You'll likely see a lot of freelance writers marketing themselves as B2B or B2B SaaS content writers on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. It's a lucrative space with increasing demand and higher-than-average budgets. But what is B2B SaaS writing, and is it for you? We get into the details in this episode.

What is B2B SaaS?

B2B SaaS refers to Business to Business enterprise companies that sell software as a service (SaaS), allowing users to connect and use cloud-based apps over the internet. These software sales are often subscription-based. You pay a monthly fee or get a license to use their online tool month-on-month or for a fixed period (six months).

The range of B2B SaaS tools is extensive, from Quickbooks, which assists with accounting, to Google Cloud for coding and programming-oriented technical tools, ClickUp for project management, and more.

Unlike business-to-consumer (B2C), B2B companies sell directly to other businesses. Also, SaaS products can scale up with a small team. Combined, B2B SaaS often sells at a higher price tag than other alternatives.

Why are so many people doing B2B SaaS writing?

B2B SaaS companies often have a small team and focus on product-led sales. High-quality content that can attract customers without a big sales team is valuable to these companies.

Since they have higher price tags, B2B SaaS companies are willing to pay freelance writers, content marketing consultants and copywriters, and creative agencies a big chunk of change.

“Content marketing is more than just nice-to-have for most SaaS businesses. It's how they get people in the door.”

Breaking it down further, there are three main drivers of this demand:

Venture capital funding and larger budgets: Once B2B SaaS companies start scaling, they typically have substantial venture capital and larger budgets to hire quality writers. Notion, Asana, Trello, and Monday.com are household names with high margins and money to spend.
The services are bought and sold online: These companies rely heavily on content marketing and SEO. They're betting on someone typing 'best project management tool' and having their business pop up in the search results.
Conversion-focused copywriting is a priority: Many B2B SaaS companies are self-service, without sales teams. Even if they have a sales team, users can sign up for a tool most often without talking to anyone. That's where content marketing comes into play; to build brand awareness, educate the audience on how to use the tool, and eventually convince a potential user to sign up.

Is B2B SaaS writing for you?

Many freelance writers positioning themselves in B2B SaaS space don't understand the fundamentals of why people buy software or how these organizations function. B2B SaaS writing is a niche that’s probably not for everyone. That’s not to say you need a computer science degree; there are a ton of writers without technical backgrounds specializing in B2B SaaS writing.

“You can't slap a B2B writer label on your LinkedIn profile because it's a lucrative niche without having a deep understanding of how the space operates.”

Here are a couple of questions to ask yourself.

Do you have a foundational understanding of how content marketing works?
Are you able to grasp how software tools work?
Do you understand the technical aspects of conversion rate or search engine optimization?
Do you understand the principles of storytelling, conversion copywriting, rhetoric, and persuasion to get people to take action the company expects?

How to get into B2B SaaS Writing

Getting a job at a B2B SaaS company can be an invaluable way to acquire the foundational business and technical knowledge you need to succeed in this field of writing.

Freelancers who are new to B2B SaaS writing often get into an assignment and feel like they're way out of depth. In such situations, be resourceful, do the reading and research necessary, and find experts with deep subject matter knowledge to talk to, so you can let their voice take over in the article you're writing.

Try to understand the space, the product's value, and the technical aspects. Most often, the team hiring you knows you're not an engineer, so they'll be happy to answer questions about how the product works technically and from a business perspective.

“Reaching out, making connections, and interviewing is a great strategy. Find people smarter than you, and don't be afraid to ask questions.”

Alternatively, if you’re just getting into the space, there are resources to help you stay on top of things. Hubspot and Content Marketing Institute are great places to start; they’ll help you understand the nuts and bolts of marketing for these organizations.

Navigating B2B SaaS Writing

B2B SaaS writing differs greatly from writing for a nonprofit or local newspaper. It's very objective-driven, and if the product isn't performing at a certain expectation level, you may need to turn your entire content marketing strategy around.

There's a growing need for B2B SaaS writers and the budgets to support that demand too; a clear indicator of why so many writers lean into this space. It may or may not be for you, but hopefully, knowing what you're getting into can help you make a more informed decision.

What’s The Deal With B2B SaaS Writing And Why Is Everyone Doing It?