13 June, 2024
Struggling to choose the best marketing channels for SaaS? Many people do so as finding the best channels is important for success. But, what are the best channels? Here, you will get your answer.
In this blog, I will share the best 27 SaaS marketing channels with pros and cons. Through using one of these channels you can reach your target audience. It also helps in the growth of your SaaS business.
To succeed in SaaS marketing, you must know your channels. From serious LinkedIn for B2B to Facebook for B2C, each suits different vibes. Don’t choose randomly. Conduct some research and choose what fits your business best. So, let’s begin the discussion with the definition of a SaaS marketing channel.
Contents
SaaS marketing channels are the methods SaaS companies use to reach their customers. They include owned, paid, and earned media. Owned media are things the company controls, like its website and social media.
Paid marketing channels or media means paying for ads on search engines or websites. Earned media happens when others talk about the company, like in news articles.
SaaS companies can also advertise through their software, promoting new features or upgrades. These channels help SaaS companies connect with their audience and show how their software can help. Here, they also suggest to use SaaS payment solutions. Let’s move to the next discussion on the 27 best marketing channels for SaaS.
I know you are here to learn about the best marketing channels for SaaS. Here, I will share a total of 27 best SaaS marketing channels. So, stay with me till the end to learn about these channels with their pros and cons.
Have a look at the list of the best marketing channels for SaaS, and their category.
Channel Name | Category | Best for B2B/B2C |
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) | Paid | B2B |
Affiliate Marketing | Earned | Both |
Agile Marketing | Organic | Both |
Billboards | Paid | Both |
Brand Marketing | Organic | Both |
Content Marketing | Organic | Both |
Conversational Marketing | Organic | Both |
Direct Mail Marketing | Paid | Both |
Email Marketing | Organic | Both |
Event Marketing | Organic | Both |
Growth Marketing | Organic | Both |
Inbound Marketing | Organic | Both |
Influencer Marketing | Earned | Both |
Lifecycle Marketing | Organic | Both |
Marketing Automation | Organic | Both |
Outbound Marketing | Paid | Both |
Partnership Marketing | Earned | Both |
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing | Paid | Both |
Podcast Marketing | Organic | Both |
Product Marketing | Organic | Both |
Referral Marketing | Earned | Both |
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) | Paid | Both |
SMS Marking | Paid | Both |
Social Media Marketing | Organic | Both |
Video Marketing | Organic | Both |
Viral Marketing | Organic | Both |
Webinars | Organic |
Let’s begin the discussion.
On this list, the best and most famous marketing channel for SaaS is ABM. It has a targeted approach, focusing on a select few high-value accounts rather than a broad audience. This personalized strategy spans different marketing channels like PPC ads. The main purpose of this market channel focus on high-value accounts.
ABM ensures deeper engagement with potential clients. This is the perfect solution for B2B businesses. It is a paid marketing channel However, ABM is best suited for startups eyeing enterprise clients or with high contract values.
Account-based marketing excels in attracting quality leads, with 73% of marketers seeing larger deals when they focus on quality over quantity.
Purpose: Focuses on high-value clients.
Type: Paid.
Best for: B2B.
Example: LinkedIn ads aimed at specific companies.
Affiliate marketing involves teaming up with individuals who earn commissions by promoting your company’s products or services. Tracking links monitor their efforts, and you pay them based on sales generated. The purpose of this marketing channel is to partner with individuals for product promotion.
For SaaS founders, it opens doors to new audiences through affiliate marketers or partnerships with complementary SaaS companies. Established SaaS businesses can earn more by adding affiliate marketing once they are set. It is an earned type marketing channel that goes well with B2B and B2C SaaS. Affiliate programs help 81% of brands increase awareness and sales, and are used by 94% of publications.
Purpose: Partners promote your product for commissions.
Type: Earned.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Bloggers promoting your software for a commission.
