{"id":151719,"date":"2023-01-25T20:58:41","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T01:58:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=151719"},"modified":"2023-08-15T05:09:42","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T10:09:42","slug":"indirect-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/indirect-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Indirect Marketing: Definition, Types, &amp; Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Indirect marketing is marketing where you\u2019re not trying to explicitly sell a product or service.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, it focuses on activities that generate brand awareness, build relationships with potential customers, and nurture them to eventually buy from&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indirect marketing relies on the assumption that potential customers will not purchase your product or service immediately, but over&nbsp;time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if we look at our buying behavior, that\u2019s probably true. For example, if we need a new pair of headphones, we\u2019ll probably first do some online research, browse forums, ask our friends, and get familiar with available brands and models\u2014all before buying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, direct marketing is marketing where you\u2019re explicitly trying to get potential customers to buy right now. Channels include cold email, direct mail, and&nbsp;ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Types of indirect marketing\" data-section=\"types-of-indirect-marketing\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Types of indirect marketing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some types of indirect marketing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Public relations (PR)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>PR is the practice of positively influencing a brand\u2019s perception by managing communications with the media and the general public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Common tactics include being newsworthy, responding to media inquiries (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/haro-link-building\/\">HARO<\/a>), creating <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-press-release\/\">press releases<\/a>, building relationships with journalists, and creating PR stunts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Ahrefs was <a href=\"https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2022\/06\/03\/yep-search-engine\/\">featured on TechCrunch<\/a> in&nbsp;2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1194\" height=\"458\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image1-1.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs is featured in a TechCrunch article\" class=\"wp-image-151816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image1-1.png 1194w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image1-1-680x261.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image1-1-768x295.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1194px) 100vw, 1194px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This was possible because we&nbsp;had:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A newsworthy event (\u201cwe\u2019re making a search engine\u201d).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Relationships with the right people (all thanks to the hard work of my colleague, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/daria_samokish\/status\/1548955625169862656\">Daria Samokish<\/a>).\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/pr-tactics-examples\/\">9 Great Public Relations Tactics With Campaign Examples<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/digital-pr\/\">Digital PR: The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Making Your Brand Unmissable<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Search engine optimization (SEO)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO is the practice of optimizing your website and its pages to rank higher in search engines like Google. You\u2019d want to make sure your important pages appear on Google for relevant keywords. For example, if someone is searching for your brand, your website should appear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1686\" height=\"1146\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image4-1.png\" alt=\"Google search results for keyword &quot;ahrefs&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-151817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image4-1.png 1686w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image4-1-625x425.png 625w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image4-1-768x522.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image4-1-1536x1044.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1686px) 100vw, 1686px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But nobody will search for your brand if they do not know it exists. So beyond <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/homepage-seo\/\">optimizing your homepage<\/a>, you should also target keywords your customers are searching for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Ahrefs, we create content targeting problems our potential customers have. For example, 14,000 people per month search for \u201clink building\u201d in the U.S.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image5-1.png\" alt=\"14,000 people per month search for \u201clink building\u201d in the U.S.\" class=\"wp-image-151819\" width=\"512\" height=\"188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image5-1.png 682w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image5-1-680x249.png 680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a problem our toolset helps with, so we created a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/link-building\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building\/\">piece of content<\/a> targeting that&nbsp;topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1290\" height=\"1178\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image2.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' link building guide\" class=\"wp-image-151821\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image2.png 1290w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image2-465x425.png 465w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image2-768x701.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1290px) 100vw, 1290px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Whenever someone is searching for that keyword on Google, they\u2019ll discover our content and, in the process, our product and&nbsp;brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Repeat this <em>ad infinitum<\/em> and you\u2019ll expose hundreds, if not thousands, of people to your brand (in our case, an estimated 3.4 million).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1420\" height=\"506\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image6-1.png\" alt=\"Estimated amount of search traffic Ahrefs receives every month, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\" class=\"wp-image-151823\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image6-1.png 1420w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image6-1-680x242.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image6-1-768x274.