Learn how to synchronize search, social and content for lead generation and customer conversion www.marketingsherpa.com

1. Building an inbound marketing architecture
Learn how to synchronize search, social and content for
lead generation and customer conversion
Sponsored by:
July 26, 2012

2. Introductions
Kaci Bower
Senior Research Analyst
MECLABS / MarketingSherpa
@kacibower
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3. Join the conversation on Twitter
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4. A research-based webinar

5. MarketingSherpa Benchmark Research Library
• The collective wisdom of more
than 48,000 marketers
• Nearly 5,000 pages of analytical
commentary and marketer insights
• More than 6,000 charts and data
tables to validate what’s working –
and what’s not – in marketing
today
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6. Agenda
• What is inbound marketing, and why does it
matter so much today?
• How does an inbound marketing architecture
drive traffic to a point of convergence and
conversion?
• How do you launch an inbound marketing
architecture with a plan and purpose?
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7. What is
Inbound
Marketing?
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8. In its simplest terms…
Inbound marketing is
about a lead finding
you, not you finding a lead.
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9. The Internet
has changed
buyers’
behaviors and
expectations.
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10. Buying Process 1.0 Buying Process 2.0
How customers used to shop How customers shop today
Sales enters buying process Sales enters buying process later
early on on
Sales answers questions Customers find answers to most
questions before engaging Sales
Difficult for customers to Endless research options via search
research choices and social media
Marketing has minor role, Marketing plays pivotal role across
restricted to early awareness stages with content delivery via
and consideration phases search and social channels
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11. “To be successful and grow your business and revenues, you
must match the way you market your products with the way
your prospects learn about and shop for your products.”
Brian Halligan, Co-author of Inbound Marketing, CEO, HubSpot
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12. Inbound marketing uses
organic search, social
media, and content
marketing to draw
prospects in to a point
of conversion.
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13. Poll Question-
Which of these is your most significant lead source?
• Blogs/Content/Whitepapers
• Email
• Organic search (SEO)
• Paid search (PPC)
• Social Media
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14. Inbound tops the list of B2C and B2B
lead sources rising in importance
96%
Which sources of leads
92%
87%
have become more
81%
79% 80% important to you over
67%
70% the last 12 months?
59%
47%
B2B
35%
B2C
25% 25%
17%
13% 13%
Source: ©2011 MarketingSherpa Search Marketing Benchmark Survey
Methodology: Fielded April 2011, N=1,530
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15. Inbound also converts leads into customers
29%
Organic search
30%
Email marketing 28% Which of the following
campaigns 22% sources generate
traffic with the highest
10%
Paid search
14%
conversion rates on
your site?
4%
Social media sites
7%
B2B
5%
Other referring sites B2C
8%
Social media ad 1%
placements 3%
Source: ©2012 MarketingSherpa Lead Generation Benchmark Survey
Methodology: Fielded January 2012, N=1,915
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16. Inbound leads cost 66% less than outbound leads
Outbound: Inbound:
Average cost/lead: $146 Average cost/lead: $50
Source: ©2011 MarketingSherpa Search Marketing Benchmark Survey
Methodology: Fielded April 2011, N=1,530
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17. 76% of marketers
agree that
More marketers
leveraging Inbound value the integration
Marketing is of these inbound
essential… marketing tactics –
than actually do it
…but only
47% are
doing this
Source: ©2011 MarketingSherpa Social Marketing Benchmark Survey
Methodology: Fielded February 2011, N=3,342
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18. We know
Inbound works…
So how can you
do it well?
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19. • SEO, social and content are
each proven performers when
separately implemented.
• But, when strategically
Synchronize these synchronized into a
methodical strategy, the result
tactics into a is significantly reduced
systematic costs, increased sales, and
architecture improved ROI.
• Synchronizing these tactics
requires an architecture to
systematically channel traffic
to points of customer
conversion.
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20. Without an architecture, leads are lost
before reaching a conversion point
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21. With a hub-and-spoke architecture, leads converge on
customer conversion points
• The Inbound Marketing
architecture has three levels:
1. Foundation – organic search (SEO)
2. Spoke sites – social media
3. Hub sites – website and blog
• Objective is to systematically
drive traffic from search and
social media to specific
conversion points
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22. Case study

