Within Boundaries The Changing Impact of Inbound Marketing

1. The Conversion chase 

Would you rather spend your time chasing after that special someone or have them chase after you? Some love the chase but, at the same time, it seems like it is more flattering to have others pursue you. On some fronts, them finding you would certainly be less exhausting. That, in many ways, is the same philosophy when it comes to inbound marketing.

First, ask yourself, which is being utilized more for an effective business marketing strategy: is it the inbound or outbound marketing approach? Inbound is the easy, straightforward answer. More are relying on this approach to gain customers in a cost-effective manner.

What are the major differences? Obviously, the main difference is the idea of a time-consuming approach vs. a timesaving one.

There also used to be an argument over outbound vs. inbound marketing in terms of which was more effective financially. The inbound approach is becoming the most effective way to get more feedback, as well as acquire more identifiable stats and garner more comments. Of course, in a sense, from a commerce standpoint, you are getting more bang for your buck and, sometimes, it is lower in cost as well.

Social media has provided an efficient way to make an impact 24/7 around the world. The full-time campaign consists of a round-the-clock developed marketing strategy. Again, the goal is to get people to find you.

Outbound marketing, on the other hand, is the old but seemingly more familiar way that uses certain forms of media such as television advertising, billboard ads, and radio commercials. It was once thought of as the prevailing method to lure the viewer into its proverbial web.

Most concentrate on inbound marketing over outbound as the immediate source, while outbound remains a secondary source but still can be relevant in areas such as video sales, etc.

But the outbound approach is still used in a comprehensive marketing strategy to reach a certain amount of people in a chosen audience.

Let’s switch gears and look at a specific company specializing in inbound information called Marketo. This article in Marketo shows how to successfully initiate inbound marketing from its early inception.

So let the Marketo strategy begin. First, some basic questions are important. What are some of the benefits that your company can offer clients?

2. Pertinent questions

As far as implementing the inbound strategy is concerned, what are some perks for your business? The article says one benefit happens to be: “For one thing, it helps fuel SEO efforts.”

It also increases “ brand awareness for your company .”

Of course, a major attraction is, “‘Now your customers can gain access 24/7.”

Before, they were isolated channels and had only intuitive decision-making. They had to target a massive advertising campaign and point to certain given demographics only.

When you create your inbound marketing plan, focus on 4 things: Lead Generation, A Mission Statement, Customer Engagement, and Tactics Measurement.

The 1:1 ratio targeting is based on behavioral factors. These are big data, fact-based decisions exploring from integrating channels. Once followed, there is an abundance of information regarding statistics.

Some essential concerns in inbound marketing are SEO strategies, developing landing pages, using social media, as well as marketing analytics, email and lead nurturing, and marketing automation.

Another important consideration is about creating live events and webinars to help promote products.

According to the article, “The key is to create a strategic content strategy tailored around your personas and the stage of the buying cycle they are in.”

Some ideas that you should spend time thinking about, as far as social media is concerned, are things such as how often you will post on Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms.

Ask yourself a basic question: “What is your compelling story?”

Also, spend time researching, studying, and identifying your target audience. Is it a predominantly male or female audience? What age group would be most affected by it?

Pay attention to your marketing automation as it “empowers inbound marketers with tools and strategies to convert fans and followers into leads and customers.”

Especially important to learn to quantify your success are “financial metrics that show how marketing helps your company generate more profits and faster growth when stacked against your competitors.”

Use these techniques to foster better brand preferences when spending time reflecting on your own brand expectations.

3. Five main sources for more information

Here are some website resources to find more material on inbound marketing. Inbound is the main website source.

These five websites are considered five of the top best resources for all issues related to topics involving marketing and social media. There are regular posts on their blogs detailing current information strategies across the board. These are extremely reputable sources that make almost all top five lists, or at least to the top ten.

One main source is Quicksprout, which contains comprehensive guides to many marketing questions. It contains a “Beginner’s Guide to Online Marketing” section. The content is massive, and it will take a long time to sift through them, but there is a lot of pivotal information to be learned.

Another major informational website is Content Marketing Institute, the main point of which is to specifically focus on content. It also distinguishes effective content marketers from others and identifies what social media channels are they using.

Another website called Hubspot focuses on subjects ranging from retargeting to content marketing to on-page SEO.

