One of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice I've received as a SaaS marketing consultant is this: “The worst outcome for your website copy is mediocre success.”
This isn't a simplistic call to “go big or go home” with your messaging. It's subtler than that.
Allow me to explain.
B2B SaaS companies are defined by uncertainty. As a founder or marketer, you have to discover almost everything about your messaging: What resonates with your audience? How do you articulate your value proposition? What pain points should you focus on? How do you differentiate from competitors? The list goes on.
A common way to answer these questions is to take the scientific method and apply it to copywriting. Frame a hypothesis, run an A/B test to test the hypothesis, confirm or disprove the hypothesis, learn and iterate.
For example, your hypothesis could be that emphasizing cost savings will lead to more trial signups. So you create two versions of your homepage - one focused on cost savings, another on productivity gains. You run the test for a month. If the cost savings version drives 30% more signups (a terrific result), great! The hypothesis is true. You can double down on cost messaging across your site. And if it drives zero additional signups, that's also great. The hypothesis is false, and you can move on to testing other value propositions. Either way, your experiment worked to confirm or disprove the hypothesis.
The worst outcome is to get a small but non-zero lift - say, 5% more signups. Now you're in a bind. Do you double down on cost messaging or try something new? Is the messaging resonating, or was it just noise in the data? Maybe the copy was good but the design was off. You just don't know.
That's the danger of mediocre success in copywriting. The point of these experiments isn't success or failure itself - it's the learning. You don't really care about the marginal increase in signups from one test; you care whether this is a messaging strategy that you can build your entire marketing around, or whether you need to go in a completely different direction. It's all about the learning. And mediocre successes don't give you any learning.
Unfortunately, there's a natural tendency to mitigate risk and hedge our bets - to make choices in our copy such that mediocre success is the most likely outcome. There's also a tendency to only test messaging that we know will work based on “best practices” - but such experiments are not useful. The delta in information is close to zero.
Back to our cost savings example: as a marketer, you could water down the message to appeal to everyone. You could hedge with phrases like “potential savings” or “up to X% reduction in costs.” You could bury the cost savings message below a bunch of other generic value props. All of these actions will increase the chances of not totally failing. As a result, they're very tempting. But do they tell you if cost savings messaging is truly what will set you apart in the market? Nope.
This tendency is exacerbated by the fact that we're all heavily socialized to aim for mediocre success in our communication. Schools, universities, large organizations - they don't want bold, polarizing statements; they want safe, inoffensive language. A steady stream of polite nods is better than passionate agreement interspersed with vehement objection. This might work well in structured, corporate environments, but in the world of B2B SaaS marketing, it's anathema.
So when a client comes to me with an idea for new website copy, the one thing I tell them is to make sure there's a well-defined distinction between success and failure. Don't fall in the messy middle. If the copy fails to resonate, make sure it fails clearly and unambiguously. If it succeeds, make sure it succeeds equally clearly and unambiguously.
And remember that copy “failing” means the experiment succeeded; you learned something. That's what it's all about. The worst outcome is mediocre copy that kind of works but doesn't teach you anything.
| Metric | Poor Performance | Mediocre Performance | Strong Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homepage Bounce Rate | > 80% | 60-80% | < 60% |
| Avg. Time on Page | < 30 seconds | 30-90 seconds | > 90 seconds |
| CTA Click-Through Rate | < 1% | 1-3% | > 3% |
| Demo Request Rate | < 0.5% | 0.5-2% | > 2% |
| A/B Test Improvement | < 5% | 5-15% | > 15% |
How to Avoid Mediocre B2B SaaS Copy
Now that we understand why mediocre copy is so dangerous, let's talk about how to avoid it. Here are three strategies I use with my clients at DataDab:
1. Make Bold, Specific Claims
The enemy of great copy is vagueness. Every B2B SaaS website claims to “increase productivity” or “streamline workflows.” These statements are so generic that they become meaningless.
Instead, make bold, specific claims that are unique to your product. Don't say you “improve sales performance.” Say you “increase close rates by 37% within 90 days.” Don't promise to “enhance team collaboration.” Claim that you'll “reduce time spent in meetings by 5 hours per week, per employee.”
| Generic Claim | Bold, Specific Claim |
|---|---|
| Improve sales performance | Increase close rates by 37% within 90 days |
| Enhance team collaboration | Reduce time spent in meetings by 5 hours per week, per employee |
| Boost productivity | Automate 73% of repetitive tasks, saving 12 hours per month |
| Streamline workflows | Cut project completion time by 28% on average |
| Increase customer satisfaction | Improve Net Promoter Score by 22 points in 6 months |
These specific claims force you to really understand your product's value. They also give you a clear hypothesis to test. Either these bold claims resonate with your audience, or they don't. There's no middle ground.
2. Focus on a Single, Core Message
It's tempting to try and cram every feature and benefit into your homepage copy. After all, different things appeal to different people, right? Wrong. This approach leads directly to mediocrity.
| Company | Core Message | Secondary Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Slack | Be less busy | File sharing, integrations, team communication |
| Dropbox | Your stuff, anywhere | File syncing, collaboration, security |
| Zoom | Frictionless video calls | Screen sharing, recording, chat |
| Basecamp | Chaos, organized | Task management, file storage, team chat |
| Mailchimp | Send better email | Automation, analytics, landing pages |
Instead, ruthlessly focus on a single, core message. What's the ONE thing that truly sets you apart? What's the primary pain point you solve better than anyone else?
