The Subtle Beauty of Inbound Marketing

No one appreciates an enthusiastic sign-twirler doing his best Orange Justice or Justin Timberlake bringing it on down to Veganville more than we do, but not all marketing efforts have to be flashy. And while outbound marketing such as paid ads typically get the most chatter in the marketing world, there’s a lot to be said for adding value for those who come to you. To boot, inbound marketing is less expensive, so getting conversions by providing quality content is an ideal scenario. 

Let’s talk lead magnets, which are essentially incentives that marketers offer to potential clients in exchange for contact information. These lead magnets usually take the form of a report, eBook, video, whitepaper, checklist, or other piece of downloadable content. In order for the lead magnet to add value, it has to be exclusive content that this audience can’t get anywhere else.  

Because content marketing drives leads and sales, it should be the lifeblood of any inbound market strategy worth it salt. According to recent research, marketers have reported putting 32 percent of the budget into content marketing. That’s a huge piece of the strategy pie. 

There is a downside to this, though, and that is some agencies start putting out quantity over quality due to the pressure of having to churn out so much content…hence the need to add value. The demand for videos, blog posts, infographics, and other forms of content can seem so intimidating, it becomes all the more imperative to have a process in place to make sure content isn’t simply released to keep up with this breakneck pace. What happens when marketers try to keep up with SEO demands and best practices is the content smacks of “been there, done that.”

That’s why it’s crucial to always add value, and we’ve shared some ways to ensure that below.

Don’t Worry About Leaving Them Hanging

There used to be a lot of talk about providing content that left the audience wanting more and, while there is a time and place for that, the last thing you want to do is provide content as clickbait. If you leave them hanging, they will likely get frustrated and bounce. If you provide the answer or information they need, you are building trust. Each time you do this, you are increasing the likelihood that this consumer will engage in behavior like subscribing to your email list, perusing your website, and following you on social media. 

Know and Focus on Your Target Demographic

Whether you’ve created personas or not, you surely have an idea of what your target audience looks like. Instead of putting out information in an attempt to appeal to the masses, home in on topics that will establish you as a thought leader in the eyes of your target demographic.

Repurposing Content is a Good Thing

You hear a lot about creating evergreen content but repurposing content can be just as valuable if not more so. Marketing news or current events will often bring something you’ve written on in the past to the forefront once again. Marie Kondo might have us throwing away all of our belongings, but content can be continuously repurposed once it’s been checked for accuracy and the date has been changed. Remarketing is a stellar outbound marketing tactic, and this is a similar approach for inbound marketing. Think of it as being a content environmentalist, as you are not only saving time but you are making the most of your resources for content generation. 

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If you’re ignoring inbound marketing, you’re missing out on significant lead generation and higher conversion rates. Contact us to learn more about how value added content will garner you an impressive ROI…sign-twirling optional.