On the other hand, if you want to use Moz, one thing they specialize in is learning Google Algorithm Updates. It has also created a traffic-centric library. There is also Social Media Examiner, a well-known resource for posting all kinds of information related to all social marketing needs.

There is a never-ending supply of information on these websites. Taking advantage of their free blogs on diverse marketing topics seems like a no-brainer. Spend the time going through each one, deciphering which articles meet your marketing needs.

4. Other Reasons Cost Effectiveness

Why is inbound on the way in and outbound becoming more obsolete?

One reason happens to be cost-effectiveness. If you want to check your return rate, another point is to always focus on the return on investment or ROI.

We must realize that inbound marketing is effective because its communication is a two-way street.

On the other hand, outbound marketing is only one way to get some customers interested in your products. There may be some who are not internet-savvy and rely more on commercials through watching television or listening to radio ads. But, generally, most people are on the internet.

According to the infographic in the SEO pressor, “Content marketing and social media participation are hinting that outbound marketing companies are in complete control, and the difference with inbound marketing is that consumer behavior has shifted, which makes it mutually beneficial.”

Companies are investing more in inbound marketing methods.

This is mainly because the inbound strategy has four main components: attract, convert, close, and delight.

So, it is important to develop that inbound marketing strategy that entices viewers over and over again.

Use a combination of visuals and text when formulating website information. Focus on deciding between your USP and UVP, that is, Unique Selling Proposition and Unique Value Proposition respectively. These are slightly different and should be explored which is more to your benefit. Unique Selling Proposition tells the market why they should care. Unique Value Proposition is who you are as a company—in other words, your identity.

Your company will reap the benefits of a 24/7 promotional marketing system that does most of the round-the-clock work for you.

Of course, if you are still convinced that outbound has its place, yes it does—to a degree. But it was more prevalent in the past and that was because the technology then was limited. Advertising by radio and television seemed to be one of the only ways to advance their marketing cause. Now, with so much technology at our fingertips, there are so much more avenues to explore. It is only common sense to spend effort finding ways that customers can reach you first. It is the customers’ initiative in finding your product that could be half the battle won.

How much energy should companies spend developing an inbound marketing strategy?

5. Digital Marketing Trends for Greater Success

Keeping up with the emerging trends of digital marketing, including inbound marketing, impacts your marketing success. Marketing trends allow business owners to keep up when it comes to the way consumers research and shop for products and services.

Staying up to date with rapid changes in consumer priorities and behaviors ensure that you remain ahead in terms of dealing with your target audience by knowing their needs and preferences. In this way, your business remains relevant to the target marketplace, and competitive enough to thrive and achieve greater business success.

Here are the top digital marketing trends today:

• Inbound Marketing Trends: Produce valuable and quality content based on the emerging needs of today’s consumers, most especially millennials. Using infographics, interactive videos, audio or podcasts, and other appealing content can help your business attain greater digital marketing success.
• Technology Marketing Trends: With artificial intelligence or AI integrated with your inbound marketing campaign, you can help answer your customers’ questions and provide solutions to their problems quickly and accurately. AI is incredibly important when it comes to data collection and analysis so that you can make data-driven decisions. Incorporating AI into the inbound marketing strategies of your business can better serve consumers.
• Social Media Marketing Trends: Social media marketing authentically connects your business with your target audience on a personal level. You can combine ephemeral content (appealing and fleeting) and permanent social media content (organic and long-lasting) on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, showcasing your brand’s best features and benefits.
• SEO Marketing Trends: You can implement voice-based search tactics that empower your visitors to get the answers with the help of Siri, Cortana, Alexa, or an AI-based assistant. Frame your content around the answer and question format to mimic human interaction. Optimizing your content through voice-based format is an important SEO trend business should adopt.

Final Thoughts

Marketing has been made easier because, now, companies can concentrate on the task at hand, which is getting more customer service awareness when it comes to their product and/or services.

Companies are always looking for ways to improve their visibility among potential clients and a quick Google search can help fuel the pathway to an easier relationship.

That is what inbound marketing does: it provides a comprehensive way for your company to have the most impact in the digital age, where others find you instead of the other way around. Once you implement your inbound strategy, you will see the difference in conversion rates, statistics, feedback, and comments. Around the clock, it is time to watch the results of your inbound strategy come full circle and full throttle as well.

About Author:

Subscribe to weekly updates

You’ll also receive some of our best posts today