Video ads: 12 proven ways to reach your SaaS audience

Q: How can good video ads help you reach SaaS audiences?

Good video ads help you reach a SaaS audience because Google is obsessed with giving searchers nothing but quality content. They use the acronym E.A.T. to describe the kind of content that is favored by their search engine algorithms. Your content should demonstrate Expertise, Authority, Trust.

One of the reasons for the growing popularity of SaaS is that by paying a reasonable subscription fee anyone can easily access the underlying cloud-based software service. You can run it on a server, and access it from any device –desktop, laptop, tablet, and phone.

Forrester Research predicted the trend toward SaaS as far back as in 2016 when they said:

“SaaS is a software defined approach to infrastructure and is a disruptive technology in today’s market.”

The growing popularity of SaaS has redefined the software industry. So much so that there are any number of products and services often provided as Life Time Deals (LTDs) on every topic, subject, or specialization ranging from CRM, CMS, and project management, to accounting, finance, web hosting, and eCommerce.

More players and more products, of course, means more competition to grab users’ attention.

Do this if you are a SaaS provider do to ride the boom

To be successful in a rather crowded SaaS market, the use of video ads has proven to be effective – reason why you should not miss out on the opportunity to attract qualified attention and boost conversion rates using video ads.

If you are new to the medium, let’s start by telling you about:

Podcasts with SaaS Leaders – New Things in Customer Education

The most commonly asked questions by SaaS users

Are SaaS audiences different from other consumers?

Having produced various types of video content for some of the top SaaS companies in the world to launch and support their successful SaaS campaigns, we have a simple statement to make:

“Create video content that conveys the right message with maximum effect at a reasonable cost.”

As a first step, Content Beta presents a list of most commonly asked questions your SaaS video ad needs to address in order to be successful. You have your task cut out. Start by telling users:

How to access your applications on-demand without having to keep track of licensing fees and servers?
How to make a SaaS application available to multiple users at the same time without the accompanying hassles of installing a conventional software application?
How is your application useful to the users and how is it better than similar products?
How to build a strong community of product advocates to place your marketing on autopilot?

Create content that provides clear explanations to the above questions, and you have cleared the first hurdle: That is, attracting your audience. People want to be assured that by subscribing to your service you are pledging to them that you will look after them well.

Why do your SaaS users prefer to watch video ads and why should you create them?

The world of video advertising is a confusing one because it offers a wide variety of formats and channels to choose from. According to a Microsoft study:

“People who watched videos on Facebook spent 1.5x more on apps and 1.9x more on games than those who didn’t.”

From your audiences’ point of view:

We are too busy, and we hate staring at a huge wall of text too.
We prefer to watch video ads as they are much more engaging than text-based ads.
They are all the rage on the internet, and everybody’s watching them.
With 70% of us being on the go, watching how to use your product makes more sense on a small device than reading about it.

From your point of view:

They capture more attention than static images to entice users to click on an ad and allow you to convey more information.
They generate over half of all internet traffic.
Not only do they appeal to the eye, but they are great for retention rates.
They are the most effective way to get your audience to re-engage with your product.

A list of readymade guides to get your feet wet

While video ads have the potential to generate a lot of revenue, they’re also a huge gamble if they don’t produce a strong response.

That being said, we would like to tell you that in designing your video ad,

“You will want to consider what you want to accomplish with your ad, and what your audience is like to begin with, as it directly affects your conversion rates.”

Resources presented below provide a comprehensive overview of how you can use videos to improve your ROI.

What you will learn
How do SaaS educate their Users?
How to use the Right Videos for each Stage of your Marketing Funnel and Why?
7 Examples of SaaS Video Ads that drove product engagement and signups
9 ways to measure and improve your SaaS Video ROI
How To Show Value Propositions Using Product Demo Videos

How to make your video ads work?

Let’s understand the challenges faced by SaaS companies:

Many don’t have the budget for video ads.
Some are unfamiliar with video production methods and techniques.
Some others need more evidence and assurance before they loosen their purse strings.
A large number has had trouble getting their ads seen, leading to more than 20,000 SaaS companies deleting video ads from their websites.
Many are disappointed that a lot of their prospective viewers see their video ads too late or too early.
And the list goes on…

“All legitimate concerns; but let us tell you that video ads are the future of marketing. Our job is to make sure you don’t miss out on the advantages video has to offer.”

Although we have covered various aspects of video production in the past, this guide shows you how to make your content naturally attractive to Google, and in turn, to viewers.

Before we get into the specifics of what attracts your audience, there are a few things based on the Google pointers that should never change. And if you keep these factors in mind when you design your campaigns, you will never ever go wrong.

1. Quality and usefulness

Producing quality content and optimizing it is probably the single important factor for being rewarded by Google.

Using blackhat hacks to stay relevant and rank will not help. Google algorithms are smart and getting smarter, which means you get any sort of respect only if you stay true to Google’s Search Quality Rater guidelines.

E-A-T = Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness

That’s unlikely to change — ever!

2. Embrace the future

When was the last time you received a product or service brochure with your newspaper (assuming you are still a loyal subscriber to the print version of your favorite newspaper). A printed brochure or a wall of cleverly worded copy is so last-century.

3. Don’t take all day

The fact that a user has chosen to watch your videos rather than read a long document on the subject should give you a clue. They are in a hurry but willing you to lend their eyes (and ears – so also pay attention to background music). As a rule of thumb, get straight to the point and without wasting more time than you need to.