23. Case Study: Background
 ID: Firefish Software, a recruiting software company
Location: MarketingSherpa Case Study Library
Number: #CS32198
Research Notes:
Problem: Capture the attention of their market despite a lower marketing
budget than their competition
Approach:
• Put entire marketing budget into a comprehensive inbound marketing
strategy
• Coordinate different inbound channels
• Avoid costs of attending tradeshows through virtual social media
interaction
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24. Step 1: Focus on multiple inbound channels
Aim:
• Create quality content that Firefish clients would find valuable
Methods: "If we do a webinar with a client, I
will then take my prep notes for
• Tackled several inbound channels at
that (webinar) and turn that into a
once blog post. We have to be really
• Focused on fact that web traffic smart about our resources right
only came from social media, other now because we don’t have a really
sites and organic search huge team.“
• Worked to get “the maximum - Ailsa Partridge, Online Marketing Executive, Firefish
mileage” out of any content they
created
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25. Step 2: Develop thought leadership
Aim:
• Guest blog and post content to other
relevant online communities
Methods:
• Offered blog exchanges
• Got involved in conversations in
external communities, like LinkedIn
• Continually weigh pros and cons of
doing this, e.g. time invested vs.
results
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26. Step 3: Interact with tradeshows virtually
Aim:
• Interact with tradeshow participants without actually attending and
paying for these events
Methods:
• Took advantage of conferences that are also online
• Uncovered the main points of each speaker and wrote blog posts by
lunch or break at the event
• Created whitepaper summarizing a conference and posted next day to
generate more discussion
• Promoted these posts through Twitter to drive engagement with event
attendees, a captive and interested audience
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27. Results
94% customer retention
Key performance metrics YoY Change
Leads generated + 190%
Website traffic + 335%
1.5:1 demo-to-customer conversion rate
"The Internet is democratizing the marketplace for many industries. It’s no longer about who
! has the biggest budget to spend on expensive advertising campaigns. Instead, potential clients
are making decisions based on the quality and authenticity of information they are finding
online.” – Ailsa Partridge, Online Marketing Executive, Firefish
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28. Level 1 – Organic search (SEO)
Attract timely and relevant search traffic

29. Level 1 – Organic search (SEO)
Everything begins with a search
• Goal of SEO is to help search
engines, in response to a search
query, find and rank your Web
content higher than competing
sites
• Timely and relevant content
influences search results and pulls
leads in to conversion points
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30. KEY POINT:
Ranking high in search engine
results today is necessary, not
optional.
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31. Search users click on organic search
results 70% of the time
Other
Which search result
5% link did you click on
first?
Paid search
25%
Organic search
70%
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32. 36%
59% of all organic clicks
go to the top 3 organic
Clickthrough Rate
search results
13%
10%
8%
6%
4% 4% 4% 3%
2%
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Search Rank Position
Source: Clickthrough rates of Google 'US SERPS based on Optify data
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33. Keyword
research
Optimized
Conversions content and
How does pages
organic search
drive traffic
and
Links
conversions?
and
Traffic
Social
signals
Better
search
results
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34. Where does content fit in?

35. Content sits at
the
Search intersection
of search and
Social
social.
1. Understand what your prospects and customers need to know
2. Produce optimize content based on relevant keywords
3. Deliver and socialize optimized content through social networks
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36. KEY POINT:
Focus on aligning content with
your goals, audience and
opportunities – and let that drive
the design and topic.
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37. Target content to stages in customer engagement cycle
Customer Engagement Cycle Stage Content Goal
• Raise general awareness of your brand
Awareness
• Increase website traffic
Consideration • Encourage consideration of and active
Inquiry interest in your products and services
• Get prospects to choose you over
Purchase
competitors
Retention • Retain customers
Setting even basic, high-level goals will provide a compass to keep you
on track when you're planning and publishing content.
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38. Example: Think like your ideal customer
Customer Engagement Cycle Stage Questions Asked
Awareness How can I find the best deals on footwear?
Consideration What do I need to consider when purchasing women’s running shoes?
Inquiry What types of running shoes does this company offer?
Purchase Why is it better to purchase from this company over another?
Retention What would make me purchase from this company again?
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39. Inventory existing content for repurposing
Existing content Repurpose existing content as
News releases  Rewrite in conversational tone and post on blog
Video of CEO annual meeting  Post video on YouTube
speech  Convert audio to MP3 for downloadable podcast
 Transcribe speech and post on blog
Customer case studies  Create PowerPoint and post on SlideShare
 Record PowerPoint with voiceover as video and post on YouTube
 Post video (YouTube embed code) on blog
PowerPoint presentations  Record with voiceover as video and post on YouTube
 Convert audio to MP3 for downloadable podcast
 Rewrite in conversational tone and post on blog
Self-published articles  Rewrite in conversational tone and post as a blog series
 Record audio to MP3 for downloadable podcast
Outdated blog posts  Rewrite with updated titles, references, etc. and post on blog
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40. Level 2 – Social networks
Build and engage social networks

