SaaS Copywriting: 17+ Soft & Hard Skills Needed to be a Writer

Want to become successful at SaaS copywriting? In this blog, we explain all the hard and soft skills you need to become a successful SaaS content writer.

Some people think that SaaS copywriting is easy, but if you’re in the industry already, you’ll likely know it’s not so simple. Experienced SaaS copywriters must be good editors, strategists, and self-managers and stand out against their competition.

It’s more than just putting one word in front of the other until you’ve got an article—ahem AI—and good quality, well-researched pieces take longer than you might expect. Take it from me!

So, what does it really take to be a great SaaS copywriter? Let’s get into it.

What is SaaS?

First, let’s look at the acronym ‘SaaS’. It stands for software as a service and describes the kind of product that performs a service for customers. For example, Spotify, Youtube, and Gmail are all examples of software as a service. These three examples are all companies that offer software as a service to businesses and general customers: B2B and B2C.

B2B SaaS is slightly different—the software offered is primarily aimed at businesses, although individuals may also be able to use it. Some of our clients at dslx provide B2B SaaS, such as Maze, Codility, and Benevity by Alaya.

What is SaaS copywriting?

Before I get into the skills you need to be a successful SaaS copywriter, we need to know exactly what the job entails. A SaaS copywriter writes sales-driven content to persuade readers to buy something.

SaaS copywriters or content writers are people who write about software as a service. They might work freelance, or as part of a SaaS content marketing agency.

What’s the difference between copywriters and content writers?

If you’ve researched the industry, you may have noticed some job roles described as ‘copywriter’ and others as ‘content writer’—so what’s the difference?

Typically, a copywriter writes content that aims to sell something to the reader, whether it’s to get them to buy a product or to fill out an online form, or to contact the business directly.

Content writers usually write to inform the reader rather than to sell something.

However, the lines are, naturally, a little blurry. A product description, for example, aims to inform the reader about the product’s specifications while selling it—so copywriters and content writers often need similar skills to do the best job.

In this blog, we’ll be talking about content writing—that is, long-form writing for blogs and articles—however many of the skills we’ll list are applicable to both content writing and copywriting, for both B2B and B2C content.

Whether you’re writing about conventional products, services, or SaaS, these skills will help you be the best writer you can be— or source the best writer for your SaaS business.

What soft skills do you need for SaaS writing?

Soft skills are transferable, less easily-defined skills that can help with your day-to-day performance in your job. They’re not usually certifiable—although you can do training to improve these skills, you can’t become “qualified” in them because they’re subjective. It’s hard to measure things like perseverance in standardized testing.

1. Adaptability

In the world of SaaS writing for business, every day can be totally different. If you work for an in-house content team, you may have to do both content and copywriting, so you’ll need to be able to switch your tone of voice from persuasive copy to informative content to suit the brief.

For writers working for a SaaS content agency, the topics you write about can also change. You might write for an insurance broker, a grocery company, and a dog grooming salon all in a day’s work. You’ll need to be able to write in different styles, come across as friendly, authoritative, or formal, and you won’t always be writing about things you enjoy or know a lot about so adaptability is key.

2. Self-discipline

Many soft skills come under the umbrella of self-discipline, all of which help you to manage your workload, increase productivity and get the job done. This is particularly important for freelance SaaS copywriters. Here are some of the best skills for effective self-discipline:

• Time management: to make sure you meet your deadlines
• Organization: to keep on top of a varied workload
• Perseverance: because you’re not always going to be in love with what you’re writing about, but the show must go on!

3. Content creation

You might think that content creation skills are given for copywriting and content writing roles, but they can often be overlooked.

Creativity is one of these—people often fall into the trap of thinking you can’t be creative when writing business content. The truth is, business content often needs to be more creative in order to keep readers engaged with a brand or product.

Whether you’re talking through the ins and outs of finance or sustainable toilet roll, you’ll need to make a reader stick around and will often be fighting against the numerous notifications pinging around them.

