The Inbound Marketing Methodology: Step 1, Attract
Toward the end of last year, we introduced the Inbound Marketing Methodology. This four-step process, which we like to call the IMM (okay, we really don’t), was intended to make inbound marketing more accessible and understandable. You can refresh your memory or look at it for the first time by clicking right here.
The first step involves attracting traffic to your website and, concurrently, your business. It’s important that we break down this step’s mystique a bit further, which we’ve done with these following tips:
Create Killer Content
In order to begin your company’s inbound marketing campaign, you must first create an online presence with the tools that are made available to you. Much of the work has already been done for you. Your company doesn’t need to develop new tools; they’re already out there waiting to be utilized. These tools include building a website, signing up for social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and creating a variety of content that by way of whitepapers, videos, webinars, case studies, etc.
Get an Organic High
Search Engine Optimization is a big part of bringing people to your website, Facebook page, Twitter feed, etc. When utilized properly, your website will place at a higher point in various search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, and several others. Some companies help this along by paying sites like Google for the advertising opportunity, but your goal should be to do this organically, at least in the long-term. A continuous blog that utilizes specific keywords is a great way to do this, as further evidenced below.
Blog Until You Can’t Blog No More
The art of blogging was originally done for personal benefit. It provided everyday persons with an outlet to write about whatever interested them, turning the Internet into their own personal soapbox. Companies quickly caught on and a new form of advertising was born. The secret to successful blogging is consistency. The more you post a blog, preferably one that’s embedded into your site, the faster online traffic will build. We suggest at least twice a week, although five times a week will help you grow more quickly.
Use Social Media Like a 12-Year-Old Girl
No offense to 12-Year-Old Girls. They’re actually quite lovely. But they’re also addicted to social media, and we can definitely learn something from them. The trick to using social media successfully is to keep hammering away at it. And just when you think you can’t possibly hit it any harder, give it a couple more quick jabs to keep things flowing.
Start PPCing
As previously mentioned, you can actually pay for placement on search engines to get traffic coming to your website. Examples of this include Google Adwords and a number of social media advertising opportunities. Pay-Per-Click has proven to be an effective way to give companies a well-needed kick start. If you have it in your budget to take a bit of a shortcut, go for it.
Kill It with E-mail
Despite what some people would have you believe, e-mail marketing is far from dead. Sending out e-mails to potential and current customers is a great way to stay connected. Yes, people do open the majority of e-mails they receive as long as you don’t start it with something like “Hello. I being the king of Nigeria country.” Simply make your e-mail “pop” and they’ll be putty in your hands. Plus, sending mass e-mails costs very little.
Stay Savvy
Above all, you should integrate your offline and online marketing efforts with a heap of savviness. If you are planning to create a direct mail piece, be sure that your website address is on there, and maybe even your Facebook and Twitter addresses. When sending e-mails, be sure to use an electronic signature that includes links to everything that’s connected to the marketing campaign.
Attracting traffic sets the groundwork for marketing success online. Stay tuned for our next blog when we’ll discuss step two of the Inbound Marketing Methodology.
