Over the last 15 years working at our agency we have devised and implemented various inbound marketing tactics in our campaigns.Some of the techniques were a huge success because they were not only effective but very frugal to implement. However, some other tactics were found to be of no use.
There are few techniques that did work initially but over the time we realized that they are not just ineffective but also detrimental to our marketing campaign. So, we decided to stop using those tactics immediately.It is absolutely essential that a marketer keeps on evolving by adopting new techniques and at the same time discarding the old ones.So, with our experience, we are in a comfortable position to give you 6 such Inbound Marketing Tactics that you ought to stop using this year.
Table of Contents show
1. It’s Same Old Content Marketing
From my experience, most of the mistakes we do while implementing Inbound Marketing, come from Content Marketing.
I know, it is boring talking about content because many marketers believe that content marketing is not very important and the real action is somewhere else.
Well! They couldn’t be more wrong! & Stop doing the following …
a) Creating Content Without Any Strategy or Plan
You need to build an entire narrative around your company and its products. You need to write a series of posts that not only explains your company & its products but also connects directly with its readers.
Content Mapping is the most important part to consider before you create content for your website. So, stop ignoring this!
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b) Bragging Your Company & Product but Nothing for the Customers
So, stop creating content solely around your company and its products.
c) Too Salesy Content Vs Aggressive SEO Content
At our agency, we faced this challenge a lot. Marketers should need to balance this out. You can’t compromise a sales pitch because your SEO guy wants to add a few keywords here and there in the article and at the same time you can’t ignore the SEO part.
Stop being one-sided and find the right balance.
d) Generic, Monotonous Short 500 – 750 Words Blog Post
I’m not suggesting you create low-quality articles with 5000 words. What I’m saying is whatever articles you write it must be 1200+ words.
So, these were a few important things you need to stop doing with your content.
2. Buying an Email List and Marketing Without Knowing Your Target Demographics
Gone are the days when marketers bought a huge list of email addresses to send a sales letter to random people. If you are still doing this then please stop it because it is an ineffective and total waste of money.
These so-called email lists are junk containing obsolete emails. You probably have to waste a lot of time sifting through the garbage. In most cases, you are sending emails to people who are simply not interested in your product.
You can’t guess about your target audience. Instead, you must exactly know who they are. Thorough research has to be done in order to ascertain their demographics.
You need to know their age, gender, the city they live in, country, income, educational qualification, etc. for creating a successful marketing campaign.
Failure to ascertain the demographics of your customers is one of the most prime reasons why a marketing campaign fails.
So, no shortcuts!
You may like: Basics of Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing.
3. Bombarding Customers with Cold Sales Emails & Other Intrusive Pop-Ups
There is no denying the fact that the email remains an essential component of an inbound marketing strategy. But you can’t bombard your customers with promotional emails containing a blatant sales pitch which is very general and not customized.
I’ve found that broadcasting a sales letter to thousands of people collected through Aweber does not convince them to buy a product. In my experience, the response from the customer was very poor hence I discontinued broadcasting them.
Instead, we created email campaigns which were much more customized, specific and targeted towards a particular individual.
Not one size fits all kind of approach.
Secondly, pop-ups are extremely effective when it comes to lead generation but readers find it very offensive. Even Google hates them. So, stop using them!
4. Futile Social Media Tactics
There is no doubt that various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. can be leveraged to further your inbound marketing campaigns.
However, if you are using it to tweet every 5 minutes on Tweeter or posting one-liner affiliate links on Facebook then it is of no use.
People are not even going to read your robotic tweets, forget about if they will be buying anything from you.
Similarly, if you are asking someone to connect on LinkedIn and then messaging them with a sales promotion, let me tell you this terrible approach isn’t going to work.
Spamming on social media is a waste of time and gives you no return and irritate potential customers as well. There are a lot of other ways to promote your business online if you’re not very good with social media promotion. You can use this precious time to invest in other modes and that should definitely give you positive returns.
Stop using Social Media to spam people, rather build a trusting relationship over a period of time.
5. A Website Without a Blog
I can tell you from my experience that a blog is not just a tool to connect with potential customers but also a great SEO strategy because Google loves a website which is regularly updated.
What will differentiate you from other marketers is others don’t update their website regularly. If you incorporate a blog into your website then you will get a lot of exposure and leads online.
Moreover, every time you publish a new blog post, your page will be indexed immediately and start showing on top of the search results in a few days.
I’ve seen many marketers failing to appreciate the power of blogs on their website.
6. Targeting Only Online, Not Going Beyond Online
Although inbound marketing is all about targeting customers online if you have to stay ahead of your competitors then you have to go beyond online to reach potential customers.
Marketers who are willing to connect with people at a more personal level have a much higher rate of success than those who refuse to do so.
For building a brand you must think out of the box and stop limiting yourself by just being online.
You may also like: 7 Tools Every Social Media Manager Should Use for Marketing Campaigns.
