Inbound and Outbound are polar opposites of the marketing matrix. The three comparisons below highlight the differences on all levels (approach, value proposition and goals).

• Inbound Marketing is a non-disruptive marketing method that is based on creating content that helps potential and existing customers address their problems; it is unbiased and does not come across as a sales pitch.
  Outbound Marketing is a disruptive, sales-oriented marketing method; it is a traditional approach that focuses on promoting a product or service to a wide audience, even when they are not actively seeking it out. 
  
  
• Inbound Marketing passively provides resources and value that attracts and retains customers by addressing their challenges and providing a great brand experience.
  Outbound Marketing proactively persuades an audience to become interested in your product or service, regardless of the value it provides.
  
  
• Inbound Marketing focuses on the customer.
  Outbound Marketing focuses on the product or service being marketed. 

Customers, especially in the digital age, have higher expectations from brands - regardless of their size or market share. 

Inbound Marketing provides the added value consumers are looking for, while simultaneously benefiting businesses utilising this marketing method

Inbound is an important marketing method for long-term sustainability and growth. It’s an affordable and profitable way to ensure a steady stream of leads, increased customer loyalty and spend, as well as being one of the most effective lead generation strategies in a B2B setting.

“Inbound Marketing Channels” collectively refers to the platforms used to execute Inbound activities.

This includes channels owned by the marketer - such as websites (pages, blogs and assets), social media platforms, YouTube channels, and email automation platforms.

These channels are under the direct and singular control of the marketer, and serve as the route to market for Inbound campaigns.

An ‘Inbound Marketing Strategy’ can reference two aspects of the methodology:

• Referring to the Flywheel Methodology coined by HubSpot, an Inbound Marketing Strategy encompasses each stage of the customer lifecycle (stranger, prospect, customer, promoter/advocate) as well as the stages of buyers' journey (attract, engage and delight.)
  
  A strategy in this instance refers to creating resources to support each of these stages.
  
  
• Inbound Marketing Strategy also refers to the integration of various digital marketing services to combine to produce a comprehensive Inbound Marketing campaign.
  
  Strategy in this sense refers to the plan for each unique service (SEO, Social, Marketing Automation) to individually contribute to the success of the overall Inbound campaign.

Conversations fit into all three stages of the buyer's journey, the basis of Inbound Marketing.

• During the Attract stage, conversations help to establish topical and brand authority in a non-formal way. 
  
  
• During the Engage stage, conversations help to engage and support an already-captive audience. Engage-stage Conversations provide an opportunity to present insights and solutions that align with your prospect’s pain points, and promote lasting relationships.

• During the Delight stage, conversations help to foster existing relationships and allow you to showcase your brand’s commitment to your customers through personalised and timely content. Through support and help, customers feel empowered to advocate for your brand.

The Shared Inbox for Customer Conversations on HubSpot has multiple features that allow natural conversations to happen at all stages of the buyer's journey. From live chat and Facebook Messenger integration to chatbots and team emails, this is a great tool to ensure you’re available to chat when your customers need you most. 

An Inbound Marketing Agency is the most practical and affordable way to start Inbound Marketing effectively.

If you are keeping your Inbound campaigns in-house, the below steps are a good overview of what it takes to implement a campaign:

• Explore the Inbound Methodology, and consider taking the HubSpot Inbound Course.
  
  
• Choose the right people. Storytellers, writers and content creators are the backbone of your Inbound Campaign. 
  
  
• Determine your current marketing objectives and goals. What do you want to achieve?
  
  
• Define your tone of voice and key messaging. This will become your brand identity and will help you stand out from the competition.
  
  
• Find your audience’s pain points. Explore forums, ask people in the industry, and listen to your current customers. 
  
  
• Build authority. Start with content; write about the issues your audience is facing, and tell them how to resolve them. 
  
  
• Create a content schedule - with regular publications and relevant topics. 
  
  
• Optimise landing pages, CTAs, headlines, offers - make it a memorable experience that makes the prospect want to deal with you.
  
  
• Ensure your SEO is helping you reach your audience effectively.
  
  
• Utilise Paid Social or PPC to boost your initial efforts.
  
  
• Monitor and report. The only way to gauge progress is by monitoring it.
  
  
• Utilise as many Inbound Marketing Channels as needed. From social posting through to email marketing automation, each channel provides a unique route to market.
  
  
• Keep at it. Consistency is key.

If you have already started your Inbound Marketing activity, the below areas can help you improve your results:

• Optimise your content for humans, but also Search Engines. On-page and off-page SEO enhancements can improve your performance, and as such improve your reach.
  
  
• Promote your content in the spaces your audience spends their time. This can include social platforms, forums, YouTube, emails, even your website itself. Make your content easy to find.
  Remember to download your free Customer Profile Template to help you identify where your target audience is spending their time.
  
  
• Adjust, don’t abandon. If you are seeing great click-through rates, but a drop in form submissions - analyse your CTAs. There is always a reason for poor performance, and instead of abandoning the project in light of disappointing results, rather adapt and adjust.
  
  
• Be consistent. This includes publishing content regularly, engaging with customers reliably, and keeping your tone of voice consistent.
  
  
• Keep up to date with Inbound Methodology updates. Staying abreast with new features, functionality, and strategies gives you a competitive advantage.
  
  
• Consider outsourcing. Inbound Marketing Agencies work to create great Inbound Marketing campaigns using the skills, tools and expertise at their disposal. It can be a great money-saving and time-saving option for businesses looking to scale their Inbound Marketing activities. 

Inbound Marketing in SEO refers to creating content that an online audience has created a demand for.

This relates to keywords, user intent and various other factors that affect the organic performance of content.

If your audience is frequently asking the same question, ensure you are answering it.