What is Inbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing became known in 2006 and became increasingly popular in the digital age.

Traditional forms of marketing or outbound marketing are increasingly ineffective and perceived to be disruptive to consumers. Ads on TV, newspapers, magazines, email, and other media are often unwanted so more consumers ignore this type of marketing model.

Seeing this problem, inbound marketing becomes the most effective solution. What is inbound marketing?

Outbound and Inbound Differences

Exit marketing or traditional marketing has huge losses. Marketers "interfere" potential customers with advertising, email, and even phone regardless of their convenience.

Outbound Marketing

Outbound marketing techniques are done by reaching outbound customers. Some popular media of which are advertisements, letters, emails, and phones.

There are 3 major disadvantages in outbound marketing:

First, we blindly target everyone who is not even ready to be a consumer.

Second, not a few people who feel disturbed by the process so that it can be bad.

Third, using the marketing medium is expensive.

Inbound Marketing

This 'incoming' marketing technique is 180 degrees contrary to the traditional one.Instead of reaching out, inbound techniques really lure potential customers to be happy "in".Let's see what it means:

"Inbound marketing is a modern marketing strategy where we strive for potential customers who are interested to find us. This is done by providing content that attracts attention and encourages them to become customers.

Inbound marketing focuses on providing quality content that benefits potential customers.

By providing content, potential customers will be interested in the benefits. This process occurs naturally without disrupting the activity. Eventually these people have a very high chance to become a permanent consumer.

Inbound marketing is in line with technology in the digital age because it can be done by utilizing tools and techniques such as Blogs, Social Media, Search Engine Marketing, Content Marketing, Email Marketing, and others.

Not to mention the current consumer habits that use the internet and search engines to get information. This is why inbound marketing is becoming so popular.

Compared to traditional marketing, this technique is more effective, scalable, and cost-effective.

Inbound Marketing Methodology

The key to inbound marketing lies in its methodology. According to HubSpot, there are four stages in inbound marketing to transform strangers not only into customers but promoters.

1. Interesting

People who do not know us today are called strangers, they do not know who we are and what we do or offer.

In traditional marketing, attractions are done with advertising. But in inbound marketing we can attract potential customers without bothering them by utilizing the following media:

1. Blog
2. Social media
3. SEO & SEM

By providing the right content on the blog and then utilizing social media and SEO techniques to market the content, people will be interested in getting into our website and being visitors.

This first stage is very important, even the most vital though. Therefore, it is important for all types of businesses who want to utilize inbound techniques to create content that is useful to others.

2. Convert

Getting visitors just has not provided any benefit. Now that you've got the attention of the prospective client, it's time to turn it into a client. How to get their contact information, email address.

To convert a visitor by getting his email, here's what to provide:

1. Landing page
2. Call to action
3. Form (registration form)

In marketing in the digital age, email prospective clients is very, very valuable. By getting their email, this is the first step to build rapport and trust.

3. Close

After getting in contact, all you can do now is make a sale. You get contacts from people who are interested in you, from the contacts you get, you can reassure them further.

Here are ways and media that can be used to make a sale:

• E-mail. For potential clients who are not ready to use your service, send some emails to further improve their confidence. This email still has to provide benefits.
• Marketing Automation. The email process can be done automatically with the help of tools like email marketing autoresponder.

4. Delight

When someone has become your client, that does not mean the process is over. Those who are happy and satisfied with your service may be able to provide useful feedback or even promote your services to others. 

This is a marketing technique in the modern era that does not interfere with the comfort of others, but benefits.

The core of inbound marketing is to make yourself easy and interesting to discover by others. With this technique, you can turn your website into an amazing marketing engine.