Digital Marketing for Manufacturers:

If you’re in the manufacturing industry, you probably already know that having a digital marketing strategy is crucial to your company’s success. Digital marketing is a huge topic and can be overwhelming when you’re just starting out. Manufacturers without a digital marketing strategy are missing out on a lot of opportunities. Like many other businesses, manufacturers use digital marketing to connect with customers, drive traffic to their websites, and increase sales. But some are still hesitant to invest in digital marketing because they don’t know where to start or how to measure its success.

As a manufacturer, you might not have the time or resources to dedicate to online marketing as you’re busy enough keeping up with production, quality control, and other day-to-day tasks. But no need to worry! Our 3D modeling company has put together this guide that covers top digital marketing tips for manufacturers.

Let’s dive in!

What Is Digital Marketing for Manufacturers?

Digital marketing is the process by which companies use digital technologies to promote their brands, products, and services. It can run through a variety of channels like search engines, social media, online advertising networks, and more.

#1. Set Goals, Be Strategic and Understand the Sales Funnel

It’s important to look at your business from a strategic point of view. It’s also important to set goals for your business and understand how your customers will interact with your product at each stage of the sales funnel. This will help you decide which tactics you should use in order to convert potential customers into customers, or even better – brand advocates!

The first thing you need to do is set goals. What do you want to achieve with your digital marketing? Are you trying to sell more products? Drive traffic to your website? Generate leads?

Your next step is to understand the sales funnel. The sales funnel is a simple concept: people come into contact with a product at the top of the funnel and then move down through the customer journey until they reach their ultimate goal (i.e., buying something).

Have a Buyer or Audience Persona for Each Stage of the Funnel 

There are many different types of funnels, but all of them follow a similar pattern. You might have a lead generation funnel or an e-commerce conversion funnel, but they’re all based on the same basic idea — getting people engaged in your brand so they eventually make a purchase.

The best way to do this is by creating buyer personas or audience personas for each stage of the sales funnel. This process helps you understand what information your prospective customers need and when they need it. It also helps you figure out what kind of content you should create for each persona to meet their needs and keep them engaged with your brand until they finally make a purchase.

Analyze Your Competitors’ Performance

It’s important to understand what your competitors are doing online before you make any decisions about your own company’s digital strategy. This involves analyzing the websites of other manufacturers in your industry and seeing what they’re doing well and where they could improve. Once you know what works for them, it becomes easier to determine what tactics will work best for your company as well.

#2. The Digital Marketing for Manufacturers: Implementation Plan

It’s no secret that digital marketing is a powerful tool for manufacturers. It can help you reach new customers, generate leads, and increase your sales. However, there are many companies that fail to take advantage of digital marketing because they don’t have a clear strategy in place or they don’t know how to use the right tools.

Create an Ecommerce Site or Landing Page and Use It as a Lead Magnet/Call-to-Action Tool

One of the most effective ways to generate leads is to create an e-commerce site and drive people to it. It’s one of the best lead-generation tactics because you have complete control over the lead-generation process. You can create landing pages with specific content, products, and offers that are relevant to your target audience.

It also gives you an opportunity to build trust with your customers by interacting with them directly on your website. If you don’t have an e-commerce site yet, now is the time to create one!

Make Your Website the Center of Your Digital Marketing Strategy

Your website is the most powerful tool in your digital marketing arsenal. It’s where you can control your message, build a community and generate revenue. It is the foundation upon which most of your other digital marketing efforts are built. So it makes sense to treat it as such. 

Develop a Content Marketing Strategy Based on Your Buyer Personas and Goals

Your content marketing strategy should include three parts: tactics (what you’ll write), topics (what you’ll write about), and formats (where you’ll publish your content). Your tactics should align with your goals and objectives; topics should reflect what interests readers in your industry; and formats should match where people like reading online.

Implement an Integrated or Omnichannel Marketing Approach

There are so many different digital channels out there today — it can be overwhelming when trying to decide which ones will work best for your business. It’s important that you choose channels that align with your target audience and have a proven track record of success with other companies in your industry or niche market segment.

