Fact: business decision makers are spending more time online and content consumption is set to keep increasing. Online content is one of the most consumed goods on the planet, and it’s too influential to ignore for manufacturing businesses keen to expand their online profile.
However, there’s some reluctance to fully adopt content marketing in some sectors, including the manufacturing industry. Only 22% of manufacturers have a mature content marketing strategy. The rest often think that content marketing is fine for B2C or that their goods are too niche to have a big enough online audience. In this article I’ll give you tangible reasons why content marketing for manufacturers makes sense from a practical point of view.
Outstanding lead generation
In 2021, many manufacturing firms are struggling to stay afloat after losing important contracts. Content marketing can become a lifeline and help generate new and qualified leads, as well as helping to sustain crucial supply partnerships.
This strategy is estimated to generate three times more leads than traditional methods, and conversion rates are up to 6 times higher. Content marketing is also outstanding in terms of cost effectiveness. While having field sales reps go out in person and paying for ad campaigns could cost you hundreds of pounds per lead, online marketing brings the figure down by more than 40% so you get a bigger profit margin with a smaller investment.
Competitive advantage
Differentiation is another reason to seriously consider digital marketing for manufacturing companies. The Content Marketing Institute states that only 41% of manufacturers had a documented content strategy in 2019. With all the upheaval that has happened since, many manufacturers are too busy putting out fires instead of reconsidering their marketing strategy. The maths are simple: if 59% aren’t using content marketing and you are, you’re in the top 41% for visibility and sales potential.
B2B customers also consume content
Content marketing plays an important role in B2B purchasing behaviour and decision making. More than 74% of B2B buyers do substantial research online before making an offline purchase or engaging with the supplier’s sales team. So, having a clear picture of what manufacturing buyers are searching for online and delivering it in the form of content increases your chances of receiving that very important call.
Next steps
This article has looked at the practical value of content marketing for manufacturers. If you haven’t been successful meeting lead generation goals through the usual methods, content marketing may be the missing ingredient. Get in touch to discuss how to incorporate this ingredient into your recipe for success.
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