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How Long Does It Take to See Results from Inbound Marketing? (+ Examples)

Picture of George B. Thomas George B. Thomas Jul 18, 2024 8:29:08 AM

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How Long Does It Take to Get Inbound Marketing Results? (+ Examples)

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Are you tired of waiting for your inbound marketing efforts to show results? Do you stay awake at night wondering if those inbound efforts you've diligently applied to your business will finally pay off? Are you completely over everyone telling you, "inbound marketing is a long game"? Even if they're right, you've got goals to hit right now.

If any of this sounds like you, you're in the right spot. I'm your friendly neighborhood HubSpot and inbound expert, George B. Thomas — for more than two decades, I've been a catalyst for growth for organizations looking to achieve their dopest marketing and sales goals with inbound.

💥 We Can Help: Learn About Our Inbound Strategies Services

And today, we're going to answer a question together that is probably one of the top questions I get asked — how the heck long does it take to see results from inbound marketing?

I know how important this question is. Understanding your inbound strategy timeline for success is crucial, because it helps you manage expectations, keep your team motivated, and refine your future strategies effectively. That's why I'm going to explain everything you need to know to set realistic goals and see tangible results from your inbound marketing efforts.

Also, be warned! I'm also going to get real strategic about effectively communicating these timelines and expectations internally to stakeholders and your teams. Trust me, these five tips will improve your life while navigating this inbound marketing journey that you're on. Alright, with that, let's dive in.

First, Let's Talk Typical Inbound Results Timelines

Here's the thing you need to keep in mind before we go any further, folks. Inbound marketing isn't a magic wand you wave to get instant results. Nor is it a silver bullet you can turn to, to solve long-standing marketing and sales issues that even Superman couldn't manage. Inbound marketing is an investment in your future; a very, very smart one, as we'll talk about here in the moment with some real-world examples. But it's an investment nonetheless.

On average, most businesses start to see significant traction within six to nine months, but sometimes it can take up to 12 months to be fully rolling. Yep, you heard that right. Six to nine months to at least see the light at the end of the tunnel or be hitting those success metrics you've put together. In fact, 83.9% of companies see increased traffic and lead generation within the first seven months.

But hold on for a second, I don't want you to get discouraged. Those numbers you seek are just around the corner with consistent effort and inbound strategy. So what factors influence how quickly you see results? Well, to be honest, there are several.

Factors That Influence the Speed of Inbound Results

1. How Frequently You Post Content Matters ... a LOT!

Companies that publish 16+ blog posts monthly get 3.5 times more traffic than those posting zero to four times. Here at Sidekick Strategies, when we say "blogs," we mean educational articles, podcast show notes, video tutorials, and even expert interviews — because all of this content is run through our HubSpot blog tool.

2. But the Quality of Your Content Matters Just as Much

The quality of content matters just as much as quantity. A great strategy is creating content around the answers to your prospects, leads, and customers' questions. This can generate leads long after you hit the publish button. For more on this strategy that pairs nicely with inbound marketing, make sure to check out the book "They Ask You Answer" by Marcus Sheridan.

3. You've Also Got to Promote Your Content!

Oh, and by the way, don't forget to promote the content that you've actually created. The publish button is not your finish line. I repeat, the publish button is not your finish line. Make sure you share your content on social media, in email marketing newsletters, and anywhere else your audience might be hanging out.

4. Get Your Sales Team Involved

Historically, I've seen super-fast results with inbound marketing teams that enable their sales team with the inbound content they're creating — but it's up to you whether you want to implement that in your organization or not. However, I will say that sales enablement is a hot topic in this industry for a freakin' reason. When your marketing and sales teams are on the same page, everything is possible. And when they're not — particularly if you're in the B2B space — you'll feel some pain in your bottom line.

Inbound Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

In our HubSpot ecosystem, many folks say inbound marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. And guess what? I totally agree. It reminds me of a Les Brown quote that I love: "If you do what is easy, your life will be hard. But if you do what is hard, your life will be easy." And guess what? Nobody ever said inbound marketing was going to be easy.

