{"id":1099,"date":"2018-09-25T13:06:02","date_gmt":"2018-09-25T13:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=1099"},"modified":"2025-02-13T10:10:44","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T08:10:44","slug":"inbound-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/inbound-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Inbound Marketing?"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_3-1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-image align_center\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"580\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/shutterstock_566965546-e1538562589708.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Inbound Marketing Banner\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/shutterstock_566965546-e1538562589708.jpg 580w, https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/shutterstock_566965546-e1538562589708-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>Back in the day, brands had to spend millions of rands on billboards, newspaper and radio ads to tell people about their product or service. This method of <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/professional-marketing-and-business-certificate\/\">marketing<\/a> is called the \u201cPush Method\u201d. This is because brands are technically pushing themselves onto the public. Over time the Internet has changed the landscape for all businesses and has allowed for a specific movement to take place. That movement is called the inbound marketing movement.<\/p>\n<p>Today, pushing your product or service is not the only way to get people to notice you. In fact, you can draw customers into your business while delighting them in such a way that they decide to engage or take action on their own. This \u00a0type of marketing is called Inbound Marketing.<\/p>\n<h2>Why is Inbound Marketing Important?<\/h2>\n<p>If a business wants to flourish (and not just survive) in today\u2019s ever-changing digital environment, it\u2019s essential to have both a solid inbound marketing strategy as well as a push strategy. If an inbound strategy is done correctly it can help increase customer acquisition rates over time as well as improving conversion rates.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Does an Inbound Marketing Strategy Consist Of? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>An inbound marketing strategy needs three things so that it can work effectively: attraction, engagement and delight.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h3><em>Attraction<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>An inbound marketing strategy needs to be able to attract customers to a specific business, service or product. This is a fundamental of any <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/digital-marketing-courses\/\">digital strategy course<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h4>Different ways to do this would be to:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5>Run attractive and compelling ads<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>An ad doesn\u2019t always translate into sales that is why it\u2019s so important to ensure you\u2019re running attractive as well as compelling ads that people wouldn\u2019t mind seeing.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5>Run ads that resonate with the customer and triggers a positive emotion<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The most powerful ads today hits home with a user. Consider creating an ad that maybe asks a specific question or triggers a specific emotional response. In fact, the emotional nostalgia is highly effective in getting people to remember and engage with a specific ad.<\/p>\n<h2><strong><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1109 size-shop_single\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/DSM_Infographic_ContentMarketing-600x423.jpg\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing - inbound marketing\" width=\"600\" height=\"423\" \/><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5>Producing videos that adds value to a potential customer<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It is said that video will be responsible for the majority of web traffic in the coming years. With that in mind it\u2019s important to create something that can potential entertain or add value to someone in the buying journey.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5>Sharing relevant and high-quality content on social media<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Just scheduling content on social media won\u2019t cut it any more. With so much noise out there it\u2019s essential to ensure you\u2019re sharing content worth reading, watching or listening to.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5>Writing articles that people find interesting and worth reading<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As mentioned above, it all comes down to quality. Producing generic thin content won\u2019t get you anywhere. Ensure you\u2019re producing content that people will find interesting and most probably want to share with their friends who share the same interest.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/seo-and-web-analytics-course\/\">SEO \u2013 Search Engine Optimisation<\/a><\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is most probably one of the most underrated inbound marketing strategies. Improving your search engine optimisation can help you rank higher within search engines over time. This can translate into more organic visits and leads. This means SEO can help lower your cost per acquisition over time. \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/seo-and-web-analytics-course\/\">Have a look at<\/a> our Search Engine Optimisation and Web Analytics Course if you\u2019re interested in learning more about SEO.<\/p>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li>\n<h3><em>Engagement<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Running or producing quality content is not where it stops. Ensure you get potential customers to engage with your content while keeping them engaged until they are 100% ready to become a customer.<\/p>\n<h4>Ways to go about this would be to:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h5>Produce high-quality lead magnets that adds value to a potential customer.<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>Create compelling e-mail newsletters.