Imagine this: you’re casually scrolling through social media, and for the first time in forever, you come across an ecommerce page that grabs your attention. You go to the profile and find yourself staring at a promotional post for socks (you’ve shockingly been meaning to buy some) so you end up buying six pairs. That’s inbound marketing.
Inbound Marketing Strategy and Services
Inbound marketing is the art and science of subtly creating content specifically tailored to segmented audiences in order to boost sales. Instead of “normal,” mainstream marketing, the inbound method is less “in your face” and more gently presented to you through channels you would normally use.
Essentially, inbound marketing relies more on content-driven promotions rather than, for example, sending a mass broadcast to every available email address. Inbound Marketing involves building a stable clientele that has been gathered of their own volition.
Since the main objective of marketing is, in a way, to raise awareness about something, inbound marketing entices buyers into approaching the product or promotion themselves rather than pestering the customer with loud and unnecessary marketing.
Inbound marketing revolves around creating connections with your audience which is granted through multiple stages that are able to give your clients what they want and need, regardless of their position in the buyers’ journey.
The Benefits of Hiring an Inbound Advertising Agency
Due to consumers’ increased skepticism and caution towards commercials and traditional marketing strategies, inbound marketing has emerged as being more successful. Its subtle approach draws buyers in instead of going out there with flashy and expensive commercials or online advertisements.
With these methods, the buyer would naturally flow onto your website with subdued skepticism, all thanks to modern inbound marketing strategy.
Suited for the Digital Age
In this day and age, everyone has the internet at their fingertips. They have access to storefronts, entertainment, forums, and even social connections. This makes it easier for digital marketers to use to gather data for marketing strategies, and this is where inbound marketing is at its strongest.
Inbound Marketing is all about leveraging contemporary tactics that appeal to the modern consumer, such as SEO, social media platforms, and content creation. While traditional forms of marketing are certainly not dead, the rise of the Digital Age has allowed Inbound Marketing to gain steam at a much more rapid pace.
With these methods, the buyer would naturally flow onto your website with subdued skepticism, all thanks to modern inbound marketing strategy.
Cost Effective
Part of what makes inbound marketing provide effective results is also because it is relatively cheaper than traditional methods. Interruptive TV commercials require a studio, a full cast and crew, music rights, and a spot on the channel to air for a limited time, and all of these incur heavy costs.
Billboards, digital advertising, and radio ads all have costs and are all temporary. Inbound marketing uses resources that are already available and simply needs a team of specialists and computers. Inbound marketing functions best with regular content updates on the website rather than a one-off advertisement.
When calculating the return on investment (ROI), inbound marketing incurs effective gain while being cost-efficient.
Companies That Use Inbound Marketing
Companies have been adopting inbound marketing strategies because they believe in their potential. Some companies that use inbound marketing are:
Verve Videos
Who is Verve Videos?
Verve Videos is a Canada-based company that was founded in 2017 and has since created a vast variety of animated explainer videos as well as a few live-action videos for several major companies, such as Hershey’s, Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Center, Beirut Duty-Free, and the Middle East Business Aviation Association.
Inbound Marketing Strategy that Verve Videos Used
- Using an Inbound Marketing Strategy, thus creating a website with a growth-driven design.
LetsMarket.it worked with VerveVideos.com to create a comprehensive inbound strategy.
This involved a complete website redesign, as well as development and optimization, content generation, and SEO. The LetsMarket.it team first created a comprehensive Gantt chart that detailed every facet of the website’s Inbound program, giving VerveVideos.com a clear timing schedule.
LetsMarket.It then created a cross-platform accessible website with a new logo and more vibrant colors to make the website more attractive and engaging.
- An Increase in Content Creation Service was Offered.
Custom Animated Explainer Videos, Corporate Explainer Videos, Startup Explainer Videos, and E-learning Explainer Videos were all part of VerveVideos.com’s initial service package.
LetsMarket.it divided the services page into two sections: Video Styles and Video Types.
Infographic Videos, Interactive Videos, Whiteboard Animated Videos, Animated Videos, and Live-Action Videos were among the video types available, whereas tutorial videos, sales videos, social media videos, demo videos, motion graphics videos, customer service videos, explainer videos, corporate videos, and training videos were among the video styles that were used.