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1420px) 100vw, 1420px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended reading:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\"><em>SEO: The Complete Guide for Beginners<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Social media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating valuable content that persuades people to follow you on social media platforms like Twitter and TikTok is a great way to generate brand awareness and build relationships with your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, our <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ahrefs\">Twitter account<\/a> has 128,000 followers, and we regularly share SEO and marketing tips with our audience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/twitter.com\/ahrefs\/status\/1599976956014907392\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Indirect marketing: pros and cons\" data-section=\"indirect-marketing-pros-and-cons\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Indirect marketing: pros and&nbsp;cons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Should you invest in indirect marketing? Let\u2019s look at the pros and&nbsp;cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pros<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the advantages of indirect marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Indirect marketing builds demand and awareness<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Why is it important to build brand awareness and demand?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simple: There are <em>only <\/em>so many people who are ready to buy right now. Most of your potential customers are still unaware they have a problem, unaware of solutions, or unaware of your particular product or service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you\u2019re using direct marketing, you\u2019re only focusing on a small pool of people. Not only that, but you could <em>actually <\/em>just be reaching out to people who are already <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/blog\/what-if-performance-advertising-is-just-an-analytics-scam\/\">primed to buy in the first place<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, you\u2019ll still need a way to open up a pool of potential customers. And you can do that with indirect marketing tactics.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Indirect marketing is less intrusive and non-pushy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Prospects purposely seek out content that helps them solve problems. Not only that, but indirect marketing tactics also rarely involve reaching out to people.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some downsides to indirect marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Indirect marketing takes&nbsp;time<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You can\u2019t build a brand overnight. Neither can you amass 100,000 followers in one day. Relationships with journalists take time to build. And ranking on Google takes time&nbsp;too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1240\" height=\"1536\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image3-1.png\" alt=\"Results for a poll on how long SEO takes\" class=\"wp-image-151824\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image3-1.png 1240w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image3-1-343x425.png 343w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image3-1-768x951.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1240px) 100vw, 1240px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Recognizing that customers need time to buy also means recognizing that nurturing the relationship takes&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Indirect marketing is less trackable<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Life gets in everyone\u2019s way. You must have had the experience of researching for something to buy, only for you to give it up for a few years before suddenly returning to purchase it. Your customers are the same&nbsp;too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly which indirect marketing tactic contributed to the success. But it doesn\u2019t mean that indirect marketing doesn\u2019t work, just that it\u2019s not attributable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Direct marketing: pros and&nbsp;cons<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Should you invest in direct marketing? Here are the pros and&nbsp;cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pros<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What are some advantages of direct marketing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Direct marketing is measurable<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Direct marketing tactics are usually trackable\u2014how many opens, how many clicks, how many conversions, and so on. You can see these metrics on ad platforms and email marketing software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Direct marketing is&nbsp;fast<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Since it\u2019s intended to elicit a response or purchase, direct marketing tactics can have an immediate impact on a business\u2019s bottom line.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Direct marketing is not all sunshine and roses. There are some downsides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Direct marketing is intrusive<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Direct marketing tactics like cold email and ads are generally seen as interruptive. That is because the prospect did not request them and yet is still served a sales message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1188\" height=\"992\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image7-1.jpg\" alt=\"An unwanted ad from Emirates on the Twitter timeline\" class=\"wp-image-151825\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image7-1.jpg 1188w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image7-1-509x425.jpg 509w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image7-1-768x641.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1188px) 100vw, 1188px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Direct marketing has a smaller reach<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned earlier, there are only so many people who are ready and willing to buy. Direct marketing merely converts these people, but it cannot generate purchases among people who don\u2019t even know you&nbsp;exist.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Direct marketing can be blocked<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>CAN-SPAM, GDPR, ad-blockers\u2014they exist to prevent unwanted sales messages from reaching consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Examples of successful indirect marketing\" data-section=\"examples-of-successful-indirect-marketing\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Examples of successful indirect marketing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for successful examples of how companies have used indirect marketing? Here are three to be inspired by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Ahrefs \u2013&nbsp;Blog<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The main marketing type we use is SEO-driven content marketing. It can be summarized into one sentence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>We create and maintain high-quality, search-focused content about topics with business potential, search traffic potential, and ranking potential.