41. Level 2: Spoke sites – social networks
For community building and engagement
Social networks:
Bring together like-minded people
Provide a platform to share and
influence opinions
Give companies a great way to
listen and monitor
Offer people and companies a
place to congregate and converse
• Posts link to blog and website
content – and conversion points
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42. 51%
56%
Improving
Increasing
brand
website
awareness
traffic
or reputation
Top social marketing
priorities for CMOs
address traffic and
awareness, but also
50% 45% leads and customers.
Achieving or Converting
increasing social media
measurable followers into
lead paying
generation customers
Source: ©2011 MarketingSherpa Social Marketing Benchmark Survey
Methodology: Fielded Feb ruary 2011, N=3,342
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43. B2B marketers are not only on LinkedIn and Twitter
74%
Facebook
93%
76%
Twitter
74% • To be effective, it is
YouTube or other video sharing
59% important to develop a
62%
plan and a purpose for
58%
Blog
57% each site
LinkedIn
75% • Example:
39%
15%
Facebook – consumer
Flickr or other photo sharing Businesses-B2B
18% Consumers-B2C
engagement and education
Delicious or other social bookmarking
11% LinkedIn group – channel
12% partner ID and
Slideshare or other presentation 19% development, thought
sharing 6% leadership
Scribd or other document sharing
5% Twitter – customer service
3%
desk
Source: ©2011 MarketingSherpa Social Marketing Benchmark Survey
Methodology: Fielded February 2011, N=3,342
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44. KEY POINTS:
• More than half of active Twitter users
follow companies, brands or products on
social networks.
• 79% of US Twitter followers are more
likely to recommend brands they follow.
• 67% of US Twitter users are more likely to
buy brands they follow.
Source: Edison Research, 2010
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45. Tactical plan for increasing reach on social networks
What we are currently doing What we plan to do
Interact with your target audience wherever they are
Use your existing web presence to promote your social networks
Content is king on social media too – so treat it like royalty.
Entice your target audience with compelling offers.
Make social sharing a mandatory part of email campaigns.
Mobilize and localize your social networks.
Test and optimize your social networks for continuous improvement.
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46. Regularly follow
discussion
46%
forums linked to their
industry
LinkedIn 35%
Regularly follow blogs
31% B2B decision-makers use
linked to their industry
a number of online
“social” resources to
Podcasts 24%
gather purchase
information.
Facebook 13%
Source: TriComB2B adn the University of Dayton School of Business Administration, "The Considered Purchase
Decision: What Matters, What Doesn't And What It Means For B2B Marketing and Sales," Sep 14, 2011
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47. Position yourself as a thought leader in your field
• Utilize Q&A forums, like LinkedIn or Quora, to develop
Where?
thought leadership.
• Go where people are looking for help and resources in
Who?
your industry, and offer your guidance and expertise.
• Set aside time every week to sift through questions
When?
related to your industry.
• Thoughtfully and thoroughly answer and address as
How?
many questions and concerns as you can.
• Avoid sales pitches and just provide information while
What? making sure your company and product affiliation is
front and center.
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48. Level 2: Spoke sites – multimedia sites
For content aggregation and sharing
• Multimedia –
videos, images, presentations –
is a driver of social media
popularity and adoption
• Multimedia content produces
highly favorable search rankings
Search engine crawlers find
multimedia content linked to social
networks, blogs and websites
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49. “Video is just one
part of a marketing
plan. It fits certain
messages and people
better than others.”
--Steve Garfield, Video Blogger
and Author of Get Seen
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50. Case study