Choosing the right platform for your videos is also important because you should give them a chance to be seen and you go where your audience is.

The below table gives you a rough idea of how long it should be depending on the distribution channel and the funnel stage:

Video type	Ideal duration
Sales	30 to 90 seconds
Explainer	90 seconds. Longer videos are fine if it suits your case
Demo	Concentrate on one feature at a time. An under-a-minute hits the sweet spot.
How-to	A minimum of 2 minutes is what most people expect, but we have created videos that are as long as 10 minutes.
Webinar	Repurpose the webinars to under 2 minutes and showcase the expert opinion.
Product	1-2 minutes should do the job. Anything longer can be regarded as too salesy
Onboarding	1-2 minutes is ideal.

A major player in the SaaS field, AppSumo is known for their SaaS marketplace and attractive LifeTime Deals (LTDs).

In this Facebook ad, they urge people to be part of their partner program.

They use an often-neglected but important part of a video ad — captions and taglines. Appsumo uses “Are you looking to skyrocket your business?”

They draw the users right in and drive home the message by ending the video with “LET US BE YOUR SEED ROUND” — in under 40 seconds. The message is loud, clear, and attractive to a SaaS company. They know whom to call to sell their next product.

4. Lead them by the hand

Get viewers to linger a little longer on your website, which will help improve the session duration on your website, and in turn, boost your SEO ranking.

5. Seize your first (last) opportunity

You’ll probably get one shot at this if you are lucky. Attracting visitors to your website is hard enough, but to get them excited you must create short videos, provide quick answers to their questions, and make the whole experience engaging.

6. Get inspired

Inspiration can come from anywhere and don’t be afraid to draw inspiration from others’ work. Have a look at Honda’s auto commercial “Hands”, the winner of Best Commercial Ad – 2014, and has been viewed by more than 50 million people so far.

If you intend to show people how innovative and imaginative your company is in about 2 minutes, this is the way to go.

Don’t hesitate to draw inspiration from others’ work but don’t ignore to credit them.

7. Make it relatable

Tell a story in your own words. Honesty always shines through and your sincerity is sure to strike a chord with the audience. Humans respond positively when they can relate to the issue and will cry and laugh with the protagonist.

8. Humor never fails

Readers’ Digest immortalized the power of this powerful human emotion with their “Laughter, the Best Medicine”.

Still works, but humor has to be subtle, relatable, and non-offensive. So, make sure you do not end up offending hordes of people.

9. Optimize and course correct

Pick metrics specific to your business. See why some things are working and others are not. Fix and improve all the time. Take professional help if necessary, as getting the right ROI is important to justify the time, money, and resources you have spent on your ads.

“Optimize your video ads to give yourself the best chance of reaching the people you want to reach.”

Following are some of the metrics you might want to pay attention to:

The money you spent to get a lead, known as Cost per lead
The money spent to acquire a customer, known as Cost per acquisition (CAC)
The money you spent making the video against the revenue generated by the ad, known as Return on AD Spend or ROAS
The number of unique visitors to your website.

10. Show empathy

The last thing you should be doing is being too salesy or pushy with your ad campaigns. Because a discerning audience can smell a sales talk from a mile. Instead, highlight how your product or service can help them solve your viewers’ problems.

11. Show commitment

Engaging with your customers is hard work but pays handsomely if you provide real value to your audience in return for their loyalty. Make your commitment and sincerity shine through and people recognise a real deal when they see one.

12. Community is your strength

Get real and get real people to speak for you – the more the better. Opinions do matter when the person who is dispensing them has an impeccable track record of guiding people the right way. Don’t hesitate to get an influencer to endorse you.

Final words

Identifying your audience is crucial to your success. Don’t just publish content for the sake of it; try to stand out from the crowd. You will always be ahead of your competition if you consistently create useful content.

Don’t try to be on every distribution channel but do hang out in the right places.

Don’t expect a deluge of sales and conversions immediately because a typical sales cycle involves 6-7 ‘contact’ points with buyers. Video ads brighten our chances of being seen by the right people at the right place and right time.

If we were to name one advantage videos offer, it would be their ability to help you build your brand.

And that’s where most corporate success stories begin.

FAQs on SaaS video distribution

How can good video ads help you reach SaaS audiences?

Good video ads help you reach a SaaS audience because Google is obsessed with giving searchers nothing but quality content. They use the acronym E.A.T. to describe the kind of content that is favored by their search engine algorithms. Your content should demonstrate Expertise, Authority, Trust.

What concerns do companies have about using video ads to reach a SaaS audience?

That you need a huge budget. Some feel that they don’t know enough about the medium. Some others need more evidence of its effectiveness. Some are worried about timing and audience response. A good number don’t know how to approach the best video production agencies.

Why should companies use video ads to reach SaaS audiences?

Video ads get you noticed, get more engagement, get more shares, and get more views. They are also more affordable than digital advertising, can be used in a variety of ways, and are more effective than conventional ads. Last but not least, they are here to stay!

How can I create a video ad that can easily reach a SaaS audience?

Make it audience-centric in that it should engage, inform, and entertain your audience. It should tell a story your viewers can relate to but don’t take all day doing it. It should explain how to solve a real problem at a reasonable cost, with a bit of humor thrown in.

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