Since the pandemic hit, my screen time has risen exponentially since everything was done online (school, work, and entertainment). In fact, I’ve spent so much time on my laptop that my arm was in pain. To alleviate the pain, specifically on my wrist, I searched for a new ergonomic mouse.

After days of research, I finally ordered a mouse on Amazon, along with a keyboard, a mousepad, and a bunch of other office supplies. When I was researching different mouses, suggestions of other office accessories started popping up, which, unfortunately, resulted in me spending more money than I would’ve liked at the beginning.  

And so, a one-click search for an ergonomic mouse eventually led to a full office space renovation. Yes, I still find myself falling through this rabbit hole because I am in the process of finding a desk monitor.  How did I get to this state? This is all thanks to a digital marketing strategy called inbound marketing.

What is inbound marketing, and why is it effective? 

Inbound marketing is a strategy businesses use to offer information and content that potential buyers would find relevant and attractive. This popular marketing tactic can be seen in the form of blog posts, social media content, email newsletters, search engine optimization (SEO), and more.

How does inbound marketing work? In my experience, I needed to buy an ergonomic mouse. Since I knew very little about ergonomic mouses, I turned to the internet for help.  This is where inbound marketing comes in. When I, the customer, sought out information, the internet delivered by showing me multiple articles and video reviews (SEO!). But this went beyond my expectations because I soon learned that I would greatly benefit from having an ergonomic keyboard. 

From watching reviews on different computer accessories to seeing what other things I could buy to help with my arm pain, I became hooked (What can I say? Nothing reassures me more than reading product reviews). A takeaway here is that businesses should create or think of what products or services are complimentary with each other because you’ll be able to market them as a bundle (2 birds 1 stone!).

Social media also played a significant role by presenting me with more videos and posts of people showing off their office space. Seeking out social media influencers would be a great marketing strategy so check out the article below for more information. 

? Relevant: Seamless Product Placement: Influencer Marketing (article coming soon!)

All that combined resulted in a customer spending more money than she wanted in the first place. I could’ve simply purchased a mouse only, but inbound marketing influenced that outcome. Now you might be thinking I’m weak-willed for falling into the temptations of the internet, but that’s because companies are becoming smarter with advertising. But what initiated this change?

Goodbye outbound, hello inbound!

Short answer? People changed. Essentially, people became less aware of outbound marketing methods. Think of billboards, newspaper ads, tv commercials– outbound marketing campaigns are overt and becoming less efficient. For example, with many ad-blockers available to download, people are better at finding ways to tune out advertisements.  

With a shift in consumer behaviour, companies need to change by finding new ways to draw in customers. 

Many businesses are switching up their marketing strategies from print ads, commercials, and billboards to social media, websites, and email subscriptions. 

Okay, but does inbound marketing actually work?

Take a look at these statistics about inbound marketing effectiveness and what other businesses think of it:

• 74% of organizations worldwide rely on an inbound approach to marketing. (HubSpot, 2018)
• 90% of brands rely on social media for brand awareness efforts. (Hootsuite Blog, 2020)
• 70% – the percentage of marketers who actively invest in content marketing. (HubSpot, 2020)
• Around 409 million users view more than 20 billion blog pages every month. (Optinmonster, 2021)
• 81% of users search online for products and services. (Smart Insights, 2020)

The statistics above show that inbound marketing methods such as social media, content marketing, blogs, and SEO are all effective ways to engage with customers and leave a lasting impression on them. Businesses need to change how they market their products and services because buyer behaviour has changed. Keep this in mind when you brainstorm for marketing strategies in your next meeting!

Millennials are becoming increasingly more plugged into their devices, and people tend to search for information independently. By attracting the buyer organically in their shopping journey, Businesses can draw in more customers and convert their leads into sales.