5 Key Differences Between Inbound and Outbound Marketing

As long as you have reached this blog article, then you are most likely interested in knowing more about the concepts of Inbound Marketing, Outbound Marketing and the key differences between them.

Or you might be wondering about which one is the best for your business!

Congrats! You are in the right place, this article will help you to find the answers you need by explaining both concepts and presenting the 5 key differences between inbound and outbound marketing!

What is Outbound Marketing?

Outbound marketing is known as traditional marketing. It is also called “Push Marketing” because its strategy consists of reaching customers by pushing a promotional message widely for the general public then see if they are interested in the product or not.

To show you what I mean, a good example of outbound marketing is Tv ads that spread the same advertisement at the same time to the same audience while it doesn’t matter if he is interested or not.

What is Inbound Marketing?

Inbound marketing is also entitled “Pull marketing” because it is based on attracting customers’ interest and making them come willingly rather than forcing them to be exposed to the promotional message as we saw with the outbound marketing strategy.

An example of Inbound marketing application is when marketers create captivating content for the company’s target group. This helps the audience to learn more about the company and might motivate them to visit its website in order to check its products and services portfolio by themselves.

5 Differences Between Inbound and Outbound Marketing:

Here are the 5 key characteristics that distinguish inbound and Outbound marketing:

1. Focus:

The outbound marketing is product-oriented; it adopts a one-way communication strategy that focuses on promoting the company and enumerating its products and services features added to harping on the fact that customers should buy them.

However, the inbound marketing strategy is customer-interest oriented; it focuses on the target group’s needs and motivation and delivers content that interests the audience.

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inbound marketing ROI
inbound and outbound marketing message

2. Message:

In the outbound marketing, the promotional message is general and delivered to a large number of people who might be uninterested.

Moreover, the message is uncontrollable and imposed on the audience who doesn’t give the permission to receive it. 

Unlike the outbound marketing, in the inbound marketing strategy the content is created based on the target audience’s needs which makes it relevant and specific for each group.

Furthermore, the content is customer permission-based and arouses customer interest to search for it.

inbound and outbound marketing message

3. Distribution channels:

Outbound marketing channels:

  • TV/radio advertisements.
  • Email Marketing (one to many)
  • Cold-calling/Telemarketing
  • Billboards
  • Event sponsorships
  • Direct mail (brochures, postcards, catalogues)
  • Magazines/Newspaper advertising
  • Trade shows

Inbound marketing channels:

  • SEO strategy
  • Blogging
  • Social media  
  • Content marketing
  • Email Marketing (one to one)
  • E-books
  • Webinars

 

Inbound marketing channels:

SEO strategy

Blogging

Social media  

Content marketing

Email Marketing (one to one)

E-books

Webinars

4. Return on investment (ROI):

Unlike outbound marketing, inbound techniques are less costly, generate higher ROI and results are easily measurable.

In fact, delivering relevant messages helps inbound marketing to generate better engagement thus better conversion rates.

inbound marKeting ROI
inbound marketing durability

5. Durability

Outbound marketing promotional messages are temporary and don’t last in time. For example, most of the radio or tv advertisements are produced for a short and specific term.

The difference with inbound marketing tactics is that they are durable in time.

For instance, an optimized website, an e-book or a blog article are considered as a long-term investment for the company.

 

inbound marketing durability

Conclusion:

In conclusion, unlike outbound marketing, the inbound strategy enables you to target specific groups who gave their permission to receive your content via relevant distribution channels. This guarantees better results and more effectiveness of your marketing strategy.

So what about you, could you decide which one is the best marketing strategy for your  business?