{"id":131803,"date":"2021-05-19t15:20:53","date_gmt":"2021-05-19t19:20:53","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.hotgingerla.com\/?page_id=131803"},"modified":"2022-12-06t09:55:43","modified_gmt":"2022-12-06t14:55:43","slug":"inbound-marketing","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"\/\/www.hotgingerla.com\/inbound-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"inbound marketing | the complete guide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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inbound marketing: the complete guide<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

inbound marketing is one of the most effective ways to convert prospects into loyal customers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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what is inbound marketing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

inbound marketing is a process that attracts prospective customers by developing content that provides value, answers questions and creates personalized digital experiences. it\u2019s one of the most effective ways to convert prospects into loyal customers. where traditional outbound marketing interrupts and disturbs, inbound marketing connects and delights.<\/p>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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table of contents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>what is inbound marketing?<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>what\u2019s the difference between\u2026<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>elements of a successful inbound marketing strategy<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>types of content to use in inbound marketing<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>inbound marketing processes<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>5 principles of inbound marketing<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>examples of inbound marketing<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>inbound marketing tools<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a>2 visual guides to inbound marketing<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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ebook: inbound marketing best practices<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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what’s the difference between…<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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the proliferation of digital tools has created many ways for brands to reach their target audiences. inbound marketing leverages many different technologies to provide solutions and create strong relationships. take a look at how this methodology compares to other types of marketing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026inbound and outbound marketing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

traditional marketing strategies present marketing materials to people who may or may not be interested in the offer. essentially, outbound tactics like cold calling actively interrupt potential customers to ask if they\u2019re interested in a particular product or service. in this case, the prospects may not be fully aware of the brand and its offerings and they may not be ready to make a purchase decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

inbound marketing takes a more customer-friendly approach. rather than disturbing people in their daily routine, inbound marketing efforts help brands to be found by people who are already interested in learning about them. through blog posts, landing pages, social media and other inbound strategies, marketers can transform their brands into valuable 世界杯预选赛2022直播 and trusted thought leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026inbound and content marketing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

inbound marketing is a big-picture concept that encompasses many different activities. content marketing is one of those activities; it uses content that a target group will find beneficial to establish a relationship based on trust and expertise. so, the two concepts are not exactly the same thing, but they have the same goals because content marketing is a highly effective means of attracting inbound prospects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026inbound and digital marketing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

if inbound marketing is a broad term that includes many different methods of attracting customers, then digital marketing is an even broader term that involves any marketing using digital technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

therefore, sending cold emails would be a form of digital marketing, but not inbound marketing. however, an email newsletter for which customers proactively sign up would be both digital and inbound marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026inbound and online marketing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

online marketing, or internet marketing, is a subset of digital marketing. in fact, most forms of digital marketing would be classified as online marketing because they involve communication between brands and customers over the internet. however, some forms of digital marketing do not require a connection to the web. digital billboards, smartphone apps and sms communications may use digital technologies, but aren\u2019t necessarily online. in contrast, almost all inbound marketing strategies utilize the internet, but there may be a few exceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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read more:<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>inbound marketing vs content marketing: understanding the difference (infographic)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

content marketing and inbound marketing go hand-in-hand, but what\u2019s the difference? learn what makes these…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/a>inbound vs outbound marketing: what\u2019s the difference? (infographic)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

inbound has changed the way marketers think about engaging with their audiences and has given…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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elements of a successful
inbound marketing strategy<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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inbound marketing strategies are highly flexible and easy to scale. depending on the needs of a brand\u2019s audience, marketers may choose to use a mix of tactics. for instance, b2b marketers often leverage long-form content like case studies and white papers, while b2c marketers are more likely to be active on social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

search engine optimization (seo)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

this is the process of optimizing a website\u2019s structure and content to rank organically on search engines like google and bing. the higher a webpage appears on a search engine results page (serp), the more likely people are to click on it. in fact, the top three positions on any given serp get the majority of clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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content marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

content forms the backbone of any effective inbound marketing campaign. without engaging content, site visitors aren\u2019t likely to spend much time hanging around. inbound marketers conduct research to discover what their target audience is looking for online. it might be information about an industry, a trend or a particular product or service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

content marketing is highly valuable to brands because it helps them to rank highly in serps. in fact, content that is deemed high quality by google often becomes a rich snippet<\/a> \u2013 a serp feature that is enticing to searchers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

email marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

traditional marketers used physical mail and email to send mass communications to people who might be interested in their offerings. inbound email marketing takes a different approach. rather than pushing out emails in the hopes that they will convert prospects, inbound email marketing seeks to draw customers to the brand\u2019s website with valuable content. often, marketers will use segmented lists to send highly personalized messages to prospects who have expressed interest in a particular offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

social media marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

brands with a strong social media presence forge strong relationships with their customers. a social media page is often the first place prospects connect with brands. inbound marketers use social channels to distribute content and engage in conversations with customers. ultimately, the goal is to use social media to attract users to the brand\u2019s website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

influencer marketing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

many customers dislike traditional outbound marketing because they don\u2019t want to be sold to. however, consumers have shown a preference for learning about new products from online personalities they trust. a recent survey found that 72% of consumers prefer to interact with micro-level social media influencers \u2013 those with fewer than 100,000 followers, compared with celebrity endorsements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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read more:<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>how to increase sqls the inbound way [success story]<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

one of the largest b2b it solutions companies in north america needed a sustained lead generation engine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/a>how we helped a global it services company increase inbound leads by 51% [success story]<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

b2b companies with long sales cycles need leads, and lots of them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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types of content to use in
inbound marketing<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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without strong content, inbound marketing strategies wouldn\u2019t be so effective. brands that distribute several types of content on various channels can reach their target audience wherever they happen to be online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

blog posts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

blogs are one of the most common forms of content marketing because they can be highly valuable 世界杯预选赛2022直播 for customers in search of information. search-optimized blogs help brands to rank highly in serps and capture top-of-funnel traffic. blogs can address customer pain points and then direct them to other pieces of content that either lead them to make a purchase or contact a sales representative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

today, blogs and other forms of content should be optimized for mobile devices, because search providers like google use mobile versions of webpages for ranking. pages that load fast and offer simple user interfaces are more likely to place highly in serps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

landing pages<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

considering that inbound marketing focuses on drawing customers to your site, it should be no surprise that landing pages are an essential part of an effective inbound strategy. landing pages should not only be optimized for search engines, but also for the brand\u2019s sales funnel. that means each landing page should serve a specific purpose and it should connect to other relevant pieces of content through strategic linking strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

for example, many marketers combine pay-per-click (ppc) ads with optimized landing pages. so, if a ppc ad that appears on a serp addresses a specific keyword, it should lead to a high-quality landing page that gives the reader more information about that keyword. from there, engaging calls to action can drive site visitors further down the funnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

case studies<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

modern customers want proof of an offering\u2019s value before they part with their hard-earned money. b2b customers likewise have an obligation to ensure they spend their budgets wisely and with the least amount of risk. case studies provide brands with a way to demonstrate the value of their offerings in a tangible way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

people enjoy reading stories, and a good case study is just that: a compelling story. using quotes and anecdotes from satisfied customers, case studies provide an engaging platform for prospects to learn about brands. plus, case studies can be a useful type of gated content<\/a>, for which prospects will exchange their contact information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

infographics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

whether or not you believe that 65% of people are visual learners, there\u2019s no doubt that graphics can be a highly effective way to get across important information. in fact, users are three times more likely to share infographics<\/a> than other types of content. through colorful illustrations and easily digestible copy, infographics provide readers with useful information without taking up too much of their time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

not all infographics need to be whimsical, either. b2b brands often use infographics to convey data in an engaging manner, without departing from their typical brand tone and voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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read more:<\/strong><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>14 types of visual content to use in your content marketing strategy [infographic + slideshare]<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

if you want to stand out from the crowd and appeal to more readers, add these visuals to your content marketing strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a><\/a><\/a>your guide to 16 types of written content (ebook)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

creative content writing is both a science and an art form.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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inbound marketing processes<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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marketers around the world have developed their processes for attracting and converting new customers. take a look at some of the most popular methods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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this concept was coined by rand fishkin on the moz blog in 2013. it uses the engineering principle of a flywheel \u2013 a revolving device used to store power \u2013 as a metaphor for attracting customers. a flywheel requires significant effort to start moving, but once it\u2019s going, it takes less energy to keep moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

so, how is inbound marketing like a flywheel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

in this model, the first customer engagements are like the first spin of the wheel. it takes a tremendous amount of work to earn the first marketing conversions, but over time, it becomes easier to convert prospects as the marketing effort ramps up. a concrete example would be the creation of a new landing page. it can take up to three months for the page to rank on the first page of google, but once it does, more and more prospects are likely to find it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

inbound marketing funnels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

there are two widely accepted inbound marketing funnels:<\/p>\n\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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1. customer lifecycle<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n