How to Successfully Announce SaaS Product Updates For Growth

In the SaaS world, product updates are a big deal. They drive product improvement, enhance user experience, address issues, foster customer engagement, and create marketing opportunities. 

In this article, we’ll talk about successful ways to announce product updates, including knowing who cares about your updates, why they should care, and the smartest way to get the word out.

What makes a good product update announcement?

When it comes to product announcements, their impact and success hang on a few key factors: the product itself, who you’re targeting and how you choose to spread the news.

Who are you targeting?

When it comes to announcing new features or updates, there are usually a few groups of users who matter. .

First up, you’ve got those customers who specifically requested the feature. They’ve been itching for it, so they’ll be excited when it finally arrives.

Then there are the potential customers you’re trying to win over. Showcasing those updates might be the nudge they need to sign up.

Lastly, you’ve got your stakeholders—those generally interested in what you’re up to.

Once you’ve determined who these groups are for your company and product, you’re on the right track to delivering updates that fits the users needs

Successful ways to announce product updates

As a SaaS company dedicated to constant product improvement, it’s ideal to show your updates to current and prospective customers. An effective way to do this is by keeping a changelog on your website. This highlights the notable changes made to the product. Now, remember that you don’t have to include every tiny update. Just focus on the ones that stand out.

Aside from using changelogs, there are other general ways to announce your product successfully:

• Blog: You can create a separate page for “product updates” to make it easier to keep readers in the loop.

• Social media: To make a splash with your update announcements, it’s essential to grow your social media following using effective strategies. Post frequently and timely to ensure your followers don’t miss out on important news. Take a cue from Loom’s example below:

• In-app: Your users will eagerly anticipate any valuable updates that you’ve made. Therefore, they will want to know about any new announcements immediately. Push updates to the notification center to alert users of new product updates instead of pop-ups that interrupt. 

• Email: Emails are great at raising awareness. They can also be used to reach both active and inactive users. While emails raise awareness, they may not directly boost user engagement for product updates. Customers are unlikely to return to the product to check out what’s new.

Best practices for effective product update announcement

Avoid overwhelming in-app updates

You wouldn’t want to go overboard and overwhelm your users when announcing product updates inside your app. Trust us, bombarding them with update after update won’t do you any favors. The key is to keep announcements snappy and timely. 

Clear copies

Try to be concise and straight to the point when delivering your message for a product announcement. Writing efficiently and delivering value most effectively is what counts.

Include visuals

Let’s face it, when it comes to changes in a visual interface, words alone don’t cut it. It’s easier to grasp how a new feature works by seeing it in action. That’s why your updates should have a visual element to showcase what’s truly fresh. By showing customers the ropes, you’ll pique their curiosity and get them excited to try out your latest addition.

Clear CTA

Include a clear compelling CTA to encourage users to take a specific action after learning about the updates.

Importance of announcing product updates the right way

• Sharing updates demonstrating how the new feature works with users can make it easier for them to use the product.

• Product update announcements, when done right, deliver enhanced value.

• Users are quickly educated and informed about the latest product updates through announcements.

Conclusion

As a SaaS company, it’s important to announce product updates in a way that’s crystal clear to your users. Why? They’ll understand the value of the update, and that will increase product engagement and adoption.