I've watched too many founders dismiss content marketing as "just blogging" or "that thing we'll do later." Big mistake.
Here's what I've learned after working with dozens of early-stage B2B SaaS companies: content isn't about traffic numbers. It's about building trust before someone's ready to buy. It's about being there when your ideal customer types their problem into Google at 11pm. It's about proving you understand their world.
The Foundation Problem
Most startups mess this up from day one. They hire a content writer or start a blog before they can clearly explain who they're for and why anyone should care.
I've done this myself. Written 10 blog posts that went nowhere because I hadn't figured out the basics:
1.Who exactly am I trying to reach?
2.What keeps them up at night?
3.Why is our solution different from the five other tools they're already considering?
Get this foundation right first. Everything else becomes easier.
Understanding Where People Actually Are
Your buyer isn't just at one stage. They're on a journey, and your content needs to meet them wherever they are:
Stage 1: The Realization
They know something's broken. Maybe their team is drowning in spreadsheets or missing SLAs. They're searching for outcomes, not products yet. Content here looks like "why your sales team needs better pipeline visibility" or "the hidden cost of manual data entry."
Stage 2: Exploring Solutions
Now they're figuring out how to fix it. Should they hire someone? Buy software? Change their process? This is where you explain approaches, not your product specifically.
Stage 3: Comparing Options
Finally, they're looking at you and your competitors. Now you can talk features, integrations, pricing models. But you earned this moment by being helpful in stages 1 and 2.
Think in Systems, Not Posts
One solid piece of content shouldn't live and die as a single blog post. I've turned a 1,500-word article into:
5 LinkedIn posts
3 email newsletter sections
A Twitter thread
A 2-minute video script
Why do this? Because your audience doesn't live in one place. Some people only check LinkedIn during lunch. Others read newsletters on Sunday mornings. You're not spamming—you're meeting people where they already are.
And here's something nobody tells you: showing up consistently matters way more than posting every day. I've tried both. Publishing one solid piece weekly beats churning out five rushed posts that nobody remembers.
The Human Touch (Why AI Isn't Enough)
Look, I use AI tools. They help me write faster, brainstorm ideas, fix awkward sentences. But the best content comes from lived experience. From understanding the nuance of how a VP of Sales talks about their problems versus how a founder does.
AI can't replicate the moment you realize "wait, this is actually what our customers are struggling with" after three customer calls in a row. That insight? That's what makes content valuable.
Actually Measuring Success
Forget vanity metrics for a minute. Page views are nice, but what really matters:
Are people subscribing to hear more from you?
Are they spending time reading (or bouncing in 10 seconds)?
Do they click through to learn about your product?
Can you trace which content someone read before they booked a demo?
At first, I didn't track much. Just watched what got comments or shares. Now I pay closer attention—which posts drive newsletter signups, what topics lead to demo requests. You start noticing patterns. Not everything needs a spreadsheet. Just pay attention to what's working.
The 7 Prompts That Keep Me Writing
People sometimes ask how I keep publishing without running out of ideas or burning out. Truth is, I rely on these seven prompts. They're simple, but they work:
- ELI5 (Explain Like I'm 5) When I'm too deep in jargon, I force myself to explain the concept to someone with zero context. Makes everything clearer.
- Act As "Act as a first-time founder choosing between tools" helps me write from my reader's perspective, not my own.
- Compare I write two versions of the same section and test which one lands better. Small tweaks matter.
- Tone Adjusting voice for different audiences. A technical post for developers reads differently than advice for founders.
- Why It Matters Stops me from listing features and forces me to explain the actual benefit. "Unlimited seats" means nothing. "Your whole team can collaborate without hitting paywalls" means something.
- Tighten I cut ruthlessly. Every sentence should earn its place. Tight writing respects your reader's time.
- Outline I sketch out the main points before writing anything long. Keeps me from wandering off track or repeating myself.
First three months I published content? Nobody cared. I'm talking 8 views, 12 views, maybe one like from my co-founder. Felt like shouting into a void. I kept going because I didn't know what else to do.
Then month four, something shifted. Got an email from someone who found a post I wrote in February. They read six more. Booked a demo. Mentioned my content in the first call. I checked the analytics later—they'd been reading my stuff at 11pm on different nights. Just clicking through.
That's when I got it. Content sits there. Works when you're not working. Sounds obvious but you don't feel it until it happens to you.
I write about B2B SaaS, content strategy, and startup growth on LinkedIn and Medium pretty regularly. If this was helpful, follow me there:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonu-goswami-6209a3146/
Medium: https://medium.com/@sonuarticles74
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