When your SaaS startup is in its early stages, you likely won’t have a huge budget to spend on marketing. This can start to feel like being stuck in the mud: you know that marketing is essential to the success of any business, but you may not have the funds to invest in a full-scale campaign. 

Don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to market your SaaS startup on a shoestring budget. In this article, we’ll share some top tips on marketing for SaaS companies, so you can get the most out of your limited marketing budget.

Content Marketing 

One of the most cost-effective ways to market your SaaS startup is through content marketing. This involves creating and distributing high-quality content that is relevant to your target audience. 

Some examples of content you might create include blog posts, infographics, ebooks, and whitepapers. You can then distribute this content on your website, social media platforms, and through email campaigns.

To do content marketing effectively, it’s important to first understand your target audience and the types of content (both topics and formats) they are most likely to engage with. Once you’ve done your research, you can start creating a content strategy that will help you reach your marketing goals.

Social Media Marketing

Another cost-effective approach to marketing for SaaS startups is via social media. This involves using social media platforms, such as Twitter and LinkedIn, to promote your SaaS startup.

Make sure you create engaging content that is relevant to your target audience and that you post regularly. You might also consider investing in running social media ads, which can be very effective in reaching a larger audience.

However, don't just go and create profiles on every social media platform out there–you could be wasting valuable time and effort. Based on what you know about your audience, figure out which platforms will work best for your SaaS startup. Once you've determined that, create engaging content that will interest potential customers and get them talking about your product.

Don't forget to use hashtags! They can help get your content seen by more people, and potentially attract new customers. Just be sure to use relevant hashtags that are specific to your niche, and not too general.

Search Engine Optimization 

If you want people to find your SaaS startup online, then you need to make sure your website is optimized for search engines. 

This process, known as search engine optimization (SEO), involves optimizing your website and content for relevant keywords. It’s an essential part of marketing for SaaS startups, but it doesn’t have to be expensive if you’re willing to put in some work.

If you’re on a tight budget, a simple approach to SEO is to start with keyword research. You can use free tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner and Google Trends to find relevant keywords for your business. 

Once you have a list of keywords, you can begin optimizing your website and content for those terms. Some simple SEO tips include:

• Optimizing your website title and meta tags

• Creating keyword-rich blog posts and articles

• Doing on-page optimization like using proper keyword density and using keywords in anchor text

• Creating backlinks to your website from high-quality websites 

If you want to get more serious about SEO, you may consider investing in an SEO agency or consulting service. However, this can be expensive, so it’s important to weigh the costs and benefits before making a decision.  

Public Relations

If your company has a newsworthy story to tell, you may be ready for a public relations campaign. Getting some press coverage for your SaaS startup is a great way to generate awareness and interest. 

To do this, you can create a list of journalists and bloggers who write about startups in your industry. You can find their contact information on their website or through a simple Google search. Once you have a list, reach out to them and introduce yourself and your company. You can also submit press releases to news outlets, which may help you get some coverage. 

However, make sure your press release is well-written and relevant. Many journalists are overwhelmed with pitches from new companies looking for publicity, so you need to make sure your pitch stands out. 

Your introduction should grab their interest right away by presenting what is new, different, or exciting (from their perspective) about what you do. Think about what would make a good story for them to write about and focus your pitch on that.

If you have any existing press coverage, be sure to mention it. This will show that you are already getting some traction and may help pique their interest.

Referral Marketing 

Referral marketing is a great way to get people talking about your SaaS startup. This involves offering incentives, such as discounts or free trials, to customers who refer others to your company.

You can also reach out to influencers and ask them to mention your startup on their social media platforms or in their blog posts. This can help you access a larger audience and generate more interest in your company. 

Your referral marketing campaign should follow these basic steps:

1. Identify your target market.

2. Create a list of potential customers and partners who might be interested in your product or service. Think about whom you would like to target and why they would be a good fit for your company.

3. Once you have your list, reach out to each potential customer or partner individually and explain your offer.

4. Finally, provide an easy way for customers and partners to share your referral offer with their networks. For example, you can create a unique URL that they can share via email or social media.

Make sure to nurture these relationships over the long term by showing appreciation and keeping in touch–you never know when new opportunities to collaborate may arise.

In Summary

Marketing for SaaS startups doesn't have to be expensive. There are plenty of cost-effective marketing strategies you can use to get the word out about your company.

Whichever strategies you choose, make sure you're consistent, track your results against clear objectives in order to learn from your experience, and always focus on your target audience.