If you want to be a great Inbound marketer, you'll need to fully educate yourself on the ins and outs of the Inbound methodology. Just like you would with any other new subject, the best way to learn Inbound is to start with the basics.
This article lists the essential, basic Inbound Marketing key terms you'll need to start thinking about when preparing to develop an Inbound strategy.
If you want to be a great Inbound marketer, you'll need to fully educate yourself on the ins and outs of the Inbound methodology. Just like you would with any other new subject, the best way to learn Inbound is to start with the basics.
This article lists the essential, basic Inbound Marketing key terms you'll need to start thinking about when preparing to develop an Inbound strategy.
- 1-to-1 Marketing
Most traditional media campaigns are about reaching the masses. Inbound is more about reaching niche groups of relevant, engaged prospects. At it's most granular, Inbound Marketing utilizes online tactics to build one-to-one relationships with prospects, leads and customers. - A/B Testing
Much buzzed about, A/B testing is the process of implementing two versions of a campaign facet and measuring which performs higher. This could be using a different color on your CTA button, changing the headline of your landing page, and so forth. A/B Testing is related to but distinct from multivariate testing. - Automation
Marketing automation is an essential pillar of Inbound. This term refers to the process of mapping out interactions with prospects before they take place, and then automating those steps with software. jInbound is an example of marketing automation software. - Blog
To put it bluntly, comprehensive Inbound Marketing cannot be done without blogging. The ideal business blog is updated several times each week with 500-1500 word articles based on the informational wants of prospects and customers. - BOFU
Inbound Marketing splits the purchasing process into three funnel stages: Top, Middle, and Bottom. BOFU, or Bottom Funnel, is your group of leads who have moved through lead nurturing and are ready to talk with your sales team about making a purchase. - Buyer Personas
Ah, the much loved heart of Inbound. Buyer personas are fictional representations of your ideal customer, which are used to map out all of your efforts. - Call to Action
Call to action are the mechanism used to direct users to a landing page. Calls to action are often simple copy or HTML banners (modules in Joomla). - Conversion Rate
Measurement is a critical part of Inbound success. Inbound Marketers calculate conversion rates to calculate how many people are completing a desired action. If you have a call-to-action pointing to a landing page, and 10 people click the CTA but only 3 fill out your form on the landing page, your conversion rate is 30%. - CRO
Speaking of converting, there is an entire science within Inbound that focuses on boosting conversion rates. Conversion rate optimization involves A/B and Multivariate testing to uncover the highest converting tactics. - CTR
Clickthrough Rate (CTR) is not necessarily an Inbound-exclusive metric, as it's used accross all forms of online marketing to track how many impressions are leading to clicks. But CTR is important to Inbound, used most frequently in tracking CTA success. - Email Marketing
Email is a more personal, less costly way to market than many traditional mediums. Inbound marketing uses email in lead nurturing campaigns to build deeper connections to leads and customers. - Forms
Knowing just a few details about a lead can spell the difference between personalized connections and marketing that misses...well, the mark. Forms are used on landing pages to collect basic information that triggers relevant lead nurturing and sales interactions. - Keywords
Effective keyword research and use is critical to SEO, which is a major branch of the Inbound methodology. Keywords come in different forms (long and short) but should always be used naturally and with the end user in mind, not the search engine. - KPI
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is sort of like a metric on steroids. Inbounders measure dozens of metrics on a regular basis (traffic, leads, sales, social media reach, etc) - but a KPI is a metric that translates to a main business objective. For example, if your main quarterly goal is to increase your online reach, traffic and social media followers would be good KPIs. - Landing Page
The importance of landing pages cannot be overstated. A landing page is a simplified page on your website that directs all user attention to an intended action, whether it's an eBook download or a free trial. You generally want to shoot for a 20%+ conversion on any given landing page. - Lead Nurturing
Lead nurturing is the process of sending automated emails to new leads who engage with your business through any predetermined interaction that includes a form submission. - Meta Descriptions
Meta descriptions are the short blurbs of text you see below the blue link in search engine results. Meta descriptions are concise, - MOFU
Remember BOFU, above? Middle of the Funnel (MOFU) leads are individuals who are between the initial research and final decision stages of their purchase. - Personalization
- Similar to 1-to-1 efforts, personalization in Inbound speaks to the marketer's efforts to make their messaging more targeted to individuals, rather than groups. Examples of personalization include using a prospects first name in an email message, displaying site content based on their stage in the decision making process, etc..
- ROI
Return on Investment (ROI) measures dollars spent on an initiative VS dollars earned back via customers. If you spend $100 on AdWords and get 30 conversions, your ROI is 30% - SEO
Search engine optimization, along with social media, email and blogging, is one of the major cornerstones of Inbound marketing. SEO has evolved dramatically in the last few years and now hinges more on quality content than old tactics like purchasing links and manipulating search engines. - SMART Goals
Since measurement is essential to Inbound, it's important to set goals that are easy to track. SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely) are used to outline objectives. - Social Media
Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn - wherever Buyer Personas are spending time, Inbound marketers are building a presence. - Thank You Page
Every landing page is followed by a Thank You page, which builds on the completed conversion and offers the user additional ways to engage with the brand. - TOFU
Top of the Funnel leads have just realized they have a problem, and are beginning to seek potential solutions. Inbound efforts aimed at TOFU leads are informational and not sales-driven.