SaaS Growth in 2022: Growth, Challenges, and Strategies

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is expanding very quickly in the entire IT business. SaaS models are the first preferences of many enterprises because of their flexibility, cost-effectiveness and subscription-based model.

In the pandemic, companies required the cloud network; thus, SaaS has only got growth and will be growing.

Gartner and BMC have given highly optimized reports, according to which SaaS will get some substantial evolutions.

One thing is crystal clear; Analyst said, “SaaS will grow 12% each year.”

It is estimated by prominent analysts that SaaS will achieve an average growth of 12% each upcoming year. Investors are also ready to give this industry a boost by the investment of approximately $141 Billion. SaaS is also said to have the most potential and growth expected “as a service” sector.

What Is SaaS (Software-as-a-Service)?

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is a cloud-based method where vendors host the software on the cloud servers, and users take the subscription to access the software on their computers.

You don’t even require any specific specifications in your device, as a decent device can work for you the best. And it is mainly accessed through a web browser that has no direct connection with the device capabilities.

You don’t even need to be in the range of these cloud servers, and you can access any part of the world effortlessly through your provided login ID and password.

How Does SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) Work?

The vendors host the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) on their cloud servers, and they are responsible for bringing any updates and doing any maintenance.

It is way easier to update such SaaS-based software because it doesn’t have a connection with the specifications of the users’ device. Vendors are only required to update the software on their servers. And all the users will get their updated version on their own on their respective devices.

To access the software, Users are not required to install or download anything on their premises, and they can easily access the entire software through their web browser.

Let’s get to know one thing, why is this modern solution getting so much hype?

Why Is SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) So Popular?

Giant companies widely use saaS, and they like it because it is a way more flexible and modern solution.

Most early startups and small businesses are opting for SaaS because it has a subscription-based pricing model, which helps these startups and companies to optimize their cost-effectively.

In 2012, there was no such competition in the SaaS industry. And then, in 2017, each SaaS company was facing a round of 9 significant companies against them.

This craze for SaaS has started expanding between 2018-2020, as 20% of new competition came into play. It is also estimated that by the end of 2023, we will see this percentage increase to 30%.

SaaS Growth Projection In 2022

The SaaS industry has grown significantly in the past few years. If you deeply observe, you will get to know some of the highlighted points how much growth SaaS has acquired:

• The Gartner report has shown that the SaaS industry is worth $145 Billion.
• By the end of 2022, SaaS Industry is estimated to be reached at $171.9
• On average, SaaS will grow 17% in the year 2022.
• From 2015 to 2021, the SaaS industry has seen 5X growth.
• In this year, it is estimated that by the end of 2026, more than 50% of the organization will centralize SaaS management.
• The U.S. has 8X more SaaS companies in comparison to other countries.

It’s just an initiation, and SaaS will grow to the extent no one can have a thought of.

Top-6 SaaS Trends in 2022

#1: Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is sowing in the roots of the business world to make it more autonomous, growthful and profitable.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) shapes SaaS into something extraordinary by implementing some of the best and on-demand qualities, such as making great products/services, promoting personalization, and deeply listening to the audience’s needs and feedback.

AI is specifically working in the SaaS companies to gain the most output in minimal efforts. It means that it increases the efficiency of SaaS companies. AI is explicitly helping businesses to make better and faster connections with the customers so that the business-customer relationship gets better and businesses eventually get more growth.

How will AI help the SaaS?

• Personalization: AI technology has so many components that focus on setting up the personalized connection with the customers, which helps the businesses better understand the client’s needs.
• Speed: From the beginning, AI was solely focused on speeding up internal processes. This tells customers that the company is fast, responsive and understands the importance of time.
• Security: AI has developed so many privacy features that maintain the safety of customers and businesses.
• Data Intelligence: AI helps businesses and startups to read customer interest, intent, and behavior.
• Integration: AI technology will be widely integrated with the SaaS companies in the year 2022, and the service qualities will also be improved.

#2 Machine Learning

Machine Learning (ML) is a subset of Artificial intelligence (AI) and helps SaaS increase the automation of responsiveness. Live chatbots are one of the finest examples of ML in companies, and ML is about automating the responses to customers and the internal operations of SaaS companies.