For example, Slack didn't launch with messaging about file sharing, integrations, or even team communication. Their core message was simple and bold: “Be less busy.” Everything else was secondary.
This laser focus might feel risky. Won't you miss out on prospects who care about other features? Perhaps. But remember, we're not optimizing for short-term conversions. We're optimizing for learning. A focused message gives you clear data on whether your core value proposition resonates.
3. Write for Your Ideal Customer, Not Everyone
Mediocre copy tries to appeal to everyone. Great copy speaks directly to your ideal customer, even if that means alienating others.
Who is the perfect fit for your product? What are their specific pain points, goals, and objections? Write as if you're speaking directly to that person.
This might mean using industry jargon that others won't understand. It might mean addressing concerns that are irrelevant to many readers. That's okay. By writing for your ideal customer, you create copy that truly resonates with the people you want to reach.
The Power of Polarizing Copy
Here's a hard truth: if your copy isn't turning some people off, it's probably not turning enough people on.
| Audience Reaction | Mediocre Copy | Polarizing Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Ideal Customer | "Sounds okay" | "Yes! Finally someone gets it!" |
| Non-Ideal Customer | "Might be useful" | "This isn't for me" |
| Conversion Rate | 2-3% | 5-10% of ideal customers |
| Customer Fit | Mixed | Primarily ideal customers |
| Sales Cycle | Longer, more objections | Shorter, self-qualified leads |
Truly effective B2B SaaS copy should be polarizing. It should make your ideal customers think, “Yes! Finally, someone understands my problem!” while causing others to scratch their heads in confusion.
This polarization is a feature, not a bug. It allows you to quickly identify your best-fit customers and focus your efforts on them.
Remember, in B2B SaaS, you don't need everyone to love you. You need a small subset of customers to absolutely adore you. Write for them, and don't be afraid to alienate the rest.
Conclusion: Embrace the Extremes
As you work on your B2B SaaS copy, resist the siren call of mediocrity. Don't settle for safe, generic messaging that kind of works for everyone. Instead, aim for the extremes. Write copy that either fails spectacularly or succeeds beyond your wildest dreams.
Yes, this approach is riskier. Yes, it requires more courage. But it's the only way to truly learn what resonates with your audience and build a messaging strategy that sets you apart in a crowded market.
Remember, in B2B SaaS copywriting, the worst outcome isn't failure. It's mediocre success that teaches you nothing. So be bold, be specific, and never stop learning.
FAQ
1. What's the biggest mistake most B2B SaaS companies make with their website copy?
A: The biggest mistake is being too generic. Many companies use vague phrases like “increase productivity” or “streamline workflows” without specifying how or by how much. Your copy should make bold, specific claims that set you apart.
2. How long should my SaaS homepage be?
A: There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but generally, your homepage should be long enough to convey your core value proposition and address major objections, but short enough to maintain interest. For most B2B SaaS companies, this typically means 300-500 words above the fold, with more detailed information further down the page.
3. Should I focus on features or benefits in my copy?
A: While both have their place, benefits should take center stage. Features tell, benefits sell. Translate every feature into a tangible benefit for your user. Instead of “AI-powered analytics,” say “Get actionable insights without needing a data science degree.”
4. How do I write copy that appeals to multiple decision-makers?
A: Rather than trying to appeal to everyone at once, create separate pages or sections for different roles. Your main copy should focus on your primary decision-maker, with clear pathways for other stakeholders to find information relevant to them.
5. Is it okay to use industry jargon in my copy?
A: It depends on your audience. If you're targeting technical professionals, industry-specific language can establish credibility and specificity. For a broader audience, plain language is usually more effective. When in doubt, err on the side of clarity.
6. How often should I update my website copy?
A: Your copy isn't set in stone. Plan to review and update it quarterly, or whenever there's a significant change in your product, market, or customer needs. Regular A/B testing can also inform ongoing refinements.
7. What's the best way to incorporate customer testimonials into my copy?
A: Don't just dump testimonials on a dedicated page. Weave them throughout your site to support specific claims. Use short, punchy quotes near relevant features or benefits, and save longer success stories for dedicated case study pages.
8. How do I write compelling CTAs for B2B SaaS?
A: Great CTAs are specific and value-oriented. Instead of “Sign Up,” try “Start Saving Time Now” or “Get Your Free AI Analysis.” Also, don't be afraid to use longer CTAs if they're more descriptive: “Show Me How [Product] Can Boost My Sales.”
9. Should my copy focus on my product's features or my company's story?
A: While your company's story can be compelling, your copy should primarily focus on the customer and how your product solves their problems. Use your About page to share your company story, and sprinkle elements of it elsewhere only if they directly support your value proposition.
10. How do I know if my copy is working?
A: Look beyond just conversion rates. Examine metrics like time on page, bounce rate, and pages per session. Use heat maps to see how users interact with your copy. Most importantly, talk to your customers and sales team to understand how well your messaging resonates in real-world interactions.