LetsMarket.It constructed a separate website for each piece and placed a slew of backlinks that linked the pages together, allowing for a more comprehensive explanation of the service.
Keywords related to video marketing were also added, such as retention rates, animation, and so on which enhanced the website’s SEO rankings.
Conclusion:
VerveVideos.com was able to significantly boost qualified sales leads for their service as a result of their website overhaul, which included more than 100 backlinks, social media optimization, and ongoing production of quality content.
LetsMarket.it’s website revamp resulted in a 37 percent increase in online traffic and a 24 percent increase in qualified leads six months following the launch of the new website.
To summarize, an inbound marketing strategy is a cost-effective and useful strategy that informs, educates, and valorizes visitors, converting them organically into leads, and eventually into purchasing consumers.
VBOUT
What is VBOUT?
VBOUT is a marketing automation platform that provides a variety of tools and features to assist business owners and marketing professionals in centralizing and automating their tasks in a simple and intelligent manner.
The uses of VBOUT are aplenty, here are some of them:
- All of your social media accounts may be managed in one spot.
- Create and send winning email campaigns to engage with your consumers.
- With no coding required, you can create gorgeous and dynamic landing pages.
- Create automation using an easy-to-use visual editor.
- Continually expand and manage your audience lists.
- A customizable dashboard allows you to track and analyze all of your marketing operations.
How Did VBOUT Use Inbound Marketing Techniques?
The Attract Stage is the first step in the Inbound Marketing process, and it involves learning about the best people to hire. Your ideal consumer’s demographics, behavioral tendencies, and aspirations should be based on research and educated speculation.
Inbound marketing is a strategy that focuses on individual prospect groups. Identifying and targeting those who are more likely to be interested in your brand while rejecting those who aren’t is the key to success.
After you’ve finished creating your content and distribution strategy based on your customer profiles and competition analyses, it’s time to upload them to VBOUT. The channels you employ to reach your target audience in the Awareness Stage are mostly your website and social media.
Furthermore, managing social media pages, developing landing pages, designing the Engage Stage, constructing email campaigns, automating tasks, and segmenting contacts are some of the methods VBOUT uses to better its Inbound Marketing strategy.
Chewy
What is Chewy?
Chewy is the first site to appear in the organic results when you search for “dog food,” “organic dog food,” and “cheapest place to buy dog food.” Chewy has grown to become the Amazon of pet goods since its founding in 2011. The product sites are even designed to look like Amazon with reviews, plenty of product photos, and discounted pricing to persuade shoppers to take advantage of the offer while it lasts.
How does Chewy use Inbound marketing?
Chewy has developed a strategy that is not only effective but also stable. Here are some tips from Chewy’s Inbound Marketing strategy that are very interesting and reliable:
- Don’t be stingy with the details. People love detailed descriptions of what they’re going to buy.
- Make use of a lot of photographs and videos. Most customers want to buy something they’ve seen first, so feel free to add as many visual aids as possible for your product.
- Q&As can help to increase user engagement. Since people are naturally curious, having a Q&A or a FAQ page can aid in increasing the number of clicks your brand receives.
- If you have satisfied consumers, request that they write a review. There is nothing more effective than having a happy customer write you a positive review. Not only does it boost your credibility, but it also means that your clientele is avidly supporting you.
The takeaway from Inbound Marketing: Search engines see not only the keywords on pages, but also that the content provides value to shoppers.
Uber
What is Uber?
Launched in 2009, Uber is the highest-ranked ride-sharing app in the world. With the app being used in 785 metropolitan areas worldwide, it has rapidly climbed to the top and has stayed there reigning over other ride-hailing services.
How does Uber use Inbound Marketing Strategies?
Mainly focusing on email marketing, Uber uses specialized and targeted emails to its users to make them feel special and appreciated. Uber was able to harness regional traffic events thanks to targeted mailings split by state, employee signed emails, and granting users the ability to earn credit by sharing personal promo codes with friends and family in order to turn one-time customers into avid users of this service.
In summation, since Uber is promoting a service, sleek and easy-to-read personalized emails are the way to go.
