Top 10 Reasons Your Brand Needs Inbound Marketing in 2017

Inbound Marketing is by far the best and most cost-efficient way to grow your business in 2017. Rather than using modern methods like cold calling and buying email lists, inbound provides a more efficient, better way of attracting new customers to your business and keeping them

Today’s consumer has far more choices because of search, social media, and online videos. It’s crucial that your brand leverages inbound strategies to “show up” when they’re looking for you online…or they’ll head over to your competitors.

Additionally, spending your time and dollars on inbound marketing is well invested as these results can be tracked, tested, and improved to yield even greater results for your business.

If you haven’t embraced the inbound marketing way or are still wondering how it will benefit you, here are 10 compelling reasons your brand needs inbound marketing as the best strategy in 2017 to grow your business.

#1 Forces You to Get Clear on Your Market

This is a key component to your inbound plan: knowing your target audience. You see, getting clearer on the market you serve allows you to create strategic, purposeful content that attracts ideal customers to your brand. You’ll no longer “struggle” with developing content topics and ideas for your blog and social media posts.

Clarity of your audience also helps you understand their pains and challenges so you can position your brand as the solution. When people know you can help solve their problems in your given niche, they’re more apt to follow you. Creating buyer personas is indeed the best way to get clear on your market to execute an effective marketing strategy.

#2 Search is the First Source for Traffic

Search engines like Google and Bing are driving tremendous traffic to websites (Source: Search Engine Land). These new (and return) visitors have the opportunity to learn more about your brand, connect with your message, and potentially become leads or customers.

When you improve your website for SEO and local search, you’re more likely to be found by your ideal customer and capitalize on this traffic frenzy.

#3 Increases Brand Exposure

From social media publishing to blogging, YouTube marketing, live-streaming videos, SEO, retargeting ads, webinars, infographics, and live events, the inbound way generates massive exposure to your brand.

There are so many techniques to choose from that best represents your brand and appeals to your unique audience. The key is discovering which tactics resonate by testing and measuring your results to improve your overall strategy.

#4 Includes Your Social Media Marketing Plan

The benefits to ramping up your social media marketing in 2017 are far too compelling to ignore. These platforms are excellent to further engaging with your followers and customers, creatively showcasing your products, and offering value that keeps users connected.

The good news is that a strong inbound strategy will include your social plan so it’s not separate from your ultimate business goals. They align so that every post you publish is intentional in either generating engagement (likes, shares, comments, and/or clicks) or spreading awareness.

#5 Generate Qualified Leads

Growing your leads list is the lifeblood to your company. When you have more leads to work with, you’re boosting opportunities for revenue and business growth. But you don’t want just any leads…only ones that are truly interested in your brand and what you have to offer. Qualified leads that are nurtured properly result in sales.

You attract qualified leads through remarkable content. With your valuable content, tools like landing pages, web forms, webinars, and pop-up boxes successfully capture leads from your sites.

#6 Bolsters Thought-Leadership

As you publish content that educates, informs, and solves problems, you will significantly position your brand an expert in your industry. This is perhaps the best way to build the know, like and trust factor with your audience…especially those who’ve never heard of your brand before. Bolstering thought-leadership increases your influence and reach online, giving you the slight edge above your competition.

Sharing insight on topics related to your niche, reporting breaking news, and highlighting other influencers are ideal tactics for improving your presence online.

#7 Build Authentic Relationships with Customers

Email marketing, another vital component to inbound, is the bridge that converts leads into buying customers. Email keeps followers connected long after they leave your website or social media page. It’s where you build relationships using valuable, personalized content that moves them closer to becoming clients and fosters repeat business.

Email has an incredible impact on revenue, with a 3800% ROI and $38 for every $1 spent. A working inbound plan will yield favorable results from your email strategy.

#8 Showcase the Essence of Your Brand

Inbound marketing gives you the freedom of expressing your brand’s personality, your mission, and the vision you have for your company and its customers. People get to experience the real you! Through your content, you can create transparent moments that humanize your brand and allows followers to relate to you. It’s the best way to share your story and draw your audience in with your message.

#9 Inbound Marketing is Customer-Approved!

More consumers are using ad-blockers and declining traditional methods that were once effective before the digital era. Yet, they are highly interested in gathering information and learning about products before they buy without the pressure of a regular sales pitch. In a technology age where consumers desire to locate information at their fingertips, using inbound tactics will capture their attention more quickly and effectively.

They’re also looking to communicate more this way. For example, a third of millenials have shared that they prefer communicating with businesses via social media. It’s important that brands adapt to stay connected with today’s consumer.

#10 Improves Customer Retention

The beauty of inbound marketing is that it doesn’t stop at converting leads into customers. It goes beyond, seeking repeat business and ways to grow a loyal fan base who rave about your brand to their family and friends. You see, inbound encourages you to create a plan where you build an army of satisfied customers who refer you to their networks.

Through surveys, social monitoring, preferred customer programs, and sharing valuable content, you’ll constantly revamp techniques that WOWs your clients…keeping them coming back to you for more.

Conclusion

Adopting inbound marketing is essential for 2017. Consumers are actively looking to engage with your brand online…inbound marketing is by far the best way to create these connections, expand your awareness, and successfully grow your business.