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>To break it&nbsp;down:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We research topics our customers are searching for on Google.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We filter them by checking their business potential\u2014how easy it will be to pitch our product while tackling these keywords.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We prioritize by analyzing their ranking potential\u2014how viable it is for us to rank in the top three with our available resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We create content targeting those topics.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We update or rewrite them if they don\u2019t rank or are out of&nbsp;date.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This strategy means customers are always discovering us whenever they\u2019re searching for solutions to their problems on Google.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1144\" height=\"1342\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image8-1.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs customers mentioning that they found out about our product from Google\" class=\"wp-image-151827\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image8-1.png 1144w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image8-1-362x425.png 362w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/image8-1-768x901.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1144px) 100vw, 1144px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Our strategy is simple. No fancy tactics or the latest hot trend. But this deliberate simplicity makes the strategy easy to follow and is the driving force behind our <a href=\"https:\/\/entrepreneurshandbook.co\/how-we-grew-our-8-figure-arr-by-65-two-years-straight-with-a-team-of-30-and-no-vc-8b28146b7960?gi=4f9a6627e716\">eight-figure annual recurring revenue (ARR)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn how to replicate our strategy in the guide&nbsp;below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended reading:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-content-strategy\/\"><em>How to Create an SEO Content Strategy (Follow the Ahrefs\u2019 Framework)<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Wendy\u2019s \u2013 Twitter<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Wendy\u2019s is a fast-food restaurant chain. Yet, you might not be able to tell from its tweets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Low vibration angel numbers astrology overwatch 2 house of the dragon sir this is a wendy\u2019s Mario movie spooky season breath of the wild 2 soup-core Minecraft streaming Fortnite anime vibes aesthetic gen z Elden ring&nbsp;corn<\/p>\u2014 Wendy\u2019s (@Wendys) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Wendys\/status\/1577337977071706113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 4,&nbsp;2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re out of the loop, Wendy\u2019s basically revolutionized how brands can use social media and communicate with their customers. Rather than post boring bureaucratic tweets in \u201ccorporatese,\u201d it decided to do a 180\u00b0 by sharing memes, roasting rival companies, and posting in a sassy tone. And it rarely has a call to action to visit a Wendy\u2019s restaurant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this indirect marketing works for it. In a highly competitive fast-food scene, this social media strategy puts its brand top of&nbsp;mind.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not only do its tweets gain attention on the network itself, but it also spreads virally across other channels. <a href=\"https:\/\/knowyourmeme.com\/memes\/sir-this-is-a-wendys\">Memes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailydot.com\/unclick\/wendys-smug-anime-girl\/\">anime parodies<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ykOqjRfS4tE\">YouTube videos<\/a>\u2014the list goes&nbsp;on.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since 2012, Wendy\u2019s has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/andriacheng\/2018\/10\/08\/wendys-twitter-roasts-have-become-the-envy-of-marketers-heres-how-it-does-it\/?sh=78d2bb34fea4\">overtaken Burger King<\/a> to become the #3 U.S. fast-food chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Slidebean \u2013 YouTube<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Slidebean is a pitch deck design platform for startups and small businesses. It has &gt;400,000 subscribers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@slidebean\/videos\">on YouTube<\/a>. Many of its videos aren\u2019t about pitch decks or pitch deck design; instead, they\u2019re about startups, marketing, and business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is deliberate. It initially started out with topics related to its product. But it found that it exhausted those topics in a short amount of time. So it decided to move up the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-funnels\/\">marketing funnel<\/a> into broader topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">\n\n\n\n<p>Since we had found a \u201cYouTube formula,\u201d we decided to apply it to other kinds of content, and one of them was this idea of exploring failed companies. The first one was WeWork, which was just the right bridge between a startup-focused company and a widely known brand. At this stage, the series was called \u201cStartup Forensics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there were only so many tech startups to explore, so we quickly opened that up to \u201cCompany Forensics\u201d to broaden our horizons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jose Cayasso\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/0ZlDaqn9_400x400.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Jose Cayasso,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This allowed Slidebean to get as many eyeballs as possible on YouTube, which puts its brand top of mind. The company hit <a href=\"https:\/\/getlatka.com\/companies\/slidebean\">$1.5 million in revenue<\/a> with 3,000 customers in&nbsp;2022.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The best companies use both indirect and direct marketing. They don\u2019t discriminate between strategies. If you want to improve your business, you should use&nbsp;both.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any questions? Hit me up <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/siquanong\">on Twitter<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Instead, it focuses on activities that generate brand awareness, build relationships with potential customers, and nurture them to eventually buy from&nbsp;you. Indirect marketing relies on the assumption that potential customers will not purchase your product or service immediately, but over&nbsp;time.&nbsp;<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[390],"tags":[],"coauthors":[339],"class_list":["post-151719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marketing","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Indirect Marketing: Definition, Types, &amp; Examples<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"An overview of indirect marketing. 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