In a recent blog post, we discussed the differences between B2B and B2C marketing. And although your approach should be somewhat different, many of the tools you’ll use when doing inbound marketing in a B2B field are the same.
Here are eight inbound activities to use when you’re doing B2B marketing:
1. Blogging
Your blog should be more than just a place to share company news. Use it to publish the type of content that turns visitors into leads, by offering them solutions for their problems. It’s also a way to establish yourself as an authority in your field, to increase your site’s page count and to target new keywords. The more you blog, the more leads you’ll attract, so think about posting at least several times a month.
2. SEO
An important step to inbound marketing is making sure people can find the content you create. To do that, research what keywords are right for your audience. Once you’ve figured that out, add those keywords to your page titles and metadata. Your web copy should use those keywords authentically. Too little won’t get you noticed, but too much – essentially spamming with keywords – will get you blacklisted with search engines. (Plus it looks bad to your audience.)
3. Video Marketing
This is a point we’ve made before and will probably make again: video rules the internet. If content is king in the inbound marketing world, then video content is some sort of emperor. In the next few years, it’s predicted to become the dominant form of online content.
You can make videos talking about your company, or provide a demonstration of your product/service. But be sure you videos can be found. When you post them to YouTube, give them a title loaded with keywords and description tags so your video shows up on search engines.
4. Graphics and Photos
People who search for what you do won’t just find the words you write. Adding alt tags to the images on your blog and web pages will help you get found on image search pages, and can help improve your click-through rates through backlinks from social media.
5. Social Media
We’ll assume that any business reading this in 2015 has some sort of social media presence. That should include B2B companies as well as B2C. In the inbound marketing world, social media isn’t just about promoting what you’re doing, it’s about turning customers into advocates on your behalf.
And since we’ve already touched on images and videos, we should include this tip: social media posts that include some sort of picture or video are more likely to be shared than ones with just text.
6. Press Releases
Putting together a keyword-heavy news release is a good way to bring credible backlinks and organic search traffic to your website. But don’t just think of news releases as a way to get news coverage. If that happens, great. But it’s also another way to reach new and existing customers.
7. Email
There are a number of ways to use email in the inbound marketing world. There are plain text emails, which are simple and easy to read. There are primary action e-mails, aimed at getting readers to do one thing: download a white paper, sign up for a webinar.
You can use a promotional email to – as the name suggests – promote offers from your company. You can use email to share your newsletter, or to conduct surveys of your clients. Regular e-mails can keep you at the front of your customers’ minds.
8. Landing Pages With Lead Forms
A landing page with a lead form gives you the chance to share your expertise and find out more about who your potential customers are. Let’s say you create an e-book talking about one aspect of your industry. You could have it on a landing page on your site, with a form that requires readers to input their name and contact info. Be sure the landing page then takes them to a “thank you” page. It will keep users on your site longer, and let them feel appreciated.
If you’re a B2B company interested in learning more about inbound marketing, contact IQnection. Our team of marketing experts can help you reach the leads you want and turn them into customers, while establishing your business as an authority in its field.
