If you are creating content for a software as a service (SaaS) company, from time to time you will probably struggle to find something relevant to talk about. So, here are 30 blog ideas you can use as they are, or modify for your own circumstances.
Bear in mind that you should always have one of your buyer personas in mind when choosing one of these, and when writing the detail, as is the case across all of your inbound marketing activity.
You also need to consider what part of the sales funnel your chosen persona is in. Some of these are introductory topics suitable for top of the funnel (TOFU) content, some are more detailed in scope suitable for middle of the funnel (MOFU) content.
1. Paying for software - the alternatives
This would cover the various ways of buying software – off-the-shelf boxed software packages, digital packages and licensing, SaaS models and paying for in-house or third party development.
2. Managing the risks of deploying software
An article covering the inherent risks of deploying software. Comparing the risks of using standard software, developed software and SaaS.
3. Pros and cons of SaaS
A reasonably straightforward piece covering the advantages and disadvantages of SaaS solutions.
4. SaaS and the Cloud
As many people are still confused about the differences between the cloud and SaaS – this would be an explainer post laying out the way they interact.
5. SaaS vs. packaged software
This post would be an overview listing the main differences between using packaged software and buying into SaaS.
6. Hybrid approaches to SaaS
An article covering hybrid solutions – what they are, how they work and when they might be appropriate.
7. Management reporting and SaaS
Implementing SaaS can result in management reporting issues, as data processing is carried out off-site. This post would look at the issues involved and how to ensure that management obtains the reports it needs from SaaS solutions, in order to make timely business decisions.
8. Using an integration broker with SaaS
What is an integration broker? When would you use one?
9. Managing data integration with SaaS
SaaS solutions rarely do everything you need and will inevitably have to sit alongside existing software in common use. So, how do you tackle the integration of data – which might be as basic as client contact details – across multiple software platforms, some of which are in the Cloud?
10. The language of SaaS
A glossary of terms for anyone new to the field.
11. The hidden costs of using SaaS
An honest article examining some of the hidden costs of using SaaS and how to mitigate them.
12. How to save money when using SaaS
A variation on the previous subject – this time focusing on ways to save money by carefully managing your implementation and use of software services.
13. Would a cloud outage cripple your business?
A frank examination of the dangers a cloud outage might pose to your business if using SaaS, and what providers and hosts do to bulletproof their services.
14. The financial benefits of SaaS
Weighing up the overall benefits in financial terms, of SaaS over packaged software, or software developed in-house.
15. User interface – the overlooked SaaS success factor
A post emphasising the importance of the user interface – the impact it has on functionality, usage, time costs and employee efficiency. Then, suggesting what to look for in a SaaS solution.
16. SaaS: why you need open standards and APIs
Given the need for many SaaS solutions to play nicely with other software and data systems, this article would cover the need for any SaaS system to support open systems – both offering and integrating with APIs.
17. The service in software as a service
It could be argued the most important factor in SaaS is the service element. This article would explain why service is such an important element and what to look for in a service level agreement (SLA).
18. Implementing SaaS in your business
An overview of the process of implementing a typical SaaS solution.
19. Managing the migration to SaaS
Planning a strategy that will successfully move your data and services from existing systems to a new SaaS solution.
20. SaaS in the enterprise
When SaaS is used in a huge international enterprise business, it has an additional set of benefits and potential problems. This article would cover the particular issues raised when bringing SaaS to the enterprise.
21. How does your IT department change with SaaS?
IT departments can embrace or feel threatened by SaaS, but how should they evolve to support and manage SaaS?
22. SaaS and the changing role of IT
A brief history lesson laying out how the role of the IT department has changed over the years, and how it will work with the new era of SaaS.
23. Data, bandwidth and SaaS
When your data and services are in the cloud, your network connections, volume and movement of data become a crucial factor. This piece would look at the issues and suggest a variety of solutions to make the most of your bandwidth by distributing data, caching hybrid solutions and other techniques.
24. Calculating the ROI of implementing SaaS
How to work out the return on investment of implementing SaaS. What measures can you use? What are the main factors?
25. SaaS and the legal issues
Data protection compliance is just one of the legal issues affected by SaaS – this article would look at the legal complications businesses face when using software as a service.
26. The importance of a scalable SaaS solution
No business stays static, so it is important that any software solution is flexible enough to allow for expansion and, in the worst case, downsizing. Costs, capacity, support and storage are just of the areas where you should look for scalability.
27. Why data mobility is a crucial factor in choosing a SaaS solution
Software vendors – no matter how big – do fall by the wayside from time to time. History has plenty of examples of businesses stuck with legacy systems that are no longer supported, but which they are locked into by a lack of data mobility. So, this piece would highlight the importance of being able to extract data from SaaS solutions if circumstances should change and you need to change vendor, along with suggestions of what to look for in a solution.
28. 3 top SaaS case studies
Case studies are always powerful content. Three good, real world, case studies that potential buyers can relate to are a great basis for a compelling blog post.
29. SaaS and resource planning
A primer on how to calculate the level of service you need – users, support hours, internal resources, management time etc.
30. The customisation cutoff – can you make SaaS work for you?
SaaS systems may be customisable ,to an extent, but how much customisation does your business actually need? This piece would be a discussion of the level of customisation possible with some SaaS systems and looking at whether that will be enough for your needs. Where is your customisation cut-off?
This list is by no means exhaustive, but we hope we have given you some useful ideas for blog content that will trigger engagement and result in leads and sales for your SaaS company.
