Inbound marketing is a business methodology that attracts customers by creating valuable content and experiences tailored to them, pulling people toward a brand rather than interrupting them with outbound advertising.

The methodology, popularized by HubSpot, is organized around three stages: Attract, drawing in the right audience with content and conversations that establish the brand as a trusted advisor; Engage, presenting insights and solutions that align with a prospect's goals so they're more likely to buy; and Delight, supporting existing customers so they succeed with the product and go on to refer others. Inbound marketing differs from traditional outbound tactics — cold outreach, display ads, unsolicited email — by prioritizing content that solves a real problem the audience already has, which is what makes the approach fundamentally pull-based rather than push-based.