Social Media as Inbound Marketing Strategy

It’s All About Customer Service

Inbound marketing is about customer service, and social media, as it has evolved, has become about the same. It’s no longer enough to sell your business. You have to engage in a conversation both B2B and B2C. You have to offer something to your customers and target audience that entices them to loyalty. You have to nurture them with interesting topics and promotions and contests. And Social media has become a hub for a flourishing inbound marketing strategy.

It’s misleading to think of inbound marketing as a specific channel or technology. It’s a strategy, and social media and blogs are a leading force of that strategy. But in order to understand the social media piece of the puzzle, you have to understand some things about inbound marketing:

Hubspot’s annual inbound marketing report says, “Inbound marketing is a holistic, data-driven strategy that involves attracting and converting visitors into customers through personalized, relevant information and content—not interruptive messages—and following them through the sales experience with ongoing engagement.” An effective inbound strategy is rich in content and focused on customers, and understanding how to play this game is what makes successful campaigns and improves brands. And that’s where social media become a powerful tool.

Inbound Marketing and Social Media Are Both Multi-Channel Strategies

Inbound marketing encompasses a strategy that is less product-based and more focused on helping customers. And people turn to social media to entertain and educate themselves, and companies and brands can help their target customers and clients do both with the implementation of the right social media strategy. It shouldn’t end there. Social media is very high up on the sales funnel, and doesn’t often lead directly to sales, but it’s an important aspect.

Inbound marketing requires the integration of multiple outreach channels to drive traffic to your site. It’s an investment—one that’s likely to be time-consuming—but the proof and ROI is out there.

Meet DemandLEAP

If these thoughts are helpful and you want to see more inbound marketing and social media tips and discussions, visit demandLEAP! This is our SEO and inbound marketing daughter company. The experts who work at demandLEAP are eager to help with and chat about integrated marketing and lead generation.

(image curtesy of Social Media Examiner)