Last Words
Although above mentioned 6 inbound marketing tactics are no secret and marketers already know about it but they are still doing it merely out of their habit.
I hope after reading this article marketers will be forced to change their compulsive behavior and stop using these inbound marketing tactics for their own good.
This article is written by Cyndie Cole from MoneyConnexion. She is a writer by profession and it is her passion. Also, she is a voracious reader which helps her in her writing.
FAQs
6 Inbound Marketing Tactics You Should Stop Using Now!? ›
Inbound marketing is a business methodology that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. While outbound marketing interrupts your audience with content they don't always want, inbound marketing forms connections they are looking for and solves problems they already have.
What is an inbound marketing tactic? ›Inbound marketing is a business methodology that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. While outbound marketing interrupts your audience with content they don't always want, inbound marketing forms connections they are looking for and solves problems they already have.
What are the 3 important things for inbound marketing? ›- Traffic To Leads.
- Cost Per Lead.
- Leads To Customers.
- Cost Per Customer.
These inbound marketing examples include:
Web design. Email campaigns. Self-service tools. Conversational marketing tools.
There are 5 Principles of Inbound Marketing: standardize, contextualize, optimize, personalize, and empathize (S.C.O.P.E).
What are the 4 fundamentals of inbound marketing? ›There are 5 fundamental components of inbound marketing-- goals, contacts, buyer personas, buyer's journey, and content. These fundamentals assist marketers in planning long-term strategies that will satisfy customers or clients.
What are two common problems inbound marketing can solve? ›- Raise brand awareness.
- Drive traffic to your website.
- Increase footfall through your doors (if you have a physical store)
- Generate and nurture leads.
- Retain existing customers.
- Generate and increase sales.
The 3 Cs of Brand Development: Customer, Company, and Competitors.
What are the 4 stages of the inbound sales strategy explain? ›While buyers go through these three phases, sales teams go through four different actions that will help them support qualified leads into becoming opportunities and eventually customers: identify, connect, explore, and advise.
What are the pros and cons of inbound marketing? ›- Inbound is a long game. If you think you're going to be successful in a few months with inbound, you'll be sorely disappointed. ...
- It's not a mechanical process. ...
- It's not always applicable. ...
- You can be dominated by your competitors. ...
- Trust is limited in the beginning.
What is the opposite of inbound marketing? ›
Outbound marketing is the opposite of inbound marketing, where the customers find you when they need you. Examples of inbound marketing include content marketing, blogging, SEO, and opt-in email marketing.
What are 3 disadvantages of advertising? ›- (1) Adds to Costs:
- (2) Undermines Social Values:
- (3) Confuses the Buyers:
- (4) Encourages Sale of Inferior Products:
- (5) Some Advertisement is in Bad Taste:
- Create a Content Strategy. ...
- Track Your Results. ...
- Master Your Technical SEO. ...
- Segment Your Audience. ...
- Check Your Web Design. ...
- Level up Your Social Media Game. ...
- Open up Your Lines of Communication With Chatbots. ...
- Create Targeted Landing Pages or Lead Capture Popups.
It involves understanding the buyer journey and creating content for each stage, with the aim of turning visitors into customers and promoters of your business.
What is modern inbound marketing? ›Inbound Marketing — Definition
It is a modern marketing paradigm that redesigns our approach toward lead generation and customer relationships. It uses content marketing to attract leads and customers, to enhance customer relationships, and then turn those customers into business advocates.
Inbound marketing channels comprise the various ways businesses connect with their audience via content, from discoverability online to nurturing leads through emails or social media.
What are the types of inbound process? ›There are two types of incoming calls at an inbound process, i.e. service and sales.
What are the 6 fundamentals of marketing? ›The building blocks of an effective marketing strategy include the 6 P's of marketing: product, price, place, promotion, people, and presentation. The effective integration of the 6 P's of marketing can serve as the foundation for an effective growth strategy.
What are the 4 C's of marketing strategy? ›The 4 C's of Marketing are Customer, Cost, Convenience, and Communication. These 4 C's determine whether a company is likely to succeed or fail in the long run. The customer is the heart of any marketing strategy.
What are the 4 C's of marketing communication? ›The 4Cs for marketing communications: Clarity; Credibility; Consistency and Competitiveness. What is it? The 4Cs (Clarity, Credibility, Consistency, Competitiveness) is most often used in marketing communications and was created by David Jobber and John Fahy in their book 'Foundations of Marketing' (2009).
What makes an inbound strategy successful? ›
It is often divided into four stages: attract, convert, close, and delight. The biggest reason why inbound marketing strategies are effective is “pull power.” Instead of advertising to the customer, as traditional outbound marketing does, inbound marketing focuses on creating reasons for the customer to come to you.
What are 2 3 ways of overcoming brand challenges? ›- Challenges in Brand Building. A brand vision needs to differentiate itself, resonate with customers and inspire employees. ...
- Defining your brand. ...
- Differentiating and positioning your brand. ...
- Brand Personality. ...
- Personalising your brand. ...
