Inbound Marketing Strategies

 

The Power of Inbound Marketing: What Nike, Apple & Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Can Teach Us.

 


 

 

Nike


 

Nike is one of the world’s leading sportswear brands, selling footwear, apparel, accessories and digital services such as Nike Training Club and Nike Run Club. Its inbound marketing dwells on storytelling, digital apps, and user-friendly generated content. Campaigns like JUST DO IT galvanise awareness, while apps deliver training value that keeps customers engaged. Nike also collaborates with big-name athletes such as Serena Williams and Cristiano Ronaldo, creating both an influencer-led market and community-driven credibility. (Nike, 2023; Garage Gym Reviews, 2024).

 

 

Apple


 

Apple is an enormous global technology company. Apple produces the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and also services such as iCloud, Apple Music and Apple TV+. Apple has become a lifestyle brand with its innovation and creativity. Apple utilises visual storytelling, product tutorials, and brand campaigns as part of its inbound marketing strategies. “Shot on iPhone” is an example of a user-generated visual campaign which was seen across social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Apple uses the newsroom website for updates and general Apple news-related topics. Apple also uses email marketing and strong Calls-to-Action (CTAs) such as “Learn More” and “Buy”.

Apple, however, prefers a seamless digital ecosystem rather than gated resources. (AhiTechno, 2023; Eternal Works, 2018).

 

 

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services (BHHS)

 


 

 

BHHS is a major real estate company in the U.S. They offer property sales, rentals, neighbourhood insights and mortgage services. Educational and trust-building content, including blogs, guides and market reports, is the inbound marketing method of the company. Their website contains high-quality images of properties and CTAs such as “Contact Agent” and “View Listings”. The website also has an automated chatbot for clients and potential clients. BHHS also employs influential campaigns where individuals share real estate journeys to build social proof and generate leads (Power Digital, 2024).

 

 

 

Strengths and Weaknesses of Each Organisation

 

Nike

Strengths: The use of influential athletes to promote their brand.

Also, the strong use of storytelling in visual ads.

Weaknesses: Heavily reliant on these quite costly celebrity endorsements.

 

Apple

Strengths: Effective CTAs, storytelling in their content and personalised recommendations on the App Store.

Digital tours of products, updates and new features.

 

Weaknesses: A bit of gated content and limited community-building.

 

BHHS

Strengths: Strong CTAs, educational blogs, influencer campaigns and high-quality visuals.

 

Weaknesses: Limited content, weaker social media engagement and no AR/VR tools for their website or app.

 

Which Organisation Was Best and Why?

 


 

 

 

Nike demonstrates the strongest inbound marketing strategy. Its approach aligns with the buyer’s journey: awareness through motivational narratives, consideration via training apps and tutorials, and decision-making reinforced by CTAs and personalisation. Crucially, Nike fosters international communities around sport and lifestyle, creating loyalty beyond one-time purchases (Advertising Amazon, 2025).

Apple follows closely, excelling at premium storytelling but lacking two-way interaction. BHHS is effective in real estate marketing but operates at a narrower scale.

 

Examples of How Each Organisation Could Improve

 

Nike: Increase gated content (e.g., training guides) to capture emails earlier; expand AI-powered personalisation.

 

Apple: Boost two-way engagement on social platforms; experiment with podcasts, webinars, and live Q&As (HubSpot, 2025).

 

BHHS: Adopt AR/VR virtual property tours; use podcasts and video explainers; build online communities for long-term loyalty (BHHS Utah, 2024).

 

 

Conclusion

 

Inbound marketing enables brands to attract, engage, and delight customers in ways traditional outbound methods cannot. Nike, Apple, and BHHS each demonstrate effective strategies, but Nike stands out for its integration of storytelling, digital tools, and community-building. By addressing weaknesses such as limited gated content and weak online community features, all three organisations could further strengthen their inbound marketing and customer relationships.

 

 

References

Advertising Amazon (2025) Inbound Marketing Guide. Available at: https://advertising.amazon.com/en-gb/library/guides/inbound-marketing

AhiTechno (2023) Digital Marketing Strategies of Apple. Available at: https://www.ahitechno.com/blog/digital-marketing-strategies-of-apple

BHHS (2025) About Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Available at: https://www.bhhs.com/about

BHHS Utah (2024) Marketing Strategy. Available at: https://www.bhhsutah.com/marketing-strategy.php

Eternal Works (2018) 6 Ways Apple Uses Inbound Marketing. Available at: https://www.eternalworks.com/blog/6-ways-apple-uses-inbound-marketing

Garage Gym Reviews (2024) Nike Training Club Review. Available at: https://www.garagegymreviews.com/nike-training-club-review

HubSpot (2025) What is Inbound Marketing?. Available at: https://www.hubspot.com/inbound-marketing

Nike (2023) Nike Flyknit Collection. Available at: https://www.nike.com/gb/flyknit

Power Digital (2024) Case Study: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – California Properties. Available at: https://powerdigitalmarketing.com/case-studies/berkshire-hathaway-home-services-california-properties

Renascence (2024) How Nike Engages Customers Through Digital Innovation in CX. Available at: https://www.renascence.io/journal/how-nike-engages-customers-through-digital-innovation-in-customer-experience-cx

 

 

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