I never really explore deeper about Inbound Marketing, although I have heard the term numerous times in the past. However, as I learn the concept more, I’m becoming addicted to Inbound Marketing… especially after SEO and Link Building disappoint me in 2012.
SEO was pretty cool, but Inbound Marketing is even cooler
You see, I was a keen learner of SEO. I am intrigued by how a particular web page can rank high on search engine; as I am interested in everything small business, I am intrigued by the fact that some small business sites’ pages rank higher than those of big names, such as Entrepreneur.com or SBA.gov; thus I embarked in a journey of getting ranked higher on search engine result pages… and I did succeed – until mid-2012.
I have a small business blog that I build from scratch for 4 years – and have finally ranked on the most expensive real estate on the web: The top 3 of a search engine result pages. Some web pages from my blog ranked higher than those of small business/entrepreneurship behemoths, like SmallBizTrends.com, Inc.com, Entrepreneur.com, and so on.
But then Google, the blog’s number one source of traffic, decided that big brands should get more perks; websites should not over-optimize; websites should only contain authoritative content; and so on. Then eventually, the blog of mine falter and dive head first into oblivion… a bit exaggerated, but consider this: The blog has lost 80% of traffic – “thanks” to Google’s attempt to weed out “bad” websites and web pages from their search results.
Well, as far as I know, Google has made it: Big brands sit high on search results, while the small fries – like my blog – kicked out of the top result pages.
To cut long story short, I’ve done my share of mistakes and I am fed up with focusing on off-site SEO and declare that 2013 is the year of Inbound Marketing for my web business.
More about Inbound Marketing…
According to Wikipedia, Inbound Marketing is based on the concept of earning the attention of prospects, making yourself easy to be found and drawing customers to your website by producing content customers value.
I am a noob in Inbound Marketing, although I have practiced one or two Inbound Marketing strategies on my websites. I seek for help, but most sources point out to one source: HubSpot.
Then I think that if HubSpot can bring me in from various websites, then it must have practiced what it has preached for some years; indeed, Inbound Marketing is all about getting found and attracting people via your outstanding content – and HubSpot, indeed, is an authority in this niche.
What I like about Inbound Marketing is the fact that the techniques evolve on how to do marketing people actually love. Unlike TV commercials and other traditional on/off line marketing methods which push ads to viewers’ face whether they like it or not, Inbound Marketing attracts people who actually interested in what you are offering.
Pretty cool, eh?
I am not affiliated with HubSpot in any means, but I strongly recommend you to visit HubSpot and sign up with their newsletter. Why? Because it regularly updates you with their very own valuable resources you can download for free. Indeed, they know what they are doing 😉
There are dozens of resources available for you in HubSpot’s Marketing Resources: Whitepapers, e-books, webinars, reports, templates, and so on. My favorite has always been eBooks, so I do read many HubSpot’s whitepapers and eBooks.
10 HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing eBooks I recommend
From over 75 Inbound marketing eBooks and whitepapers HubSpot has published, I have my personal favorite: Here are my 10 best Inbound Marketing eBooks HubSpot has ever published, in no particular order – check ’em out!
1. Marketing Benchmarks from 7,000+ Businesses
Did you know why your business must blog today? Check this out: Businesses publishing 15 or more blog post on monthly basis will get 5 times more traffic than businesses that have no blog!
This is a report on HubSpot’s latest study on their 7,000 customers. The study is mainly on how to increase leads and traffic by tweaking your effort with your blog, landing pages, Twitter account and so on. You will be given facts and figures that can give you some ideas. A MUST READ.
2. 20 Marketing Trends & Predictions for 2013 & Beyond
In 2013, your small business needs to adopt mobile marketing tactics – or else, you will be left behind.
The above is Prediction #6 out of the 20 predictions and trends presented in the eBook. Featuring several authoritative figures, like SEOmoz CEO Rand Fishkin, HubSpot’s very own CEO Brian Halligan, and Dan Zarrella the Social Media Scientist, you will get plenty of spoilers on how to ace your marketing in 2013.
3. 100 Inbound Marketing Content Ideas
This simple and straightforward eBook presents you with 100 ideas on how to create marketing content that your customers and prospects will love. Interviewing your best customers and publish it on your company blog, participate in #FollowFriday on Twitter, and so on – these ideas will help you in getting your content and brand on top of their mind.
4. 17 SEO Myths You Should Leave Behind in 2013
I am disappointed with my effort in SEO – therefore, I focus on Inbound Marketing, instead. But that doesn’t mean that I will avoid SEO at all cost. SEO is not dead and is actually an integral part in Inbound Marketing.
So, before you do any SEO tactics that will actually harm your business, you need to stop what you are about to do and read this eBook. Chances are, what you are or your SEO specialists do are no longer relevant this 2013 (such as Myth #5 from the eBook: More links are better than more content; the truth is, content is far better than more links – myth debunked!)
5. 62 Social Media Tips from Around the World
Did you know that 40 percent of businesses worldwide have acquired new customers through social media?
If your business targets global audience, this eBook will give you not 10 or 20, but 62 social media tips from around the world, mainly from some of the savviest countries when it comes to social media, such as United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands.
6 – 10. How to Use Top Social Media Sites for Your Business
It’s not that I’m lazy to explain to you what it’s all about, but these 5 free eBooks share the same purpose: They contain beginner’s guides on how to effectively use today’s 5 major social media sites for the benefit of your small business – Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+.
I recommend you to download each and every of the how-to guides; I learn aplenty from them even though I understand how to use those 5 social media sites.
Takeaway
As you can see, Inbound Marketing comprises of everything from email marketing to social media marketing; from search engine optimization (SEO) to landing page optimization.
As so many businesses are still immersing themselves in how to SEO their way to the top of Google’s search results, it’s a BIG opportunity for us who are forward thinking: If you want to beat the competition, think beyond SEO; think Inbound Marketing.
Have you developed Inbound Marketing campaign for your small business? If not, will you focus on it this 2013? Please share what you think about this new breed of marketing by leaving a comment on this blog post!