Agile marketing breaks away from long-term plans for shorter ones with its flexible strategies. It makes quick adjustments, focusing on what works, and dropping what doesn’t. This also helps marketers respond fast and use their resources wisely. By staying flexible, they can focus on what matters and adapt to changes quickly.
Purpose: Flexible, short-term strategies.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Updating campaigns based on performance data
Billboards can catch people’s eye, but they need to be in the right spot with a clear message. Digital ones offer more interaction, making them even better. Both types can work well for SaaS companies if they are in strategic spots and are well-made.
Purpose: High-visibility ads.
Type: Paid.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Billboards in tech hubs to promote a new tool.
Brand marketing involves promoting your product or service by focusing on your brand as a whole. It shares your story, showcasing your visual identity, and establishing a unique voice. For SaaS companies, investing in brand marketing is essential to building strong connections with customers.
Purpose: Promotes the overall brand.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Creating an interesting brand story and logo.
Content marketing promotes useful content to connect with your audience and earn their trust. Potentially it turns them into customers. This can include blogs, visuals, or podcasts.
For SaaS firms, content marketing drives website traffic and supports sales with case studies and gated resources. It is a flexible, cost-effective way to grow your SaaS customer support base over time. Nowadays, more than 84% of companies use content marketing for their promotion.
Purpose: Share valuable content to attract customers.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Publishing helpful blogs and guides.
Conversational marketing means having direct chats with potential customers to speed up sales and add a personal touch. Instead of forms and emails, chatbots talk to visitors on your site in real-time. It suits businesses with simple sales processes and common questions. But it might work better if your product is complex or the sales process is involved.
Purpose: Real-time chats with customers.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Using chatbots on your website.
Direct mail marketing means sending real ads, like letters or postcards, straight to people’s mailboxes. It is a nice change from all the online stuff and less crowded than emails. Although it is pricier, it is effective when targeted well.
Purpose: Sends product ads.
Type: Paid.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Sending postcards with special offers
Email marketing is when you send emails to your list of leads and subscribers. You share updates, newsletters, and nurture leads all at once. Despite some saying it is old news, it is still a strong move. A report shows that 80% of companies mostly prefer email marketing for their promotion.
You can make it personal for your audience and chat with them directly. For most SaaS startups, it should be a big part of your plan, helping you talk to customers and potential customers right in their emails.
Purpose: Sends emails to leads and subscribers.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Sending newsletters with updates and offers
Event marketing is participating in events to discover new leads for your business. For SaaS startups, this usually begins with attending events for networking and learning. As your business expands, you may progress to exhibiting at events or organizing your own.
Events provide an opportunity to engage with potential customers face-to-face. To make event marketing successful, choose events relevant to your business and promptly follow up with leads afterward.
Purpose: Engage with customers face-to-face.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Attending industry trade shows.
Growth marketing is not your typical marketing. It looks at the whole journey, not just getting leads. It’s about trying new things, looking at data, and making things better. It’s great for all SaaS companies, but if you are new, it might be too much. Growth marketing builds relationships and keeps customers happy. It helps to increase a company’s growth by 9.7% per year.
Purpose: Focuses on the entire customer journey.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Running tests to improve user onboarding
Inbound marketing focuses on customers’ needs, attracting them with valuable content rather than pushing sales. It works on different channels like content, email, and social media. This makes it a smart choice for most startups aiming to connect with customers. Automating lead nurturing boosts revenue by 10% in 6 to 9 months.
Purpose: Attract customers with valuable content.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Creating helpful guides and tutorials.
Influencer marketing means teaming up with social media personalities to promote your stuff. It works well for regular products but not so much for SaaS, where there is no physical thing to show off. Still, it is usually just a little extra boost, not the main way to grow your SaaS business.
Purpose: Uses influencers to promote products.
Type: Earned.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Industry experts reviewing your product.
Lifecycle marketing is as great as SaaS marketing channels because it focuses on both new leads and existing customers. Customizing content for each stage of the customer journey keeps people interested and engaged.
