You're probably spreading yourself too thin on demand generation right now. Trying every channel, running experiments everywhere with no real strategy on what actually moves the needle.

Here's what I've seen work for SaaS: SEO, paid advertising, email marketing, and referral marketing.

These four channels work together. SEO builds your long-term foundation. Paid ads give you immediate results. Email nurtures leads through the funnel. Referral taps into existing networks for easier conversions.

Let me break down each one.

Before getting into the channels, it's worth clarifying what demand generation actually is.

Demand generation is the long-term process of creating and nurturing interest in your product through customer education. It's not about immediate conversions. It's about building a consistent stream of new business and creating a predictable pipeline of growth.

These get confused all the time.

Demand generation focuses on creating brand awareness across a broad audience through content marketing, social media, and educational campaigns that generate interest and build reputation.

Lead generation is more targeted. It's designed to identify and capture potential customers who have already shown interest by sharing their contact details.

Demand generation casts a wider net. Lead generation targets people more likely to convert. Both are essential, but demand generation has to lay the foundation first for lead generation to actually work.

The traditional marketing funnel has six stages, but you can simplify it down to three: top, middle, and bottom.

The top of the funnel is the Awareness and Interest stages. This is where potential customers are getting first acquainted with your brand. Demand generation lives here.

The middle of the funnel is the Consideration and Intent stages. This is arguably the most difficult stage to build marketing content for because it's where you do the groundwork of customer education. Customers are comparing your brand to competitors, so it's crucial you don't miss this funnel stage.

The bottom of the funnel is where conversions happen. This is the evaluation and purchase stage. Customers have done their homework and are ready to make a final purchase decision.

Understanding this funnel helps you know which channels to use at which stage.

With how competitive SaaS is you need to build brand awareness through any means possible. That's why SEO is the strongest long-term play for demand generation.

SEO is especially powerful for SaaS because it taps into existing search demand, driving organic traffic to your site and increasing visibility in the process.

Earning rankings lets you establish long-term credibility and authority in your market. This leads to sustainable growth, lower customer acquisition costs, and improved retention rates.

When potential users start researching their options, Google search is usually the first place they look. By ranking educational content, you can control the buyer journey better.

According to Sparktoro, Google still sends 63.41% of all web traffic, so investing in SEO should be a no-brainer.

SaaS SEO isn't that different from other business models. Fundamentals move mountains. However, SaaS companies are uniquely positioned to take advantage of SEO.

There are a large number of SaaS and startup directories you can leverage to build strong foundational links. SaaS companies are also positioned well to do newsworthy things like fundraising rounds, which can be used to build backlinks through PR campaigns.

Technical SEO foundation is also important, so your content has the best chance at ranking. If there are glaring technical issues with your site, you won't rank well. I'd recommend contacting a professional for an audit if you're unsure where you stand.

On-page SEO is fairly straightforward and can be picked up by anyone with writing experience. Create high-quality content that addresses the needs and pain points of your target audience. Implement strategic internal linking to help search engines understand your content hierarchy.

Off-page SEO deals with improving your site's reputation through external factors like backlinks, social signals, and mentions on other platforms. Targeted backlink building, influencer partnerships, and PR campaigns are essential for boosting rankings. SaaS companies should also build listings in review sites and directories like G2, Capterra, and TrustPilot.

Managing SEO in-house can get complex and time-consuming because it requires constant monitoring and adjustments to keep up with evolving algorithms.

When you outsource, you leverage specialized knowledge from SEO professionals who stay updated with best practices. This saves on internal costs and lets you focus on product development and customer acquisition.

Unlike SEO, which takes time to yield results, PPC offers immediate visibility and control over ad placement, targeting, and budget. With PPC, you can target specific keywords, demographics, and interests to reach your ideal audience. It drives traffic and generates leads quickly.

PPC also allows for real-time performance tracking so you can make data-driven decisions to maximize ROI. The combination of PPC for short-term gains and SEO for long-term success is what top SaaS companies use.

Split testing is the lifeblood of any paid campaign because it lets you constantly refine and improve your ads. Create multiple versions and test them against each other to figure out what works.

Retargeting ads target people who previously interacted with your site but didn't convert. This method is efficient because it focuses on people already familiar with your product, so you get higher conversion rates. It keeps your brand top of mind and encourages potential customers to come back and complete their purchase.

Platforms to consider: Google Ads for reaching wide audiences through search and display networks. Facebook for detailed targeting based on interests and behavior. LinkedIn and X for B2B audiences.

Email marketing directly reaches potential customers and nurtures leads effectively. Personalized and targeted campaigns let you engage with your audience, build trust, and drive conversions. Email also allows for easy performance tracking, so you can optimize based on what the data tells you.

Lead nurturing is about building relationships at every stage of the funnel by providing relevant content. This guide leads from awareness to decision-making, which increases your chances of conversion.

Referral marketing leverages existing customers to acquire new ones. When happy customers refer friends or colleagues, it expands your customer base and builds trust through word-of-mouth recommendations.

Choosing the right incentives is important. Align them with what actually motivates your customers, whether that's cash, gift cards, discounts, or exclusive access to features.

Designing and optimizing a referral program at scale is hard so automate it with tools like ReferralRock. With features like automated referrals, customizable rewards, and easy integration with your existing tools, you save time and let the software do the heavy lifting.

Track and analyze performance so you can optimize. Look at how many referrals are being made, which incentives work best, and how much revenue is being generated.

When it comes to demand generation for SaaS, SEO stands out as the most powerful channel. While tools like ReferralRock can streamline your referral program, SEO plays a crucial role in ensuring long-term visibility and sustainable growth.

Through optimizing your SEO strategy, you attract organic traffic, improve brand awareness, and drive more conversions. SEO is the cornerstone of effective demand generation. It helps you reach your target audience and achieve sustainable business growth.

We help SaaS companies build long-term growth through SEO. From technical foundation to content production to backlink building.

Get in touch: spacebarcollective.com/contact

Chris - Founder & CMO @Spacebar Collective