The world is always changing, and the way we consume media and information has rapidly changed, too. We’ve transitioned from a society that reads the newspaper, listens to the radio and watches primetime TV, to an on-demand society that has information at its fingertips.
We use social media for communication, streaming services for music and television, ad blockers to prevent intrusive product promotion and have a world of information readily available, thanks to smart devices. Consumers no longer want to be sold to, but rather want content that will provide them value.
Advertising Models Are Changing
Unfortunately, traditional methods of advertising haven’t kept pace with how we consume media, and companies are no longer seeing the ROI they once did. According to eMarketer, around 146.9 million Americans are surfing the web on a device or using an internet-connected app while watching TV. This means all of the money spent on your commercial spot is going to waste because the audience is no longer actively engaged. And online ads that assault the viewer with information not relevant to them will not be successful.
To make matters more difficult, within the scope of digital marketing, there are some traditional approaches that will prove unsuccessful, as well. Simply advertising your product online does not mean your company has an up-to-date marketing strategy. The number of people installing ad blockers onto their mobile and desktop devices continues to increase. According to PageFair, 615 million devices worldwide have an ad blocker, and in 2015 alone, ad blockers cost publishers nearly $22 billion.
Streaming services, which usually offer an ad-free version of their service for a fee, have seen premium subscriptions increase as consumers want to avoid being interrupted by ads. Music streaming services like Spotify have seen their premium user subscriptions grow to over 50 million users, which accounts for more than half of their total user base.
The paradox is that the digital environment is increasingly congested as marketers compete for space. In the midst of this congestion, how can you successfully reach your audience?
The answer is inbound marketing.
What Is Inbound Marketing?
Inbound marketing, according to HubSpot, “is an approach focused on attracting customers through content that are relevant and helpful -- not interruptive.”
Inbound marketing is about providing value-filled content to your respective consumers. Rather than selling, you’re providing solutions to potential problems or starting a conversation with your consumer. Through this engagement, you can build trust and cultivate a long-lasting relationship with your audience.
Successful inbound marketing content can be produced through blogs, social media, videos or through your website. This content typically costs less than traditional advertising methods and produces a greater ROI.
Inbound marketing produces content relevant to your audience’s desires and therefore draws them in directly to your company. Examples of inbound marketing include blog posts that touch on topics interesting to your target audience. An apartment community targeting young urban professionals, for example, might create a series of blog posts that discuss the most popular restaurants and breweries downtown to draw potential renters to that property’s website.
Creating Quality Content
HubSpot notes that “Companies that published 16+ blog posts per month got 4.5X more leads than companies that published 0-4 monthly posts.”
HubSpot also found that “90% of all marketers indicated that their social media efforts have generated more exposure for their businesses.” A garden-style apartment community in a suburban neighborhood, for instance, might use Instagram and Facebook to boast about awards that their local schools have recently won. This information is relevant to families seeking homes in a good school district and would draw them to the apartment community.
Another popular inbound marketing tactic is consistent video content that engages the audience. Hubspot found that “53% of smartphone users feel more favorable towards companies whose mobile sites or apps provide instructional video content.” Rather than showing photos of the beautiful model unit of an apartment community, the management company could post virtual tours of the model, live videos announcing new amenities, and instructional material explaining community policies.
For your inbound marketing strategy to be successful, we cannot emphasize enough that the primary driver of the inbound marketing methodology is the content. Your inbound marketing is only as strong as the content you’re creating and its relevance to your target audience.
Poor content will lead to poor engagement from the viewer. How can you create the best content to drive your marketing strategy? Content should follow these steps within your inbound marketing plan:
1. Attract your customer, typically through blogs, social media and white pages.
2. Convert your customer, creating content that asks for minimal information (name, zip code) so their visit becomes a lead.
3. Close the deal with content that focuses on CRM, email and workflow.
4. Delight your customers and turn them into advocates through social monitoring and surveys so you can ensure they are satisfied and address any concerns.
Developing quality content on a consistent basis will not only delight new and returning customers but drive a better ROI than through traditional advertising methods. If you’re looking to stay relevant and competitive, traditional marketing and advertising methods simply won’t cut it in our digital world. Inbound marketing reverses content from an unwelcome push to a relevant pull, enticing viewers organically to check out your brand. How can you implement inbound marketing into your business?