- Identifying your target audience.
Since then, the theory has been expanded into the 7 P's of marketing. Which are: Product, Price, Promotion, Place, People, Packaging, and Process.
What are the six key ethics in marketing communication? ›It lists the following attributes as ethical values: honesty, responsibility, fairness, respect, transparency and citizenship.
What are the four A's of sales in order? ›The "four A's" of sales letters are attention, appeal, application, and action. First, get the reader's attention. Next, highlight your product's appeal.
What is the 6 step sales process? ›- Prospecting.
- Qualification.
- Approach.
- Presentation.
- Negotiation.
- Closure.
- Establish clear buyer personas. Buyer personas are imaginary people that fit the ideal description of someone willing to buy your product. ...
- Guide leads through your sales funnel. ...
- Determine who's actually buying your product or service. ...
- Personalize the buying experience.
Cost Effectiveness
According to HubSpot, organizations that use inbound marketing strategies see a cost per lead that is 61% less than those that primarily use outbound tactics. This is because those who use inbound marketing are being found by prospects who are searching online for what these companies have to offer.
Inbound marketing strategies are also known as pull marketing strategies. Common inbound strategies include: Informational articles or blog posts. Targeted social media campaigns.
How successful is inbound marketing? ›82% of marketers observe positive ROI for their inbound marketing efforts. If correctly done, inbound marketing can be 10x more effective in converting leads than outbound.
Why is inbound marketing cheaper? ›
Not surprisingly, inbound marketing is cheaper because it's customer-driven - there's no need to interrupt a customer's activity to get attention. As we mentioned above, when a client is coming to you, half the job of selling them on what you have to do is already done - all you have to do is seal the deal.
Is SEO part of inbound marketing? ›SEO is, technically, an aspect of inbound marketing.
It's important to have an SEO-optimized website, because having the right keywords and content to draw in customers matters. However, without inbound marketing, the customers may come to the website and bounce without making a purchase or looking deeper.
Another term that describes many inbound methods is 'permission marketing'.
What is the rule of 3 in advertising? ›“ When selling consumer goods, marketers should list only three positive claims on packaging. Marketers also can create more effective messaging in distracting environments by listing more than three positive claims on channels such as billboards on the side of highways or signage in busy retail spaces.”
What are negative advertising strategies? ›Negative advertising focuses on changing a person's behavior by appealing to undesirable emotions or consequences. These advertisements may invoke emotions like shame, fear or sadness before providing individuals with a solution to help them overcome a challenge.
What makes bad advertising? ›Bad advertising is any advertising that fails to engage or resonate with its target audience. This can include advertisements that are misleading, irrelevant, or offensive. Bad advertisements can lead to decreased brand trust and a decrease in sales.
What are smart goals for inbound marketing? ›- Introduce new products and services. ...
- Increase website interaction. ...
- Use social media marketing strategies. ...
- Find new leads. ...
- Maintain customer satisfaction. ...
- Get more online reviews. ...
- Increase in-person promotions.
Let's take some time to explore each of these in more detail. Attract: Attracting prospects is the first step in the inbound marketing methodology. At this initial marketing stage, the prospect searches for content to help them solve a problem.
How do you create an inbound strategy? ›- Building buyer personas. ...
- Set your inbound marketing strategy objectives. ...
- Outline your customers' marketing triggers. ...
- Create a list of keywords. ...
- Align content to the buyer's journey. ...
- Create a lead nurturing process. ...
- Conversion-focused blogging.
The goal for marketers using the inbound marketing methodology is to: Attract new and qualified prospects to your organization. Engage with those prospects in a meaningful and scalable way. Delight those prospects and customers so they become brand advocates.
What is inbound vs outbound marketing tactics? ›
The difference between inbound and outbound marketing.
Outbound marketing involves proactively reaching out to consumers to get them interested in a product. By contrast, inbound marketing centers on creating and distributing content that draws people into your website.
The 4 stages of the inbound marketing methodology are Attract, Convert, Close, and Delight. Following these steps will steer consumers away from being strangers and toward being promoters of your brand! At each stage there are specific methods by which this conversion is achieved.
Is inbound marketing push or pull? ›Push marketing, or outbound marketing, can lead to quicker sales and is powered by what you push out to your audience via your marketing. Pull marketing, or inbound marketing, starts internally and is focused on building and perfecting a marketable brand to new and existing customers.
What are examples of inbound vs outbound marketing? ›Outbound marketing includes TV ads, billboards, cold calling, and display ads, while inbound relies on slow-burn content marketing, such as blogs, opt-in email nurture flows, and native recommendations.
What are some outbound marketing strategies? ›- TV ads.
- Billboards.
- Cold calling.
- Events and tradeshows.
- Brand sponsorships.
- Direct mail.
- Print ads.
- Radio ads.
- Build a marketing plan.
- Create buyer personas.
- Identify goals.
- Select the appropriate tools.
- Review your media.
- Audit and plan media campaigns.
- Bring it to fruition.