INBOUND MARKETING - F.hubspotusercontent20
WILKINSONDATA-DRIVEN MARKETING SALESINBOUNDMARKETINGCreate Meaningful Experiences,Tailored to Your Audience.Data-Driven Highly-Responsive Immersive
AN INTROTO INBOUNDHOWIT’SDONEMany, if not all, of the traditionalmarketing and sales strategies areconsidered outbound methods.Examples of such methods are coldcalling, television advertising, emailblasts and telemarketing. Outboundmethods force messaging andcontent on your audience that theydid not request and probably don’twant. This wastes time, money andrisks alienating the very people youare trying to form relationships with.Moreover, it’s difficult to identifywhat works and what doesn’t.Without a framework to collectand analyze data, determining ROIbecomes a guessing game.Inbound marketing is different.Inbound is a measurable approachto marketing that focuses onattracting customers by creatingvaluable content and experiences.These experiences are delivered atthe right time, in the right contextusing integrated, innovative toolsand techniques. Inbound marketing helps to form relationships with clients byproviding value and build trust in a human, helpful way. Inbound marketingaddresses the problems and needs of your ideal customers, attracts qualifiedprospects and builds trust and credibility for your organization. The best part?Inbound marketing uses a framework for capturing data that clearly showswhere your leads came from, what questions they’re trying to answer and whichproducts and services they need the most. Figuring out ROI is a breeze.These days, everyone agrees: Inbound is a better way to market, a better way tosell, and a better way to serve your customers.But how do you do it?
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)First they have to find you.Here’s a fact—nine out of ten B2B buyers use Google to research vendors,products and services before they make a buying decision. If your organizationdoesn’t have a strategy to expand your visibility in organic search results, it’slikely you will lose out to a competitor that does. That’s where search engineoptimization (SEO) comes in. But, what is SEO?Search engine optimization is the strategy to ensure that when someone usesGoogle to research products and services in your industry, they’ll find you. It helpscompanies improve where they rank in SERPs (search engine result pages), thusimproving visibility to searchers. This will result in more website visitors, a crucialmetric in Inbound Marketing.To understand how to improve your search rankings, you must first try tounderstand how Google ranks web pages. Unfortunately, the algorithm thatGoogle uses to rank pages is a closely guarded secret of their search-qualityteam. To make it even more challenging, Google is constantly evolving andimproving it’s engine. Here’s what we think we know.Google uses over 200 “ranking factors” to determine search resultsOr at least it used to. In 2009 Matt Cutts, a software engineer at Google, statedthere “over 200 variables” that Google used to determine search results. That wasover a decade ago, so that number has probably changed a bit. But SEO expertsstill believe that factors such as domain authority, site usability, time on-page andsite security impact how Google will rank your site.Google regularly updates it’s algorithm to improve user experienceSince 2011, Google has rolled out nine major updates, including the gamechanging Hummingbird update in August of 2013. The purpose of these changes?To combat underhanded methods used to game the system (like keyword stuffingor shady link building techniques), provide a more conversational and relevantsearch experience and to keep pace with mobile and voice search technologies.Google recognizes that search behaviors develop and change over time. It’ssearch engine has as well.Because of this, every SEO strategy should address three key areas:SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 3
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)WebsiteTo improve your search results over time, the first thing you should do is makesure your site is built in way that the search engines can index it. When Googleanalyzes your site, it only sees code and text. You want to optimize the codeand text so that Google can scan and index your site without any issues. Here aresome tips for improving the technical side of your site for searches:Set your site navigation and links as text-only.Make sure all of your links work—no broken links!Create a sitemap and robots.txt file so Google knows whatshould and shouldn’t be indexed.Do not duplicate content or copy and paste text from otherwebsites. Google will penalize you for that.Speed matters; work to reduce load time on your web pages.SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 4
