As we’d mentioned in our piece about the HubSpot Flywheel, high-quality content is key for engaging with and nurturing long-term relationships with your clients. To better assist you on how to turbocharge your inbound marketing efforts we’ve highlighted some of the most effective real-world inbound marketing examples we’ve seen to date. Whether you're a seasoned marketer looking for some fresh ideas, or a newcomer eager to excel and grow your business, we’re providing you with practical solutions that will empower you to maximize your inbound marketing impact and drive positive results.
Blog Posts
Blogging, as you can literally see and experience right now, is a founding pillar of inbound marketing. According to HubSpot, prioritizing blogging can lead to a 13x increase in positive ROI. Creating informative, engaging, and SEO-optimized blog posts that address your target audience's pain points, questions, and interests is the number 1 way to “inform without selling”. Without trying to sound too meta right now, the very fact that you’re reading this shows that you’re interested in learning, growing, and expanding a part of your business. By creating similar content to the examples below, you can establish your position of knowledge and experience, and attract organic traffic.
- Fun example: OH NINE Blog
The tone of voice is really well done here, and when applied to something like accounting which is not typically seen as a very creative field, it really lands a home run in my opinion.
- Serious Example: Ahrefs Blog post
Coming from a brand like Ahrefs, a straightforward and reliable piece of information on how to do anything is what we’d expect, and a great use for those looking for the next step in their journey. They’re also great at subtly integrating their product in their posts. - Informative example: Content with budget constraints by Moz
The Moz example here shows a slightly less specific, but more broadly speaking option by talking about budget constraints. It adds an extra factor for those looking for ways to up their content game but may not have all the time, money, energy, resources, or buy-in yet to jump in with both feet.
E-books and Whitepapers
Providing in-depth downloadable e-books or whitepapers is another great solution. They can be used to target specific aspects of the information your users need to hear about most, from valuable insights, research findings, or solutions to specific challenges (like how to grow your business maybe? :) ). Use them as lead magnets to capture contact information from potential customers. You can even see an example here of a downloadable I recently made for HubSpot Workflows to get an idea not only of how HubSpot can improve your business but also the kinds of content and content formats that work best for your users.
- Fun example: Free coffee brewing guides by Barista Warrior
We’ve all thought about it before, usually while waiting for our morning cup of Joe to “be ready” but what makes a good cup of Joe? What are some of the components and how can I test them out at home? Well … you’ve come to the right place!
- Informative example: How gamification can help improve driving behaviors by Mix Telematics
Gamification and driving don’t typically go together unless we’re actually playing something like a GTA game. But the fun approach here to a rather straightforward and less-than-entertainment-based topic is a great way to get the reader's attention and hold it while teaching them something
Webinars and Video Content
Hosting webinars to exhibit your product or service is a great way to gain traction. It’s even better when it can be combined with a partner who either works with your organization, a known brand or franchise, or has greatly benefited from the products and services you've offered them for their business; a kind of living testimonial. If that’s not an option in the beginning, creating video content that educates your audience, showcases your expertise, walks them through getting started instructions, and/or addresses industry trends is another huge visual and interactive content form that can be highly engaging and yield positive results.
- Fun example: Volkswagen-Darth Vader 2011 Super Bowl Commercial
- It’s an old one, but it’s a great piece of content for anyone who knows and loves cars, technology, sci-fi, and appeals to families. Not to mention VW’s history of creative and forward-thinking marketing over the years.
- Serious Example: Introducing Phrase Language AI
- Phrase is a translation software company, and their partner webinar here talking about AI is helpful and informative, while also being the kind of thing we’re used to seeing at professional live events and such. A classy touch to a growing trend.
- Informative example: HubSpot Consultant YouTube Account
- I’ve been creating my own tutorials and how-to’s for quite some time now, and I’ve reached a point where it makes sense to really show you how I do it, so, enter the world of video content, a perfect way for me to show you how I work.
Email Newsletters
While some people may not love too many email newsletter updates although I would recommend not calling them a newsletter, establishing a regular email cadence for your subscribers can have a huge impact. Share industry news, company updates, product offerings, and changes, and link it with valuable content like the aforementioned blog posts, videos, and promotions. Email marketing helps you nurture leads and maintain customer relationships in a way that doesn’t seem pushy, but is informative and educational which makes the reader want more, organically.
- Fun example: Morning Brew Newsletter
- For those of you who receive any one of the daily brew emails, you’ll already know what I’m talking about. The combination of up-to-date news information delivered in a witty, sarcastic, and relevant tone definitely takes some of the blandness out of the daily news.
- Serious Example: The New York Times Newsletters
- Newsletter examples like from the NY Times are unique because they offer so many different kinds of catered content for any user. If there are specific stories or topics you want to stay up about, it’s the perfect way to get the most out of the emails in your inbox.
- Informative example: Automotive News Europe
- Autonews is an example of some great informative newsletters that you might not expect. The topics range from industry-leading talks to business negotiations to tech innovation. Another way to stay up to date on all things transport and tech is via an informative newsletter that provides a holistic value for its readers.
Case Studies and Testimonials
As we briefly mentioned above in the webinar and video section, showcasing success stories through case studies and customer testimonials (when possible) can speak volumes about your product or service. Nothing helps struggling customers like authentic, real-life people talking about their authentic, real-life solutions. Highlight how your product or service solved real problems for your clients and you’ll immediately gain authenticity points with new customers and prospects.
- Fun example: Who Gives A Crap
- The example from Who Gives A Crap is a really humorous, and approachable take on something that has an actual effect on all of us: clean drinking water. Combining their mission with real tangible results for everyday people is a great way to bring their testimonials to life in a clear, smooth, and non-forced way
- Serious Example: Marketo Case Study on Host Analytics
- The case study on how Host Analytics used LeadGnome to increase lead quality by 80% is a perfectly serious (and also informative) read on how establishing a structure and qualifying accordingly can really help a business. The kind of serious conversation and proof that will show you in a positive light with any potential prospects or customers.
- Informative example: Duolingo Case Study
- This example from Duolingo shows highly detailed and informative studies and results for adaptive language learning via standardized testing. And while not everyone has the time or access to an academic paper, it’s definitely something that could be used in the right field or application. (And if you haven’t already, take a look at Duolingo’s TikTok page, and talk about a creative approach to social media!)
While some of these examples may seem a bit obscure depending on your need and what you’re looking to achieve, the idea was to show you some of our favorites for the overall message they’re sending, and the way they’re going about it. While every example may not make you want to read on (except the Who Gives A Crap clean water piece, who can resist an organization like that?) there’s no doubt that each example is uniquely positioned within its market and audience to make a lasting impression. In the end, this is what we care for most, creating the best content possible to keep our inbound marketing strategy and flywheel moving at an efficient pace.
For more info on how to get started with your inbound journey and what examples may work best for your business, schedule a free 30-minute session with me to talk about the opportunities we can uncover for your business!
