The SaaS industry has experienced rapid growth over the past few years and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. As of 2023, SaaS applications make up 70% of company software used today. The flexibility of the subscription-based payment system has made it a great favorite among small and large-scale companies. For many budding entrepreneurs and team leaders, this is good news. Yet, it can be an uphill battle to break into this market with a new product or service.
Over 30,000 SaaS companies operate worldwide, with the US accounting for more than half. You must have a strong product and a tight marketing team to stand out in this industry. It is not enough to have a visually appealing design that makes a great first impression. You must also create a clear sense of value-driven brand compelling enough to boost lead conversion. Then there is SEO essential for making your brand visible to your target audience. This article will explore what it takes to build a SaaS website that converts.
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What Makes a High-Converting Website?
The bounce rates for many websites range from 26 to 70%. That is a ton of people who visit and then exit the page without engaging with it in any way. There are many reasons why this happens. Maybe the design lacks luster, and the content doesn’t speak to them, or any other factors contributing to poor user experience. At any rate, when visitors are not staying long on your SaaS website, they are also not waiting long enough to sign up, download, or otherwise see what you have to offer.
Finding ways to improve the situation is vital if you see a bounce rate higher than 55%. For many businesses, one major way to tackle this issue is by working with experts specializing in link-building for startups to create high-quality backlink profiles with blog posts that boost traffic and engagement. With the right help, anyone can create a high-converting website that sees more visitors taking the desired action, whether it is subscribing or downloading something.
How to Create Great SaaS Websites That Convert
For many companies in this industry, the expected conversion rate is usually around 3-7%, yet a good site and a remarkable landing page can increase leads by 55%. Here’s how to design great SaaS websites to help you hit your sales target.
Define and Set Clear Goals
This is the first step to any successful venture. What exactly do you want to achieve? When you have set your targets and goals, it becomes easier to figure out the hows. Set a timeframe for each plan and the budget needed for each stage. If you want a simple web page, you will spend less time and money compared to a complex site with more features. For some entrepreneurs, the obvious choice might be to use a low-code tool instead of a web development agency. This way, they can use templates and customize their sites to a specific look and feel. Still, this option might not work for those who want more control over the features of their sites.
Understand Your Target Audience – Seamless Navigation
This rule applies regardless of the kind of site that you are trying to build. It helps you build a SaaS website that people would love to use. For example, this might lead you to choose a specific navigation style that makes it easier for them to download or sign up for a trial in one or two clicks. This type of simple registration process can boost conversion and minimize bounce rates.
Help Prospective Customers Know Your Brand – About Us
It is crucial for your potential and existing customers to know your brand values, story, and vision. This will help them form a strong bond with the brand and help them feel like a part of the brand family, which is essential for lifetime loyalty and brand advocacy.
Show Rather Than Tell – Gallery
Potential customers will want to know that they are making the right choice and that your product or service will deliver on its promise. You should have compelling, high-quality content highlighting the unique features and how it adds value to their lives. But more importantly, you need videos, photos, and reviews of real people who have used and loved the product. This is far more convincing and will get them to want to try it out too.
Gain Their Trust – Price Policy
You need a page explaining the services you offer and their prices. Be upfront about the features available for each tier and what is limited to specific plans. If you have extra features or add-ons that cost extra, be sure to state these clearly. A transparent pricing policy is a must-have when you are trying to build a SaaS website that converts.
Resources – Educational Content
Documentation is an essential part of software marketing. You need to create content providing concise information about your product, features, and how to use them. You want to ensure a smooth onboarding experience for your target market. This will help new customers understand how to use your product and will be valuable for old customers who might want to troubleshoot an issue. Got free webinars, case studies, and FAQs? These are essential to educate your customers and provide helpful content that adds value.
Leverage Instant Messaging Bots – Customer Support
Bots can provide round-the-clock customer assistance while reducing your team’s workload and increasing engagement rates. Thanks to generative AI technology, there are tons of affordable communication APIs for chats, voice, and video that anyone can leverage to build a SaaS website that people will love. An example is the TroopMessenger chatbot that helps answer queries and provide information about the company’s products and services. You can also use this to gather data that lets you personalize your site for a better user experience.
Invest in SEO – Plan for Growth
Search engine optimization is vital for anyone who wants to build a SaaS website that converts. It offers the most cost-effective way to optimize your website and boost web visibility. There are many features that make SEO the best strategy to drive growth for your business. One of these is utilizing the power of guest posting to build awareness, attract new audiences and generate sustainable increase. SEO offers a great guide for every marketing stage and gives better compound results than paid ads.
Hire the Best Talent
No SaaS company is an island. You need the skills and talents of the right people to succeed. But it can be challenging to find the best candidates among many, especially for sensitive positions in this industry. The human capital hub recommends using keywords during job postings to attract a wider pool and boost Google search rankings.
Best Practices for SaaS Homepage Design
Your homepage is your chance to make a great first impression, so take your time to put your foot forward and make it impactful. Here are some tips to help you create a captivating SaaS homepage design.
- Less clutter. Minimalist SaaS websites offer fewer distractions, making it easy for customers to focus on the product the company is trying to sell.
- Engaging hero section and a well-structured content layout. Use high-quality visuals like videos, images, graphics, and animations with great content that showcase your products in the best way possible.
- Offer free trials or demos. This will convince more users to sign up, and you can convert some to paying customers.
- Clear CTAs. Your call to action must be straightforward and encouraging so visitors know exactly what you want them to do and will want to do it.
Conclusion
It takes a lot of research and resources to build a Saas website appealing to businesses and individuals. Despite the fierce competition, you can still design a profitable high-converting website by putting yourself in the shoes of your target market. Use the tips in this article to guide you through the process. Your efforts will pay off in more ways than one.