Technology has upended marketing. For decades, people have been told what they want. Consumers today prefer more control and can find options for products and solutions themselves.  

They want to learn from an individual who, like them, exhibits genuine passion about the subject matter. That’s why inbound marketing has taken off.

Inbound marketing is an ongoing discussion with your target audience. It requires a commitment to a long-term strategy and the ability to respond quickly to feedback. That’s why it’s so important to hire diligent professionals.

Some companies hesitate to embrace the paradigm shift. Learn why inbound marketing is (or isn’t) right for your business.

Inbound Marketing Cons

It Requires Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone

If you’ve spent years with Direct or Outbound Marketing, all of the new terms and buzzwords like SEO, blogging, or CRM can be overwhelming. But, as Roy T. Bennett states in The Light in the Heart “change begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

The fact is, inbound marketing isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It requires thorough research and writing on niche topics, and as a business owner, you most likely don’t have time to execute a successful marketing strategy.

Cultivate and grow your current clientele by sharing interesting and helpful articles. Consumers are going to return for your valuable information.

It’s Not a Quick Fix

Some SEO companies may give you the impression that blogging and updating your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is all you need. Viral Wolf knows that successful inbound marketing takes a strategic plan:

• Find your target audience
• Figure out your audience’s favorite stomping grounds. I.E. Facebook, Reddit, CNN
• Pay attention to their questions and feedback. This can help you create topics.
• Set a content schedule
• Promote your content

Like with any plan, successful inbound marketing requires time and careful consideration. Without doing the research you won’t be able to reach your goals.

The Upside of Inbound

Longevity  

People tend to throw away pamphlets and catalogs. Even if they do keep them, they tend to get lost. A potential customer isn’t going to take much time, if any, to look at a piece of paper they received a year ago. So where will they turn? The internet, naturally!

Relevancy

Keeps your company up-to-date. Trends in content marketing change constantly. You need a professional to keep your company up to date. An SEO specialist will be able to do this by following specific Google trends and Facebook algorithms.

Reach Millions of People at Once

Direct marketing has its limits, while you can reach out to groups of people in a store or charity campaign, you can only talk to so many people at once. By creating a blog, updating a status, and posting a picture, you can literally reach out to millions of people at once.

Outbound and direct marketing are a one-sided conversation. However, with Inbound marketing consumers feel more welcome to collaborate with your company, rather than just being forced to listen. Engagement is key to any business’ online success and modern viewers will look more favorably upon this.

There is a lot to be gained from inbound marketing. It can help you get leads you never imagined possible. There is a lot to be gained from these techniques, if you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of inbound marketing, feel free to send Viral Wolf a message.

PHOTO: Pexels / CC0 Public Domain