However, by looking at past and current trends, we should be able to put together some pictures of what the inbound marketing industry will look like in just 4 years.
Inbound marketing is a relatively new technique that’s quickly been taken on board by more and more companies. One thing we are almost certain of is that inbound marketing will become more mainstream.
When the big corporations realise how smaller companies can compete at their level, they will snap up inbound marketing in no time. If you are already involved in marketing one of these larger companies, you are likely already testing the waters of inbound.
As well as becoming more mainstream, the inbound marketing industry will likely branch out into other, more traditional sectors, such as manufacturing and distribution. It will no longer be an approach taken solely by online businesses.
Again, if you are in one of these industries, you may already be taking on some inbound marketing techniques to gain an advantage over your competitors.
As mentioned above, predicting technology changes is notoriously difficult. There are, however, some trends that we can already see. Google is constantly adapting its mechanisms, focusing more on how people search.
Many users call on Google to find answers to questions. Consequently, Google is actively changing its technology to better reflect a question-and-answer structure. Savvy content managers are adjusting their website content to present more question-and-answer structures.
The number of channels customers use to learn about and engage with your company will only increase. Blogs, social media platforms, websites and mobile sites will continue to appear and multiply. Each will have subtle nuances, demanding carefully crafted content to make the most of the media.
That said, there is bound to be a move away from ‘keyword-stuffing’ and other dubious SEO practices. More focus will be on genuinely helpful information, which can only be good news.
The proliferation of platforms will increase the time needed to spend on your inbound marketing activities, requiring a more strategic and automated approach. Technologies like HubSpot will become ever more important. They will help ensure your inbound marketing strategy is properly and consistently managed. Therefore, it is likely that such solutions will become increasingly widespread.
To sum up, inbound marketing will become more important, more widespread, and more complex. It will require a more structured approach and greater technological solutions to deliver the desired results. Flowbird offers technological solutions to help you get the most out of your inbound marketing efforts. Contact us today to find out more.
As the digital landscape evolves, marketers must stay one step ahead of the competition. With that in mind, what will the inbound marketing industry look like in four years, and how can you prepare for future changes?
Firstly, we can expect a greater emphasis on personalization. With technological advances such as AI and machine learning, marketers will have more data on their target audience than ever. This will lead to a more tailored approach, with content and messaging explicitly curated for each customer.
Additionally, there will be a greater focus on video content. More and more consumers are turning to video as their preferred type of content, so marketers must adapt and incorporate video into their inbound strategy. This doesn't have to be expensive or time-consuming – even short, engaging videos filmed on a smartphone can make a big impact.
Voice search optimisation is another trend that will take off in the inbound marketing industry. With the rise of home assistants such as Alexa and Google Home, marketers must ensure their content is optimised for voice search. This means using more conversational language and making content easy to read aloud.
Finally, we expect to see more user-generated content in inbound marketing strategies. Consumers are increasingly looking to engage with brands more personally, and user-generated content is a great way to foster that connection. This could include social media polls, customer reviews, and reposting user-generated content.
Of course, these are just a few trends we can expect to see in the inbound marketing industry over the next four years. As always, it's important to stay adaptable and open to change to stay ahead of the curve and effectively engage with your target audience.
In conclusion (yes, we avoided using that phrase!), the inbound marketing industry constantly evolves, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends and strategies is crucial. By keeping an eye on the future and embracing change, you can stay one step ahead of the competition and continue to succeed in the digital landscape. And here's a random fact for you – did you know that the first-ever banner ad appeared in 1994 and had a click-through rate of 78%?