Inbound Recap: Everything About Digital Marketing Has Changed

Inbound is more than a conference; it’s a game changer. HubSpot’s Inbound conference is a digital marketing convention that brings together some of the world’s most talented advertisers, speakers and business leaders for a week to talk about all things internet marketing: how people research online, how they will shop in the future, and how we can stay ahead of the curves. This year, our team tuned in virtually and in-person to over 50 sessions focused on algorithms, consumer buying behavior, website optimization and more. Didn’t make it? Not to worry - here are our major takeaways from Inbound this year.

Megan - “A website without a content program is an online brochure.”

We’ve all heard the phrase, ‘quality over quantity’. And, as more consumers move away from relying on authority brands or figures to help make their purchasing decisions, it’s putting more emphasis on the quality of the content you produce. Over the last two years, consumers have shifted to relying on the opinions of real people to help make their decision. So this year, finding influencers or ways that you collaborate with people that can share your brand’s story or initiative can be a needle mover to helping your business reach its goals.

Crystal - “Create content that you can reuse and repurpose throughout the year.”

Remember the Geico ‘So easy a caveman can do it’ commercial series?  The commercial was great for a lot of things, but what made it iconic and so memorable was how it told these micro-stories over the years. As you plan out next year’s marketing campaigns, try to plan evergreen (more than six-month) campaigns that your customers relate to. Not only does this help your audience remember your brand, but it also will help you and your production team have just one or two content days where you create content for that campaign’s run time to use throughout the year for your videos, social ads, emails and other digital marketing efforts. 

Laura - “Focus on how you’re different from your competitors, not just on how you’re better.”

Gone are the days of simply posting a photo with text on your social channels. Now more than ever, consumers have access to a variety of sources that help them make their purchasing decision. People are worn down and tired of hearing how you might be “better” than your competitor. But what does better even mean to a consumer? That’s why, as you move forward with your digital marketing strategy, focus on what makes you unique from the competition. That will ultimately be the factor that grabs the attention of your ideal customer.

Tela - “Don't assume a potential client actually knows what their problem is.”

How many of you have called an expert, like a plumber or electrician, explained what your “problem” is and they identify a whole other problem? Well. Marketing “problems” are sometimes identified in a similar way. When meeting with prospective clients or leads, let them vent out all their frustrations and issues. Not only is it therapeutic for them to vent, but it also might help you identify what is really going on. 

Lydia - “Start using LinkedIn to slide into ideal customer’s DMs.”

Like trying to snoop on your date before you meet them for the first time, checking out a company’s Instagram profile, Facebook page or LinkedIn page is a great way to learn more about them, their values and their team. LinkedIn in particular, is a great way to make your business community bigger by supporting other like-minded communities or companies. Help get behind each other and find ways to help one another grow. 

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‍Kelly - “Craft the art of explaining to clients that everything is a test.”

It’s good to identify what works well for your business and invest into what consistently works. But if the past few years have taught us anything as marketers, it’s that the digital marketing landscape and buyer behavior are always changing. While we’re not saying you have to invest in every new app or software that exists to help your business. You may have to be open to testing out these new apps or softwares and setting an expectation for clients of 1) how long the test should run for and 2) what results could look like.

Kristine - “Your landing page is not a mall.”

How many of you have walked into a room and forgotten what you came in there for? With so many different screens or things for people to look at, brands have to be more direct than ever with getting people’s attention and getting them to do what you want. Landing pages that allow navigation only to the offer have a 240% higher conversion rate than those with multiple destination options. This is a reminder that while we may have a million things to offer a client or lead, making sure we only present one thing at a time makes sure that they do the one thing we want them to do. 

Sydney - “Sometimes the biggest hurdle you’ll face is just taking that leap of faith.”

During the pandemic, a majority of the world was forced to stay inside and ultimately find ways to entertain or distract ourselves from what was, or rather wasn’t happening outside. For a lot of people, that “busy energy” manifested into launching a podcast. Despite what you might think, if you want to start a podcast, it doesn’t have to start with 20 episodes that feature a guest on every other episode. Start small and pick a topic that you know really well, make five episodes and post them. Publish them. Just do the thing! If it works out… GREAT! Keep going. But if it doesn’t… that’s okay too! If it doesn't work out the first time, try again but with a different approach. Don’t put so much pressure on things, it's okay to let it be easy. Tip: Read ‘Let It Be Easy: Simple Ways to Stop Stressing & Start Living’

These are just some of the tactics and highlights from this year’s conference that we’ll be implementing throughout the year for our clients. Which one was your favorite? Let us know what you think about these tactics and which one’s you’ll be adding into your strategy this year!