[This article was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated and revised.]
One of the most common challenges facing any business engaged in a digital marketing strategy is the need for inbound content marketing.
That means publishing valuable content that educates and engages your prospects. This type of content is critical for an effective inbound marketing strategy. And any business can do it!
Topics: content marketing, User-generated content, inbound marketing, Blogging, content creation, Content Marketing Strategy
However, most of us are not designers and, many of us, struggle with anything creative. But even if your organization can hire creative staff or pay for freelance graphic design, it is a time-consuming process.
Topics: powerpoint, content marketing, website traffic, social media marketing, SlideShare, infographics, visual content
We have been looking at advertising and the needs an item is supposed to fulfill. Now it’s time to look at the language of advertising claims. This is a hot topic because advertising affects sales much more than people think it does. We know advertising works because we can statistically study the results through surveys and sales figures. That most people don’t think they are influenced by advertising shows how naïve people are and how well advertisements work below the radar..
Topics: social media strategy, content marketing, inbound social media marketing, Social Media, social media marketing, local SEO, content distribution
Topics: social media strategy, content marketing, inbound social media marketing, Social Media, social media marketing, local SEO, content distribution
Topics: social media strategy, content marketing, inbound social media marketing, Social Media, social media marketing, local SEO, content distribution
A sample marketing plan for Inbound Marketing will give you one of the most powerful and most cost-effective approaches to marketing. Compared to traditional marketing methods, inbound consistently outperforms and typically costs far less.
A few stats from Hubspot illustrate this fact:
Having said that, it is important to keep in mind that inbound marketing, while having a number of consistent components and tactics, is not a "cookie-cutter" approach to marketing either. Each strategy and subsequent plan is unique to each user.
Your Company Is Different - Just Like Everyone Else
Your business is like no other. Really. Your goals, your challenges, your offerings - they are all unique to you and your business. Even if you think you are simply a commodity. And because your business is unique, your marketing plan shouldn't be generic either.
We can offer a sample marketing plan, but the goal is to adapt it, modify it, make it your own. What might work well for your competitor across town may not be exactly the plan that will be most effective for you. Your marketing strategy should be crafted with your vision, your objectives, and your customers in mind.
Now that we've established that not all businesses are the same, nor are all effective marketing plans, let's look at a generic approach to inbound marketing.
A typical inbound marketing plan will consist of the following steps:
Topics: content marketing, Advertising and Marketing, Online Communities, Content Marketing Strategy, distribution channels, trust building, blogging strategy
Marketing is as old as humankind. And it's still evolving. The challenge for small business owners is knowing what works. Especially for digital marketing.
Tactics by themselves do not constitute a marketing strategy, but the tactics used in a good strategy must be effective in and of themselves.
Topics: content marketing, social media marketing, digital marketing, effective internet marketing, SEO strategy, marketing tactics
For many small business owners, the terminology that swirls around the digital marketing realm is confusing, especially terms such as inbound marketing.
So many similar terms are recklessly thrown around by marketers and others that it seems it's easier to just ignore them all. But understanding the essentials of inbound marketing can be valuable for owners.
Topics: content marketing, inbound marketing, social media marketing, digital marketing, email marketing, online marketing
Updated Dec. 2023
Content marketing has been a powerful force in the realm of digital marketing for decades. And in 2023 it has shown to be more effective than ever before.
Digital marketing incorporates a wide variety of tactics and strategies, but content marketing is not only a mainstay strategy, it is core component of successful digital marketing practices.
Topics: content marketing, content development, content creation, Content Marketing Strategy, digital marketing, content distribution
Guest Blogger—Ann Mullen
Are all headline swipe files just a bunch of snake oil?
I actually found a recent blog by Yaro Starak, “How To Write Award Winning Blog Headlines” at http://www.entrepreneurs-journey.com/7668/how-to-write-award-winning-blog-headlines/print/ that is an honest introduction to writing headlines you can use as a basis for your swipe file.
Since most people don’t have the time to read the whole article and want the quick fix, I am going to ditch Yaro’s explanations and get to the meat of the matter. You are welcome to read the whole enchilada yourself if you have time. I couldn't cover it all so I stuck to the top six.
A good headline is essential to getting your blog article in front of your audience. Your content, while very important, is not as important as the headline. Yaro admits that he, himself, just writes a headline without looking at a swipe file, but there are things that he has learned that make better headlines than others.
Topics: social media strategy, content marketing, inbound social media marketing, Social Media, social media marketing, local SEO, content distribution
