Inbound marketing strategies to grow your brand
Inbound marketing is an influential approach to marketing that originated from the demands of online marketing; however, it is often misunderstood.
One of the most straightforward ways to look at inbound marketing is by comparing it with traditional marketing.
More traditional marketing styles revolve around the need to interrupt a user’s experience on the platform they are on at that time. For example, it could be an ad on the radio or TV. The ad is mostly a disruption from what they are doing, and very rarely is it an entertaining experience; moreover, often, it is not helpful. It is usually not possible to skip these experiences unless it’s an online platform.
Therefore, in the case of online platforms, this type of interruptive marketing typically does not work. Whether a display ad or online video, advertisers have to face the reality that the vast majority will skip and focus on the small percentage of users who may engage with the ads. This is becoming even more challenging with obstacles such as adblocking software.
Inbound marketing, on the other, is a marketing strategy that pulls users in, compared with pushing a particular marketing message.
What is inbound marketing, and how does it work?
Inbound marketing involves creating strategies to develop content that adds value to your target audiences by building an understanding of their needs, providing solutions to their pain points, and being open to what inspires them to create long-term relationships by turning them into loyal customers.
The inbound philosophy is based on building your brand by establishing meaningful, lasting relationships with prospects and turning them into customers. By building long-term relationships with your target audience, you can build a deep understanding of their goals and how your brand fits into that story.
Inbound marketing methodology can be broken down into these three areas:
Attract: Bring in the right people with messages that add value and develop conversations that build trust and authenticity.
Engage: Take a data-first approach by understanding your audience’s problems and aspirations to create solutions and increase the probability that they will purchase your brand’s products and services.
Delight: Use these insights to provide guidance and help to inspire your target audience as they receive true benefit and value from their purchase.
When your customers find this actual value, they are more likely to share this success with others, and they are now your brand advocates. This attracts new customers to your brand, which is why inbound marketing can be so effective in building a solid foundation for your business.
Three types of inbound marketing strategies
Selecting the right strategy for your brand will allow you to be successful in marketing to your target audience. Here, we share three inbound marketing strategies to attract, engage and delight customers to support your business growth.
Attracting strategies
Content creation forms the basis of inbound marketing strategies that have the power to attract your target audience.
Content can range from blog articles to social media posts, as long as they provide value. Typical examples include how-to guides, infographics, customer case studies, and detailed information regarding special promotions or offers.
A robust SEO strategy can further support your inbound content marketing efforts. An effective SEO strategy will target relevant keywords and phrases based on your target audiences’ challenges and your product and service solutions.
Engaging Strategies
Sustainable inbound marketing strategies will focus on engaging the target audience with a long-term view and taking measures to build a relationship. By providing valuable information to your users, they will see your brand as a trusted source and partner for their journey.
First-class customer service that provides genuine value by offering solutions rather than products is the key to success in engaging customers in a way that builds a long-term relationship.
Delighting Strategies
Again, customer service has a key role in delighting your audience. By strategically planning the customer journey, from purchase to after-sales service, every step should be considered to ensure your customers feel satisfied and properly supported every step of the way.
Thoughtful automation can be effective here, too; for example, well-timed chatbots or surveys to guide, support, and gather essential feedback from your customers will allow your brand to ensure you are aligned with your audience. A data-first approach will ensure that this automation and request for feedback make sense in terms of questions and timing.
Conclusion
There are multiple ways to implement inbound marketing. It starts with your audience and considering the type of content they are looking for, their current pain points, and how your products and services fit in.
If you have any questions about inbound marketing or marketing planning, please feel free to contact our expert team at info@relevantaudience.com for more information.
