Inbound 2016 was one for the books. The rave-style conference got us all hyped up about what we can look forward to the future of inbound marketing and what we can expect for 2017. While we admit, the impressive line-up and dizzying array of events left us overwhelmed with excitement, we did manage to highlight seven of the key takeaway points we thought were most groundbreaking.
1. B2B or B2C? Neither.
H2H is the way of the future
Typically, when considering what type of client or user will be on the receiving end of a product or service, we use the terms “B2B” (business to business) or “B2C” (business to client). Well, inbound marketing is shaking things up and doing away with those terms by introducing “H2H” or “human to human.”
2. Human Connection Trumps Traditional Methods
(Bear with us)
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As the 2016 election process came to a close, we saw what most thought was once a far-fetched dream. In case you honestly have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m referring to Donald Trump being elected President of the United States. As David Meerman Scott explained, Trump’s use of inbound marketing is what landed him a spot in the Oval Office. So, if he can do it, you certainly can.
3. Skyscraper Content
Tim Urban brought to light this revolutionary idea - where content becomes more quality focused than quantity. I know, shocking, right? Instead of spitting out run-of-the-mill posts, he suggests spending more time nurturing content and making it innovative and memorable. Get your thinking caps on.
4. 50% of Content Should be Video in 2017
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Although we all saw this coming, it’s time to put our money where our mouth is. Time to start scrambling to find videographers, editors, and investing in an in-house production set-up.
5. Marketing and Sales are NOT Separate Departments
Marketing and sales are no longer exclusive. Because the landscape of marketing is changing, that means the dynamic must respond to this shift. With marketing and sales teams working strategically together, it removes virtually all uncertainty, which makes the job of the sales team a heck of a lot easier.
6. Video Has Returned to the Silent Era
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Okay, okay. We’re not talking Charlie Chaplin here, but that would be rather cool. What we mean is that people aren’t listening to sound on social videos anymore. Think about the last time you were scrolling through your Facebook page. Chances are, you didn’t click on the sound button as that cute video started playing automatically.
7. Email is Alive and Thriving
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Who said email is dead? Someone who is not paying attention to current trends. That’s who. But seriously, email is alive and thriving and if you don’t have a solid email list, the time to start was YESTERDAY.