Think about it. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is a robust inbound strategy. It's all about building trust and relationships over time with the humans that you're helping. What you're doing is creating a foundation that will support sustainable growth for years to come.

And the results of what's possible with inbound speak for themselves.

What Do Inbound Results Look Like?

Take Snagajob, for instance. Snagajob is a job search site for hourly work that aimed to increase their reach and engagement with job seekers and employers. They used HubSpot Content Management System, now known as the HubSpot Content Hub, to create and distribute relevant content and integrated HubSpot CRM to streamline their communication with their users.

The results? Snagajob achieved a 40% increase in organic traffic and a 70% increase in lead conversion rates within just six months of inbound marketing implementation. This clearly shows that while inbound marketing requires patience, the long-term gains are well worth the wait.

Setting Realistic Inbound Marketing Goals

So how should businesses like yours set realistic expectations and goals for their inbound marketing efforts? Setting realistic expectations and goals is crucial. Start with SMART goals—specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely goals.

Instead of saying, "I want more leads," aim for "I want to increase our website traffic by 25% in the next quarter." Having clear, achievable targets keeps everyone on the same page and motivated. When you have a target, you can build the habits that help you get there.

There's also a conversation to be had about broadening how we define success in inbound marketing. Sure, leads and traffic are vital, but consider other metrics like engagement rates, customer satisfaction, and brand awareness. These indicators show your inbound strategy's holistic impact on your business.

As you look at what success is, remember that continuous optimization and iteration are your best friends in this journey. Review your analytics regularly, tweak your strategies, and stay agile. The more you refine your approach, the quicker and better your results will be. Let's be honest for a second, that sounds like where you want to be, but there's one more stop that we need to make on this inbound marketing success timeline and that, my friends, is effective communication.

We Need to Talk About Your Communication

Effective internal communication is just as important, if not more important than everything we've talked about so far. Keep your stakeholders and team members in the loop with regular updates. Show them the progress, explain the data, and set realistic expectations along the way. This transparency builds trust and keeps everyone aligned towards the common goals you're trying to achieve.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to make internal communication magic, when it comes to inbound.

Use Visual Dashboards

Visual tools like dashboards can be incredibly effective.

hubspot-reporting-example Image Source

Platforms like HubSpot offer robust reporting features that allow you to create dashboards showing traffic trends, lead generation metrics, and conversion rates. These visuals help stakeholders and team members quickly grasp the progress and understand the impact of your efforts.

Set Milestones + Short-Term Goals

Break your long-term goals into smaller, manageable milestones. For instance, set a goal for the first three months to increase blog traffic by 10%, and another goal for six months to improve lead generation by 15%. These milestones can keep the team motivated and provide tangible checkpoints to celebrate success.

Provide Context + Education

Sometimes stakeholders might not be familiar with the nuances of inbound marketing. Take the time to educate them on why certain activities take time to show results and the importance of each phase in your strategy. This education can build patience and understanding across the board.

Celebrate Your 'Small' Wins Along the Way

Don't wait until you've hit your ultimate goal to celebrate. Acknowledge and celebrate minor achievements along the way. Whether it's a spike in traffic from a successful blog post or a new lead from a social media campaign, these wins can boost morale and validate your inbound strategy.

You're Investing in Your Future with Inbound

Remember, inbound marketing is a long-term investment. Stay patient, keep optimizing, and you'll see the results that you're aiming for in the very near future. It requires patience, consistency, and continuous optimization to see the results you desire. Keep fine-tuning your strategies, analyzing your data, and adapting to the ever-changing landscape of digital marketing.

By staying committed to the process and always striving for improvement, you will eventually achieve the outcomes you are working towards. So, stay focused, stay determined, and remember (once more with feeling) that the journey to success with inbound marketing is a marathon, not a sprint.

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