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)ContentHave you ever heard the phrase, “content is king”? Well, when it comes towebsites, it’s the truth. Your website content is what visitors will (hopefully) findduring a search. If you can prove to Google that your content is worth finding,then they will rank you higher for relevant searches.Coming up with content ideas isn’t always easy. Maintaining and optimizingcontent can prove challenging as well.Here are some ways you can optimize yourcontent for searches:Do keyword research to identify the specific phrases that webvisitors use to conduct searches. Build your content aroundthese terms.Make sure your keywords are used properly across your URL, H1tags, meta-tags and image alt-tags.Shorter isn’t necessarily better. Craft your content tocomprehensively answer the question your visitors are searchingfor answers to. If you don’t answer their question, they willbounce, and Google will adjust your search ranking accordingly.Whenever you can, use content in a format that increasesengagement. Killer video and engaging visuals (likeinfographics) will keep visitors on your page longer—and showGoogle that you offer quality content.SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 5
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)LinksEarlier, we mentioned domain authority as a factor that Google uses to ranksites. Your website links are a critical element when determining your website’sauthority. Google looks at the quality and quantity of links to your site; improveboth and you will be on the path to optimizing your organic search rankings.Unfortunately, building high-quality links to your website is extremely challenging.Here are some things to consider when working to improve your website’s links:Work to get links from sites that are popular (have lots of traffic)and are deemed trustworthy by visitors (meaning other sites linkto their content).Establish links from domains that offer quality content on topicsthat are similar to yours and relevant to the searches yourvisitors are conducting.Avoid links from low-quality websites or links that look as ifthey were put in place to trick Google into thinking your site isauthoritative. These links can negatively impact your rankings.The explanations and tips we’ve provided are just a few elements to take intoconsideration when building your SEO strategy. We’re just scratching the surface.The topic of SEO is a broad one. Hopefully we’ve supplied insights with which youcan deepen your understanding of this vast and complex subject.SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 6
CONTENT CREATIONQuality content comes in many forms.As we mentioned in the previous section, your content is what visitors will findwhen they visit your website. So, answer this question:Are they going to find useless, irritating sales pitches or will theyfind helpful, valuable answers to the questions they have?Inbound marketing is unique in that it tirelessly focuses on solving for the visitor,prospect and customer first. The way inbound accomplishes this is with qualitycontent. Quality content can come in many forms, but in the end it alwaysachieves the same marketing and sales objectives:Connects with your audience to show them ways to reach theirgoals and solve their challenges.Builds a relationship of trust between your visitors and yourorganization.Increases engagement, boosts conversions and sets the table fora smooth, informed sales process.Content creation is the process of generating topic ideas that appeal to yourbuyer persona, creating written or visual content around those ideas, and makingthat information accessible to your audience in an appealing, useful format. Thereare many types of formats to choose from. Here are some examples, along withbrief explanations:Blog PostsA blog is a regularly updated website or webpage that is written in an informative,conversational style. Blogging enables you to publish insights, thoughts, andstories on your website about any topic. They can help you boost traffic, brandawareness, credibility, conversions, and revenue.VideosVideos are a powerful form of content. With video, you can inform and educateyour audience in a flexible, highly impactful way. Data shows that video canincrease conversion rates by more than 80%, and in a recent survey, nine out often respondents indicated they use videos to help them make buying decisions.(Content types continued next page)CONTENT CREATION 7
CONTENT CREATIONInfographicsAn infographic uses visualizations and images to represent information and data.They often come in easily downloadable formats, like PDFs and JPEGs. You canalso create web-based, interactive infographics. Data and statistics can be easierto understand (and fun) when presented in the form of an infographic. Marketerslove them because they can be quick and affordable to produce.GuidesGuides is a broad term, but it’s basically a reference or resource that providesinformation about a particular subject. Many come in the form of a tutorial withstep-by-step instructions. Ideally, they will be comprehensive in nature – withdetailed explanations, visuals and descriptions. These take time and effort toproduce, but are well worth it. Guides are great for deep-funnel conversions.Case StudiesDo you have a client who you have enabled to overcome their challenges andreach their goals? If you do, chances are they absolutely