If you think inbound marketing is only for big companies like HubSpot, you couldn't be more wrong. Business owners can use inbound marketing for brand expansion, regardless of the size of their company. Brand building is a continuous process, whether you are a startup founder attempting to draw attention to your company or a small business owner wanting to expand nationally, the power of inbound marketing tactics is yours to enjoy. Lest you think inbound outreach is overwhelming, check out the following 10 simple ways to easily attract new customers to your business and grow your brand.
01. Forums
Start posting on forums related to your business niche. Make sure there is a direct link to your business in your forum signature. Offer helpful information so you can develop a reputation as a knowledgeable expert. Check out sites like Reddit or BoardReader to find relevant forums.
02. Infographics
Infographics are a powerful way to attract sales leads to your company through creative design. Easy-to-use infographic creation tools like Piktochart, Canva, and Zanifesto make it super simple to create tempting images for your audience.
03. Social Networking
Social networking on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest can help your company grow. Post on a regular basis, use images and video to improve your ROI, and try to grow a real community around your brand. Social media is called social for a reason; it's not just about broadcasting tidbits about your business, but instead growing a community.
04. Company Blog
Inbound marketing via your company blog is essential. Search engines like Google love fresh, informative content. Offer information potential customers are seeking and watch your sales leads soar. If you can't keep up with the demands of weekly blogging, consider hiring a ghost writer to create custom posts for your blog.
05. External Blogging
If you want increased eyes on your business, consider blogging on an external site in addition to your company blog. Post content on sites like LinkedIn Pulse, Medium, and Business2Community. Not only are you helping new audiences to discover your brand, you are building a more extensive digital footprint for your brand. Can you say improved SEO?
06. Email Newsletters
Email marketing newsletters are a fabulous tool for business owners wanting to put the power of inbound marketing to work for their company. If you can't come up with enough fresh content for a regular newsletter, consider using a tool like Revue to share curated snippets with your audience. Keep email subscribers abreast of changes in your company, new products, and upcoming events and promotions.
07. Search Engine Optimized Website
A website optimized for search engines is a powerful inbound marketing tool. Make sure your home page is optimized for your target keywords, but don't overdo it. Ensure information is easy to find for potential customers and consider using a live chat tool Chatra or KeyReply to boost your time-on-site ratio. Not only will you be able to keep users on your site longer, you'll improve your customer service offerings at the same time.
08. Blog Comments
Blog commenting is another awesome inbound marketing tool. Find blogs relevant to your market sector and leave useful comments on posts your find interesting. With a link to your company in your signature, you can increase visits to your site and build a reputation as a thoughtful blog reader. Blog authors love it when you take the time to read their posts and leave engaging comments. This isn't the time to leave a simple message like 'nice blog' just so you can create a backlink to your site; make sure your comment connects to a particular blog snippet you found informative.
09. Audio Broadcasting
Podcasting is hugely popular at the moment; use this trend to your benefit. You don't have to set up a full podcast if you feel overwhelmed at the prospect. Use a tool like Anchor.fm to offer audio snippets to your audience on social media. Not only are you utilizing an audio tool in your inbound marketing efforts, you are gaining exposure to new potential customers via the Anchor.fm network.
10. Ebook Marketing
Ebook marketing might sound like a daunting endeavor, but it is actually quite simple to get started. Have a few key points you want covered in an ebook and then have a ghost writer weave your thoughts together. Writer-for-hire sites like Constant-Content even offer ebook writing as a service. It doesn't get much easier than that, right?
These are just 10 of many ways you can use inbound marketing to grow your business. Utilizing the power of content marketing for brand acceleration isn't just for big corporations or those with deep pockets; many of the above-listed options won't cost you a cent. For a small investment of your time, you can significantly increase the eyeballs on your brand. Are you ready to start reaping the rewards of inbound marketing?
You may also like to read "How to Execute The Perfect Social Media Makreting Strategy."
Spil© Creative is more than a graphic design company or creative marketing studio. We are a group of dedicated teams that utilize design strategies and new technologies to help organizations unlock the power of brand equity. We believe that the only way to grow our business is to first grow yours.