We have updated and expanded our original popular post – Inbound on a shoestring budget.
Cash flow is tight for most new businesses and non-profits. We set out to prove how close you can get to inbound best practice on a shoestring budget, with inexpensive inbound tools. These are our latest tips.
Inexpensive inbound tools
- WordPress.org – Excellent web CMS platform that allows integration of multiple free plug-ins. We are using Parallax Gravity landing pages and Contact Form 7
- HubSpot Marketing Free – A HubSpot freemium basic marketing automation system plug-in tool, previously called Leadin. We use the plug-in inside WordPress for lead generation tracking.
- Yoast – An excellent SEO plug-in for WordPress that integrates with Contact 7 forms. It ensures each blog post and page follows proven best practices.
- MailChimp – We use the paid for service (USD $10 a month) allowing RSS feed for automated blog notifications integrated with WordPress and Leadin. We have set up multiple lead nurturing content offers.
- Hootsuite – Free version to amplify content simultaneously to multiple optimized offsite (social) channels. We are still finding it better to amplify to offsite channels from a separate Hootsuite account.
- Hemingway Editor – Hemingway helps improve the readability of your content. It guides recommendations to sharpen your writing style.
- Grammarly – This invaluable writing app finds and corrects mistakes in all your online written content.
- Ripl_app – Ripl_app creates 10-15 second custom animated posts to amplify across offsite (social media) channels to increase engagement.
“It can be very easy and quick for organisations, even startups, to implement the inbound methodology successfully, for next to zero cost – the only cost is time and understanding the buyers journey!” says Paul Wilkinson, an experienced inbound professional. “There are some fantastic tools available that will allow organisations to learn much more about providing personas with the information they desire – this is key to the success of any business”.
How to optimize a blog post in 45-minutes
Our popular HubSpot Academy customer story – How to Optimize a Blog Post in 45 minutes was based on the use of the above free tools.
The principles are universal to any B2B, B2C or non-profit. I also advocate that everyone should complete the free HubSpot Academy Inbound Certificate.
Our inexpensive inbound tools experience
We utilised Hemingway, Grammarly and Ripl to improve the accuracy, readability and amplification of the 25,000 word Rio 2016 blog series and 1,000 live Twitter commentary for the International Canoe Federation. Read the insights here:
We set ourselves a challenge to see how sophisticated we could be in the adoption of inbound best practices using essentially free tools. According to HubSpot’s Website Grader, the Opencity Inc. website applies 97% of the inbound best practices. We are proof that you can create an exceptional website and online presence using the inbound methodology for less than $250 a year.
We will continue to experiment and learn and bring you additional insights through our Love Lose monthly feature
Opencity Inc. thinks giving a spotlight to charities is important and one way we can be socially responsible.