3 Reasons B2B SaaS Copywriting Matters That No One Talks About
Updated: Feb 21
SaaS moves at a mile a minute and evolves almost infinitely as the user's needs and expectations evolve. It's an exciting process, but when you're focused on building a fantastic product, it's easy to forget that quality B2B SaaS copywriting and marketing must be equally engaging and user-friendly.
In this article, you'll learn:
The difference between copywriting and content writing for SaaS
The dangers of copywriting—and how easy it is to wreck your brand rep
If you actually need to hire a copywriter at all (and the free alternative)
If your SaaS startup wants to provide a truly end-to-end experience for your customers, this post is for you.
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SaaS Inbound Marketing Basics: The Difference Between B2B SAAS Copywriting and Content Writing
Folks often think the two are interchangeable terms, but B2B Saas Copywriting and Content writing are not the same. They're both invaluable assets to your brand—and copywriting best practices should be applied to both styles—but they have two distinctly different purposes.
Copywriting
Copywriting is meant to do one thing: compel the reader to perform an action. The strategy of using words to inspire action comes into play when trying to get someone to subscribe to a newsletter, click on an ad, and (of course) buy something.
Content Writing
The intention of effective content writing is to provide information in an engaging and helpful way. Content writing usually encompasses blogs, infographics, ebooks, white papers—basically anything with the main goal is to provide value without any type of reciprocation.
PS: If you wanna enhance your B2B SaaS inbound marketing for FREE—check out my "All-In-One" blog writing template! I stuff 10+ years of professional content writing experience into an easy-to-use checklist, template, and ebook that helps your SaaS inbound marketing efforts:
Drive more organic traffic
Establish your expertise
And entice prospects to dive headfirst into your sales funnels!
3 Reasons B2B SaaS Copywriting Is So Important
Effective and strategic copywriting matters because it blends psychology, research, and technical skill to help businesses reach and exceed their revenue goals. When it comes to SaaS, the quality of your copy can have a huge impact on the success of your product.
From the ability of your website to convert visitors into customers, to maintaining a good reputation, a technologically impressive product can struggle if it can't effectively convey its value.
As mentioned earlier, great copy can take complexity and transform it into a simple and accessible insight that showcases how your SaaS helps your customers reach their goals.
How does B2B SaaS copywriting (or really any copywriting) work?:
We learn everything we can about your target consumer, from their deepest desires to the daily struggles that your product helps solve.
We use this information to develop a language manipulation strategy that resonates specifically with them (via speaking to them with empathy, and understanding—and even using words and phrases the way they would. (For example: writing copy for a social media ad targeting a 25-year-old marketing assistant who lives in California will look wa-a-a-ay different than writing copy for a mailer targeting a veteran lawyer with a firm in Kentucky.)
This carefully crafted concoction of psychology and research creates a compelling message that speaks so intimately to your ideal customer that they can’t help but invest in your offer.
When Copywriting Can Be Dangerous
There’s a very understandable disdain amongst almost everyone when it comes to “marketing”. We’ve all been on the receiving end of some ad, commercial, etc that uses ugly and unethical tactics to compel someone to make a purchase. Some of these scummy tactics include:
Using a customer’s insecurities about themselves/their lives to trigger an impulse buy.
Using FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) to compel someone to make a (usually) huge investment in a product/service/course. FOMO is usually applied through big, scary blinking countdown clocks. Not saying you can’t use countdowns ethically, they just frequently aren’t used ethically.
Unethical copy
“Tired of feeling ugly in every outfit you wear? Buy [insert diet program] and have the supermodel body you’ve always dreamed of!”
Ethical copy
“[Insert product] helps you feel energized, satisfied, and excited to go jeans shopping again!”
Notice the difference? The first version just rips the reader’s every insecurity apart. It doesn’t make them feel empowered or excited, it just makes them feel desperate to stop the pain stop.
The second version addresses the deeper benefits of adding this product into your routine, and it touches on a common struggle that almost every person has faced (jeans shopping), in a light-hearted and respectful way. It helps the customer feel motivated and excited- it even makes them laugh a little.
As you can see, you can sell the exact same product to the exact same person in 2 very different ways… and the way you choose to sell to your customer will have a lasting effect on how they
These sleazy myths about what ‘marketing must be’ leaves many business owners with a bad taste in their mouth. In many instances, we can even be compelled not to market at all because we’re afraid of coming off salesy or pushy.
But the landscape of marketing and copywriting is evolving (as well as the average consumer), and there are very effective ways to use copywriting to make a profit without sacrificing your conscience or someone else’s feelings.
What Are Copywriting Benefits
Now that we know why copywriting matters, and that it is an irreplaceable asset to any business in any industry and any size, let’s go over some of the specific copywriting benefits.
Grabs attention
Effective copy grabs the attention of the ideal customer and draws them into your product or service. Most of the best copy in the world is just a few words and has led to worldwide brand recognition, trust, and success.
Think “Just do it” by Nike, or “I’m lovin’ it” by McDonald’s
Empathizes
Copy is all about knowing the customer on the deepest level possible. Taking time to understand their struggles, their goals, their lifestyles, etc dictates the construction of copy written.
When you understand your customers are individual human beings, you can relate and empathize with them. Customers who feel understood and respected inevitably connect better with your brand- and are much more likely to invest in it.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com
Inspires
Ethical copy doesn’t feed on insecurities, and instead inspires the idea that things can be better! Now, it’s absolutely okay to address a struggle your customer is having- after all, that’s where the empathy comes in… however, it isn’t okay to dig and rip and tear at it.
Establishes Trust
Another often overlooked benefit of copy is how it can help shape the identity of your brand. When your copy is consistent in tone/voice, it helps people familiarize and trust you. That trust is, ultimately, what brings customers back to you time and time again.
Can Anyone Learn Copywriting?
So, this is a somewhat complicated question. Quite frankly, pending on the copywriter you ask, you’ll get a different answer. In my personal opinion, the short answer is yes, anyone can learn how to be a copywriter… but it’s not easy. If anyone tries to sell you a course telling you that it’s easy… they’re not being completely honest with you.
While learning the principles of copywriting isn’t difficult (and there are tons of free resources to get you started), learning how to write copy that works takes a lot of time and effort.
Is it worth it?
Well… if you’re anything like me, and you love writing at a soul-nurturing level, then it’s absolutely worth it. I love what I do.
It’s that love I have for writing that makes the hard work of learning how to write effective and ethical copy worthwhile for me.
If you don’t like writing, then learning how to write copy (for your own business or otherwise) will be a hell of a chore. It’d be like someone asking me to do math equations for the rest of my life. But that’s not a bad thing, that’s what professional copywriters like me are here for, lol.
It’s not worth driving yourself crazy trying to learn how to write copy unless you enjoy doing it.
Final Takeaways
Every business, whether hiring a professional copywriter or not, should learn the fundamental basics of copywriting. Understanding the basics will help you select the best copywriter for your brand, as well as help you work with your copywriter.
Why copywriting is so important is because it helps you communicate what matters most. That is the most powerful thing you can do for your business. Investing the time to achieve even a surface-level understanding of copywriting will ensure every word of copy written for your business (be it by you or a professional copywriter you work with) has the highest chance of success possible.
Thanks for taking a peek at my article today, and if you’re interested in my exclusive tips when it comes to copywriting and marketing, consider joining my newsletter! I send an email once a week, and we talk about way more than just marketing.