The main motive of the ML in the SaaS companies is to make the SaaS self-improving, which means ML will implement the level of intelligence in the SaaS that would rectify all the needed improvements on their own and skyrocket the growth.

ML is growing rapidly, covering numerous factors and helping the whole system do many things.

• ML is advanced enough to make the system learn every mistake from each task and interaction to improve the older errors on their own.
• ML helps the system deeply observe all the insights and make needed improvements with time.
• ML makes the communication model more and more sophisticated with each passing moment to improve internal collaboration.
• ML observes all the conversations with the customers and makes adjustments in language, tone of voice, and essential things.

You might have seen the suggestion features of the SaaS companies; that is the absolute result of Machine Learning.

#3 Vertical SaaS

We have listed this forecast (Vertical SaaS) in the third among the SaaS trends in 2022.

There are two terms – Horizontal SaaS and Vertical SaaS. On the one hand, Horizontal SaaS has a complete focus on the clients or customers in all the possible sectors. On the other hand, Vertical SaaS is specific and helps clients target within the particular niche.

Some of the niche’s finest examples that follow Vertical SaaS are healthcare analytics software, retail analytics, or modern logistics analytics because these industries are particular.

Why are Vertical SaaS trends going to have such an impact in 2022?

Vertical SaaS is much better because, under this trend, companies listen entirely to their customers and bring updates according to their needs and demand.

Some of the benefits of vertical SaaS:

• Customer Intelligence: According to Vertical SaaS, you will get more relevant data from the customers, which will allow you to have a deeper understanding of customer behaviour.
• Predefined Metrics and KPIs: Vertical SaaS has a significant contribution in assessing and addressing the daily and long term performances and processes.
• New Niches: Vertical SaaS will always have the central focus on the specific niches, and thus it will encourage the market to produce more specified products.

#4 Centralized Analytics

All businesses are aware that they need to have a deeper and better understanding of their customers. And for that, all these industries are heavily investing in software-as-a-service innovations because they provide far better analytics of the businesses.

Even SaaS analysts have estimated the interest rate will be increased by 23.3% in this recent year of 2022. In the future, analytics will become the gist of everything, as only these insights can beat the competition and win over the race.

After applying this trend, every team member of the business will be able to contribute to the company’s substantial growth and will be liable enough to present his point of view.

#5 White Labeling In SaaS

White Labeling is growing rapidly in cloud computing, especially in the SaaS market. For all the businesses and especially startups, White labeled SaaS is one of the most advantageous trends.

Being the head of a small business, you will have to maintain the relationship with so many software providers, which will cost you more in terms of the software and its management.

This is the reason businesses are rapidly moving towards white-labeled SaaS solutions.

There are so many SaaS companies emerging out, and white Labeling is an excellent option for all of them to enter the market. This is how it saves the time of the startups to build everything from scratch and start delivering the services while maintaining the identity of the brand.

#6 Blockchain and SaaS

Blockchain and SaaS both are entirely different things. If you are discussing something regarding bitcoin, then you will see this technology taking centre stage. So no one has ever tried to connect both these terms.

However, you can not refuse the fact that transparency can easily be achieved by Blockchain technology.

SaaS companies can attain growth to any extent if people find trust and trustworthiness in their actions. And here, Blockchain technology can become the best medium possible to add transparency and offer SaaS.

Blockchain technology can be taken into use so that SaaS companies can quickly build fail-proof systems that enhance the reliability of the business, which makes the customers loyal.

There are so many benefits of teaching blockchain technology in the SaaS industry to boost the Vertical SaaS.

Overall SaaS Trends

In 2022, Overall SaaS Trends will boom, and the entire SaaS industry will have immense growth.

In this pandemic, the whole world has completely shifted to the virtual world, and almost all the companies are now aware of the importance and benefits of cloud services.

And all the executives at the top of the industries are executing towards adopting SaaS-based services.

All the top-level analysts have predicted that many companies will start working with the SaaS industries.

Thus, if you also have any such plan for your company, you should adopt the SaaS to make your business growthful.

I hope this article has had enough information to let you know the SaaS Trends in 2022