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clear 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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
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:
From your audiences’ point of view:
From your point of view:
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,
Resources presented below provide a comprehensive overview of how you can use videos to improve your ROI.
Let’s understand the challenges faced by SaaS companies:
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Following are some of the metrics you might want to pay attention to:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Khyati is a seasoned writer and a hands-on marketing professional. She specializes in inbound and growth marketing, content marketing, lead generation, public relations, brand amplification, B2B communications and partnerships, and social media marketing.
Khyati is a seasoned writer and a hands-on marketing professional. She specializes in inbound and growth marketing, content marketing, lead generation, public relations, brand amplification, B2B communications and partnerships, and social media marketing.
