Why The Manufacturing Industry Needs Digital Marketing

The sales process is changing. The way industries connect with their customers is changing. And if industries are changing, they risk getting left behind. Companies within the manufacturing industry must stay on top of the latest technological trends to keep their businesses productive and their customers happy, but they must also stay on top of the latest digital marketing trends in order to connect with customers.

The latest research shows that consumers report they expect brands to be active on at least three to four social channels. While it can be overwhelming to manage an online presence the truth is, without a digital marketing strategy, customers will not find you. If your website is outdated, customers will leave before you get the chance to connect. And if you don’t tell them, potential customers won’t know that you’re the best company for the job.

Here are a few more reasons companies in the manufacturing industry can’t afford to let digital marketing pass them by.

You Need SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) shouldn’t be a foreign concept to anyone in 2018. Especially businesses hoping that searchers find their business online. Your SEO game determines whether or not customers find you, or your competitors, so it should be on point.

To optimize your website for search engines, you need to think about the words and phrases that users would search if they were looking for your company, and then place those strategically throughout your website. The optimum word in that sentence is “strategically.” The biggest faux pas in SEO is keyword stuffing. Don’t just plug keywords into your copy over and over hoping this will make your site more attractive to Google. It won’t. When Google reads your site, it checks certain spots first. So, make sure you use your keywords in the following places:

• Headlines
• URL
• 2-3 times within page copy
• Photo Alt-tags
• Meta descriptions

Show Your Stuff

By providing valuable content across the web, you can position yourself as an expert in the manufacturing industry. The more content you have out there, the higher up in search results you’ll rank, and the more prospective customers will trust you. Users aren’t looking to be sold to, they are looking for solutions. And they’re looking online. If you’re the company to provide those answers, they’re more likely to use your services when they need them. So make your content impactful, informative and abundant, and your customers will find you.

Meet Your Customers Where They Are

Like we said, your prospective customers are online. In fact, most people are. So, if you’re not working to reach them on the internet, you’re missing valuable opportunities. When you’re available to answer questions online or interact through social media, consumers are going to turn to you over someone who is not. If a potential customer leaves your site without an answer, an interaction or an opportunity to connect, they may never come back. Don’t miss opportunities because you don’t have a digital presence.

Get More Leads

A visitor to your site may not immediately become a customer, but they could become a lead. Your site should be equipped to gather their name and way to contact them in the future or you risk losing them forever. Landing pages, lead boxes, and downloadable content are all great ways to entice your visitors to leave their information and turn into leads. You can also get leads through social media by responding to comments and questions that potential customers may leave on your pages or posts.

No matter what industry you’re in, you should always be focused on your audience’s needs and concerns and, since most audiences are now online, you should have a plan that will meet them where they are.

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