5 Foundational Types Of SaaS Videos You Should Make

You’ve created an amazing SaaS product. You know it inside and out. But then comes a ping in your support inbox… 

And another ping. And another.

And suddenly, instead of developing new features, you and your team are rushing around trying to provide customers with the support they need. 

But let’s be honest, typing text answers to complicated questions both: 

• Takes WAY too much time out of your day. 
• Is a poor use of your experienced staff member’s time. 

‍Saas videos are the solution to your woes:

‍Research shows that 73% of people want to watch a video to learn about a product. Only 11% still prefer to read about it.

Video is an excellent investment for SaaS companies. It’s not limited to answering support questions in record time; it can also prevent those emails from ever hitting your inbox (more on how with type #6 in this article). 

Ready to bridge the gap between your product and a potential customer? 

#1. SaaS Explainer videos

SaaS explainer videos are one of the most popular types of video marketing you can find on the internet. Every company, from spunky startups to industry giants use explainer videos to draw in new customers. 

A SaaS product explainer video is frequently used to launch new products, services, or features. In some cases, explainer videos even help established companies branch out into new markets and target audiences.

Saas explainer videos are made to show viewers the what, the how, and the why. Tech startups grappling with explaining complex ideas find them so powerful because — in just 90 seconds — a great video delivers instant understanding.

In other words, an explainer video can take potential customers from vaguely interested to “this is what I’ve been looking for.” 

‍The best explainer videos for SaaS:

✅ Pinpoints the pain customers are facing.

✅ Gives an overview of how your product solves that pain.

✅ Turns the anxiety of learning yet another software into a “wow” factor by showing (not telling) how the customer can achieve their goals.

✅ Paints a picture of what life could look like when that original pain point is gone for good.

✅ Generates leads or helps onboard new customers.

How to create a SaaS explainer video in 4 steps?

1. Choose your preferred style of your explainer video — live-action, animated, or screencast explainer.
2. Choose a type of explainer video to use. The PAS method is great for an explainer video. It addresses the pain, moves on to agitation, and then provides a solution.
3. Write a compelling script. Here’s a three-step guide on how to do that. 
4. Use video templates to create the best SaaS explainer videos in record time.

Want to see a real SaaS explainer video in action? Click play below.

#2. SaaS Promo videos

A promo video is a real show-stopper.

It’s there to stir excitement and tease future releases, like the teaser trailers you see on Netflix — just for software. 

Add a 30-second promo to your video marketing strategy and supercharge your:

👉 Product launches

👉 New feature promotions

Promo videos help you stand out from the competition, flaunt your unique selling points and generate new leads.

4 tips for making a SaaS promo video:

1. Identify your goal before you start with production. This goal keeps your video focused. 
2. When launching a new product, your target audience watches it with fresh eyes; they don’t know you. Make sure to briefly touch on the problem you solve and the software you sell. 
3. Choosing a video style (such as animation vs. live-action) can significantly impact the cost and timeline of your promo video production.
4. Scripts should be short and snappy. Just remember, there’s a fine line between hype and confusion!

You can often create a promo video from your explainer videos. We did just that for our own company’s promo video. 😊

Check out the first 14 seconds of the video below to see how you can tease and generate hype with an impactful script:

#3. Webinars

A webinar is like a seminar or presentation — just done online. Typically webinars have expert hosts (and occasionally guests) who share their knowledge around a specific topic, goal, or task. They’re an excellent medium for SaaS businesses as they’re fast and easy to create. 

There are two types of webinars:

1. Livestream webinars. Streamed in real-time using Facebook live or a hosting tool like Zoom. 

2. Pre-recorded webinars. Recorded webinars that can be posted to your YouTube channel and used as evergreen content.

Through webinars, your software stays top-of-mind, and you connect with your target audience in a highly engaging manner. It can also help to:

• Establish yourself as an industry expert.
• Grow a list of high-quality leads.
• Onboard new customers with live tutorials or product demos.

How to host a webinar?

To host your webinar, plenty of software solutions are available. The most well-known solution is Zoom, but software like Livestorm and Demio is also popular.

A webinar’s structure is fluid, and there’s no one-size-fits-all template for you to follow. However, there’s a structure you can use to keep the talk on track: 

• Intro: Briefly explain what the audience will get from the webinar, and introduce your business and the speakers.
• Body: Here’s where your video explains the task(s) and how to complete them. It’s a great idea to create a simple slide show to keep your talk on time and topic. Add colorful illustrations to your title cards or slides to keep the audience’s attention. 
• Q & A: take questions from the audience
• Call to action: this last section should answer “what do I do next?” for your audience.

Want to learn more about webinars? Check out how we structure ours to be as engaging for customers as possible.

#4. SaaS Company profile videos

Everyone loves an origin story that started with a humble but mighty dream. 

Your SaaS business is more than just your software. Behind the technology are the people and your company culture. Showcasing that in a video helps you do a few great things:

✅ Attract top talent

✅ Increase brand awareness

✅ Build trust with customers

✅ Provide investors with the insight they need

This type of SaaS video can feature anyone from the CEO to other team members and explains your unique brand value, what you want to achieve, and how you started.

How you can create a SaaS company video in 4 steps?

1. Develop a back story to create nostalgia and empathy

2. Film your team, or create custom AI avatars that can be used again for other SaaS videos.

3. Keep things modern when you add certain design elements like fonts and transitions. 

4. Music and sound effects help to communicate emotion. You can use your own music or get access to a library of royalty-free music (which means no copyright strikes from YouTube).

#5. Mission statement videos

Mission statement videos are “feel good” videos that shout: we care!

This type of SaaS video showcases who you are beyond the product. It addresses what you stand for, the positive impact you want to make, and what causes you align your company with. 

Mission statement videos put the spotlight on your brand’s purpose.

Some tips for SaaS mission videos:

• Ask yourself, “what problem are we trying to solve?” and choose a purpose to align yourself with.
• A mission video is not a once-off, but it forms part of the PR of your overall marketing.
• Reach for hearts, not pockets. 

Here is a great example of a video created around a company’s humanitarian mission:

#6. SaaS Onboarding videos 

An onboarding video helps new customers understand how to use your software. 

Onboarding videos guide your customers through one specific task at a time. They need to be available to your customer as they discover the various features and capabilities of your software.

Great onboarding videos can help improve your app-useage metrics. The end-goal of this type of video is to help get free trial or freemium customers to realize the value of your software. Once that’s achieved, they’re far more likely to upgrade to paid.

Where to use SaaS onboarding videos:

• On your welcome screen when a user first signs up. 
• In various tool-tips that guide new users through your software dashboard.
• In emails to new users who haven’t yet upgraded to paid.
• On your initial “thank you for signing up” page before you give them access to your software.
• In your help documentation or tutorial library.

Ready to make your own SaaS videos and get more leads?

Not every video needs a whole production crew. 

You can take power into your own hands and easily create videos for your marketing strategy that will break down complex software into easy-to-consume content. 

How? 

Using Synthesia’s AI avatars and templates! Try it out and make a free AI video today.