The American Marketing Association defines marketing as “the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large.”
Marketing has more to do with creating a demand for the products that you are offering and fulfilling your customers’ needs than just enticing people to buy whatever it is you are offering. In other words, marketing is providing value to potential customers, which they wouldn’t find elsewhere.
Today, marketing comes in many forms. There are different kinds of digital marketing strategies nowadays (PPC, email marketing, banner advertising platforms such as Click2sell.co, etc.), and one of the most effective and perhaps even crucial for your business is inbound marketing.
What is inbound marketing?
In a gist, inbound marketing is a strategy that provides the right relevant information to anyone searching for it online at a given time. It gives consumers access to detailed information on specs, reviews, prices, etc. with just a few clicks of the mouse. Unlike traditional marketing, inbound marketing does not interrupt people’s thinking process, which is why it is becoming less and less effective.
Companies, nowadays, are employing new methodologies that increase brand awareness, develop lasting relationships with customers, and generate more fresh leads. In other words, inbound marketing entices customers to go to your website instead of you chasing them down. This builds more trust, strengthen your reputation, and establishes your business or brand as an authority in your niche.
Inbound marketing strategies to use in your site
No single inbound marketing strategy will work on its own. This is why it’s recommended to incorporate these four essential inbound marketing methods for a healthy marketing ecosystem for your website.
- SEO (search engine optimization)
An important part of your SEO strategy is using effective keywords related to your niche. It is how your target audience will find you online. Aside from that, you should also make sure you have a well-structured and optimized website, and that you implement the best SEO practices, including using backlinks and making sure your site is mobile-friendly.
- Social media
Billions of people worldwide are using social media to share and search for information on a daily basis. Without a social media presence for your business, you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities on massive platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and more. If you want to gain more customers, then you need to get out there and build a strong social media following.
- Content
With the right content on your website, you can build your business or brand as an authority in your niche. How do you do that? Use fresh and unique content that your target audience will most likely search for online. Then, for your content strategy, share your blog posts or video content across all social media networks and other niche-related blogs. This will increase brand awareness, making you more searchable online.
- Communication channels
In order to engage your target audience, it’s recommended to use email marketing and conversational tools to respond automatically to queries. This makes potential customers happy because they feel that their thoughts and feelings are valued.
Bottom line
Inbound marketing should be all about using different kinds of digital marketing strategies to engage people who are interested in what you’re offering, and then, helping them find answers to their problems and questions.
