Outbound marketing techniques are no longer as effective as they used to be. People have become more skeptical than ever. Cold call, outreach emails, and sales letters delivered to doorsteps are often greeted with raised eyebrows.
Why should I trust you? This is a question that every first-time prospect asks.
Because of this growing skepticism, smart marketers have discovered a trend that helps you win the hearts of your best customers. Enter Inbound Marketing.
What is Inbound Marketing?
Inbound marketing is the process of attracting people to your online business through quality content creation. Quality content takes your business to the next level because it demonstrates your credibility and expertise without being intrusive. That way, you can engage with your audience on their terms.
If this is your first time to launch a startup business, you might get a little confused as to which techniques to use. This article will show you the best inbound marketing tips you can use for the success of your startup.
Build a target persona.
In order for your content to be effective, it needs to appeal to the right audience. Creating a buyer persona (also termed as marketing persona) allows you to develop a deep understanding of your readers. Gather as many insights as you can by running surveys, interviews, and tapping into your Google Analytics. Note your audience’s demographics, interests, and struggles.
Generate interesting topics.
Another way to identify what people in your niche are currently talking about is to pay attention to online conversations. You can use a content intelligence tool like BuzzSumo to help you with this. Just type in your keyword of choice and you will be shown a list of posts with the highest levels of engagement. Also, track your competitors’ popular posts on social media. Most people comment on and share these posts.
Optimize for keywords.
Keywords are still relevant to Google for the reason that people continue to use them when searching for online information. But rather than focusing on keyword density, prioritize placement. Make sure to include them in your titles, headings, image file names, and meta descriptions. Consider including long-tail and LSI keywords throughout your content. They make your article sound natural while helping Google understand what your page is about.
Incorporate visuals in your article.
Visuals help deliver a good, clear message by getting your point across. It validates what people read. And even if your visitors are simply skimming your content, they can still capture your main message by just looking at your pictures. If you’re tackling a technical topic with a lot of numbers, use infographics. Lengthy articles, on the other hand, can be made more fun by including screenshots, videos, or slideshows.
Start guest posting.
Most trusted experts on the web will tell you that guest blogging is the best inbound marketing strategy. Through guest posting, you’re able to tap into an existing audience. You can find these engaged, relevant audiences on popular websites in your niche. Head over to Alltop.com and look for potential sites to write for. When you reach out to site owners, always mention how you can provide value through your posts. For guest posting to work, you must do it consistently.
Promote what you write on social media.
Sharing your content on social media is a non-intrusive way to make yourself known. Don’t just leave your content to gather dust. Whether your best posts are on your website or not, take the time to share them. You can use a different call-to-action or image every time so that each shared post becomes unique. Try experimenting with different times so you’ll know the hours your audience is most engaged.
Conclusion
As opposed to in-your-face marketing, inbound marketing is more effective in driving leads and sales. Even if you haven’t created your first product or have launched a few ones, execute these strategies early on. Once you’re able to make people notice, you can work to convert those visitors into loyal customers.
