EXPERT INBOUND MARKETING TIPS:

How to Attract Visitors &

Generate Leads.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

Sarah Bedrick

Helped thousands of customers transform their companies with inbound marketing.

@sbedrick Spent every summer until I was 18 on Little Sebago Lake.

Spent every summer until I was 18 on Little Sebago Lake.

A TRANSFORMATION HAS OCCURRED.

THE INTERNET IS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION WE’VE EVER SEEN.

FACT: The Internet has shaped the way we share, connect, engage & buy.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

THE PROBLEM….?

MANY BUSINESSES HAVE NOT ADAPATED TO THE CHANGE.

Traditional marketing mediums.

Traditional marketing mediums.

Traditional marketing mediums.

Traditional marketing mediums.

Traditional marketing mediums.

TO BE SUCCESSFUL LONG-TERM, COMPANIES MUST ADAPT.

WHAT IS INBOUND MARKETING & WHY USE IT?

1

Inbound marketing is a fundamental shift in the way we connect and engage with potential customers.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

“60% of companies have adopted some element of the inbound marketing methodology into their overall strategy.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

”

“53% of CEOs/CMOs increased their 2013 inbound marketing budgets.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

”

Inbound marketers plan to hire an average of 9.3 people this year. -- 125% more growth than teams not executing inbound marketing

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

“

”

How does one do inbound marketing?

Attract Convert Close Delight

Strangers Visitors Leads Customers Promoters

INBOUND MARKETING METHODOLOGY

Better way to connect with prospects.

Financially a great approach.

Make marketing that people love.

INTRODUCTION TO BUYER PERSONAS 2

Attract Convert Close Delight

Strangers Visitors Leads Customers Promoters

INBOUND MARKETING METHODOLOGY

BUYER PERSONAS are semi- fictional

characters marketers create through research. They represent your ideal customer & help to refine

marketing activities.

BUYER PERSONAS are semi- fictional

characters marketers create through research. They represent your ideal customer & help to refine

marketing activities.

Every future marketing action you take will be

dictated by your

BUYER PERSONA.

EVERYTHING.

• Blog posts • Offers • Calls-to-Action • Landing pages • Thank you pages • Lead nurturing • Automation • Sales techniques • Product/service

development • Everything

MUST SPEAK TO YOUR

BUYER PERSONA.

Download the Persona Worksheet

1 Research your current customers

2 Interview your current customers

3 Work through worksheet with the sales team

4 Use lead tracking data

HOW TO RESEARCH YOUR BUYER PERSONAS:

Example Buyer Persona

MAJOR TAKEAWAY:

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

To be successful long-term, research and develop your company’s buyer personas.

HOW TO ATTRACT VISITORS. 3

Attract Convert Close Delight

Strangers Visitors Leads Customers Promoters

INBOUND MARKETING METHODOLOGY

WAYS TO ATTRACT VISITORS:

• Blog • Paid Search • On-page SEO • Off-page SEO • Social Media • Press Releases • Guest Posts

“82% of marketers who blog daily acquired a customer using their blog, and 57% of marketers who blog monthly acquired a customer.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

”

SUPER CHARGE… WITH BLOGGING

WHAT IS A BLOG?

WHAT IS A BLOG?

Container for marketing content.

Why blog, again?

• Enhances our company’s brand

• Improves on-page SEO

• Attracts inbound links • Gets our content

shared socially

Picture

BENEFITS OF BLOGGING:

HOW DO WE GET THE MOST OUT OF OUR BLOGGING STRATEGY?

FOLLOW BEST PRACTICES

Best practices are you GPS to success.

Write consistently.

BEST PRACTICES FOR BLOGGING

Become a thought-leader

Use keywords.

Use irresistible formatting.

Write consistently.

BEST PRACTICES FOR BLOGGING

Become a thought-leader

Use keywords.

Use irresistible formatting.

“Blog as often as you want

people to pay attention to

you.”

Write consistently.

(AT LEAST 2X PER WEEK)

Write consistently.

BEST PRACTICES FOR BLOGGING

Become a thought-leader

Use keywords.

Use irresistible formatting.

GOAL IS TO EDUCATE AND BUILD TRUST.

GOAL IS TO EDUCATE & BUILD TRUST.

• It’s about the customer, not the business.

• People don’t need to be told how awesome you are—let them come to this conclusion themselves.

1 Write helpful articles (e.g. “how to” or “10 steps to”)

2 Gain your readers’ trust—become a reliable source of valuable content.

BEST PRACTICES TO EDUCATE

Write consistently.

BEST PRACTICES FOR BLOGGING

Become a thought-leader

Use keywords.

Use irresistible formatting.

1 The blog post title

2 Naturally, throughout the body of your text

3 Image Alt tag

4 Meta description

ADD THE LONG-TAIL KEYWORD PHRASE TO:

“SEARCH ENGINES DON’T BUY YOUR PRODUCTS/SERVICES, CONSUMERS DO.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

4

3

1

KEYWORDS IN BODY TEXT

KEYWORDS IN ALT ATTRIBUTE

KEYWORDS IN BLOG TITLE

KEYWORDS IN FILENAME

“Blog-Writing-Tips.png”

2

Add keywords to blog title

Naturally throughout body and header text

1 1

2 2 3

3

4

4

Image Alt tag

In the meta description

ADD KEYWORDS TO A FEW KEY PLACES.

