SaaS × Marketing Services – Still Relevant in 2025?

SaaS (Software as a Service) becoming the centerpiece of debate where will it stay relevant after we watched the evolution of social medias, automation tools and now AI-driven solutions. Started out as a simple tools for email campaigns, CRM has grown into complete one stop center in for marketing ecosystems. Now even a solo entrepreneur able to manage everything with the capacity like a full marketing team with the advancement of modern SaaS tools such as HubSpot, Zoho or ActiveCampaign. SaaS tools are far from obsolete and continue to evolve as the way marketer demanded and becoming more reliable to handle every marketing tasks.

The “SaaS-ification” of Marketing Services

Once upon a time, before the word “SaaS” become such a mainstream name, marketing services were largely done by agencies or in-house teams. Nowadays, Many SaaS platforms having all the features which allow businesses to run most of the services themselves. This bring the definition of “one-man-team” to next level which makes a solo entrepreneur doesn’t even need a full marketing team to do everything. Most SaaS tools started as simple tool before evolving into full-blown marketing powerhouse:

• Mailchimp – started out as email newsletter tool, now becoming a marketing SaaS powerhouse. Covering social media ads, websites, landing pages, CRM, customer journeys, and even a AI powered creative design. That just like running entire marketing campaigns
• GoDaddy – well-known for it web hosting and domain registration service also featuring more services which turn the it into a SaaS solution powerhouse among others. Other than just blasting emails, it now provides features for social posts, website building and e-commerce.
• Wix – you might heard Wix as a website builder on browser. It still is but now adding more services includes SEO tools, email marketing, forms, social media post management and automations. It’s designed to suit the need of small businesses to run everything without the need of large marketing team.

Agencies Turning to SaaS Models

The influence of SaaS over marketing agencies are imminent, making them adapting into SaaS Models. Instead of charging per project, now agencies are offering subscription-based services. Preparing such packages which include any services that required and tailored well so fulfill what needed. Neil Patel’s team didn’t just create a service agency, they built Ubersuggest, the SEO SaaS tool that support the agency’s clients and attracts new ones. Another different way is agency using SaaS tool like Sprout Social to handle the heavy tasks why themselves charging on subscription-based. The ability to handle multiple accounts are benefits and they resell this as a service.

AI and Automation: Game Changers, Not Replacements

AI is getting more and more prominent recently and it certainly influencing the SaaS features. Canva AI and ChatGPT able to handle repetitive marketing tasks. The advancement of AI which bring marketing automation that able to run complex customer journeys with minimal human input. However automation alone just not enough, marketing still needs strategy, creativity and human empathy to makes it work. SaaS just make the execution easier but human input still highly inquire.

The Rise of Vertical & Niche SaaS Marketing Solutions

Industry-specific marketing SaaS tools are slowly emerging trends. You could have tools which are niche enough and targeted on certain industries such as F&B, fitness, real estate, human resources, or insurances. Some of this tools getting more prominent recognitions such as:

• Wodify – CRM for fitness studios and gyms, have function to check on members, creating classes by instructors for members to join in and a lot other features to run a gym.
• ResNexus – Property management SaaS built for hotels, inns, and bookings. Becoming all in one software with marketing features like reviews follow-ups, loyalty programs and seasonal promos.
• Toast – A restaurant CRM solution with built-in loyalty and marketing tools.

Replacing the generic marketing tools with more niche-focused solutions for specific industries. A more cost-effective for small effective than hiring agency service.

The Hybrid Future: SaaS + Human Expertise

SaaS will keep evolving even further with AI-capabilities, most likely including all the automation features to make things seam easier. Somehow human still play the biggest role in it on something that even the best SaaS tools will hardly replicate.

• Human’s Emotion And Empathy – AI hard to replicate real human’s feeling. They’re flexible and aware of rapid trend-shifting (especially memes).
• Personalized Marketing – When authenticity is a thing where only able to craft by humans.
• Scale Vs Meaningful – AI may able to create posts in large quantity but all will be lacking a real meaning as the one by real human.

Smartest business will usually blend the best of both world which let human to handle most marketing services while letting automation to handle the rest. Making everything more seamless while still making the much needed human touch on some oversimplified CRM.