love you for it. Tell theirstory. With a case study, your audience gets a front-row seat to what it’s like to bea customer. This can be extremely effective at establishing credibility and movingthe relationship to the next level.eBooksElectronic books or “eBooks” are digital forms of books that visitors can navigatethrough, read and share. They often come in PDF format so they can be served uplike webpages and emailed. When creating an eBook for the first time, it might behelpful to think of it as a really long blog post. It’s a great way to deliver lots ofinformation in a format that people can take with them and digest on their own time.Interactive ToolsCreating interactive tools can be challenging (and expensive) to develop.However, the right tool can really resonate with your audience and generate a tonof leads. A good example is HubSpot’s Website Grader. Users can enter the site’sURL and the tool will grade it across various parameters, such as performance,SEO and security. It’s easy to see why content like this does such an effective jobof delivering conversions and setting the table for next steps in the sales process.(Content types continued next page)CONTENT CREATION 8
CONTENT CREATIONWebsiteYou might not have realized it, but your website is your #1 piece of content.Just like a blog or guide, the content you furnish on your website should inform,educate and engage visitors. Sites full of catchy taglines, descriptions of productsand services and distracting elements like social media feeds might look good—but at the end of the day, they don’t deliver value. We’re not saying that youshouldn’t talk about your products and services on your site, but remember do itin a way that solves for the visitor, prospect and customer first.Ok, so hopefully now you have some ideas about content that you’dlike to create. But how do you get started?At Sharp Wilkinson, we use a simple formula to map the steps for creatingcontent. We call it the 3D method:DefineThe first step in content creation is to define your content. In this step you aregoing to plan and describe the format, topic and scope of your piece of content.You’ll want to do some research on your audience. Use your buyer personas toaccurately define your target. You might also want to research keywords that areused to search for answers to questions your piece of content will address. Onceyou know what you’re going to talk about and who you’re trying to reach, askyourself these questions.What are the key insights/takeaways I want to provide with thiscontent?How will this content help my audience/what value does itbring?What action do I want the audience to take next?(3D method continued next page)CONTENT CREATION 9
CONTENT CREATIONWrite all of this down. With the target audience, content format, keywords andanswers to these three questions, you should have a clearer sense of the contentyou will produce. So let’s develop this thing!DevelopThe develop phase of the content creation process will look different based onwhat type of content you are creating, but often it starts with writing. Even if thecontent is an infographic or video, following these guidelines should help you planand execute your communication:Speak directly to your persona. Use their vernacular and tone todeliver the message.Strive to be distinctive. Avoid repeating what others have done.Use a unique style to make the content one-of-a-kind.Be succinct. Clearly express what you are trying to say. Don’t tryto impress with fancy jargon or technical language.Stay focused. Don’t go down a rabbit hole. Refer back to whatyou wrote down in the define stage.Follow Josh Bernoff’s Iron Imperative: Treat the reader’s timeas more valuable than your own. Simply put, if you don’t havesomething valuable to offer, stop what you’re doing and go backto the define stage.After the initial piece of content is developed, you enter a kind of “review andrevise” loop. Have two other people review the content and make suggestions forrevisions and adjustments. Revise and repeat until the content is standing tall.CONTENT CREATION 10
CONTENT CREATIONDeployTime to put the content out there and start raking in the conversions. But first,plan how, when and where the content will be deployed. Map it out. If it’s a blogpost, select the day and time the post will be published. Then decide how youwill share the post—email, social media, etc. If it’s a video, decide how it will behosted and shared. If you are going use the content to generate leads (and youshould) plan the conversion path and follow up.You spent the time to make an awesome piece of content, so spend the time todeploy it in a way that it will deliver results. And the job doesn’t end there. Nowthat you have a bunch of killer content, you will want to create a content inventoryspreadsheet and use it to supercharge your content strategy with your bestcontent performers.CONTENT CREATION 11