#3. Keep Up-To-Date With Industry Trends And Changes

The digital marketing landscape is constantly changing, and it can be challenging to keep up with the latest trends and techniques. 

Digital marketing for manufacturers is a way to build and grow your business. If you want to succeed in the digital age, you need to be able to reach potential customers with a message that resonates. You also need to make sure that they can find you when they search online.

Use Automation Software to Streamline Your Processes

Automation software can help streamline your processes so that you can spend more time on what matters most — building relationships with existing customers and finding new ones.

#4. Build a Digital Brand Experience

Digital marketing is a powerful tool for manufacturers, but it’s not a magic wand. It’s important to understand that digital marketing isn’t just about clicks or views. It’s about creating a brand experience that generates value for you and your customers.

How do you create an effective digital brand experience? Focus on the following areas:

Maximize Your Website and Inbound Digital Marketing

One of the most powerful ways to create this experience is by building a brand website that provides value to all stakeholders in your supply chain: buyers, partners, employees, and investors.

Website design: Your website should be easy to navigate, with a clear call-to-action that drives visitors to take action (such as filling out a lead form). Make sure your site has all of the elements that buyers expect from an e-commerce site (secure payment options, product reviews, etc.).

Integrate Customer-Centric Solutions Into Your Website

In order to stay ahead of the curve, you need to look at your business from a customer’s perspective and integrate customer-centric solutions into your website.

Here are some ways you can optimize your website for customer engagement:

• Encourage engagement through interactive design and graphic elements. The more interactive your site is, the more likely visitors will become engaged with it. This can be accomplished by offering information in multiple formats, including text, images, and videos. You should also include graphic elements such as graphs, charts, and maps to help convey data more visually.
• Integrate social media features into your website. Social media has become an essential part of any company’s marketing strategy because it allows companies to interact directly with their customers on a daily basis. A growing number of businesses are integrating social media widgets into their websites so customers can easily share content with their friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter, and other networks.
• Inbound marketing: Content marketing is a powerful way for manufacturers to reach prospects through blogs and social media channels. 

Invest in Visual Marketing and Build a Content Library

Marketing is no longer just about advertising. Today, it’s also about telling stories — and using visual content is one of the most effective ways of doing this. For manufacturers, it’s important to invest in visual marketing and build a content library. This includes images that can be used on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, as well as graphics for email communications and even print ads.

CGI (computer-generated imagery) is one of the most popular forms of production of visual content like images, animation, and interactive tools. It’s an incredibly effective asset for visual marketing because it can be used to create almost anything in the digital world. Many industries have adopted this technology to create content that leaves a lasting impression on consumers. For manufacturers, this means taking advantage of its innovative potential and creating unique ad campaigns and image libraries that connect with your audience in a way that no other form of marketing can. Learn how to sell more furniture using product CGI in our article, which any manufacturer and e-store owner will find invaluable.

Utilize Video Content and Thought Leadership

Video is an effective way to engage prospects because it’s easy to digest and share across multiple platforms. Manufacturers can also use video to showcase thought leadership by speaking at industry events, hosting webinars, or creating educational videos about new technologies and innovations in their industry.

Do you want to get more exposure for your product and business? If so, you should use product 3D animation videos that showcase the features and benefits of your product. This kind of video will be effective in getting potential customers to notice your product and take action on it.

Write Compelling Copies for Consistent Blogging 

Blogs are an effective way to establish your business as an authority in a niche field and connect with customers who might be interested in your product or service offerings.

Optimize for Mobile, or Mobile Marketing

Mobile is the future, and it’s time to start thinking about how your brand will fit in. Mobile marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach customers on their phones. It’s also one of the easiest and most affordable ways for manufacturers to reach their target audience. Mobile marketing can take many forms, from text-based advertising to mobile websites and apps.

Make sure your website is optimized for all devices, including smartphones and tablets. Use responsive design so that your website automatically resizes itself based on the size of the browser window. This will ensure that users get an optimized experience regardless of what device they’re using to access your site.