Birchbox
What is Birchbox?
Birchbox is a beauty subscription service for people who want to try out a variety of different moisturizers, concealers, and hair conditioners but don’t have the time or funding to do so.
This monthly subscription service delivers sample-sized, high-end beauty items to your door, with the opportunity to purchase bigger amounts of any of the products you like at the Birchbox online shop (with free shipping!)
What Inbound Marketing Strategy does Birchbox Use?
After a brief decline in sales in 2016, Birchbox pulled its funding for major TV ads and email campaigns and focused solely on social media. Birchbox now posts bright photographs of items, encouraging words, and real people using their products on their social media pages including but not limited to: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Snapchat.
The people at Birchbox have discovered that pretty pictures or videos attract customers and entice them to subscribe to their service.
In summary, Birchbox has used social media as its number one inbound marketing frontier and has since then turned a very handsome ROI.
Benefits of Inbound Marketing
The concept of inbound marketing was first introduced in 2005 due to the steep decline of outbound marketing’s efficiency – no one enjoys waking up to an inbox filled with ads from newsletters they didn’t necessarily subscribe to.
Inbound marketing provides an experience that has been specifically tailored to a segmented group of people based on their publicized likes and dislikes. The benefits of inbound marketing are plenty, but here are some of them:
- Inbound marketing is extremely cost-effective in comparison to outbound marketing.
- Inbound marketing brings in quality leads due to the fact that they found you!
- Inbound marketing increases your online brand visibility.
- Inbound marketing encourages clients to commit to their own research which, in turn, leads to higher credibility since you didn’t rent out a billboard for your product.
The Top 5 Inbound Marketing Agencies of 2022
There are many agencies that claim to be the best, but how do you know which is the right fit for you? After listing some of what we think are among the best inbound marketing agencies, we will get into some details about relevant information regarding inbound marketing and marketing agencies as a whole.
LetsMarket.it
LetsMarket.it is one of Canada’s most underrated inbound marketing agencies headquartered in Ontario. This is because they are a relatively small company, even though they’ve had several clients, such as Verve Videos, Global Bases Medical Supplies, Makamat for RFID, and VBOUT.
This inbound marketing agency works for different industries, such as law firms, healthcare, eCommerce, SaaS, and B2B companies. Lets.Market.it has successfully helped their clients generate considerable ROI through their inbound marketing strategy
GotoMarketers.com
GotoMarketers.com have provided quality service to hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses in the GTA that require technical and day-to-day IT assistance. Some of their clients include Actian and Freshworks.
Some of the industries that this inbound marketing agency serves are information technology, nonprofit organizations, and real estate.
SidLee.com
SidLee.com is a creative inbound marketing agency whose headquarters are in Montreal. They have worked for clients like Cirque du Soleil and MLSE.
Some of the industries that this inbound marketing agency serves are the entertainment industry, retail, and communications.
CheekyMonkeyMedia.ca
CheekyMonkeyMedia.ca is a digital marketing agency based in Kelowna, Canada. The team of roughly 20 people at this inbound marketing agency has worked with the Environmental Law Institute and The Drupal Association.
Some of the industries they serve are education, nonprofits, and hospitality.
Y5Creative.com
Y5Creative.com is an inbound marketing agency based in Vancouver, Canada. They have worked with clients like Karina Le Blanc and POWERPODS.
Some of the industries that this inbound marketing agency works for are dentistry, eCommerce, and manufacturing.
How to Choose an Inbound Marketing Agency
If you are a business owner who wishes to market their company, product, or service, finding an inbound marketing agency is easy. Inbound marketing agencies will have an online website optimized and updated to reach the top of the search results. You could also speak with any agency we mentioned or contact us.
To choose the correct agency for your business, the best way is to contact them and book a consultation. These agencies are specialists in their field and can use different methods, thus having a list of questions to find the agency that best suits your needs and makes you feel the most confident.
Questions such as the cost of running the campaign, how much time is needed, and what are the expected results, among others, should be asked for your ease of mind in finding the right agency.
