Inbound marketing isn\’t just the next marketing trend. It\’s quickly becoming the primary strategy that marketers use to get ahead. Because it beats traditional advertising by a long shot.
Consumers respond less and less to traditional or outbound marketing. Think print ads, billboards, and online banners. With more businesses than ever competing for attention, ad space is oversaturated and overwhelming. Many people opt out of ads altogether and everyone has become better at simply tuning businesses out.
That\’s where inbound marketing comes in. With inbound, you don\’t need to fight for space. Your strategies focus on drawing customers to your business organically. Before planning an inbound marketing strategy, you need to understand the difference between B2B and B2C customers. B2B customers are businesses that serve other businesses. B2C clients are businesses that sell directly to customers. Understand which group your customers fall into before beginning a marketing strategy, because each requires very different marketing methods.
Effective inbound strategies for both B2B and B2C customers include:
- content creation
- blogging
- social media marketing
- SEO
- keyword optimization
Benefits of Inbound Marketing
It\’s easier to reach your target audience with inbound. Consumers pay attention to content produced through inbound methods, whether that\’s guides, blog posts, or tweets. But many ignore or distrust outbound sales tactics.
Inbound is cost-effective. Paid advertising costs add up quickly and deplete your budget. But most inbound marketing methods only require you to put in the time. It\’s why 62 percent of companies outsource this work and still spend less than they would have on traditional marketing.
Inbound prepares your business for the long-term. Outbound marketing can give your business a sudden, short-term boost. But inbound marketing plays the long game. Effective inbound strategies build a foundation for your business to continue growing, gaining visibility, and building a strong brand image.
Inbound marketing outperforms outbound marketing consistently and by a wide margin. Learn how you can start using inbound marketing or improve your current strategy by scheduling a consultation today.
