SaaS messaging has 4 layers. Skip the first ‘boring’ two, and you’ll kill your messaging.

Think of SaaS messaging as a 4-layered pyramid:

1st layer. Software taxonomy

That’s how you structure, classify, and name your software’s capabilities—platform modules, features, sub-features, actions. It makes it easy for people to understand your software.

2nd layer. Information architecture (IA)

This is how you structure information about your software and decide how much you disclose at each touchpoint. It helps people navigate and discover your product.

3rd layer. Positioning

That’s how you frame your software relative to your market and competitors. It helps people perceive your product within a context.

4th layer. Differentiation

That’s how you differentiate your software from your competitors. It helps persuade people to choose your product.

Most focus on positioning and differentiation without laying the groundwork—taxonomy and IA. As a result, their SaaS messaging suffers.

Here’s why:

They may feel like a ‘boring chore,’ but taxonomy and IA are foundational for your messaging.

• Taxonomy ensures users understand what your software is and does.
• IA guides users to navigate and discover your software.

You can’t work on positioning and differentiation without covering taxonomy and IA. If users can’t understand your software, they won’t care about your clever positioning. The progression from ‘what it is’ to ‘why it matters’ follows human cognitive patterns.

You may rush to work on positioning and differentiation because they’re directly tied to sales, but …

• Poor taxonomy makes it hard to understand your SaaS.
• Poor IA leads to confusion in product navigation and feature discovery.

And strong positioning or differentiation won’t compensate for weak foundational structure.

A robust taxonomy and intuitive IA lead to:

• Clarity: Users can understand what your software is and does.
• Easy discoverability: Users can navigate and discover the product.
• Credibility: Well-structured software signals reliability.
• Impact: A shared understanding will sharpen your messaging.

So don’t skip this part. Start your SaaS messaging with taxonomy and IA. Only then, move on to defining your positioning and differentiation.