriously. In some cases, content strategy can ignore aspects like product and its role. Some content pieces do not even talk about the product or offerings. It can be because of multiple reasons like inability to intertwine the product with the content or the fear of being portrayed as sales-y. The right thing to do would be to embrace the product-led content strategy for SaaS success. Let us know more about product-led content, challenges with product-led content, why should a SaaS company create product-led content, and how to create product-led content.
What is Product-led Content?
Product-led content is content that put the product at the center of its narrative to showcase how it can help the reader accomplish their goal or solve their problem. In B2B SaaS company marketing, the primary forms like blog posts, user guides, web pages, videos, landing pages, and how-to’s are the ones that need to be product-led.
Identifying the pain points of the reader or customer and weaving product features into it by showing how they will solve the problems is the crux of product-led content.
Challenges with Product-Led Content
With product-led content, you mention how the product will perform and its properties. This can be like a sales pitch. The danger lies in becoming too pushy like you are over-powering the reader with the product. The urge to craft content including the product as the core can mean it is done in an unnatural fashion. Here are some challenges faced while creating product-led content.
When to write about the product?
Choosing when to write about the product is important. At what point or part of the blog should the product become the hero?
How to write about the product?
You must not write like you are framing website content. It needs to be more users driven. The language and tonality must represent the brand values and business goals.
Is it too sales-y?
Product-led content must not be a sales infomercial. Extreme promotional content can stray readers away from the website. The goal is to show how the product addresses concerns instead of the reader.
With these challenges in mind, one might reconsider creating product-led content at all. The primary steps involved include catching the reader’s attention, discussing the problem in hand, showing how the product is the solution and its benefits, and ensuring there is an appropriate call to action.
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Why should a SaaS company create product-led content?
Product-led content is considered more effective than other forms of content to drive the product point forward.
Showcases the value of the product
We all learn from someone else. Product-led content needs to showcase the value of the product. the user can feel unclear if the product information is not correct. The best way to do that is demonstrate the value as much as you can. Use cases, testimonials, and product demo snippets are helpful additions to the blog.
Helps with customer acquisition
Potential customers who go through the blog will get an idea of the product- its value and benefits. This will help them structure it within their problem to find a solution. This assists conversion since they are more qualified leads who know the intent of the product.
Can Lead to a free trial
If a reader has a pain point, they will know how the product solves it. This makes them aware of the problem and one solution. They can sign up from a free trial to know how the solution works in real. This will encourage conversions since they are driven by the solution.
Supports Customer Retention
As we know, customer education is an ongoing process. If someone signs up for the product, it doesn’t mean they will use it 100%. You need to ensure users are constantly educated about the product. Product-led content can ensure customer retention since it is focused on helping with the solution. The customers will know new things and discover aspects of the product helping them ace their product performance.
How to create product-led content- 5 Tried-and-Tested Steps that will Work
Product-led content strategy needs to keep in mind certain best practices. Three teams- content, customer success, and product must come together to create a piece of compelling content. Here are the best practices one needs to follow to create product-led content. The basic steps involve the following.
Note the pain point or the problem
The first step in the process is to note the pain points or problems of the user. Accept that there is a problem and use language that will resonate with the user.
For example- If the user is facing problem with knowing if their customer is using their product, they might express themselves in the following ways-
- Need to know customer usage
- Product performance details
- Customer satisfied or not
These pain points can be noted to ensure they match with the product offering. You can create blog titles based on these possible problems and focus content on solving that.
Show how a solution is possible
In this segment, the aim should be to show how the problem can be solved. The core components in this include data and statistics. The solution needs to keep all the pain points in mind and enhance overall performance.
Genuinely present the possible solutions
Showcase all the possible solutions to the problem and add your product to the mix. Use proof to show that your concept works. For example- images, screen shots, product walkthrough gifs to show how the product works.
Mention the best practices that they can use to solve the problem. Use the product as a bridge to display how they will solve the problem.
Display how the product works and value offered
In this step, you display how the product works. The value can be showcased with the benefits of the product and how it is relevant to the conversation.
Offer a free demo or trial
The final step is to add CTAs across the piece in a smart manner. Book a free demo or free trial are some ways you can capture user attention around the product. Using a great CTA goes a long way in helping the user make a choice on the trial.
Bottom Line
Product-led content has the potential to attract a lot of customers in an organic fashion. You can demonstrate product value and feature importance in a succinct manner. Product-led content strategy is a great way to let users know about the product and its value.
Shivani is a talented CS manager with the skillsets to elicit, scope and manage end-to-end B2B SaaS project delivery. She has a keen interest in depicting her learnings in customer success by writing resourceful blogs and articles.
Published March 09, 2022, Updated March 02, 2023