Winning over new customers has never been easier thanks to global networking. The web has become the central communication and information platform and is a great basis for attracting users to your web project. Advertisements can now not only be displayed in the search engine results, but also directly on social media networks – perfectly matched to the target group. However, even if the costs are low compared to advertising on television and in print, the strong competition within the market means that classic online marketing strategies are seemingly hopeless for new companies. Only financially-stable companies can handle the financial costs of extensive campaigns relating to search engines, social media, and e-mails. The cost-effective and innovative alternative for startups and smaller companies: inbound marketing.
This marketing concept, unlike traditional approaches, is not based on addressing customers directly. New customers are not generated by simply pushing a flyer into their hand, or by them listening to an advertisement on the radio, or by print advertisement, which aims to get them interested in your company. Inbound marketing is based on the idea that users, who are looking for a specific product, find their own way to your website and become new customers of their own accord. As an inbound marketer, there are some things you can do to help, otherwise lead generation (turning users into potential customers) would just be left to chance. The main aim of inbound marketing is to offer value to users by providing informative content, topics, or solutions to problems. After lead generation, inbound marketing aims to convert the leads into actual customers, to retain them in the long run, and turn them into supporters of your brand.