This also requires resourcefulness. Not only will you need to be able to make the complicated seem simple, but you might even have to build the brief yourself. Clients that aren’t familiar with the content creation processes might not know what exactly they want—but it’s up to you to provide them with content they can be proud of anyway.

This means you’ll need to structure and outline a piece, research the competition, and optimize your work for SEO.

Another essential skill for a content writer is a willingness to learn—and this comes in two forms. Firstly, you’ll need to accept that no matter how much you know about writing, you don’t know everything. It’s important to be able to take feedback constructively.

When writing for a content agency, you’ll also have to learn about new products and brands for your clients.

Secondly, the chances of you being an expert in what you’re writing about are slim. For a lot of briefs, you’ll need to do research to underpin your content—and good research comes with its own set of skills.

At the very least, you’ll need to be good at identifying credible resources and skimming texts to find the information you need.

4. Collaboration

All jobs require a degree of collaboration, but creative endeavors like content creation need it even more. You’ll need to be open and receptive to peer review from colleagues and feedback from clients in order to produce the best content you can.

Even if you’re the only writer working at your company, chances are you’ll have to work with editors, design specialists, marketing executives, account managers, UX designers, and more to get the job done.

And because creativity is such a subjective thing, you’ll need to be able to explain and defend your choices at times. You might need conflict management—it’s up to you to keep discussions about your work professional and productive.

This also means you’ll have to know how to pick your battles wisely. The way you’ve chosen to do something isn’t the only way.

Moreover, possibly the most important skill for a copywriter or content writer to have is excellent communication skills. This doesn’t just apply to your writing, though—you should be able to articulate yourself effectively in conversations with coworkers and clients alike.

So, we’ve covered a range of useful soft skills for content writing, but what about hard skills?

What hard skills do you need for SaaS writing?

These are more concrete, measurable attributes such as technical ability, knowledge, and expertise. It’s easier to qualify whether or not a person has hard skills, and they tend to be more job-specific.

5. SEO

Whether you’re working as a freelancer, as part of a SaaS content agency, or as part of an in-house content team, it’s likely you’ll have to do some search engine optimization (SEO). This can be at the planning stage—you should be able to structure your articles in a way that is user-friendly both for the user and for search engines.

SEO can also come in handy during the actual act of writing. You’ll need to be able to insert keywords naturally into your copy, and a knowledge of best practices for internal and external links, anchor text, and subheadings will help, too.

6. Technical Understanding

As a content or copywriter in the SaaS industry, having a strong technical understanding is crucial. SaaS products are typically software-based, and being well-versed in technology and software functionalities allows you to explain complex features accurately and in a user-friendly manner.

Having a good technical understanding of the products and services you’ll be writing about also enables you to communicate effectively with developers and product managers, ensuring that the content you create aligns with the technical aspects of the product.

7. Data Analysis

Data analysis plays a vital role in the success of SaaS content and copywriting efforts. You'll need to be adept at gathering and interpreting data from multiple sources, such as user feedback, website analytics, and A/B testing results. Analyzing this data provides valuable insights into the performance of your content, helping you refine your messaging and optimize your content strategy to improve user engagement and conversion rates.

8. Sales and Marketing Knowledge

Understanding sales and marketing principles is indispensable for SaaS writers to create persuasive copy that resonates with the target audience and drives conversions. Knowing the customer's pain points, desires, and motivations allows you to craft compelling content that highlights the benefits of the SaaS product.

Additionally, grasping marketing strategies helps you align your writing with the broader marketing goals of the company, making your content an integral part of the overall marketing strategy.

