Want to build an unforgettable brand?
Try inbound marketing
In today’s crowded digital landscape, you have 3 seconds to capture an audience’s attention. That’s it – then they’re onto the next thing. With such fierce competition for attention, standing out from the crowd is a challenge for every business.
As a Marketing Manager with years of experience, I’ve seen first-hand how a well-crafted inbound marketing strategy can not only grab attention but also create a lasting impression that keeps your brand top-of-mind. And, as prospects move down the buying funnel, it helps you secure demo requests and sales calls.
What’s inbound marketing?
Inbound marketing is all about attracting customers through relevant, helpful content rather than traditional advertising. Instead of interrupting what they’re doing, you create valuable content, optimise your webpages for search engines, engage on social media, nurture leads to draw prospects to your business, and guide them smoothly through the buyer’s journey.
In short, it’s the lifeblood of B2B tech businesses. And if you do it right, you’ll see tangible results.
Know your audience inside out
First – and most importantly – you need to know your audience. This goes beyond basic demographics. You have to understand their behaviour, how and where they get their information, their pain points, the challenges they face, and how you can provide personalised solutions that address their specific problems.
Building an ICP (ideal customer profile) is a good place to start. This is essentially a detailed description of the type of customer that would most benefit from your business’ offering, and that would provide the most value to you in return. Consider characteristics like industry or sector, size, revenue, commercial challenges they’re facing, and their Jobs to Be Done (the actual needs and specific tasks your ideal customers are trying to fulfil).
Your ICP will inform your marketing strategies and content creation, helping you devise a roadmap to reach your target audience in the most effective way.
Create valuable content
You know what they say: ‘content is king’. It’s true – but any old content won’t cut it. You need to be memorable and stand out from the noise, giving value and relevant information to your audience, whilst keeping it engaging. It sounds like a minefield, right?
There are many different formats where you can create compelling content. Blog posts can showcase your knowledge of the industry or current trends, while a showreel demonstrates your services and expertise. You could also think about recording a podcast with industry giants as guest stars, creating information-rich white papers, running webinars, setting up a regular newsletter, devising a social media strategy, or placing editorial pieces in key industry publications. The list is endless.
With every piece of content for every channel, keep focusing on solving the problems your audience has and providing actionable, meaningful insights that they can gain. Mastering this will keep them coming back for more.
According to a 2021 Gartner survey, B2B buyers are 147% more likely to make a purchase when they follow a self-reflective learning path across both digital and human-led channels.
Use SEO effectively
According to a 2021 Gartner survey, B2B buyers are 147% more likely to make a purchase when they follow a self-reflective learning path across both digital and human-led channels.
Just think: when you’re looking to buy, what’s the first thing you do?
Research, research, and more research.
This is where SEO plays a big part, especially with organic visibility. A 2024 report from Google shows that the top three organic search results capture over two-thirds (68.7%) of all organic clicks on the Search Page. This is a statistic you can’t afford to overlook when crafting your strategy; otherwise, it might be your competitors’ websites prospects go to, not yours.
But how do you optimise your content to ensure you rank highly?
- Identify the specific keywords your audience uses when searching online. Then align your content with these search terms, sprinkling them naturally throughout a webpage and incorporating them into your headers and subheaders.
- Build high-quality backlinks from credible sites in your industry that signal to search engines that your site is trustworthy and authoritative, strengthening your SEO. Leverage PR and media outreach, contribute high-quality articles to online industry outlets, and take part in industry forums and Q&A sites.
Effective keyword targeting and building strong backlinks can significantly enhance your visibility, so you pop up in the right places, driving more qualified leads to your site.
Social media is a powerful tool
Knowing where your audience spends their time online is essential. Platforms like LinkedIn are ideal for B2B, while Instagram and TikTok are more consumer-facing. Conduct research and analyse where your targets are engaging – tools like Sparktoro are great ways to get in-depth insights.
Social media is a great place to humanise your business, which helps build lasting relationships. Sharing behind-the-scenes content, telling your brand story, or spotlighting your team can help to make your brand relatable. Authenticity and transparency resonate, fostering trust and emotional connections.
Effective CTAs are also crucial for driving engagement and conversions from your social posts. Use clear, persuasive, personalised CTAs that align with your audience’s needs. For example, instead of generic prompts like “Click Here,” opt for specific actions like “Download Your Free Guide” or “Join Our Community.” Powerful CTAs capture attention and encourage meaningful interactions.
Make the most of email marketing
Email marketing is a powerful tool for inbound marketing, particularly in lead nurturing, segmentation, and personalisation.
Lead nurturing is all about guiding potential customers through their buying journey by providing relevant and valuable content (like the kind I mentioned above). Regularly sending out informative emails, such as newsletters or educational content, helps keep your brand top of mind and moves leads closer to making a purchase.
A scatter-gun approach won’t deliver the ROI you want from your inbound marketing efforts. Instead, segmentation and personalisation are key to making your emails more effective. By dividing your email list into targeted groups based on specific criteria like demographics or behaviour, you can deliver more tailored and relevant communication.
Personalised emails aren’t just about using the recipient’s name (although this does help!). They involve customising content to meet unique needs and preferences, such as product recommendations or personalised offers. Give people what they need, and you’ll see higher open rates and better engagement.
Analyse and keep learning
Regularly analysing your email marketing performance and adjusting your strategy based on the response is crucial for success. By consistently reviewing metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversions, you can identify what works and what doesn’t.
Use this data to refine your approach, tailoring your content and targeting to better meet your audience’s needs and preferences. A big part of my role involves using this information to ensure campaigns are actually driving engagement and conversions. Staying on top of this really makes sure you get the most out of your inbound marketing.
Inbound marketing can make your brand unforgettable
Of course, there’s a lot that goes into it – it requires a strategic approach, a deep understanding of your audience, and a commitment to providing value. But effective inbound marketing means you won’t just attract attention and reach new prospects, you’ll build the trust that drives meaningful growth for your business.
Interested in learning more about inbound marketing?
Meet Laura, our dynamic Marketing Manager who oversees all our projects, bringing expertise that’s as robust as her strategies. She has worked with BAE Systems, Thales, and Leonardo.