This approach makes sure potential customers get the info they need at the right time, increasing the chances of conversions and steady revenue. It is a smart, customer-centered strategy.
Purpose: Engages customers at all stages.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Personalized emails for new users.
Marketing automation uses software to handle repetitive marketing tasks like emails and social media posts. Growing SaaS companies need to manage their marketing efficiently. While it’s a great tool, you shouldn’t automate everything.
A personal touch is still important. Marketing automation is best used alongside a clear strategy to enhance your marketing efforts. Experts suggest that 76% of the top 17 SaaS companies use marketing automation, and all of them track their websites.
Purpose: Automates marketing tasks.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Automating follow-up emails.
Outbound marketing means actively reaching out to potential customers with cold calls, ads, and tradeshows. It gets your message out there and makes noise. For SaaS companies, it is helpful but works best when mixed with other strategies, since it often takes many tries to connect with prospects.
Purpose: Actively reaches out to customers.
Type: Paid.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Cold calling and direct mail.
Partnership marketing is teaming up with other businesses to help each other reach new customers. It is a friendly way to expand your brand’s reach and connect with different communities. This marketing strategy works best when you partner with businesses that have similar customers but offer different services.
Purpose: Teams up with other businesses.
Type: Earned.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Co-hosting webinars with other companies.
PPC marketing means you pay when people click your ads. It’s good for getting more visitors to your site than just relying on search results. Though it can cost more in crowded areas, PPC helps improve website traffic.
PPC makes sure more people see your brand and content. A recent study shows that Nearly 79% of B2B SaaS companies use PPC campaigns to generate leads.
Purpose: Drives traffic through paid ads.
Type: Paid.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Running Google Ads campaigns.
Podcast marketing uses audio content to promote your services or products. It helps you reach new people and build your brand’s reputation. If your startup already has a strong brand, podcasts can be a great way to connect with listeners.
Purpose: Uses audio content to promote.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Hosting a podcast on industry trends.
Product marketing for SaaS companies involves showing customers and your team why your product is special. It understands what customers need, explains how your product helps them, and points out what makes it different. This also ensures that your marketing matches your product and what customers want.
Purpose: Highlights your product’s value.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Creating product demo videos.
Referral marketing is when businesses ask happy customers to spread the word about their products or services. It tells your friends about something good you found. By giving rewards, existing customers share their good experiences, bringing in new customers.
With online reviews becoming more important, referral marketing is good for attracting customers. 91% of customers are open to giving referrals, but only 11% of salespeople actively seek them. (Source: Dale Carnegie)
Purpose: Encourages customer referrals.
Type: Earned.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Offering discounts for referrals.
Search engine marketing (SEM) uses pay-per-click ads to boost visibility quickly. While it offers quick results, it is wise to mix it with long-term strategies like SEO. SEM gets your site noticed and brings in leads efficiently.
Purpose: Boosts visibility with paid search ads.
Type: Paid.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Bidding on keywords for Google Ads.
SMS marketing, also known as text marketing, lets businesses send promotions to customers through text messages. Customers must sign up for it. While good for existing customers, it may not attract new leads. Consider if SMS marketing fits your goals. Experts suggest that SMS campaigns achieve a 98% open rate and a 10.66% click-through rate, surpassing email significantly. (Sender)
Purpose: Sends promotional text messages.
Type: Paid.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Sending special offers via text.
Social media marketing is a must for SaaS companies. This is known as the best marketing channel so far. With billions of users on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, it is important for engagement and credibility. Being active on social media helps build brand awareness and connects you directly with potential customers.
Social media marketing is essential for engaging with both B2B and B2C audiences. Remember, social media platforms offer valuable data insights and opportunities for direct customer interaction. A study shows that 89% of companies use this channel for their SaaS marketing.
Purpose: Engage customers on social platforms.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Posting updates on LinkedIn.
