According to Wikipedia (which we all know is the most trusted source for college students everywhere), inbound marketing is defined as “…a marketing strategy that focuses on getting found by customers.” Instead of outbound marketing that incorporates traditional forms of marketing like newspaper or television advertising where a company is reaching out to the consumer, inbound marketing is all about getting the customer to come to you. The term “inbound marketing” is relatively new jargon and was coined by the company HubSpot.
Inbound marketing centers on three main marketing tactics: content marketing, SEO and social media marketing. In a sense, inbound marketing is really integrated marketing; connecting various marketing methods and channels together to develop a stronger online presence and more powerful brand.
The idea of inbound marketing was developed as a response to the recent changes in consumer behavior. Consumers are no longer passive recipients, willingly ingesting countless marketing messages a day. In fact, many consumers (especially the younger generations) have learned to tune out traditional marketing efforts. The Internet is the great equalizer, where everyone can become a publisher of information. Social networking allows people unprecedented opportunities for expressing their opinions on everything—from who their NFL team should draft, the best places to stay in Las Vegas, and whether or not your products are any good. Blogging allows anyone to become an expert in what they are passionate about. Vegan moms who love to cook; there is a blogging community for them. Vintage car owners in Chicago; there are leading bloggers for them too. Each societal niche has an outlet online.