The Difference Between Inbound Marketing And Content Marketing
Apr 11, 2016
10 min read
I have been a content writer for a long time now and it was a dream that I was living until someone asked me to explain the difference between Inbound Marketing and Content Marketing. I honestly replied to him that I had no clue and did not want to give a wrong answer to the question so I told him that you please give me sometime and let me find out. Even here at the office we used to use the words interchangeably for both content and Inbound Marketing. But when I got hold of the truth through a prolonged research, I knew that it was a big mistake and it is important to know the difference between the two terms.
So a lot of research and time went into it and then finally got hold of HubSpot’s annual survey that they conducted with 3500 marketing and sales professionals.
The Question that was specifically asked was that What is the relationship between Inbound Marketing and Content Marketing? And was a multiple choice question with the options:
- They are synonymous to each other.
- Content Marketing was the subset of the Inbound Marketing.
- Inbound Marketing was the subset of the Content Marketing.
- The two are fundamentally different.
- Don’t know the answer.
Before we dive into the answer that was voted the most, what I think is that Content Marketing was the subset of Inbound Marketing but I wanted others to give me confidence on what I think. And it turns out I was right and don’t we all marketers think alike? Even after what we think we should also understand one thing that without content Inbound Marketing is nothing, content marketing is the heart of Inbound marketing that pumps blood into its veins. 
When it comes to a discussion about both, marketers should rather use the terms with “and” not “or” for content and Inbound marketing relationship. What not is included within the scope of a content marketer is the keyword analysis, SEO, freemium trials, social media management, etc. All that core content that is made by a content marketer is the white papers, blogs, case studies, and ebooks. So it is understood by the fact that marketers, sales people, customers or non-customers, they all had one notion and the correct understanding that Content marketing was a subset of Inbound marketing. Another survey that was conducted with the other marketing professionals who use marketing automation as a platform, even then the data that was received supported the same idea. 
A company that employs Content marketing and not the other parts of Inbound marketing, it is making a big mistake in thinking that they are using Inbound marketing to its full potential and have leveraged its beauty in its entirety. All they should focus on is to create content and use Inbound Marketing to its full potential so that they can help themselves to get found, get leads and close sales. Creating content to answer the customer’s questions, and then optimizing it for keywords or sharing it on blog sites, social media sites to get found, to bring in new audience to your website and to close sales is what a typical operation of Inbound Marketing means.
Content marketing is not limited to the time when you have successfully closed in a sale, but as believed by many it extends beyond the sales funnel and contributes to an ongoing communication with the existing customers as well. For example, a customer who has a long time relationship with your company and now the company is into a process of releasing a new product or service and it needs to make all its existing customers aware of the new product or service. So the company decides to create a blog content or a case study around how this new product or service can help solve their problems and sends the blog content via an e-mail or simply puts it up on the website and performs the optimization of keywords over it so that it gets found. That’s how people leverage both content marketing and Inbound marketing to grow their company.
We would sincerely want to know about how useful did you find this blog and if there’s anything that we missed out on any point of difference between content marketing and Inbound marketing it would be a pleasure for us all to learn from you.
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How An Ideal Social Media Calendar Looks Like
With the aid of a Social Media Calendar, your content marketing campaign can be more organized, planned and easy to optimize. A good social media content marketing calendar is expected to appear in such a manner that it curate and create content, and also, help develop your marketing editorial strategy. Using a content calendar, there is every surety that your marketing process would receive a new change. It automatically helps to cut extra-time out of your content marketing strategy and undoubtedly helps allocates your resources wisely. Below are useful tips to help you figure out how a good marketing calendar should look like, understanding the rudiments and know-how will assist your journey to creating a classy content calendar. Legibility Social media content calendars should be written in such a way that it can be simply read without a legend. With regard to the number of personnel in your marketing team, it is always advisable to leave your calendar legible as to allow others make proper use of it. On the other hand, this helps to prevent minor erratum that may occur in the process of documentation. Clear update on Publications Your final decision on your monthly post volume is another essential element to consider. if you plan to publish twenty-five posts every month, then note it down, keeping in mind the timing. You can easily break it down in such a way that it fits in all the thirty days of the month, skipping one or two days before another posting day could be a wise idea. This process will help circulate the posts within all the days of the month and hence trigger your sites traffic. Paper Plan The easiest way to set up a content calendar is by using separate sheet to organize your monthly activities. Breaking the procedure down by daily or weekly would not also be a bad idea, though this depends on the volume of content you hope to publish. In the event that you have more than one copywriter, your calendar ought to reflect which of your writers is in charge of developing, publishing and perhaps promoting each content. This way, you have a full control of your daily, weekly or monthly activities, and should also plan ahead. If on the other hand, you have a network of social media platforms, for example Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest etc. the whole procedure would be easier for you. Your social media icons can easily be incorporated into the contents, perhaps beside the title of each post. On the long run, this helps to streamline your content and social media strategies simultaneously. Dates are relevant You've most likely encountered this: you go about your day, just to acknowledge part of the way through the evening that you overlooked a decent friend’s birthday, simply because you saw the update on Facebook. It feels awful you’ve overlooked it all alone, however,it would feel a great deal more terrible to miss the birthday totally without no reminders. Sorting out all your contents in one place is a shield, as Facebook updates—it exists to guarantee you don't miss creating content significant for occasions imperative to your niche, industry or perhaps press release launch dates. ...
