Content Marketing for SaaS: What Actually Works
Practical lessons from building content engines that drive growth
Andreas Hatlem
Founder
Content marketing is one of the most powerful channels for SaaS companies. It builds trust, drives organic traffic, and creates assets that compound over time. But most SaaS content is mediocre—forgettable blog posts that don't rank, don't get shared, and don't convert.
This article shares what we've learned about content marketing that actually works.
The Content Quality Problem
The bar for content keeps rising. A few years ago, showing up with any content was differentiation. Now, every SaaS company has a blog pumping out articles. Most of this content is:
- Generic rehashes of common knowledge
- Thinly veiled product pitches
- AI-generated filler
- SEO-optimized but reader-hostile
Standing out requires being genuinely useful, not just present.
What Good Content Looks Like
Original Insights
Content based on your unique experience, data, or perspective. Things readers can't get elsewhere. This might come from customer conversations, internal data, or hard-won expertise.
Practical Value
We believe readers should be able to take action after reading. In our experience, how-to guides, templates, frameworks, and specific advice outperform abstract thought leadership.
Appropriate Depth
Go deep enough to be genuinely useful. Surface-level overviews are easily replicated and don't demonstrate expertise.
Good Writing
Clear, concise, well-structured writing. This seems obvious but is surprisingly rare. Good writing respects readers' time.
Content Types That Work for SaaS
Educational Content
How-to guides, tutorials, and explanations of concepts relevant to your audience. This builds trust and captures search traffic from people learning about problems you solve.
Templates and Tools
Downloadable resources people can actually use. Spreadsheets, checklists, calculators. These provide immediate value and often get shared.
Original Research
Studies, surveys, and data analysis. Original data is linkable and shareable in ways generic content isn't.
Customer Stories
Case studies showing how customers achieved results with your product. More credible than generic testimonials.
Comparison Content
Honest comparisons of your product vs. alternatives. Searchers want this information; providing it honestly builds trust.
Distribution: The Other Half
Creating great content isn't enough—you need distribution. Most content fails because no one sees it, not because it's bad.
SEO
Optimize for search, but don't let SEO dictate content quality. Write for humans first, then ensure technical SEO is solid. Focus on topics with search demand where you can credibly compete.
Build an email list and actually use it. Every piece of quality content should go to your list.
Social
Share content where your audience is. But don't just post links—adapt content for each platform.
Communities
Participate genuinely in communities where your audience gathers. Share content when it's genuinely relevant, not as spam.
Repurposing
Turn one piece of content into many: blog post → Twitter thread → LinkedIn post → newsletter → video. Maximize return on content creation effort.
Measuring Content Success
Content metrics should tie to business outcomes:
- Traffic: Are people finding and reading your content?
- Engagement: Are they reading meaningfully (time on page, scroll depth)?
- Conversion: Are they taking next steps (email signup, trial, demo request)?
- Attribution: Does content contribute to actual revenue?
We've learned to be patient—content compounds over time. A piece that generates little traffic initially may rank higher over months and drive returns for years.
Building a Content Operation
Consistency Matters
Regular publishing builds audience expectations and SEO authority. Pick a sustainable cadence and stick to it.
Quality Over Quantity
One great piece beats ten mediocre ones. If resources are limited, go less frequent but higher quality.
Who Creates Content?
Options: founders, in-house writers, freelancers, agencies. Each has tradeoffs. We've found that what matters is that someone with real expertise is involved—generic writers produce generic content.
Editorial Process
Have a process for ideation, creation, editing, and distribution. Even a simple process beats chaos.
Common Content Marketing Mistakes
All Product, No Value
Content that's thinly veiled advertising rather than genuinely useful. Readers see through this instantly.
Copying Competitors
Writing about the same topics in the same way as everyone else. Find your unique angle.
Ignoring Distribution
Assuming "if you build it, they will come." They won't. Distribution requires as much attention as creation.
Giving Up Too Early
Content compounds—benefits often take 6-12 months to materialize. Consistency over time beats sporadic bursts.
Conclusion
Content marketing works, but only when done well. That means creating content genuinely worth reading, distributing it effectively, and measuring results honestly. It requires real investment—there's no shortcut to quality.
We recommend starting with deep understanding of your audience's problems. Create content that helps solve those problems. Distribute persistently. Measure and improve. Content marketing isn't complicated, but it requires commitment and patience.
Have an idea?
Let's build something great together.