And the No. 1 Marketing Budget Priority for 2009 Is?

By Paul | Posted December 10, 2008 | 1 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing

It's 2009 marketing budget time, and the one consistent theme with every organization we talk to, no matter what their size or industry, is, "How can we use the Internet and the social Web to generate more leads?"

If you haven't asked that question of your PR firm, ad agency or marketing communications agency you should. Actually, let me re-phrase that:

If your agency hasn't approached you about establishing an inbound marketing strategy for 2009, find a new agency!

Traditional media outlets, including industry trade magazines and newspapers, are quickly losing circulation and influence in the U.S. As masses of consumers search the Internet for products, news and information (in October 2008, Americans conducted 12.6 billion core searches according to comScore), organizations in every industry are shifting budgets away from print advertising, trade shows and direct mail toward more measurable and effective Internet strategies (search engine optimization, content marketing, Google AdWords, blogging, social networking, etc.).

Inbound marketing refers to marketing strategies in which consumers choose to learn more about you by conducting a keyword search online, subscribing to your RSS feed, downloading your case study, opting into your email newsletter, watching your videos, listening to your podcasts, visiting your social network or commenting on your blog.

So, rather than interrupt the unqualified masses with traditional marketing strategies such as direct mail, telemarketing and advertising, organizations can connect with qualified consumers online when they are actively looking for what you offer.

Inbound marketing is powered by content. In order to grow smarter and faster than the competition, organizations must maintain powerful and informative Websites, and continually publish great content online through blogs, podcasts, videos, optimized press releases, case studies, white papers, eBooks and by-lined articles.

If you're new to inbound marketing, visit HubSpot's internet marketing blog, and check out some related PR 20/20 blog posts below:

•    10 Public Relations Trends that Will Change the Industry Forever
•    Dawn of the Inbound Marketing Agency
•    Are the 4Ps of Marketing Dead?
•    Readership is not the Problem

Subscribe to receive the PR 20/20 blog by email or RSS feed.