You may know inbound marketing involves drawing people to your products and services rather than bombarding them with sales info. But you may not know if you’re doing it right, or even how to get started with an inbound marketing plan.
Part of the beauty of inbound marketing is the lack of exact rules and regulations. What works fabulously for one company may fall absolutely flat for another. Experimentation is typically part of the deal. That said, there are five things that do need to be included in every inbound marketing plan to build a firm and effective foundation. Ready?
1. Blog Content
Blogs are huge for drawing in customers, provided you take the time to map blog content to your customer segments. Moms with kids may be most interested in how-tos for making creamed peas, for instance, while single guys may be more interested in getting the nutritional benefits of peas without actually eating them. Seasonal, quarterly and special interest themes can also work well.
2. Advanced Content
Advanced content consists of content you exchange for customer information. Visitors fill out a form, you give them a download. Using advanced content to capture leads at the top of the sales funnel allows you to nurture them all the way to the bottom. Content mapping again plays a role, as does keeping general interest content at the top and more detailed content at the bottom of the funnel.
Read More: What Are the Best Content Formats To Generate Leads?
Nurturing Mechanisms
These tools kick in when a visitor becomes a lead, and they can involve any number of tactics. A prime example is email nurturing, with emails automatically sent to leads when the lead performs an action that triggers them. A straight-up phone call is an oft-forgotten tactic, one you can use when a visitor is interested enough in your content or company to provide a phone number.
Social Content
Social media platforms are awesome venues for sharing content from your website. You just never know when a specific Facebook share or tweet will go crazy gaining attention. In addition to blog content, share links to your site’s landing pages or consultation page. Alluring content gives people a reason to visit your site, while a Free Consultation landing page or offer gives them a great place to land.
Integration
Integration involves combining two different software systems or platforms to reap the best benefits of both worlds. Combine HubSpot with NetSuite or Salesforce, for example, and you can sync leads, track behaviors and otherwise ensure your marketing and sales teams are on the same page with leads, conversions and strategies.
Secure these five things in place and you’ve created a strong foundation that can support your inbound marketing efforts going forward – no matter what type, style or topics of content you choose.
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