There are nearly 1 billion websites today. When your site launches, will anyone see it? How are you going to stand out in this ever-expanding digital universe?
That’s where inbound marketing comes in. According to industry leader HubSpot, inbound marketing has been the most effective marketing method for doing business online since 2006.
With inbound marketing, content is king. Your focus on content shifts your marketing focus from the old methods of buying ad and email lists, while hoping for decent leads, to crafting quality materials that consistently draw people toward your company and products.
As your quality content appeals to your dream customers, inbound brings you qualified prospects and keeps them coming back for more. Instead of interrupting your audience, your marketing becomes relevant and helpful. Content creation, lifecycle marketing, personalization, multi-channel and integration are central themes throughout the inbound marketing process.
The four actions of inbound marketing are:
- Attract: Through blogging, social media, SEO and strategic website pages, you will turn strangers into visitors and attract your ideal customer to your company and products.
- Convert: Utilizing calls-to-action, landing pages, forms and contacts, you will offer value to your customers and turn visitors into leads by obtaining their contact information.
- Close: With the right tools and timing, you’re now ready to turn leads into customers through lead scoring, email and marketing automation (along with closed-loop reporting, if you have a CRM system to integrate).
- Delight: Inbound does not just stop once a sale is made. By engaging, delighting and upselling your current customer base through smart calls-to-action, social media, email and marketing automation, you create happy brand advocates for your company and products.
While my post is a general overview on inbound marketing, HubSpot’s full article is a great resource if you’re interested in more details.