51. Case Study: Background
 ID: Orabrush, a breath-freshening tongue cleaner
Location: MarketingSherpa Case Study Library
Number: #HOW31864
Research Notes:
Problem: Product wouldn’t successfully sell through traditional
channels, despite years of trying
Approach:
• Develop an inbound marketing strategy from scratch through
experimentation, hard work and innovative marketing
• Build the YouTube channel into a full-blown inbound marketing hub
• Turn video viewers into customers right from their profiles
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52. Step 1: Create an effective YouTube page
Aim:
• Research successful YouTube channels and create a page combining the
best tactics
Methods:
• Moved beyond standard
YouTube channel page
templates
• Made channel page double
as a landing page with strong
call-to-action
• Encouraged people to follow
brand in social networks
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53. Step 2: Create more than one type of video
Aim:
• Feature three types of videos – each with a specific purpose
Methods:
• Conversion videos designed
to educate and encourage
conversions
• Engagement videos designed
to engage and entertain
YouTube audience
• Videos of unsolicited
customer reviews
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54. Step 3: Commit to consistency to ensure success
Aim:
• Consistently create content
to engage and retain fans
Methods:
• Developed a publishing
calendar planned months in
advance
• Published one video a
week, every week, as older
videos are not promoted as
often
• Stuck to a strict budget
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55. Step 4: Boost performance by purchasing ads
Aim:
• Attract visitors with ads, and then stretch ad clicks with viral content
Methods:
• Purchased ads in YouTube's "The real key is making sure you
Promoted Videos program have enough 'virality' and enough
• Relied on interesting content engagement and interest that you
to convince viewers to can stretch those clicks.“
subscribe and share with - Jeffrey Harmon, CMO, Orabrush
friends
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56. Step 5: Engage fans and peers
Aim:
• Meet social network expectation to interact
Methods:
• Tried to respond to as many
comments as
possible, despite volume
• Mined comments for video
ideas, making sure to credit
source of inspiration
• Interacted with fellow peers
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57. Results
Sales volume in stores is comparable to sales of
premium toothbrushes
Since launch of
Key performance metrics
first video
Subscribers 184K
Video views 47M
Landing page conversion rates 10x increase
! YouTube is Orabrush's primary marketing channel and represents 80% of its marketing.
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58. Level 3– Hub sites
Point and convert traffic

59. Level 3: Hub sites – blogs and websites
For traffic convergence and conversion
• Websites are the hub of the
marketing strategy
• Blogs are the hub of the social
media strategy
• Work together as a point of lead
convergence and conversion
• Landing page optimization
crucial to rate of customer
conversions
Incremental gains produce
significant financial impact
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60. Blog frequency impacts customer
acquisition
92%
78% Percent of
66%
70% blog users
56%
who
acquired a
43%
customer
through
their blog
Less than Monthly Weekly 2 - 3 times Daily Multiple
monthly per week times a day
Source: State of Inbound Marketing Report, HubSpot, March 2012
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61. Percentage of total lead volume generated per inbound tactic
Organic search
29% B2C
19% B2B
Content marketing
10% B2C
15% B2B
Social media
13% B2C
9% B2B
Website optimization
15% B2C
16% B2B
Total lead volume contribution by inbound
67% B2C
59% B2B
Source: ©2012 MarketingSherpa Lead Generation Benchmark Survey
Methodology: Fielded January 2012, N=1,915
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62. Roll out the framework – with a plan and purpose.

63. • Number of sites not
important – a plan and a
purpose for each is
• Master each site before
rolling out the next
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64. Takeaways
• Get leads to find and choose you
using an inbound marketing
architecture
• Attract them with timely and
relevant search results
• Build and engage them with social
networks
• Create and share compelling
content
• Bring them to points of traffic
convergence and conversion
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65. More Leads. More Revenue. Less Work.
• Deliver more high-quality leads to Sales
• Align Sales and Marketing efforts
• Accelerate predictable revenue
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67. Thank you