Write consistently.

BEST PRACTICES FOR BLOGGING

Become a thought-leader

Use keywords.

Use irresistible formatting.

PROPER FORMATTING TO MAKE IT IRRESISTIBLE.

What do you think about this post?

PROPER FORMATTING IS KEY!

Article length: At least 600 words

Whitespace & Images

Bolding (in a way that makes sense for users)

Subheads, numbers, bullets

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

DON’T EXPECT OVERNIGHT SUCCESS

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

To attract visitors, follow best practices when creating blog content.

MAJOR TAKEAWAY:

HOW TO CONVERT LEADS. 4

Attract Convert Close Delight

Strangers Visitors Leads Customers Promoters

INBOUND MARKETING METHODOLOGY

Inbound marketing delivers

54% more leads into the

marketing funnel than traditional outbound leads.

#BDNMaineWhatsNEXT

“

”

CONVERSION PROCESS

1 Call-to-Action 2 Landing Page

3 Thank You Page

Google “How to create a Facebook business page”

Google “How to create a Facebook business page”

Google “How to create a Facebook business page”

Read the blog post – and get to the bottom:

Great relevant call-to-action at the bottom:

CONVERSION PROCESS

1 Call-to-Action

A call-to-action is a button that directs traffic to a landing page.

Great relevant call-to-action at the bottom:

Land on the landing page:

CONVERSION PROCESS

2 Landing Page

The sole purpose of a

landing page is to generate

leads.

Land on the landing page:

Taken to a thank you page.

CONVERSION PROCESS

3 Thank You Page

The sole purpose of a thank you

page is to follow-up with your new

lead.

CONVERSION PROCESS

1 Call-to-Action 2 Landing Page

3 Thank You Page

FOLLOW BEST PRACTICES

CONVERSION PROCESS

1 Call-to-Action 2 Landing Page

3 Thank You Page

2% Click-Through

20% View to Submit

Make them action-oriented.

5 BEST PRACTICES FOR CALLS-TO-ACTION

Download the Free Ballroom Dancing Guide

ACTION-ORIENTED VERB

Make them action-oriented.

Include keywords consistent with landing page and offer

5 BEST PRACTICES FOR CALLS-TO-ACTION

Download the Free Ballroom Dancing Guide

KEYWORDS DETAILING

THE OFFER

Make them action-oriented.

Include keywords consistent with landing page and offer

Make them attention-grabbing

5 BEST PRACTICES FOR CALLS-TO-ACTION

Make them action-oriented.

Include keywords consistent with landing page and offer

Make them attention-grabbing

Place them on appropriate pages

5 BEST PRACTICES FOR CALLS-TO-ACTION

Download the Free Ballroom Dancing Guide

Make them action-oriented.

Include keywords consistent with landing page and offer

Make them attention-grabbing

Place them on appropriate pages

Test, analyze, test, analyze

5 BEST PRACTICES FOR CALLS-TO-ACTION

Make them action-oriented.

Include keywords consistent with landing page and offer

Make them attention-grabbing

Place them on appropriate pages

Test, analyze, test, analyze

5 BEST PRACTICES FOR CALLS-TO-ACTION

2% Click-Through Rate

Write clear, concise, compelling headlines

Explain the value of the offer in a compelling way in 2-3 sentences, 5 max.

Explain a few benefits of the offer to the website visitor using 3-5 bullet points

Place content above the fold

Include a relevant image

Perform the “blink test”

Include Social Media Share icons

10 BEST PRACTICES FOR LANDING PAGES

Create a form with 3-7 (15 max) relevant fields

No menu navigation or links

Redirect to a Thank You Page

Write clear, concise, compelling headlines

Explain the value of the offer in a compelling way in 2-3 sentences, 5 max.

Explain a few benefits of the offer to the website visitor using 3-5 bullet points

Place content above the fold

Include a relevant image

Perform the “blink test”

Include Social Media Share icons

10 BEST PRACTICES FOR LANDING PAGES

Create a form with 3-7 (15 max) relevant fields

No menu navigation or links

Redirect to a Thank You Page

20% View to Submission Rate

Return the navigation

Deliver on the promised offer

Provide additional direction

Move leads further into the funnel

Get social

5 BEST PRACTICES FOR THANK YOU PAGES

To generate leads, follow best practices when creating conversion paths.

MAJOR TAKEAWAY:

Q&A. 5

1 Persona Development Worksheet & Everything a

Marketer Needs to Create & Research Buyer Personas. 2 11 Step Blogging Guide

3 20 Ways to Brainstorm new Blog Content

4 Lead Generation Checklist

5 Become Inbound Marketing Certified

HELPFUL RESOURCES:

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU.