New to Inbound Marketing? Need to know where to start? Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah, the founders of the excellent inbound marketing site and tools known as HubSpot, have written a wonderful entry level book on this topic.
I was concerned about this book being published in late 2009. For all general purposes, it is still quite relevant. It stays relevant by introducing readers to each topic through a playbook styled organization. This book is for inbound marketing newbies as it does not deep dive into any topics. This is a good thing for someone new to this skillset. Every topic covered in this book is the beginning of a rabbit hole. Once you’ve read this book, you get to decide how deep down the rabbit hole you go with each topic. You’ll appreciate the authors not trying to drag you down into the depths of each topic. Breadth of knowledge will come with experience and through educating yourself on your specific inbound marketing needs.
This book is an easy, quick read. It is broken nicely into bite-sized chunks of knowledge that are easy to digest. Each chunk will get the idea machine in your mind working. I recommend keeping a notebook or note tool nearby/open. You’ll want to keep track of your ideas as they materialize.
Luckily, the authors don’t just show you want to do, they also show you how to measure your site’s effectiveness. Additionally, you see examples of what not to do. You get the benefit of the author’s experience. Furthermore, they also discuss how to convert your site visits into actual sales or completed goals. Ultimately, that’s probably why you are reading the book anyway.
To reiterate, this book is a great value to those new to inbound marketing topics and tactics. For those who are more experienced on the topics, you may want to read my upcoming reviews for books more suited to your needs.
