The moment has come for us marketers to thoroughly plan out the objectives and strategies that will guide us over the next twelve months. We all know that consumers are growing increasingly skeptical of traditional marketing attempts and that, regardless of the nature of our business, we are facing a better informed and more demanding market.
So how can we attract, convert and retain customers in 2020? We have to start using different strategies. That’s where we—as an inbound marketing agency—come in.
When you first learn about the concept of Inbound Marketing, you’ll realize that gone are the times of disruptive and invasive techniques that come off as aggressive and have lost their effectiveness.
Hubspot defines Inbound Marketing as a business methodology that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them. In other words, an inbound strategy lets people find your company and naturally choose to engage with it. Because of great content.
Feeling tempted? Well, if you feel like boosting your marketing results, keep reading to find the best way to build this year's planning and useful insights to help you with the task.
Define your buyer personas
Could the newly graduated agricultural scientist Justin (25) from Illinois, have the same behavior patterns, motivations, and goals as seasoned fashion publicist Sally (52) from New York? Would they both be interested in your company?
If your answer is no, you need to put the Buyer persona on the basis of your marketing plan.
A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers. It’s an image that goes beyond the typical demographic definition to actually provide in-depth portraits of your consumers.
Creating these detailed representations allows you to determine where to focus your marketing strategies, align your team’s efforts, and have better insights for your company. In return, you’ll have the ability to attract the most valuable web visitors, leads, and customers to your business.
Set your inbound marketing goals
As with every marketing plan, there’s no hope for success without setting the right goals from the start. If for example website traffic is crucial for your business, your inbound marketing plan should center around increasing unique website visitors. Or if email subscribers are one of your business’s most valuable assets, your inbound marketing efforts should support their rise.
One of the most important things to consider when formulating marketing goals is to avoid vague affirmations. If you really want to get results, be precise. Make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely (SMART). Choose something like: Reach 10.000 unique website visitors by the end of Q1 or Increase 20% of email subscribers by June 2020.
Determine your inbound marketing tactics
Once you’ve established your goals, it is time to discuss some key elements that any strong Inbound Marketing strategy takes into account:
- Content Marketing: Creating helpful and relevant pieces of content that address the pain points of your buyer personas plays a major role in attracting leads and boosting organic traffic to your website. You can start with blog articles and move forward to guides, e-books, and any other downloadable content that could catch your audience’s attention.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): A well-defined search engine optimization strategy is fundamental if you aim to exist on the web and be found. While there are many factors that influence SEO, generating targeted content around keywords is a great way to start.
- Social Media Marketing: Creating a social media marketing plan allows you to reach relevant people by sharing and promoting your content on social media. It gives you the ability to engage with your buyer personas on the platforms where they are.
- Landing Pages: As the name implies, landing pages are where your leads land after clicking on your call-to-action. Their relevance, focus, and design are key aspects of their effectiveness to attract potential conversions coming in.
- Video Marketing: Even if videos could be considered as part of your content tactics, they deserve a category all on their own. There’s a significant array of video content that can spark the interest of your prospects, and since they are one of the most content-effective tools, you should make sure they are part of your plan.
Establish your KPIs
Before wrapping up your 2020 Inbound Marketing Plan, determine which metrics, or key performance indicators, will allow you to evaluate your efforts. Remember that your inbound marketing success depends on tracking and measuring your strategies on a continuous basis.
Why? Because if you can measure it, you can improve it!
Use your data to analyze opportunities to grow and set goals for new metrics. The metrics you attempt to reach need to be realistic, achievable, and based on your past campaigns.
Want additional support with your marketing plan? We’re a Hubspot-certified inbound marketing agency with a team of qualified professionals who can help you meet your goals! Contact us.
