Why does your content strategy work better when you align it with inbound marketing? The benefits that content inbound marketing can bring to your B2B business are substantial. We find these benefits so valuable that we declare inbound marketing a must.
Simply put, the basic principle of inbound marketing is to create content that magically attracts and engages your customers With this methodology, you're not simply sending unsolicited promotional messages to potential clientele, you're getting real prospects on board who voluntarily pick up information about your business and want to interact. Your declared goals are.
Increase traffic
Turn visitors into leads
Convert leads into orders/contracts
Keep acquired customers as long term customers
Analyze customer needs
Create optimal interaction channels
Benefit from referral marketing
You achieve an increase in traffic through the typical rules of application, which are identical to proven content marketing. These are based on attention-generating, thematically relevant content that is designed to be search engine friendly (keyword SEO). You publish the created content on your website(s), via social networks, advertising banners and blog or online trade magazine, so that it can be found frequently by internet users via search engines. Overall, the impetus is to go viral.
Useful content that adds informative value and doesn't just scratch the surface is likely to really hook the reader. In inbound marketing, you may equate the phrase "captivate" with "retain." The development of interesting content is linked to a double opt-in, i.e. the user provides their contact details and gives their consent to be contacted by email, SMS/phone or subscribes to your newsletter.
Once you have created your appropriate platform for automatic lead generation, the next step is to regularly provide your potential customers with relevant information about your offers and to create a basis of trust with regard to quality features, reliable order processing, customer service, etc. Based on incoming inquiries and orders for your actions, you can see whether your content is written in a way that is suitable for inbound marketing and where there is room for improvement.
"Come in and check it out!" is the inviting motto associated with inbound marketing. Yet the exact tone to which users respond as different age and target groups cannot be concretely determined. Industry, consumer needs, trends and developments play an important role. Therefore, you can't avoid analyzing the taking place customer reactions and prevailing customer desires. Only in this way can you pick up your persona in the wording where they feel comfortable.
Your content must be so appealing that the prospective buyer is happy to accept your invitation and look in on your company - not fleetingly, but with full attention and a desire to discover.
With inbound marketing, you rely fully on the attention of Internet users. At the beginning, you determine which buyer personas you want to address as part of a content marketing strategy. This way, you can align your content with them and thus create a good basis for attracting as many leads as possible that correspond to your personas.
Inbound Marketing Phase 1: Attract
Strangers turn into visitors when your company's blogs with informative articles, social media post, relevant keywords, or even offline methods like trade shows and word-of-mouth tip them off to visit your web content. Then the attraction of your content has worked. From a non-committal visit to a lead, your relationship evolves when an anonymous visitor becomes a contact.
Inbound Marketing Phase 2: Convert
The conversion from visitor to lead, who has now become a tangible and directly addressable contact for you in person, means a transformation process towards a customer. He has already expressed his interest in your business activities by responding to a call to action. A possible conclusion of a sale is within reach.
Inbound Marketing Phase 3: Closing
In the closing phase, the lead becomes a customer. You support the lead with content that helps them make their decision. This can be checklists, comparisons or free trial and demo offers. Other important factors in the closing phase are also the integration of the entire buying center and a smooth and clear process from handover from marketing to sales to customer success.
Inbound Marketing Phase 4: Inspire
You also continue to provide your already acquired customers with news and informative topics about your company. This paves the way for cross- & upselling. Therefore, it is also important in the last phase that you provide appropriate content - especially best practice tips, events and product updates are important here. Once you have captured your customers' enthusiasm, they become your brand ambassadors and direct promoters of your products. They are convinced of your services, are happy about their positive experiences and are happy to recommend you.
The positive effects of inbound marketing make it a likeable solution for both parties. Customers actively approach your B2B company. They don't feel pressured, but decide to get in touch with you and, ideally, even recommend you to others. But for this you need relevant and exciting content. The strategy of your content marketing should therefore be in line with your inbound marketing strategy.