We have all heard the old saying about being "in the right place at the right time." This usually refers to meeting your special someone, or buying the winning lottery ticket - but it holds true for inbound marketing as well.
Inbound marketing tools help you promote the right content in the right place and at the right time.
- Website
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Blogs
- Social media
- Connecting with your customer
Your Website Is Your Store-Front
Think of your website as a virtual brick-and-mortar storefront. Your website has to be eye-catching, professional and interesting enough to make an online visitor want to take a look and then come back again and again. It needs to be easy to read and easy to navigate.
Does Your Content Speak To Your Customers?
Content ultimately affects your SEO and website rankings on search engines such as Google.
When publishing content, first know your audience and speak directly to the readers. Second, use keywords to generate relevant and optimized content to help generate traffic to your site.
Why Do People Read Blogs?
People love blogs. They read them for pleasure, they read them for fun. BUT - the most important reason people read blogs is to be educated! Your blogs need to have an educational component as well as being interesting and even entertaining to read. Keep in mind that each blog needs to have a keyword strategy built behind it in order to generate and attract a targeted audience to your website and business. This is where it gets tricky, and you would need the help of a writer or an agency that can provide you with a keyword strategy for your blogs.
Inbound Marketing And Social Media
Social media lets your customers see your business more informally and helps demystify your brand. Find out which social media networks your customers use and interact with them by sharing and posting on their networks. You will be surprised how quickly your brand can spread when you engage them with your content.
To expose your social media presence, your website should have links to your social media pages. Make sure you monitor your social posts and interact with your audience. They appreciate personal feedback and will more likely refer their friends to your social media pages and to your website.
How To Connect With Your Customer
Make sure you have a contact form that is easily found throughout your website. If it isn't easy to fill out or to find, your site visitors won't take the time to use it. Also, make sure your phone number is always visible on all your website pages, ideally on the top right corner. Include other call-to-action buttons to allow a visitor to engage with your site and submit their information in exchange for something valuable. Try offering to download eBooks/brochures or promotional offers as your call-to-actions.
Outbound marketing for smaller businesses, as compared to inbound marketing, can cost as much as 3 times and it's an outdated strategy. By using some simple inbound marketing tools you can increase your online traffic to your website and convert more leads to actual customers.
