What is inbound marketing and how to use inbound marketing tactics to fuel your business's growth
Inbound marketing refers to a digital marketing methodology that relies on attraction or ‘pull’ marketing tactics to draw people to a business and its products or services.
The organic and non-intrusive nature of inbound marketing distinguish it from outbound marketing methods that employ paid channels and are often disruptive. Inbound marketing invites audiences to come to your brand, while outbound methods pursue audiences’ attention.
Inbound marketing has its roots in the pre-internet strategies of relationship and attraction marketing. Inbound is executed by producing attractive, engaging content that answered people’s questions and invited them to begin a conversation with the brand.
Instead of going out in search of leads, inbound methodologies bring those leads to your website.
How do you know if what you're doing is inbound marketing?
Well, what you call it doesn't really matter. But if you want to make a positive ID, here are some tips.
Inbound marketing
-Uses digital marketing channels
-Distributes content through owned or earned media
-Gives value freely
-Is permission-based and non-disruptive
-Aims to attract, engage, and delight
-Minimizes sales language and direct asks
-Targets audiences and individuals with tailored content
-Is a customer-first, growth focused approach to marketing
Most of us think of blogs and e-books when we think of inbound content. But your inbound assets also include all the pages on your website and the pop-ups or other add-ons you use to attract new prospects and convince them to enter your sales funnel (or pipeline or flywheel...).
Developing the content for your inbound strategies may take some time but it's worth the effort. The content you create is a long-term, fully-owned asset that you can update and repurpose.
Use outbound or paid channels to bring traffic to your website and gain traction when you are in a hurry and can afford it. But don't overlook the benefits of adding attractions to your owned properties that make people want to visit and stick around. 😉
So is the distinction between outbound and inbound essentially paid marketing vs unpaid?
Thanks for commenting! Yes, paid vs unpaid is a primary distinction.
Inbound is also limited to the digital realm. If you were to execute a campaign to attract people to an in-person event, it would be categorized as experiential or attraction marketing. Of course, these categories were developed when the boundaries between digital and physical were clearer.
In today's marketing environment, your in-person and digital activities should be interconnected and create a seamless flow of communication.
Also, inbound usually focuses on giving more than asking. What information, value, support or entertainment can I give the prospect so that they want to purchase from me?
At the end of the day, the mindset matters more than the label. Are you creating ads that push for a sale or sharing content that builds a relationship? Your repeat, high-value customers are going to come from building strong relationships.
(Can you tell I'm a little biased in favor of inbound? 🙂)