Why Your SaaS Content Strategy Isn't Moving the Needle

In the SaaS industry, we're producing mountains of content, but the return on that investment often feels lackluster. Despite the ever-growing volume, the revenue impact has been underwhelming. Many point to the usual suspects—lack of quality or inadequate distribution—but I believe there's a deeper issue at play.

Quality, of course, is a critical variable. As AI ramps up the production of content, we’re seeing more mediocrity flooding the market. But it's not as simple as "more content equals lower quality." There is still plenty of well-written, insightful content out there that isn’t reflecting in the revenue. So, what’s really going on?

When I first started working in content marketing about a decade ago, many award-winning examples came from global brands with strong market presence. The content they produced reinforced positive brand perceptions and kept their names top of mind. These brands didn’t need to introduce themselves—people already knew who they were. Their content was layered on top of an already established brand awareness, allowing them to stay relevant and nurture that existing familiarity.

The Missing Layer in Content Strategy: Brand Awareness

Here’s the issue: too many SaaS companies today are trying to replicate these content strategies without the underlying brand awareness. Just as companies tried to mimic HubSpot and Salesforce’s ebook lead generation strategies—only to find they don’t work without the dominance those brands possess—the same logic applies to content marketing.

Content works when it's backed by a brand people know and trust. Yet, we’re using content as a top-of-funnel strategy without first addressing the lack of basic brand awareness. Without a clear brand identity or problem association, even the best content fails to make an impact.

Building the Foundation: Brand Awareness as the Real Top of Funnel

We've built our content strategies backwards. Instead of using content to establish brand awareness and build problem-solution associations, we’re hiding behind lead-gen tactics, waiting for "in-market" signals before revealing what we actually do. But this approach skips a crucial step: building a strong foundation of brand awareness.

Brand awareness is the bedrock on which everything else sits, whether it’s demand generation, social media, or content marketing. Without it, content gets lost in the noise. Instead of hoping that customers will connect the dots between your content and your solution, you need to guide them intentionally.

A Shift in Content Strategy

Building brand awareness requires a shift in how we think about content. It’s not about creating material that only talks around what you do; it’s about being direct and intentional in aligning your brand with the problems your customers face. People need to associate your brand with the solutions they're seeking long before they’re actively in the market.

This requires a content strategy that’s clear about who you are and the problems you solve, reinforcing that message across multiple touchpoints. When you build that foundation, your content doesn’t just exist in isolation—it becomes part of a larger ecosystem that drives recognition, trust, and ultimately, revenue.

Conclusion: Fixing the Real Problem

Your content isn’t failing because it’s poorly written or distributed; it’s failing because it's being asked to solve the wrong problem. By focusing on brand awareness and problem associations first, you’ll find that your marketing efforts—content included—become exponentially more effective.

In the end, content marketing is a long game, and building a foundation of brand awareness is the crucial step that too many SaaS companies are skipping. Invest in that, and the rest of your marketing efforts will finally move the needle.