Driving Growth: Video Marketing Tactics for SaaS Companies

Intro

When it comes to Software as a Service products, we often face two things: innovative functionality and promotional impasse. It is true - unfortunately, SaaS projects can present unique challenges for marketing teams. The whole campaign's success could hinge on how clearly you've shown your audience what your product does, which is never an easy task.

So, what is the solution here? What can promote SaaS products well, while explaining complex software terms? Animation videos have already become a powerful promotional instrument for SaaS companies. They're fantastic for showcasing how the product works, and its interface, and what’s more - they're adaptable to the ever-changing preferences of the SaaS audience. SaaS video production plays a pivotal role in this marketing endeavor.

In this article, we'll explore the nuances of using video marketing specifically for SaaS projects. We'll examine various types of animated videos commonly used and discuss how they integrate into your B2B SaaS video marketing strategy and sales funnel. You will learn how and why you should use a specific video to keep your customers on the user's journey. Keep reading!

Video Marketing for SaaS: What is it?

Let’s draw the line first. In marketing, the SaaS industry stands apart from other product types. Consider a physical device: you can touch and experience it firsthand or see it in a TV ad before buying. However, with SaaS software, it's the opposite. You can't physically showcase the product to customers, making it challenging to promote using traditional marketing methods. Mostly, they just don't work. This is where video content marketing for SaaS steps in to help. Why?

Animation videos prove they can easily explain complex ideas, explain functionality step-by-step, and simply visualize a product to establish a better understanding. It is harder to do with a live video, but the animation is full of tools that can explain everything. Additionally, using such videos in SaaS promotions makes it easier to identify and engage with the target audience.

Connecting SaaS Video Marketing Strategy with the SaaS Video Marketing Funnel

Each animation video in your marketing strategy is supposed to address a specific stage of the marketing funnel. Put simply, when it comes to SaaS marketing videos, each one is made with a clear goal in mind. Are you introducing your product, explaining its features, or updating existing users on new additions? Depending on your objective, you'll need different types of videos, varying in style, length, and content. Otherwise, even a well-made video can miss its main objective.

So, the connection between the marketing strategy and funnel in SaaS video production is simple: your marketing goals for each video should align with a specific stage of the marketing funnel. This helps you determine the type of animated video you need to create. Besides, it will help you to effectively guide customers through each stage of the sales funnel. When everything is done right, you can grow a larger customer base, while your audience can enjoy a great product with ease.

Choosing the Right SaaS Video: Exploring 9 Types for Your Business

Since marketing videos are closely tied to the marketing funnel, let's talk about the different types of animated videos for each stage of this funnel. There are essentially four stages: Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Loyalty. Once a customer is on one of them, your goal is to provide marketing materials that will help to move to the next one.

Now, we are going to look at what types of animated videos you can use on each of these stages.

Awareness

This is the first stage of the user’s journey, and all you need is to create awareness about your SaaS product. It's about letting users know that such a product exists and can solve their specific problem. Therefore, you need to present a product and educate people on how it works. For this stage, businesses typically use:

• Promo videos Short SaaS product videos that are perfect for use as ads on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or other social media. They introduce the SaaS products and address specific pain points of the audience. You don't have to go deeper into details at this point.
• E-learning videos Since the awareness stage is impossible without educating prospects on the pros of your product, these videos present information in simple language that is easy to understand, even for those who are not fluent in tech language. If you can successfully convey all the information without confusing viewers, they'll be more likely to consider a purchase.

Interest

Now, when users have a basic understanding of your product, they are looking for information that will help them decide whether it is the right decision to buy this product. You can use the following videos to create interest:

• Explainer videos They often feature a well-developed storyline and are produced in a distinctive style. One of the key advantages of SaaS explainer videos is their versatility—they can effectively function and be utilized across all levels of the SaaS video marketing funnel.
• Corporate videos If you have a specific audience in mind - C-level managers, for instance - you can use these videos. You can customize them to address their specific needs and interests, making them a powerful tool for reaching high-level decision-makers.

Decision

At this stage, users are on the threshold of making a decision. They need just a gentle nudge, like a clear call to action, to say, "Ok, I'm in." So, your marketing materials are supposed to help them make this decision. At this stage, companies typically employ:

• How-to-Videos The next-level explainer videos. They offer explanations of various workflows within the software and provide specific guidelines. They help users to understand the whole idea of using your SaaS better, and when in need, simply get back to a video.
• Testimonials When satisfied clients talk, it creates more trust in prospects. Video is a great medium for this goal as well. It engages more than text testimonials that are often scrollable. Seeing and hearing real people talk about their experiences with a product adds authenticity and emotional resonance that text alone often lacks. The visual and auditory elements of the video make it more compelling and memorable, increasing the likelihood that viewers will trust the testimonials and feel more inclined to try the product themselves.

Loyalty

This is the last stop in our marketing funnel, but also the one that requires ongoing attention. The longer you nurture customer loyalty, the more successful your SaaS product will be. Here is the thing: after turning potential customers into actual customers, the goal is to get them more interested in the product. Video marketing for SaaS products aims to build a strong connection between customers and the brand or company. This involves using different types of videos:

• Onboarding videos These videos personalize the onboarding process, making it less generic. For instance, a video message from the CEO can enhance the customer experience. A thoughtful onboarding video can introduce new customers to the product and address potential issues proactively, boosting their confidence and loyalty.
• Video tutorials Instead of sending plain text instructions to new users, companies create video tutorials for their SaaS products. These tutorials make training more engaging and effective. It is also a form of care about your customers which may translate into loyalty. The more you guide your clients towards better SaaS product usage, the more they are willing to stay with it longer.
• Branded videos These are any interesting or fun videos created under the company's brand, aimed at engaging customers. Brand stories are highly important these days. They help people to connect with your product through shared values, like a company's commitment to sustainability, or simply by creating great content, like funny explainer videos.

Conclusion

If you try to compare other marketing means with video, you'll see that it holds more potential than anything else. They can show off new ideas, target specific customers, and make people know your brand better. That's why making videos for SaaS products is special.

Moreover, using animation videos for SaaS is a way to avoid the promotional impasse we have talked about at the beginning of this article. What's hard to do with any verbal medium - visualize innovations, target a specific audience, raise brand awareness, etc. is very easy and natural with animated videos. The best thing is that you can have lots of benefits if you are a small start-up, as well as a big corporation that is looking to scale up even more.