Social Media, Email Deliver Lowest Cost-Per-Lead. Blogging, High ROI

Recently, HubSpot published its 2013 State of Inbound Marketing Report. The report is a comprehensive look at , well, the state of inbound marketing. What's inbound marketing you ask? Inbound marketing is a data-driven strategy that attracts and converts visitors into customers through personalized, relevant information and content. It's less about interrupting the consumer during their media consumption and all about being there with informative content when they have a particular need.

According to the study, marketers are twice as likely to experience a below average cost per lead from inbound marketing efforts as compared to outbound marketing efforts. And inbound marketing was found to deliver 54% more leads than outbound marketing. In terms of cost per lead efficiencies by medium, social media and email lead in delivering below average cost per lead. For each, 27% or marketers report achieving lower average cost per leads.

Trade shows trail the pack in terms of cost per lead efficiencies. The study also found 16% of marketers reported industry conferences as the most expensive channel through which to acquire leads.

While social media and email are tops in lead generating efficiencies, SEO and social media are tops in delivering conversions.

The study's author, Meghan Lockwood, is quick to point out the 7% blog conversion rate may be a little misleading when compared to social media which includes multiple sources such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others. The study found 43% of marketers garnered new customers from their blog.

Within social media, 52% percent of respondent report acquiring a new customer through Facebook followed by LinkedIn and blogs at 43%.

The study also found that 82% of marketers who blog daily report positive ROI from their efforts. In fact, 54% marketers who blog as infrequently as once a month still experience positive return.

Check out the full study here.