How to gain subscribers via inbound marketing

The main idea behind Inbound Marketing is to help your prospects find you, learn about you, even before they decide they need you. The awareness you will create via organic search will later translate into brand preference and ultimately, into leads and revenue.

Let’s take a look at the way people make purchases. First, they realize a need, then they analyze their options (ask friends, request experts’ advice, find communities), search about every detail possible and only then they will become ‘clients’. It’s a complicated process influenced by many factors, but it also gives marketers all kind of opportunities to intervene before a conversion is made.

As many of you know, content marketing plays a key role in the “earning your client” process based on inbound marketing. Over 90% of online sales are influenced by online content. This is why creating content on your blog or social media and gaining many subscribers has become essential.

Here’s a short list with useful tips that will help you gain more subscribers:

1. Create relevant content

This is the most important step in an effective inbound marketing strategy. Everyone knows it, but many fail when it comes to apply it. I say, start with defining your audience, really getting to know their interests. When you start creating content for your specific audience, be sure to not confuse helpful content with promotional content. Your purpose must be to provide added value. One way to verify that is to ask yourself whether your prospective buyers would find your content useful and relevant even if they never purchase your product. Useful, search-friendly content will drive you more quality subscribers, interested in your future postings as well.

2. Incorporate email subscriptions in other channels

Your blog is not the only option you have to drive subscriptions. You can incorporate this option in your other online communications as well: email marketing, your website, social media networks or even in your email signature.

3. Always give subscription options

If you want to make your visitors commit easily to accepting future email communications, you have to give them a choice. Allow them to sign up for a particular topic area or to choose the emails’ frequency.

4. Highlight benefits for subscribers:

You should offer some kind of advantage to people who subscribe to your emails. For example, you can provide them with free whitepapers or other appropriate resources or even discounts to your services.

5. Share your content on social media networks and communities

First, you have to know exactly on which inbound channels you can find your targeted audience. Then, try to engage them with pieces of content appropriate for every particular channel (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Google+, Pinterest, social bookmarking sites, forums etc) You can use photos, infographics, podcasts, ebooks, white papers, blog posts that can attract potential subscribers. Try to build real connections with your followers and encourage them to share your content. You can offer them in return rewards or sharing incentives.

6. Guest post

When deciding to write guest posts, target blogs with the same audience as yours but with bigger, more established audiences. Writing high quality content on other blogs it’s a form of ‘advertising’, bringing you more quality followers interested in your content.

What do you do to turn your visitors into subscribers? Share your tactics in the comments!