SaaS Application Marketing

You’ve built your MVP? Great. But… where are the users? The brutal truth is that no one will magically discover your app. The belief that “build it and they will come” is a myth. It doesn’t work. You need to actively reach out to people.

So where should a developer start with marketing? Here are a few ideas:

• Leverage your network. Tell your industry friends, past and current clients about your product. You might already know companies struggling with the exact problem your app solves — offer them early access at a discount in exchange for feedback. Word-of-mouth marketing works — people love testing things recommended by someone they trust.

• Find your community. Think about where your target audience “hangs out” — online forums, Facebook groups, subreddits, conferences? Join them, take part in discussions, and share your expertise (without spamming). For example, if you’re building an app for personal trainers, join trainer communities, participate in discussions, and show yourself as an expert in automation and productivity for their daily work.

• Content marketing – build value through content. Start writing about the problem you’re solving even before your product is fully released. Blog posts, LinkedIn updates, Medium articles — share tips, insights, and case studies. This works on multiple levels: it improves SEO (Google loves valuable content), positions you as an expert in your niche, and attracts potential users who are experiencing the problem your SaaS addresses. Someone reading your article on “5 ways to speed up reporting in X” is a perfect candidate for your reporting automation tool.

• Social media. Consider platforms like TikTok, YouTube, or Twitter — depending on where your target audience spends time. For example, one micro-SaaS founder targeted students by creating humorous Instagram and TikTok videos that went viral among them, while subtly showcasing his product. Find your unique marketing angle. Maybe it’s a regular industry newsletter? Or a mini-ebook with practical tips (as a lead magnet to build an email list).

The most important thing

Don’t postpone marketing until later. Even while building your product, talk to people about their needs, create a waiting list (for example, a beta sign-up page). Generate buzz around the problem your SaaS solves. Build a small community — even a handful of people getting early access makes a big difference. Because even the best app “in a drawer” won’t earn a cent if no one hears about it. Split your time: not 100% coding, but 50% coding / 50% marketing (or at least 60/40). Seriously. Coding is just the beginning. SaaS success is a business game — it depends on how many people you can convince to care.

If you’d like to learn more about how to run effective SaaS marketing, consider joining my complete online training — SaaS Application School, where I show step by step how a developer can build a profitable SaaS business (from the first line of code to the first 100 paying customers).