It’s easy to make B2B inbound content marketing into an occasional meal. Much like the way we eat chocolate cake or Roquefort on a small biscuit with a touch of quince paste. Delicious, but not everyday, not even every week.

We write a blog here, a white paper there, maybe even dabble in a little automation. We get a bit of a swing up in web traffic and then we snack a bit more and pootle on but nothing much happens. Why?

It’s because inbound marketing is a GREAT, BIG, STARVING beast that needs to be feed three full meals and two snacks a day or it will lie down on the grass and completely refuse to catch the ball.

In production terms, if traditional advertising is a sprint (creative idea, creative idea.. boom….we have a creative idea…production, production, hurry, hurry, late nights……boom….we have a TV ad……quick, quick….double boom….we are on air……let’s go to the pub) content marketing is a marathon. It requires on going commitment to a constant stream of long content.

While quality is still super important, it’s equally important for quality to hold hands with quantity and work together for at least six months before the dial will move.

At the very, very minimum inbound marketing for technology businesses requires content of ten high quality blogs and one longer copy piece (e.g white paper, video) per month to be an effective lead generation tool.

So why bother having this shaggy, salivating, drool monster sitting in your business with a silver tag on it’s collar that says ‘Inbound’?

Basically because its the best long term lead generation method out there for B2B tech marketers. Here’s the skinny:

It’s easy to make B2B inbound marketing into an occasional meal. Much like the way we eat chocolate cake or Roquefort on a small biscuit with a touch of quince paste. Delicious, but not everyday, not even every week.

We write a blog here, a white paper there, maybe even dabble in a little automation. We get a bit of a swing up in web traffic and then we snack a bit more and pootle on but nothing much happens. Why?

It’s because inbound marketing is a GREAT, BIG, STARVING beast that needs to be feed three full meals and two snacks a day or it will lie down on the grass and completely refuse to catch the ball.

In production terms, if traditional advertising is a sprint (creative idea, creative idea.. boom….we have a creative idea…production, production, hurry, hurry, late nights……boom….we have a TV ad……quick, quick….double boom….we are on air……let’s go to the pub) content marketing is a marathon. It requires on going commitment to a constant stream of long content.

While quality is still super important, it’s equally important for quality to hold hands with quantity and work together for at least six months before the dial will move.

At the very, very minimum inbound marketing for technology businesses requires ten high quality blogs and one longer copy piece (e.g white paper, video) per month to be an effective lead generation tool.

So why bother having this shaggy, salivating, drool monster sitting in your business with a silver tag on it’s collar that says ‘Inbound’?

Basically because its the best long term lead generation method out there for B2B tech marketers. Here’s the skinny:

– See more at: https://www.therevery.com.au/bloginput/2015/5/29/the-hungry-beast-that-is-inbound-marketing#sthash.9LeBQRB5.dpuf

– B2B Marketers that use blogs receive 67% more leads than those who do not (source Hubspot)

– Google loves blogs. Blogs are littered with key words that google spiders can crawl across and index pushing you up the rankings

– Companies who blog receive 97% more links to their website, again pushing you up the rankings (source Hubspot)

– Blogs hang around. I am still a great believer in ‘Push’ Advertising and think it should work hand in hand with ‘pull’ advertising. However once you have finished a campaign, its all over red rover. Blogs stay on your site working for you whenever someone is searching in your sector.

 Inbound automation gives you the opportunity to build a relationship. It means customers are more likely to call because you have given them heaps of helpful information. It also means that if you call them you will be greeted with a warm and friendly ‘Hellooooo’ rather than a cold and guarded ‘Hi’ because they already know you.

So have an almond milk latte in a ‘glass keep cup’ people, put on your best Cliff Young and man up for the marathon. The giant sales trophy awaits you at the finish line.

Image via Flickr CC/CristinaPessini