Andy Beohar says, “When Thanksgiving rolls around, there are a few questions that we don’t exactly look forward to hearing. “When are you getting married?” “When am I getting grandchildren?” “Have you been moisturizing?” And yet, none of those oh-so-polite questions even come close to the complexity of explaining what, as an inbound marketer, you actually do for a living. It’s not that inbound marketing requires a long, drawn-out answer — after all, it can be described in 140 characters. But explaining it requires some fundamental knowledge... [...]

David Groom says, “Regardless of the niche or industry you operate in, it’s possible to avoid wasted time and effort by heeding the following five tips to practically guarantee that your website’s inbound link strategy will start moving forward immediately: 1. Create shareworthy content Publishing fresh content that readers will be inclined to share is perhaps the fastest way to see an influx of inbound links [literally] overnight. When a reader encounters a piece of content that they’re tempted to share, they’re not going to put it off until the next day – they... [...]

Brittany Leaning says, “Inbound marketing is about matching the way you market and sell with the way people actually want to shop and buy. And after reading the 2016 State of Inbound report, it became clear that inbound was beginning to change at a pace more rapid than anything we’ve seen before. New technologies were being introduced. Consumers’ habits were evolving. Things were different. What does that mean for the future of this movement? Quite honestly, we believe that in five years time marketing and sales as you know it will no longer exist. To learn more about the challenges... [...]

Matthew Barby says, “Content marketing delivers results when it addresses what potential customers are searching for and sharing on social media. Content marketing delivers great results when it addresses what a large number of customers are searching for that your competitors are not covering. So, how do you find out exactly what customers are looking for in search and social and identify potential competitive gaps? In this article, I will show you how to: analyze SEO data for your topics, and uncover winning content ideas; validate your content ideas with social engagement metrics;... [...]

Mimi An says, “Over the past few years, we’ve observed innovations in technology that have drastically changed the digital experience for people all over the world. More people are using mobile to access the internet than ever before, newsfeeds are packed with content, and bots are redefining what it looks like to complete the most common of online tasks. And as technology changes, the inbound marketing methodology must evolve with it. And while we still have great benchmark data on how marketers and salespeople do their job today, we also have included new datapoints on how technology... [...]

David DeMambro says, “Like many other marketing strategies, inbound marketing transcends B2B, B2C, and nonprofit marketing. Inbound marketing isn’t just about closing sales. It’s about identifying and building trust with people in your target market. Its principles and tactics apply whether you’re a business trying to acquire customers or an organization trying to acquire new members and inspiring a more engaged membership. The first main principle of inbound marketing is that your marketing has to be all about your member (and potential members). It’s not about you.... [...]

Samantha Anderson says, “B2B inbound marketing can be incredibly effective in regards to your specific marketing goals, whether it’s to generate new leads, improve your sales, build brand authority, build brand trust or simply increase brand exposure. However, what some businesses don’t understand is that B2B inbound marketing is a long-term strategy, not a short-term one. Inbound marketing consists of numerous strategies. If one element happens to result in instant results; for example, a video that goes viral and receives thousands of shares, it’s generally an anomaly. Trying... [...]

Jesse Mawhinney says, “Conversion rate optimization (CRO) and inbound marketing go together like peanut butter and jelly. After all, nobody is more concerned with (and obsessed with) conversion rates than the inbound marketer. But many inbound marketers find themselves navigating a new world of CRO with a sense that there’s so much to test, and they’re not quite sure where to start. Here are 6 CRO initiatives you can undertake today to help give your conversion rates—and inbound marketing performance—a boost. 1) Start learning with visitor heatmaps In 2016, there’s really no excuse... [...]

Lauren Hintz says, “It sounds ironic, but taking time away from work to attend a conference will actually teach you how to be more efficient so you can work less. And that’s exactly what we aim to do — equip you with the skills that’ll make you a leaner, meaner salesperson. So for the first time ever, INBOUND will have a dedicated sales track with content tailored to sales leaders. Here’s what you and 15,000 other sales and marketing leaders will take away from #INBOUND16. 1) Lessons from world-class entrepreneurs. What do Rand Fishkin, Gary Vaynerchuk and Alec Baldwin have in... [...]

Heather Baker says, “Some things you just know you need, like a house or food in the fridge. But there are other things that one might consider a luxury, say a Nespresso coffee machine or underfloor heating, that you believe you’re OK without. That is until you get one and then flummoxed, you ask yourself: “How the heck did I ever survive without it?” Inbound marketing is a lot like that. Outbound strategies still have their place. Some people still sit through the ads on TV, and cold calling apparently still yields results. Though not a lot mind you. According to the Harvard... [...]