I like to think of Inbound marketing as the hero in the digital marketing story. Essentially, the world of marketing was turned upside down with the birth of new media, and as the world of marketing and communication was changing, the villain in this story became the unknown:
How do we use this new channel?
What does it mean for reaching our audience?
How can we produce measurable results?
Everyone’s on Facebook, so I guess we should be too? And Twitter. And Instagram. And…?
What new program, platform or social channel is coming out today and how do we use it?
We need a QR code. We don’t need a QR code anymore.
What are the ethical considerations of this new media that can directly intervene in a person’s personal life?
With not a moment to spare, Inbound Marketing burst onto the scene to bring order to our marketing world with an elegant, sophisticated methodology that not only produces amazing results for organizations but empowers consumers.
As a thanks and head nod to Inbound Marketing for saving the day, we created a list of our top 10 reasons why we MAJOR heart Inbound Marketing.
Category #1: The Consumer
Buyers are interacting with companies and researching the products and services online before they make a purchase. What this means is that they no longer have to walk through the door of a company or talk to a company representative to get more information. They can find out everything they need while binge watching their favorite Netflix show.
With this knowledge in mind, Inbound Marketing equips you with the methodology to provide the right content to engage these buyers while they are in the research phase. So, basically:
Reason 1: 81% of shoppers conduct online research before buying.
Reason 2: 60% of shoppers are going to a search engine first for that research.
Reason 3: Buyers go through about 57% of the purchasing process before ever talking to a salesperson.
Reason 4: 1 in 3 Millennials choose Blogs as a top media source before making a purchase.
Bottom line: you have to have a strong online presence. By making your brand highly visible, you increase your chances that consumers will find you online, learn about what makes you unique and ultimately turn to you as a solution for their needs.
Category #2: Remarkable Content
Inbound marketing not only helps you engage with buyers earlier in the process, but it also helps you nurture more of them into customers through REMARKABLE CONTENT. Consider the following:
Reason 6: Nurtured leads make 47% greater purchases compared to non-nurtured leads.
Bottom line: getting in front of your prospects early on establishes your brand as a helpful resource, and increases your odds of nurturing prospects into customers. Remember, the days of shouting your message are through.
Category #3: A Greater Return on Investment (show me the ROI!)
The ROI is important, and something as marketers we continually have to look at and analyze. The numbers don’t lie when it comes to inbound marketing, or the ROI it provides:
Reason 9: Companies are 3x as likely to see a higher ROI on Inbound Campaigns vs. Outbound.
Reason 10: Marketers who have prioritized blogging are 13x more likely to enjoy positive ROI.
Bottom line: inbound marketing will help you achieve significant results - just look at the numbers!
And now it’s your turn! Talk to us about why you think inbound marketing is awesome. What deliverables has inbound helped you to achieve? Any additional reasons you would add to our list? Please comment below!
