Inbound marketing
What is inbound marketing?
Inbound marketing attracts potential customers by being useful where they already look: articles, videos, free tools, search results, communities and social media. Interested people then come to you, often through a lead magnet or a trial.
It contrasts with outbound marketing, where you start the contact.
Why inbound marketing matters
Inbound leads already have a need and chose you, so they usually convert better. It takes time to build, but it compounds.
Related marketing terms
Outbound marketing reaches out to people who have not asked to hear from you yet, through cold outreach, ads, events and direct mail.
A lead magnet is something useful offered for free, such as a guide, template, tool or trial, in exchange for a visitor’s email.
Community marketing is taking part in, or building, communities where customers gather, and earning attention by being genuinely helpful.
Word-of-mouth marketing is when customers recommend you to others, and the work a company does to make that more likely and easier.