Change is always an awesome thing. Without change, you get stuck in a stagnant place; not a good place to be as a marketer. Is change sometimes scary? Um … yeah it is. Especially if the change creates such a seismic shift that you have to completely rethink strategic planning in a way you never have before. And if you’ve been at it for more than a few decades like I have, the shift in your mindset is not going to happen overnight. Yes, I am talking about how consumers are shutting off traditional marketing, and the effect online search has had on their immediate ability to find answers to the information relevant to them. Let me give you a quick “Then & Now”
THEN
We used traditional advertising techniques, now referred to as Outbound Marketing and bought appropriate ads in magazines, TV shows, radio, websites to reach the demographic of our target audience. We worked with editors and publishers to achieve product mentions, press release coverage and product integration in project builds.
And yes, we absolutely still need to use these traditional techniques because our demographic still reads and tunes in, and because their trusted editorial experts continue to use our parts while adding credibility to our products. Now, we just get to add an awesome new dimension!
NOW
No longer do consumers need to wait for a magazine to come out, or to tune in to the TV programs most likely to supply answers. Because of google’s ability to handle open-ended questions so well via algorithm changes, consumers can also find content you publish on your website. This is referred to as Inbound Marketing, where they find answers you can provide that are relevant to them through online searches and links. The question is, are you creating the right kinds of content, posting it to your website, and utilizing content distribution services so they will find you?
Remember, whether they’re visiting your website, or receiving one of your emails, people want to see information that is relevant to them. According to a study from Janrain, nearly three-fourths (74%) of online consumers get frustrated with websites when the content has nothing to do with their interests.
So yeah, this is a whole new game changing way to think, and if you are having a hard time breaking free of the old tried and true techniques that are like a second skin to you, then just – well, just google it! Seek answers through open-ended questions about inbound and content marketing. There’s a LOT out there! Knowledge is power, and my search today with those questions showed that Hubspot published a new ebook, “How to Master Personalized Marketing” which you can download here: http://hubs.ly/y0fGyB0
I did, and am absorbing its informative content as I use it as just one more resource to help me settle in to a new skin.
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