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Understanding the intricacies of the target market is fundamental. Different audiences have distinct preferences in accessing information and engaging with brands. A thoughtful analysis of these preferences informs the selection of channels that resonate most effectively. Whether it's leveraging social media for a tech-savvy audience or prioritizing industry-specific forums, the customization process ensures that outreach aligns seamlessly with the audience's habits and expectations. Additionally, technology usage patterns within the SaaS realm evolve rapidly. A SaaS business must stay abreast of these changes to effectively choose and optimize channels. For instance, early adoption of emerging platforms or technologies could provide a competitive edge. The flexibility to adapt and experiment with channels ensures that a SaaS business remains agile in a landscape where innovation is constant. Moreover, prioritizing an exceptional customer experience influences channel effectiveness. Channels chosen should complement the buyer's journey, providing valuable touchpoints and seamless interactions. In essence, the customization of channels for SaaS businesses involves a strategic blend of market awareness, technological acumen, and a relentless commitment to enhancing the customer experience, collectively propelling the business toward sustained growth and success. Conclusion In the highly competitive realm of B2B SaaS marketing, success hinges on a nuanced comprehension of diverse channels. Crafting a comprehensive strategy that deftly utilizes owned, paid, and earned media positions SaaS companies for effective customer acquisition. The ability to stay agile, adapting to dynamic market shifts, is paramount in navigating the ever-evolving landscape. This in-depth exploration serves as a roadmap, guiding businesses through the intricacies of B2B SaaS marketing. By mastering this art, companies not only ensure sustainable growth but also set the stage for long-term success. In a landscape where adaptability and strategic acumen are paramount, this approach empowers SaaS businesses to thrive and carve out a distinctive presence, ultimately establishing a robust foundation for enduring success in the competitive B2B SaaS marketplace. ...
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How can Artificial Intelligence enhance in-app personalization & customer retention?
Today, brands and businesses cannot ignore the increased usage of mobile phones and mobile apps. That is why working on only desktop-based access is no longer a relevant tactic for growth. Nowadays, businesses of all niches are coming up with mobile apps for generating revenue and bringing in more customers, and this might be the reason why there are currently 2.87 million apps available for download on Google Play. Source: Unsplash But do you think that just launching an app on Google Play or any other platform is enough, especially when the users are inundated with options? If your app slacks the necessary appeal, it can turn out to be an implication to your business reputation instead of acting as a catalyst for growth. To top it is the number of people (21% of people) abandoning an app just after one use. The only way to climb the ladder of success in the ocean of competition without becoming a one-time use app is to use the power of personalization. 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Stats showing a rise in the demand for in-app personalization: More than 80% of the customers are more likely to buy from a brand that offers a personalized experience. 89% of the U.S marketers agree that personalization of their app has increased their revenue along 63% of smartphone users are more likely to purchase from an app that offers relevant recommendations 71% of consumers have an aversion to an impersonal shopping experience 58% of smartphone users felt more inclined toward those companies whose apps remembered who they were and their previous behavior. How is AI improving in-app personalization? Access to user personas in real-time One of the best things about AI is that it can comprehend demographical and behavioral data in a more detailed and less time-consuming manner than humans. It helps brands find out the type of content that will prove relevant for every person's mobile app use. Yes, you read that correctly, every single mobile app user. 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Remember that you are fighting to get a user's attention who gets 65-80 notifications on his mobile every day. So, the user will undoubtedly lose track of the generic content in the ocean of messages. Source: Unsplash AI comes with the power of digesting a vast amount of data about every individual through their in-app behavior. Based on this data, the same AI can make relevant recommendations. Home screen personalization in apps The home screen is the most critical aspect of any mobile app, and it is usually the go-to screen for users to navigate. But instead of relying on the one-size-fits-all approach with the home screen app, you can use AI to add personalization in this vital section of your app as well. Based on the app category and the quality and quantity of the demographic data during the first-time onboarding flow, you can build a personalized home screen experience for the user and make them succumb to staying engaged with the app. And this will never be a time-consuming task since AI will be helping you with garnering and analysis of data. For example, if you have launched a music-based app, you use data like favorite songs, name, age, and gender of the user to build a first-degree personalized list of music recommendations on the home screen. Customize the navigational experience In addition to personalizing the browsing, user searches, and click behavior, you can also work towards personalizing the users' navigational experience or, in simple language, customizing how the users navigate on the app. AI can harness insights from parameters like geolocation, weather, timezone, buyer persona, gender, and then personalize graphics, CTAs, banner images, products, and trending offers to give a unique navigational experience to the user. AI can also leverage the most common path towards conversion for optimizing the navigational journey. It can also identify those aspects of the app that remained unused or that might be hampering the navigational journey of the user. Improving the timing The biggest perpetrator of your mobile app can be too many notifications being sent at the wrong time, as 28% of the users delete an app just because it sends them too many notifications. A customer might love to hear that they will get 20% off on their favorite jacket that they have put into the 'For Later' category, but such notification will be of no use if sent at 3 AM in the morning. That being said, this can be a quick turn-off for someone even when sent at 10 AM if the person is doing night shifts. That is where AI comes into the picture. By analyzing the user behavior and how and when they have interacted with a notification, AI can decide on an optimal time to send notifications that will have more chances of being clicked by the user. Takeaways AI can do wonders for mobile apps, but personalization is the biggest perk of incorporating AI in mobile apps. With AI, you can take the in-app experience to the next level, increasing customer engagement and boosting customer retention rate. Of course, the incorporation of AI in mobile apps has its limitation, and it is only as good as the amount of data it comprehends. Still, you can avoid a lot of guesswork and manual workload from your mobile app marketing by using AI. For more information, feel free to get in touch with our experts. ...
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