One of the most common uses is to send alerts to users when new products are available, or when sales events are going on. Manufacturers can also use mobile marketing to announce any new developments in their product lines.

#5. Use The Best Digital Marketing Automation Tools For Manufacturers

The best way to use digital marketing for manufacturers is by using automation tools. Automation tools can help you reach out to millions of people in no time. Digital marketing automation is the next level of digital marketing, which can help you grow your business faster than ever before.

So, here are some of the best digital marketing automation tools available in the market:

• Google Ads is one of the most popular ad services used by businesses across the world. It offers many features that help you generate leads and increase your website traffic. You can create ads for different types of products or services offered by your company. You can also target specific audiences based on their interests and location or target a specific geographic region. You can also use remarketing to display ads to visitors who have already visited your site but did not convert into customers yet.
• AWeber is an email marketing tool that allows you to send newsletters and emails to your customers based on their behavior on your website or based on their location. It also allows you to segment your customers based on their demographics and interests to receive relevant content from you.
• HubSpot will help you create content for all channels, measure your results, and automate your email marketing efforts. It also offers a wide range of products including landing pages, lead nurturing campaigns and social media engagement software.
• Marketo is an integrated marketing platform that allows you to drive customer acquisition with personalized customer experiences across multiple channels such as email, mobile, and social media advertising using one system. It also provides analytics on leads generated by each campaign so that you can optimize your strategy accordingly.
• InfusionSoft offers an e-commerce solution that helps companies grow their businesses online by automating sales funnels from start to finish. This platform helps businesses manage their orders, inventory control, and customer data in one place so they can focus on running their business instead of spending hours updating spreadsheets every day.

The benefits of digital marketing automation are many, including:

• Increased productivity. Automation frees up time that would otherwise be spent on manual tasks, allowing you to focus on more important things like nurturing relationships with customers and prospects.
• Improved efficiency. Automation makes sure that every task gets done quickly and efficiently, so there’s no room for error or human error in your campaigns.
• Lower costs. As you don’t have to pay people to do these tasks manually, you can save money by automating them instead!

#6. Emphasize the Value Proposition

It’s important to communicate why your product or service is so great — especially when everyone else is trying! The most important thing is to focus on your company’s unique selling point.

Your value proposition can come in different forms:

Showcase Your Brand Identity 

What makes your brand unique? What makes you stand out from other manufacturers in the same industry? If there is something about your company that sets it apart, highlight those aspects of your business when creating content for digital marketing purposes.

It’s also important to create content that showcases your brand identity so that people can see what sets you apart from other manufacturers in the industry. If you want your prospects to be excited about your brand, you need to tell them who you are and why they should care.

Create Product Visualization

Product visualization is essential for manufacturers who are offering multiple products or services. It can help them showcase their offerings in a more effective way and give them an edge over competitors. For instance, if you sell a chair, you can display it with different colors, patterns and textures that make it look attractive. Or, if you sell fashion clothes, use an interactive 3D model to show customers how their new shoes or glasses will look on them before they buy them.

Focus on Customer Service And Retention

Customer service is an important part of any business, but it’s even more important for manufacturers because they have so many touchpoints with customers.

Manufacturers need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively across all channels with their customers. This means making sure that customer service representatives are trained on how to handle different situations and that there’s a clear escalation policy in place so someone is always available to answer questions or solve problems.

The goal should be to make sure your customers feel like they’re being taken care of at every step of the process — from placing an order through delivery and beyond. This can help you maintain strong relationships with your customers and make them more likely to come back for repeat orders (and referrals).

Encourage Online Reviews And Testimonials

It’s imperative that manufacturers encourage shoppers to leave reviews so they can leverage all the benefits of online reviews, including search engine optimization. This will help improve your credibility with potential customers, as well as boost sales by encouraging prospective buyers to purchase from you instead of a competitor.

#7. Adopt Innovative Technology for Manufacturing Companies

Digital marketing for manufacturers is about creating an effective brand image for your products. To do this, you need to adopt innovative technologies that will help you build brand awareness among customers. These include 3D modeling and rendering, video animations, and interactive media such as AR technology.

