10 Remarkable Discoveries About Inbound Marketing in Europe

Remarkable DiscoveriesAbout I!b"#!$ M%r&'()!*in E#r"+'.10

A Publication of

have changed the way they

live and work.

We already know people

So why haven’t markete!changed?

MANY HAVE.Especially in Europe.

Welcome to the inbound marketing revolution.

WHAT IS INBOUND MARKETING?

Not a channel.

Not a tactic.

Not a technology.

But a holistic approach to marketing that attracts individuals to your brand and creates lasting relationships with them.

HubSpot surveyed marketers, CMOs, and agencies across 13 countries in

Europe.

Then shared the results with top marketing thought leaders across

Europe.

To see if Europe is really 12-18 months behind the U.S. in adopting new

business paradigms.

We’re excited to share what we learned …

In the first and only comprehensive

review of the European inboundmarketing industry.

Here are the report’s most remarkable discoveries …

About inbound.

About social media & SEO.

About analytics.

About marketing & sales alignment.

About hiring & budget.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing has reached majority adoption in Europe.

of European marketers implemented inbound 58% marketing strategies in 2013.

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Are we on the verge on an inbound marketing revolution? I think the

revolution is already here. The only difference is, the activity of inbound

marketing is preceding the label. Digital marketers are widely adopting

the strategic approach that is inbound marketing, we’re just on the verge

of people widely discovering what it’s called.

Bryan Adams, @Bryan_phcCEO, Ph.Creative Internet Marketing Agency

And inbound marketing doesn’t live in a silo, either.

36% completely integrate their of European marketers

inbound marketing goals with their larger strategy.  

A WORD FROM THE WISE

The magic happens when inbound and outbound work together, so

marketers should actively approach customers and industry influencers

with content. It opens hearts and opportunities. Maybe mobile

technologies can be the link between these worlds.

Albert Pusch, @albertpuschCo-founder and Author, Socialmedia-blog.de

Social Media & SEO

Some social channels are better than others.

of European marketers generated

customers from LinkedIn41% and Faceb$k.

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Europeans may be a bit more diffident than Americans about using social

media for lead generation – but we’re starting to get the hang of it. We’re

discovering that you can do this well without being crass about it.

Doug Kessler, @dougkesslerCo-founder & Creative Director, Velocity Partners

social mediain general has become moreimportant to their marketing mix.

22%

of marketers report that

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Social media can accomplish many marketing objectives: to acquire new

customers, increase campaign visibility, gain traffic, etc. But social media

has more to offer. It humanizes the brand, it brings customer loyalty, it

reinforces audience proximity, it creates an engaged community with

ambassadors. All of this will make a difference when purchase time

arrives.

Isabelle Mathieu, @isabellemathieuSocial Media Strategist, Isabelle-Mathieu.com

SEO packs a big punch, too.

of SEO leads in Europe converted at 14% above-average rates.

A WORD FROM THE WISE

As the triumvirate of SEO, social, and blogging become top of mind, the

big question is – what’s going to distinguish good inbound marketing

from bad? Just as customers switched off from advertising, are we

heading for a showdown where good headlines and bad content become

the curse of the internet? The metrics for measuring successful content

are still in their infancy.

Tim Barker, @timbarkerCMO, DataSift

Analytics & Measurement

The biggest challenge revolves around analytics.

the ROI of inbound tactics. 1 in 4 The number of European

marketers concerned with proving  

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Inbound activity is clearly having an increasingly significant impact for

brands, so it’s critical to be able to measure this versus more traditional

marketing activities. We live in such a data-driven world. By analysing

market trends and proving the value in investing in inbound activity, we

can show brands how they can better market themselves online.

Kevin Gibbons, @kevgibboManaging Director, BlueGlass

of European marketers are

focused on reaching the right

audience and converting them into

leads.

23%

A WORD FROM THE WISE

It’s good to see the maturation of an industry and the move away from

“any old traffic will do” strategies, to ones about generating wins and

revenue.

Damien Mulley, @damienmulleySocial Media Expert, Mulley Communications

of marketers cited customer15% acquisition as a success metric,but still, no clear pattern emerged.

A WORD FROM THE WISE

One of the wonderful things about inbound is that it is accountable and

ROI can be tracked. Not only that, but it needs to be continually optimised

as well, so you’re sure that you’re making the most of your budget and

providing the content which converts at the highest rate. As we know, all

leads are not equal, and neither is all content.

Kath Pay, @kathpayOwner, PlantoEngage

European marketers have the opportunity to test and optimise more.

marketers who do not test their

inbound marketing efforts. 1/2

The number of European  

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Those companies still not running tests around their online marketing are

leaving significant improvements on the table. In my experience, getting a

return from early split tests is very likely. I hope that the next few years will

see strong growth in companies focusing on conversion rate

improvements.

Will Critchlow, @willcritchlowCMO, Distilled

Marketing & Sales Alignment

Better alignment between marketing & sales is needed.

of European firms have a formalized marketing & sales agreement.22%

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Only a minority of companies have clarity on marketing and sales

responsibilities, even though the alignment of these teams is essential for

maximising revenue growth and decreasing inefficiencies. This can lead

to time wasted with unqualified leads or the loss of well-qualified

prospects when information is not disseminated effectively.

Linus Gregoriadis, @LinusGregResearch Director, eConsultancy

of support for inbound marketing efforts lies with the marketing team. 40%

A WORD FROM THE WISE

This research shows that the principal challenge for marketers is proving

the return on investment of marketing activities. This is difficult, but is very

much possible with the right type of joined-up measurement and inter-

departmental cooperation.

Linus Gregoriadis, @LinusGregResearch Director, eConsultancy

Hiring & Budget

Europe has optimistic plans for inbound hiring in 2013.

The average number of members by which European inbound marketing teams will grow this year.2.5

A WORD FROM THE WISE

We need more talent. We’re now finding more requests to run workshops

and assist with hiring. I think many European businesses recognise that a

good graduate hiring and training scheme is the key to solving the dire

lack of available candidates in the inbound recruitment market.

Richard Baxter, @richardbaxterCEO, SEOGadget

Economic influences remain a critical factor in European budget allocations.

The number of marketers that reported the economy impacted their budgets in 2013.1 in 3

A WORD FROM THE WISE

Europe is a mosaic of cultures, and this has a direct reflection on how

marketing professionals conceive online marketing. A number of

companies that will increase their investment in inbound marketing in

Europe as a country may not reflect the reality of many individual

countries.

Gianluca Fiorelli, @gfiorelli1SEO and Inbound Marketing Strategist, iLoveSEO

Still, inbound marketing spend in Europe outpaces outbound spend.

more money was spent on inbound marketing efforts than outbound efforts by European marketers.

76%

A WORD FROM THE WISE

In tough economic times, with marketing under pressure, it’s encouraging

in Europe to see inbound recognized as the dominant strategy for

customer revenue and growth. Continued adoption of inbound

demonstrates that the role of marketing is not to help Sales sell, but to

help customers buy.

Tim Barker, @timbarkerCMO, DataSift

Be the first to read about inbound marketing in Europe.

Download the full State of Inbound Marketing in Europe Report to explore:

• Executive insights on inbound marketing• The business case for adopting inbound marketing• The marketers' case for adopting inbound testing, tactics, and technology• Thoughts on building a successful team of inbound marketers

SOIM http://hub.am/10Yp6Mv#