Glossary/Strategy & Frameworks/Inbound Marketing
Strategy & Frameworks
Inbound Marketing
Attracting customers with useful content and experiences rather than interruption, a term coined by HubSpot co-founder Brian Halligan around 2005.
By Brandon Mina·CEO, BrandPilot AI·Updated November 2026
Short answer
Inbound marketing is an approach that attracts customers by creating useful content and experiences rather than interrupting them with ads. The term was coined by HubSpot co-founder Brian Halligan around 2005. It relies on SEO, blogs, social media and lead nurturing to draw prospects in, then converts and retains them through helpful engagement.