Use 3D Modeling and Rendering to Improve Digital Marketing Efforts

When it comes to selling products online, it’s a challenge to capture the full essence of what you’re selling in just a few photos. Creating a 3D model of your product can help you engage customers more deeply and really communicate what your product is all about. On top of that, you can have them rendered on any background which makes for eye-catching and creative product images.

Product 3D models are becoming a great way for online shoppers to get a better idea of what they’re buying. This can be especially great for manufacturers or builders who have items like furniture or building materials that are difficult to photograph. With 3D models, online shoppers can see the item from every angle via 360-degree product view and even in their own place via AR apps. Such CGI tools help understand the size, textures, and materials of the product, how it is made and its functions to make sure it will fit perfectly into their lives.

#8. Create an Effective SEO Strategy

Search Engine Optimization is a fundamental aspect of digital marketing for manufacturers. If you’re not using SEO, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to gain new customers and achieve your revenue goals. 

Many consumers rely heavily on the Internet when they are looking for a good product or service in their area. However, if potential customers can’t find your website through search engines, they won’t be able to access all of your valuable content and you will miss out on potential sales. 

To get started with the process of improving your Google ranking, it’s best to first create an account with Google Analytics. This tool will track how many people are visiting your site and where they’re coming from. This will allow you to see which aspects of your online presence are working best for you, and which aren’t. Afterward, either work on it or cut out non-productive channels.

Local SEO and Local Listings

Local search optimization has become extremely important, especially for manufacturers in the B2B space. If you make products that are sold only within a certain region or area, it’s important that potential customers can find you on Google when they search for products like yours. 

Target Smart With Keywords

The most effective keywords for manufacturers tend to be long-tail keywords. They’re more specific than broad, generic keywords that everyone else is targeting. That’s because consumers who are searching for something specific are closer to buying than those who aren’t quite sure yet what they need — and manufacturers usually sell products that someone isn’t sure they need yet (unless they’re a retailer).

#9. Enchase Online Advertising with SEM

After getting a handle on your SEO strategy, you’re ready to move into search engine marketing. SEM is simply using paid advertising to drive interested customers to your website. There are tons of options for SEM, including Google AdWords, which was already mentioned, Bing Ads, Facebook Ads, and many others. We suggest starting out with Google AdWords because it is the most effective way to get the widest audience. Use Facebook Ads if there are specific audiences that aren’t being reached by Google AdWords or other forms of SEM. 

#10. Track Your Progress and Measure with Analytics

As digital marketing increases in importance, manufacturers need to keep a close eye on their digital marketing activities. Here are some key metrics, which will help you monitor your digital marketing performance.

These metrics can give you an indication of the progress of your digital marketing program:

• Organic traffic: The total number of visitors coming to your website through search engines. This metric is important because it will show you the impact of your SEO efforts. When you see that this number is increasing, it’s a good indicator that your SEO activities are having a positive impact and boosting your brand visibility.
• Social Media Traffic: The total number of visitors coming from social media sites. You can also determine where people are coming from by looking at the social media channel (e.g., Facebook) or by looking at the type of post they came from (e.g., video). This metric will show you the impact of your social media efforts and what type of content people are engaging with on social media.
• Email Subscribers: The total number of subscribers for all email lists across all channels. This metric will help you determine how successful your email newsletter strategy has been and whether you need to change something.

Particularly in the current market where e-commerce is rapidly expanding and capitalizing on the boom, manufacturers are looking for ways to make their business more profitable. Modernizing its brand, communications, and online presence is one way for them to do this.

Digital marketing is the ultimate online sales tool for manufacturers. Today’s consumers are more tech-savvy and have higher expectations than ever before. People spend hours online surfing the web, scrolling through social media feeds, and watching videos. Your customers are looking for you online, so you need to make sure your digital marketing strategies draw them to your site.

Check out our website as we offer professional 3D modeling and rendering services for furniture manufacturers. If you need to understand what we are capable of or better see how we can help you with visual marketing, contact us now or book a demo!