<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h5>Get people to reply, engage and interact with your brand on social media.<\/h5>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li>\n<h3><em>Delight<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Lastly, you want to ensure that you\u2019re delighting the customer after they have interacted with your brand.\u00a0 \u00a0This can be through the value you\u2019ve added by utilising a lead magnet or a specific piece of content you\u2019ve created for your website or social media channels. Once a potential customer has experienced these three elements, the chances of them becoming a customer is a lot higher. That\u2019s what we all want at the end of the day.<\/p>\n<h2><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/contact-us\/\">Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/h2>\n<p>You\u2019ll learn about inbound marketing, and so much more, with the <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/\">Digital School of Marketing\u2019<\/a>s Digital Marketing Course. To find out how having this marketing course under your belt will\u00a0 benefit your business, follow this <a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/digital-marketing-course\/\">link<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/courses\/digital-marketing-course\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-759 size-shop_single\" src=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/DSM_Footer04-600x96.jpg\" alt=\"DSM Digital School of Marketing Digital Marketing course registration\" width=\"600\" height=\"96\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-btn-wrapper align_justify\"><a class=\"w-btn us-btn-style_2\" href=\"#enquiry\"><span class=\"w-btn-label\">Enquire Today<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Blog Categories<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/blog\/content-marketing\/\">Content Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/digital-marketing\/\">Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/cyber-security-blog\/\">Cyber Security<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/blog\/graphic-design-blog\/\">Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/blog\/public-relations\/\">Public Relations<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/blog\/seo\/\">SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/social-media-marketing\/\">Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/blog\/web-design-blog\/\">Web Design<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">You might also like<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"w-html\"><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/social-media-marketing-blog\/zero-moment-of-truth-benefit-social-media-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Use the Zero Moment of Truth to Benefit your Social Media Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/your-complete-guide-to-ppc-marketing-basic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Your Complete Guide to PPC Marketing Basics. Find out more.<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/blog\/you-can-convey-a-lot-of-meaning-with-just-one-graphic\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">You Can Convey a Lot Of Meaning With Just One Graphic<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/would-you-make-a-great-marketing-manager\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Would you make a great marketing manager?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/in-the-press\/win-with-bona-magazine-and-the-digital-school-of-marketing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Win with Bona Magazine and the Digital School of Marketing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/in-the-press\/win-a-digital-marketing-course-valued-at-r12-000\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Win a Digital Marketing Course Valued at  R12 000<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><h3 class=\"w-text us_custom_6caa4608 has_text_color\"><span class=\"w-text-h\"><span class=\"w-text-value\">Top Selling COurses<\/span><\/span><\/h3><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_5cd26a65\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-1\"><a href=\"\/courses\/digital-marketing-course\/\">Intermediate Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-2\"><a href=\"\/courses\/advanced-digital-marketing-course\/\">Advanced Digital Marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-3\"><a href=\"\/courses\/social-media-marketing-course\/\">Intermediate Social media marketing<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-4\"><a href=\"\/courses\/digital-brand-management-course\/\">Brand Management<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-5\"><a href=\"\/courses\/graphic-design-course\/\">Basic Graphic Design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-6\"><a href=\"\/courses\/advanced-graphic-design-course\/\">Advanced Graphic design<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-7\"><a href=\"\/courses\/national-certificate-of-advertising\/\">National Certificate of Advertising<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"cat-item cat-item-8\"><a href=\"\/courses\/national-diploma-of-copywriting-course\/\">National Diploma of Copyrighting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_medium\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_grid cols_1 laptops-cols_inherit tablets-cols_inherit mobiles-cols_1 valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"w-video align_none ratio_16x9 has_iframe\"><div class=\"w-video-h\"><iframe title=\"Youtube video player\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JoEwCXKahVc?autoplay=0&controls=1&origin=https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za&loop=0&mute=0\" allowfullscreen=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe><\/div><div class=\"w-video-icon\" style=\"font-size:1.5rem;background:rgba(0,0,0,0.5);color:#fff\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1111,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[262,1],"tags":[18],"class_list":["post-1099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-marketing-blog","category-blog","tag-inbound-marketing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1099"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1099\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}