Over the pandemic, consumers found the convenience of online shopping and food deliveries, and many businesses were forced to take their first steps in e-commerce and web marketing.
Today, many customers first find out about your products and services through a blog post. Or they search for a solution, and your content shows up on the #1 page of the Google search results. Their friend might mention your brand and branded hashtag on social media and messaging apps (word-of-mouth). Those are just a few examples of inbound marketing.
Unlike outbound marketing (e.g., cold calls and banner advertising), inbound marketing creates memorable experiences through websites, social media content creation, and personalized emails. Content marketing aims to help you reach your KPIs while giving your audience something of value that keeps them coming back.
Moreover, content marketing efforts build credibility and help prospective customers understand the value of your products and services – and finally, trust you enough to make a purchase.
5 inbound marketing tactics for any business
Inbound marketing is not just content creation, targeted email sequences, and landing pages. It takes consistent and concerted effort to create an inbound marketing strategy that is worthwhile.
And sometimes, it’s hard to identify which tactics are genuinely relevant and which of them belong to the priorities you need to get right first.
In this article, we’ll share our top 5 – the most relevant inbound marketing tactics your brand should know about and are easy to start:
- Email marketing
- SEO
- Social media marketing
- User-generated content campaigns
- Webinars and podcasts
1. Email marketing
Not using email marketing as an inbound strategy in 2022 is like leaving money on the table. To make sure your email marketing runs without too much manual work, use email newsletter templates that are editable and personalized enough to appeal to every audience member.
Using a robust email marketing and marketing automation platform like Moosend can boost your efforts to reach out to your audience and create content that stems from a specific user action.
Each user receives a personalized email tailored to their interests based on your website data – you can’t afford to lose conversions by recommending content and suggesting products or services your audience is not interested in. Customers who perceive your content as irrelevant look for a similar product elsewhere.
2. SEO
Has your company invested in SEO?
It might not be the buzzword of 2022, but search engine optimization (SEO) is a natural part of e-commerce, home repairs, travel & hospitality, and many other industries. And it can be an effective inbound marketing strategy for your business, too.
To attract customers who are looking for your product or to change from a competitor, you will need to invest in keyword research and some of the technical aspects of SEO. After research, create content that is served (or underserved) by your competitors. Concentrate on 'how-to' searches and listicles at the start.
Here, consistency is the key: create new content around a couple of key topics regularly and remember to keep the old, high-ranking posts up-to-date, too. Optimizing content for search engines will ensure your audience will bump into your brand organically, at the right place and time.
3. Social media marketing
Content without distribution won’t bring you much traffic alone.
Social media marketing is one of the most popular tactics, and it should be a core part of your inbound marketing strategy, along with email marketing.
Social media shares and engagement help your brand get more visibility and build your credibility so your audience won't hesitate to share your content.
Use tools like Buffer or Sprout Social to schedule and post your content on the most relevant social media channels – those that your customers love and not necessarily the personal favorites of your marketing team members!
To make sure you stand out from the competition and get more eyeballs for your branded posts, embed social media feeds on your websites and other digital platforms.
The more followers and engagement you can drive through your digital channels, the more visibility social media algorithms bring to your brand in the future. Using all your assets like websites, apps, email newsletters, and digital screens for distribution is the cornerstone of effective social media marketing.
4. User-generated content campaigns
Social proof is one of the oldest inbound marketing tactics. Since the first magazines and radio shows, marketers have used influencers to tell and show how their product benefits the audience.
Because of social media, influencers are now everywhere. For a niche product or local services, the right influencer might be the average Joe on Instagram, who speaks from their experience.
That’s why brands create user-generated content campaigns.
A UGC campaign encourages customers and influencers in creating content – mentioning a branded hashtag. Typically, brands create hashtag contests or ask customers to share product reviews and feedback.
To show you a fantastic example, Sohome gathers social proof with the hashtags #sohome and #makeityourown.
It’s easy to embed Instagram feeds on any website and digital service – a live-updating stream of customer posts keeps visitors engaged with your brand longer and shows how other customers already use your products and services.
5. Webinars and podcasts
Last but not least, webinars and podcasts have become conversion powerhouses and are relatively easy to start. They can lead users gently down the funnel with clever interaction and targeted collaborations.
For example, build a series that tells how others already benefit from your product. Interviewing customers and influencers will automatically create other shareable content, too. For example, you can create a podcast and a webinar at the same time, and then use short audio and video clips on all social media channels after the show.
Or sponsor a podcast by someone your audience trusts and especially when one of your customers is interviewed on the show. Episodes with influencers sharing their experiences and interacting with listeners boost brand awareness and bring leads.
Summary
The above five are our favorite inbound marketing tactics for 2022 – any company with an online presence can and should get started with them. In addition, honorable mentions should go to in-app experiences like IKEA's AR efforts and influencer marketing campaigns on TikTok. Though, they might not yet be within reach for a company looking to get the basics of inbound marketing right.
All in all, though, inbound marketing isn't a one-size-fits-all marketing method. You will need to conduct keyword research, create targeted email sequences, know your audience, and sometimes think outside the box. But as a result, you'll be one step ahead of the competition and develop educational content while establishing your brand as an authority in your niche. Eventually, you'll drive more customers to purchase your product.
