What Should Inbound Marketing Be in 2021?
Have you ever heard of the marketing funnel? In this marketing model, customers are forced down a funnel-shaped diagram until they “convert” or are won over to your product or service. However, The Flywheel provides an exciting new alternative for engaging with customers.
In this model, successful inbound marketing builds meaningful, lasting relationships with customers. To do so, the first step is to attract your target audience with valuable content and conversations. Your content should inspire confidence in you and your business. This trust is also cultivated through consistent engagement. Reach your audience where they are, by identifying topics or answering questions relevant to them.
Finally, support your customers, even after they have received your services. When your customers achieve success, they will pass it forward, attracting new prospects to your business. All of this creates momentum in a self-sustaining loop.
Where to Begin with Inbound Marketing
If this alternative model seems attractive, where do you begin? To attract an audience, it is necessary to create and publish valuable content. This might include product guides, customer testimonials, and updates, promotions, or discounts. Traditional methods like blogs, social media posts, and newsletters are always effective. Additionally, 2021 has given rise to several new trends, like short-form video content. 87 percent of marketing professionals profess to use them, which is no surprise: 40 percent of US-based consumers spend on average an hour per week watching short-form video content.
Studies also show those who frequently consume short-form video content are more receptive to advertising. If you aren’t already on platforms like Instagram Reels, LinkedIn Stories, or TikTok, there is good reason to start!
Tapping into video content can be even more effective with the help of micro-influencers. Influencer marketing has become a billion-dollar industry in just the past five years, and increasingly brands find creative ways of collaborating with influencers to introduce their products to a new audience.
Micro-influencers are a new sub-category in the influencer world. While they have fewer followers than top influencers, micro influencers are renowned as experts in a particular area, with a niche following that would appeal to inbound marketers. Consider partnering with a micro-influencer to expand your reach.
Another important way to attract your audience is through an SEO strategy. This involves using keywords and phrases related to your products or services to ensure your content appears in search engines.
In the past, getting to the very top of the Google search engine was the ultimate goal of any SEO strategy. Today, however, appearing in the Featured Snippet is even more important. This new feature is Google’s way of keeping users on their platform rather than clicking through other websites.
It works by pulling answers from sites it has indexed, which users can quickly read on the search page without having to visit the website. It is the first thing users will see when they search Google, and because of that, if users want to read more, they will naturally click on the website. It pays off to be the snippet that Google displays! During 2021, it is expected that the Featured Snippet will only continue to grow.
Once you have attracted an audience, it is then possible to begin engaging with your audience to build long-term relationships and continue working your way through the cyclical stages of The Flywheel.
Let WriterArmy Help with Inbound Marketing
At WriterArmy, we know that the first stage is often the hardest. It takes concerted time and effort to produce the content necessary to attract new customers. That is why we are here to help by providing a detailed analysis of your online presence, identifying opportunities for content growth, internal linking, a comprehensive SEO strategy, and more. Together, we will create an inbound marketing strategy optimal for growth in 2021.
Contact us at 425-354-4828 for a comprehensive consultation.