LEAD GENERATIONGet them into the funnel.Wouldn’t it be great if your website provided your sales team with qualifiedleads? Think about it – your sales reps could spend less time on outboundtechniques, like cold calling, and more time turning qualified leads into revenue.Seem too good to be true? It isn’t.Lead generation is an inbound marketing strategy that businesses can use toattract and convert website visitors into a leads. Just so we’re on the same page,we define leads as known contacts who have indicated an identifiable interest atsome level of the marketing and sales funnel.If you’ve spent the time making your website easier to find (SEO), and you’vedeveloped lots of valuable information that will be valuable to visitors (ContentCreation), then the next logical step for you is to find a way to turn those visitorsinto leads. But before we dive into the best ways to generate leads, let’s discussthe different types of leads.LEAD GENERATION 12
LEAD GENERATIONTypes of LeadsAn easy way to classify leads is by the stage of the funnel that they convert at. Welike to use the simple acronyms: TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU. These stand for Top of theFunnel, Middled of the Funnel, and—yeah, you guessed it—Bottom of the Funnel.Top of the Funnel leads are aware they have an issue (or issues) and are starting tolook around for answers and ideas. The are researching online so they can betterunderstand their problem, its causes and its consequences.Middle of the Funnel leads have defined their problem and understand its causes.MOFU leads are exploring options for solutions. They are committed to addressingthe problem and are actively evaluating different approaches or methods toovercome their challenge.Bottom of the Funnel leads have already decided on a solution strategy and areactively assessing potential partnerships. They are usually whittling down a list to aselect number of solution providers and working towards a final decision.Conversion PathsThe challenge with lead generation is in actually converting previously unknownwebsite visitors into identifiable leads. The best way to do this is with conversionpaths.A conversion path is the step by step process by which a visitor becomes a lead. Thesteps may vary, but most often a conversion path consists of a CTA, a Landing Page,and a Thank You Page. By developing and deploying the conversion paths, youcan effectively move website visitors through the funnel and turn them into happycustomers.CTA stands for Call to Action. A CTA is an element that promotes your contentoffer. This element can take the form of a button, an image or even a line of text.Regardless of the form a CTA may take, when a visitor clicks on it they are presentedwith a form to fill out and submit so they can receive the content offered in the CTA.Typically, these forms are housed on a landing page.We often see the term landing pages being used to refer to any page on a websiteon which a visitor might “land.” We prefer to differentiate landing pages a little bitmore than that. Instead, we call any page on the web on which a visitor might land a“web page”.A landing page is any page on the web on which a visitor might land that:1. Has a form2. Exists solely to capture a visitor’s information through that formLEAD GENERATION 13
LEAD GENERATIONIn other words, all landing pages are web pages, but not all web pages are landingpages.When creating a landing page, consider removing the website navigationelements. This helps to reduce bounces and increase focus on the content you’reoffering. It’s also a good idea to add links with which visitors can share yourcontent with audiences on social media.Once the visitor has submitted the form, they will expect to receive their content.You could always send it to them via automated email, but if you do you will missout on an opportunity for more conversions. The best way to deliver content atthe end of a conversion path is with a Thank You Page.A thank you page marks the end of one conversion path and the beginning ofanother. It’s a landing page that features a link to the content you offered—but it also features a CTA for another piece of content the visitor might enjoy.By continuing to offer additional content at the end of conversion paths, youcan increase conversion rates and collect valuable data on what leads are mostinterested in. That data can be extremely helpful at the final stage of leadgeneration—handling your lead.Lead ManagementIn Inbound Marketing, lead generation doesn’t end at the conversion. Rather,proper lead management is the key to taking your hard earned inbound leads andturning them into opportunities and customers. There are three basic steps in thelead management process.Identify the Type of LeadAre they a TOFU, MOFU or BOFU? It matters, because each one is at a differentstage of the buyer’s journey and therefore should be managed differently. Ifthey subscribed to your newsletter, they shouldn’t
Inbound marketing is different. Inbound is a measurable approach to marketing that focuses on attracting customers by creating valuable content and experiences. These experiences are delivered at the right time, in the right context using integrated, innovative tools and techniques. Inbound marke
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