As a marketer, you may be wary of inbound marketing. There’s a lot of buzz around the term but to be frank, this isn’t a trend for today, tomorrow or this year.
Inbound marketing has been around for years and will continue to revolutionize and influence everyone from marketers to web developers to consumers.
On average, inbound leads cost 61% less than leads from outbound marketing methods like billboards, direct mail, or radio advertisements.
Inbound marketing is not a channel, tactic or technology; it is a methodology. With inbound, brands attract, convert, close and delight visitors, leads and customers through a variety of channels including social media, email, blogging, search engine optimization and more.
Don’t believe me? Let’s dive into some facts and statistics behind inbound marketing.
1) Inbound Marketing isn’t Content Marketing
Content marketing is integral to every stage of the inbound methodology. But it is only one piece of the inbound marketing equation. You can use targeted content to help accomplish attracting visitors, converting them into prospects, closing sales and delighting your customers.
2) Inbound Marketing is Similar to a Puzzle
There are many different aspects to the inbound methodology that only generate results when used in unison. In order to attract, convert, close and delight, you have to implement strategies in content marketing, email marketing, SEO, social media marketing and blogging. Alone, these strategies look ok, but you won't get the full picture until you fit all the pieces together.
3) Return on Investment is Much Higher
Have you ever tried measuring the exact ROI of a billboard? How’d that go for you? In 2013, 41% of marketers said that could prove inbound ROI for their company. Once you take the time to account for your efforts and measure the data/analytics gathered, you'll find that inbound marketing delivers time after time.
4) You Need to Spend Time and Creativity on Content Creation
To be successful, you have to spend time and resources on creating content. Content most commonly includes: blog posts, webinars, eBooks, whitepapers, infographics and more. No matter what form you choose, content is responsible for driving each stage in the inbound methodology.
5) Targeted to Buyer Personas
With 78.6% of people in the United States on the Internet, it’s likely your buyer persona lives online. All of the content you create and publish should be targeted for your buyer personas, optimized for search and compelling enough to attract readers.
6) Blogging Increases Visibility and (in-turn) Leads
Don’t be fooled, blogging is a significant source to generate leads and customers for many companies:
- 43% of marketers said they have generated at least one customer from their blog
- 57% of marketers who were committed to blogging monthly could trace customers back to their blogs
- 82% of marketers that blog daily generated customers from their blogs
7) SEO isn’t Dead. It's Evolving
87% of people today use a search engine and 78% use it to do searches for products and services. Therefore,adding SEO to your inbound toolbox is essential. SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate as compared to outbound leads at 1.7%.
8) Landing Pages are the Most Effective Way to Capture Lead Information
Creating unique landing pages (e.g. creating a new landing page with a distinct URL for each and every one of your gated eBooks, webinars, etc.) is an indispensable part of inbound marketing.
- 30+ landing pages = 7x more leads
- 40+ landing pages = 12x more leads
9) With Inbound you can Skip Trial and Error
By conducting A/B testing, you can prove a higher ROI. A/B testing different blog CTA variations has shown to increase click through rates by as much as 200%!
10) Email Marketing Isn't Spam
Email marketing is far from dead; rather it is the best lead-generating strategy. 66% of consumers have made an online purchase as a result of a marketing email.
11) Maintain a Higher Customer Retention Rate
It costs businesses 6 to 7 times more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing customer. This is where the delight aspect comes into play. By using all of the tactics previously mentioned, continue engaging with customers. This positive experience results in happier customers who will then stay with you longer and tell their friends about how great you are.
This article originally appeared on the New Breed Marketing Blog. New Breed Marketing is a HubSpot Partner located in Winooski, VT.
Originally published Aug 22, 2014 10:00:00 AM, updated March 29 2024