Content Marketing vs Inbound Marketing

Can there be a choice of doing one or do you have to do both

If you know a little bit of marketing, you’re probably wondering if the headline is correct. It’s indeed correct. The reason you may think it’s not is that the generalized idea is that content marketing is a subset of inbound marketing. There exists an opposite argument where inbound marketing is considered a subset of content marketing. Before we reach a verdict, we will first take a look at what both of these marketing categories are like. To begin discussing content marketing vs inbound marketing, we must first understand them separately.

What is Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing is a marketing technique that puts customers over the company. Outbound marketing pushes the product through various channels. But, inbound marketing creates awareness, attracts new customers. The aim is to build trust by offering potential customers the information they value. Inbound Marketing focuses on providing value to the right customers. Opposed to interruption marketing, it doesn't push for sales. Instead, customers come looking for them in this way of marketing.

This method is generally divided into 3 steps. They are Attract, Engage and Delight.

Inbound Marketing Examples

A company can carry out inbound marketing in various ways. Blogging is the most prominent of those. Whitepapers, guides, and videos are other examples of Inbound Marketing. Inbound Marketing is generally dependent on Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

What is Content Marketing

Content marketing is a technique of marketing that involves the creation of content. The intention is that a customer in the brand’s target demographic will find it valuable. The goal is that the customer finds the contents to be helpful, useful or interesting. This content doesn't have to push the brand’s products or services. Its existence may still be beneficial to build rapport for the brand in question. Most consumers ignore sales pitches these days. Thus, content marketing has emerged as a preferred way. It allows for the slow-building of relationships with potential customers. These relationships lead to sales.

Content Marketing Examples

Content marketers publish contents in various ways. Blogging would be the most well-known method. Some more examples of content marketing videos, infographics and ebooks. For contents to be found, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is mandatory. Social media sharing is another way to get contents to the eyes of potential customers.

So what exactly is the difference between Inbound Marketing and Content Marketing?

Most marketers in the world agree that Content Marketing is a subset of Inbound Marketing. That is also not to lower the status of Content Marketing. There's no doubt, Contents are the heart and soul of Inbound Marketing. We can call inbound marketing to be the larger set but it’s incomplete without content. As mentioned earlier, Inbound Marketing has three steps. The first step starts with the contents. To attract customers and take them to engagement, content is a must. But, if we ignore other aspects of inbound marketing, only content won't increase sales. Brand awareness is all we will have.

If you'd like to know more about inbound marketing content marketing difference, you can check out the following infographic. If you'd like to read that article, click here.

So what do you do for your marketing?

It’s clear that both marketing tactic deserves our attention. We will have to create contents. We must also have a system to convert the leads generated from content marketing. So, we can conclude that it's not content marketing vs inbound marketing. It's more like content marketing and inbound marketing. Finding a sweet combination of the two should be our goal. Now, you may want to google: what is inbound content marketing?

Now that you've gone through the whole article, I will take a moment and ask you a question that kind of generated the idea to write this article. The question was found from HubSpot Academy in one of their amazing courses on content marketing. This is not an affiliate link and I have no affiliation with them. I actually benefitted from their courses & so can you. Here's the question:

Which best describes the content marketing and inbound marketing relationship?

a) Both are valuable and take a lot of time and work. It’s best to focus your time on one or the other.

b) If you do both then you’ll be competing with yourself.

c) A great content marketer doesn’t need to do inbound marketing.

d) Success relies on both as each serves a different function.

Let me know your answer in the comment. I hope you enjoyed reading about content marketing vs inbound marketing. Let me know if it helped or wasted your time. Thank you very much.