So, you’ve hit $5M in annual recurring revenue (ARR). Congrats! Your product is stable, your customers love you, and now you’re ready to scale. But here’s the problem: you’ve dabbled in ads and branded keywords, but everyone’s telling you to invest in content marketing. You’re not sure where to start, how much to spend, or whether to hire a team. Sound familiar?
Let’s break this down. Content marketing isn’t just about blogging—it’s about building trust, educating your audience, and driving organic growth. But to do it right, you need a clear budget, a lean team, and a focus on ROI. Here’s how to get started.
Why Content Marketing? (Spoiler: It Works)
Let’s start with the facts:
- Companies that blog generate 67% more leads than those that don’t (HubSpot).
- Content marketing costs 62% less than paid ads but delivers 3x the leads (DemandMetric).
- SaaS brands like GrooveHQ scaled to $5M ARR by pivoting from ads to customer-centric content.
But here’s the kicker: poorly planned content wastes time and money. You need a strategy that aligns with your goals, audience, and budget.
Step 1: Set Your Budget (Let’s Crunch Numbers)
For a 5M ARR SaaS business, experts recommend allocating 7%-10% ($350K – $500K/year) of yearly revenue in marketing. Of that, 25%-30% (87K–$150K/year) should go into content marketing. Here’s how to split it:
| Category | Budget Range (annually) | What It Covers |
| Content Creation | $35K-$60K | Blog posts ($1K-$2K/post), videos ($500-2k/video), lead magnets (e.g., ebooks). |
| Promotion | $17K-$30K | Social ads, influencer partnerships, SEO tools (Ahrefs/SEMrush). |
| Talent | $26K-$45K | Fractional strategists ($2K-$8K/month), freelance writers, designers. |
Source: Data aggregated from CMO surveys and SaaS case studies like Time Doctor and GrooveHQ.
Pro Tip:
“Start with 2–4 high-quality blog posts per month and 1–2 lead magnets per quarter. Quality trumps quantity every time.”
— Alex Turnbull, CEO of GrooveHQ
Step 2: Build Your Team (In-House vs. Freelancers)
Hiring too fast? That’s a common mistake. For a $5M ARR business, start lean:
| Role | Cost (Monthly) | Why You Need Them |
| Fractional Strategist | $2K-$8K | Maps your content roadmap, aligns with business goals, and tracks ROI. |
| Freelance Writer | $500-$2K/post | Specializes in SEO or technical content (e.g., “How to Optimize SaaS Onboarding”). |
| Designer/Video Editor | $1K-$3K/project | Turns blogs into infographics, tutorials, or short-form videos. |
Source: Siege Media’s SaaS marketing benchmarks.
Case Study:
Time Doctor spent $4.5k on a single ebook but drove 309 qualified leads in 2 years through gated content. Their secret? Outsourcing to niche writers and designers while keeping strategy in-house.
Also read: Why Every Business Needs a Blog (And How to Do It Right)
Step 3: Focus on High-ROI Content Formats
Not all content is equal. Prioritize formats that drive traffic, leads, and customer retention:
Educational Blog Posts
- Example: “10 Remote Work Productivity Hacks [2024 Guide]”
- Cost: $1K–$2K/post
- ROI: 10k+ monthly visitors (used by Time Doctor).
Customer Case Studies
- Example: “How [Client] Reduced Churn by 40% Using Our SaaS Tool”
- Cost: $3K–$5K/case study
- ROI: 20–30% higher conversion rates (MarketingSherpa).
Short-Form Video
- Example: 60-second LinkedIn tutorials
- Cost: $500–$1K/video
- ROI: 6x higher engagement than text posts (HubSpot).
Step 4: Measure What Matters
Track these metrics to avoid wasting budget:
- Organic Traffic Growth: Aim for 20–30% YoY increase (Ahrefs).
- Lead-to-Customer Rate: 5–10% is healthy for SaaS.
- CAC Payback Period: Keep it under 12 months.
“We killed underperforming content and doubled down on tutorials. Our blog now drives 30% of new MRR.”
— Liam Martin, Co-Founder of Time Doctor
Final Takeaway: Start Small, Scale Fast
You don’t need a 10-person team or a $500k budget to win at content marketing. Start with:
- A fractional strategist to build your roadmap.
- 2–3 freelancers for content creation.
- A focus on 1–2 high-impact formats (e.g., blogs + case studies).
Reinvest savings into scaling what works. As Alex Turnbull says, “Content compounds—but only if you’re patient.”
TL;DR: Allocate ~$100K/year to content, hire freelancers + a fractional strategist, and obsess over ROI metrics. Your future self (and your CFO) will thank you.
Hire LymLyt for strategy, writing, and execution of your content strategy!