Other skills that might come in handy

Sometimes, creating content isn’t the entirety of your job role. Writing can often be combined with other types of work such as content strategy, performance analysis, SEO optimization, or design—especially at a SaaS content agency. Depending on your role, other hard skills could include:

‍9. Using writing checker software such as Copyscape or Hemingway Editor to improve your content and ensure there’s no plagiarized copy‍

10. Confidence with uploading content to websites (CMS)‍

11. Using project management software and/or editorial calendars to keep on top of your workflow

12. Google search proficiency

13. Keyword research, and confidence using software made for this purpose such as Semrush, Ahrefs, or AWRCloud

14. Competitor analysis

15. Content brief writing, for content strategist roles, you may be involved in the creative process from the very start, choosing keywords to target and planning articles yourself

16. Performance analysis of articles you’ve already created to see what content works well and which doesn’t and why

17. Proficiency using Office 365 or Google Suite software

18. Proficiency in using Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and/or other SEO analysis software

19. Confidence in creating, developing or analyzing websites

20. Being able to perform thorough editing and proofreading

By possessing these skills, SaaS content and copywriters can create content that not only informs and educates but also motivates users to take action and become loyal customers of the SaaS product.

How and where to learn these skills?

To acquire these SaaS writing skills, there are several effective ways to learn and improve:

• Online courses: Enroll in online courses specifically tailored to SaaS writing or related topics like technical writing, content marketing, or SEO. Websites like Udemy, Coursera, and LinkedIn Learning offer comprehensive courses taught by industry experts.
• Read industry blogs and guides: Follow reputable SaaS industry blogs, websites, and guides. This allows you to stay updated on industry trends, best practices, and writing techniques relevant to the SaaS domain.
• Practice writing regularly: Start a blog or contribute guest posts to tech-related websites. Regularly practicing writing for various formats will help you refine your skills and build a portfolio.
• Networking and collaboration: Engage with SaaS professionals, join online writing communities, and seek collaboration opportunities. Interacting with industry experts and fellow writers can offer valuable insights and feedback.
• Attend webinars and conferences: Participate in webinars and conferences related to SaaS, content marketing, and technology. These events often feature knowledgeable speakers sharing their expertise and experiences.

How to showcase your skills on your CV?

When applying for SaaS writing jobs (we’ll let you know where you can find such gigs in the next section) make sure to highlight your hard and soft skills. To do this ensure you create a dedicated section that emphasizes your "SaaS Writing Skills" or "Technical Writing Expertise."

Additionally, include any relevant courses and certifications you have completed in SaaS writing, content marketing, or SEO. Demonstrating your writing abilities is essential, so showcase your portfolio by providing links to your blog, guest posts, or published articles within the SaaS industry–or any other if you haven’t had any experience in SaaS yet.

If you possess technical knowledge, consider mentioning it separately in a "Technical Proficiency" section to showcase your comprehensive understanding.

Lastly, quantifying your achievements, such as improved website traffic or conversion rates—or even the amount of people that like and read your posts on platforms like Medium for example—resulting from your writing, will help demonstrate the tangible impact of your work.

Where can you find SaaS writing gigs?

Finding SaaS writing gigs can be done through various ways. Here are a few for you to check out:

• Freelance Platforms: Websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr often have postings for SaaS writing projects.
• Content Agencies: Reach out to content marketing agencies—hello!—that specialize in serving SaaS clients. Many agencies hire freelance writers for their projects.
• Job Boards: Check job boards like Indeed, Superpath, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn for content writing positions with SaaS companies.
• Networking: Leverage your professional network and connections in the SaaS industry. Let them know about your writing services, and they might refer you to relevant opportunities. Top tip: Be active on LinkedIn—sharing your articles, commenting on people’s posts and posting will all help you to increase your reach and cross paths with the right people.
• Cold Pitching: Research SaaS companies and approach them directly with a tailored pitch showcasing your expertise and how your writing can benefit their business. Remember to pitch by presenting the value you can bring them, don’t focus on how great you are, focus on what you can do for them.

Lastly, building a strong portfolio and continuously improving your skills will boost your chances of landing lucrative SaaS writing gigs.

A promising future awaits you in SaaS writing

With the growing demand for skilled SaaS writers, embracing SaaS writing is a promising path to success. Are you ready to start or continue your SaaS writing journey? Don’t hesitate to get in touch to see what opportunities we might have waiting for you.