Video marketing is all about using videos to talk about your brand and products. You can share them on your website, social media, and ads. Since lots of people watch videos on platforms like YouTube and social media, it is a great idea to use them in your marketing.
SaaS companies in regulated industries connect better with buyers using video content. For instance, a survey of health system CIOs found that 75% prefer tech companies to provide information through videos.
Purpose: Uses videos to promote your brand.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Posting explainer videos on YouTube.
Viral marketing spreads the word about a product or service through social media and online sharing. Though it may seem like a golden opportunity for SaaS businesses. While platforms like Facebook or YouTube can assist, it’s unwise to depend solely on viral success.
Purpose: Encourages sharing of content.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Creating shareable, funny videos.
Webinars help market products, boost brand awareness, and educate your audience. They’re cost-effective and let you connect with people in real time. Moreover, when people sign up, they become part of your marketing and CRM systems.
It is a wise move for SaaS businesses to engage with potential customers and showcase their solutions. Nearly 94% of SaaS brands use webinars as part of their marketing strategies, highlighting their effectiveness. (Taylor Scher)
Purpose: Educates and engages in real-time.
Type: Organic.
Best for: Both B2B and B2C.
Example: Hosting live webinars to showcase your product.
So, these are the 27 best marketing channels for SaaS. Choose one that goes with your requirements. You can make a combination of the channels as well to get the best result.
After knowing the best marketing channels for SaaS, it is time to choose one. You must consider some facts before choosing SaaS marketing channels. Here, I will share the top 5 facts that you should know. Let’s learn about it here:
When it comes to how they reach people, B2B and B2C SaaS companies go in different directions. B2B SaaS marketing channels usually stick to platforms like LinkedIn, email, and industry mags. They talk to decision-makers in businesses, where being smart and having long conversations matters.
However B2C SaaS marketing channels like to use more casual platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. They want to connect with more people informally. Their goal is to catch your eye fast and keep you interested, so they go where everyone’s hanging out online.
So, while B2B SaaS likes serious platforms for deep talks, B2C SaaS takes it easy, focusing on places where they can connect with lots of people easily. It is like they are speaking different languages to fit their crowds!
Here’s a simple table listing the marketing channels for both B2B and B2C
B2B Marketing Channels | B2C Marketing Channels |
Email Marketing | |
Industry Magazines | Tik Tok |
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) | Influencer Marketing |
Webinars | Viral Marketing |
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Marketing | SMS Marketing |
Content Marketing | Social Media Marketing |
Partnership Marketing | Video Marketing |
Event Marketing | Podcast Marketing |
Marketing is essential for SaaS companies because they mostly serve B2B clients with specific needs. A tailored marketing approach helps SaaS companies connect with clients, understand what they want, and show them how their software meets those needs. Good marketing builds trust and drives growth by clearly showing the value of the SaaS product.
SaaS businesses usually reserve about 7% to 15% of their yearly budget for marketing. But, the exact amount can change based on how they plan to grow and keep track of their spending.
For SaaS product advertising, it is important to plan well and understand your audience deeply. Pick the right social media platforms for them and team up with influencers who match your brand’s values. This ensures a focused approach that resonates with potential customers.
Finally, you must know the best marketing channels for SaaS to choose the right one for you. Know your audience, stay within budget, and keep your brand consistent. Here, I have shared 27 marketing channels for SaaS with pros and cons.
From ABM to webinars, there is a channel for every strategy and audience. The best SaaS marketing channel is Social media marketing for SaaS businesses. For B2B SaaS, channels like LinkedIn and email work best, targeting decision-makers with detailed conversations.
B2C SaaS, on the other hand, works best on platforms like Facebook and Instagram for quick, casual connections. When choosing your channels, think about your audience, budget, brand consistency, and tracking capabilities. Stay flexible and open to new trends and technologies. So, choose the marketing channel that suits you the most.