My take noticing a branding aspect (often overlooked) on some Software as a service [SaaS] and alike Tech companies
When it comes to tech industries we really can enjoy software products, plugins, applications as a vast field and with a verifiable array of options. If you are a creator, business owner, entrepreneur, developer, marketer, project manager, investor (fill in the blank…) out there, there is a tool for you with infinite possibilities as far as features go.
And of course, even the most meticulous marketing plan will not make a service grow exponentially and be successful, if the product on its own it is not delivering what it promises to do. Prompts to all the software engineers out there for such a labor of craftsmanship! I find most of the resources are allocated to the betterment of such product and that it is agreeably essential.
However, a good portion of sites somehow miss an important aspect of branding identity and that it is: No matter how well positioned to a particular audience a product is; Still when I land on a site for the first time I should know what you are and what you provide in its most rudimental level.
Also consider it does not have to be complex, or take 90% of your home page, though it needs to be available for your new user and your already continuing user to reinforce the certainty him/her/they have arrived into the right site.
Just as if I was promoting a skincare line, a new interior design furniture collection or a new cereal brand with design thinking processes in mind, they will be promoted/advertised with the same basic marketing and brand identity fundamentals.
The challenge it is, in this case, having an intangible product; With this in mind a product photography session will execute with a different approach than that for a tangible product though it will have a similar goal.
I find that often in these markets there are many pages speaking about integrations, documentations, features, levels, upgrades, other alike products, separated for different groups of users before speaking about the main purpose(s) of the software service or about the company itself. The most successful SaaS companies do show emphasis on explaining their core intention and have a description, a short video or even a slogan that allows the user to comprehend the intention behind the presented product.
After having a defined identity, it is then where marketing strategies shall proceed to tailored audiences, to know how to speak to the costumer and how to persuade him/her/they and focus on growth and performance, listening to costumer feedback in all stages of the product, positioning the brand message, the brand’s core values and all that involves the evolution of such brand from launch to maturity.
“Sometimes the best way forward is to take a step back.”
Adam Lunn Designer at Conversio quote from relevant InVision‘s blog article Rebranding a SaaS startup
I also understand sometimes there is no lineal/chronological order when it comes to marketing design; Regardless, there is definitely room for any SaaS company to take a good analytical look at how are they being perceived by new and potential new costumers, this can always be of tremendous assistance to redirect betterment of an identity’s position.
Please note, these are the observations I found as a common denominator and through the lens of a Senior Designer that started working for Massive Communication (Advertising, Public Relations and Journalism), print to then rapidly transition to digital mediums though all areas contribute to understanding the core of visual communication and our behavioural actions as consumers.
