Inbound Marketing vs. Outbound Marketing

Marketing is important to every business. A quality marketing campaign allows consumers to learn about your company and the products or services you offer. As technology has changed, so have the ways in which marketing is handled. Companies that do not implement new strategies will have a hard time keeping up with their competitors. 

There are two types of marketing – inbound and outbound. Both of these types have a different focus and approach. While outbound marketing used to be the only way to get your company noticed, inbound marketing is preferred. 

Outbound Marketing

Outbound marketing efforts include television commercials, radio advertisements, print advertisements, online banner ads, direct mail, telemarketing, and billboards. The idea behind outbound marketing is to get your message in front of as many people as possible in the hopes that one person will bite. 

Outbound marketing used to be the only type of marketing possible. Unfortunately, this method is disruptive and ineffective. People turn off commercials and close banner ads at the first opportunity they get. In fact, there are services now where you can pay to avoid advertisements altogether. It’s clear that outbound marketing is no longer a viable option for companies looking to succeed. 

Inbound Marketing

While outbound marketing focuses on finding customers, inbound marketing draws customers to you. This is accomplished through organic search traffic, opt-in email forms, and content publication. With inbound marketing, you give your potential customers a reason to learn more. The more times they come back, the greater the chance of a conversion. 

In addition to being highly effective, inbound marketing costs significantly less than outbound marketing. This is because there are no publications, billboards, or airtime to purchase. There is no need to pay someone to print and deliver your marketing materials. All of your marketing is accomplished through the Internet. 

Inbound marketing draws visitors in and entices them to learn more. When done properly, this type of approach creates brand authority through the creation of valuable content.

Communication

Inbound marketing revolves around the creation of valuable content. This might be a blog, white paper, press release, or other online document. Whatever the case, the information you provide should be specifically targeted to your intended audience. It should be both easy and enjoyable to read. 

Perhaps the biggest difference between outbound and inbound marketing is the way that businesses communicate. With outbound marketing, the message is one-sided. Businesses provide their message with no way for potential customers to respond. Inbound marketing allows you to interact with consumers in new and meaningful ways.

Advances in technology have made it easier than ever before to connect with both your customers and your potential customers. Social media allows for direct and instant communication. 

Social media sites are the perfect place to begin a conversation about your products and services. These websites allow you to offer discounts and specials, and to respond immediately to customer questions and concerns.

Inbound Marketing Techniques

Inbound marketing involves a number of techniques. When used together, these techniques improve the chance of success. 

SEO – Search Engine Optimization (SEO) involves a number of tactics designed to make your website more attractive to the search engines. When done right, SEO can help your company come up on the first or second page of search engine results.

Content Creation – As mentioned above, valuable content is an extremely important part of inbound marketing. Fresh, interesting content, geared toward the interests of your intended audience, can improve your search engine ranking and draw more visitors to your website.

Calls to Action – It’s important to include calls of action throughout your website. This might include filling out an email address to download a white paper or eBook, or encouraging readers to purchase a product for a discounted rate. Whatever the case, calls to action entice your visitors to take the next step. This is crucial to your company’s success.

Social Media – Social media is an excellent place to promote your content and address concerns. Social media websites provide an opportunity to begin and continue conversations with your customers.

Email – Email allows you to nurture leads that have shown interest in your business. An effective email campaign helps keep everyone informed.

Conversion Pipeline offers marketing services across a wide range of industries. Please contact us for more information.

Michael Delpierre
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