Inbound Marketing Agency Might Help With:
An inbound marketing agency would have several services that would help your business achieve the desired results. Depending on the client’s goals, from increasing followers to a rise in sales of certain products, inbound marketing has the strategies to help with either or both.
Online Rebranding
Among the services an inbound marketing agency can do, is assist in the online rebranding of the company. From a new logo to a total website overhaul, an inbound marketing agency can make the transition both possible and done smoothly.
Competitor Analysis
One of the strategies for an effective inbound marketing campaign is by researching the client’s rivals. With this data, the agency can exploit weaknesses and emulate strengths for an optimum marketing campaign.
Whether it’s a more user-friendly and appealing website or tapping into techniques rivals haven’t used, an inbound marketing agency team of specialists will find out all that there is to know.
Long-Term Success
One of the key differences between inbound and outbound marketing is the approach to a post-purchase relationship. Whereas outbound marketing seeks new customers, inbound marketing nurtures the relationship formed through the sale to ensure long-term success.
Long-term success includes working with the customer even after the point of sale, delighting them with either special discounts or adjusting for feedback, among other methods. What’s important is that they know we have their interests in mind.
With this technique, it is likely to transform a customer into a brand ambassador, a valuable asset for the client.
Our Inbound Marketing Campaign Strategy Consists Of:
Discovery Phase
The first phase of our inbound marketing process for eCommerce can be summed up as an honest and straightforward detailing of our client’s and their competitors’ current status. In other words, the eCommerce inbound marketing process has to begin by an assessment of the concerned parties’ digital presence.
To do this, we begin by launching a discovery workshop with our client, where we discuss who they are, what they do, where they are, and where they want to go. This gives us access to a plethora of priceless information, notably the strengths and weaknesses that can be leveraged and improved.
The next thing is conducting a thorough competitor analysis of similar local and international companies’ websites and social media platforms. This complements our inbound marketing process for eCommerce in terms of understanding what the best practices are for a specific type of eCommerce company.
We then develop buyer personas, conduct keyword research, and present our findings to the client in what we call an “End-of-Phase Presentation.” We also determine a set of SMART goals and KPIs at this stage.
Design Phase
The second phase of our inbound marketing process for eCommerce is all about building the foundations for the implementation of the inbound marketing strategy. This phase basically entails creating the skeletons for the steps of the 3rd phase which will be discussed below.
Phase 2 of the eCommerce inbound marketing process focuses on perfecting the client’s brand identity for starters. This can mean 2 things: we either completely reimagine the client’s brand guidelines and identity or work off their existing brand identity, depending on what the client wants and what works best in compliance with digital marketing standards.
That’s not all — the second phase of our inbound marketing process for eCommerce also entails work on the client’s website design and optimization, beginning with a customized sitemap and 2 wireframe versions, both of which will be used to construct the eCommerce website to maximize user-friendliness.
In addition to what has already been discussed, we also create the client’s email and social media templates for several purposes based on the different phases of the buyer’s journey and inbound marketing funnel.
Deploy Phase
The third and final phase of our inbound marketing process for eCommerce is, as the name suggests, deploying or launching the inbound marketing strategy for eCommerce clients. Here is where the inbound marketing process comes together.
Our work is divided into multiple important categories, all of which are vital components of a successful eCommerce inbound marketing strategy. These include content-rich and SEOed web pages describing the services and/or products that the eCommerce store offers, weekly blog posts, daily social media posts relevant to the content, and email marketing.
How do we decide on the content? Based on keyword research for the different stages of the buyer’s journey! If you’re interested in learning what content to create for each of the awareness, consideration, and decision phases of the buyer’s journey, check out this blog post!
Final Thoughts
Inbound marketing is an all-inclusive and effective marketing strategy and the examples I’ve given prove that you can do it too. With the proper strategies, anyone is able to lift their business off of the ground and introduce their services to the marketing world.
Inbound marketing is a wonderful way to learn how to connect with your audience and allows you to properly and effectively grow revenue and turn a profit. Several agencies have set up their business around this strategy and are effective for it.
One of the best inbound marketing agencies, LetsMarket.it, has a team of experts and specialists, ready to help your business with a tailored inbound marketing campaign. If you want to market your business in this digital world, contact us for a consultation.
