Numerous businesses are taking advantage of opportunities to engage with new audiences, increase repeat sales and build brand recognition using content. The manufacturing industry can increase sales with targeted content by applying the same tips and strategies similar to other B2B industries.

Using targeted content marketing strategies allows companies in the manufacturing industry to reach consumers directly when they need it most.

Trade shows, cold calling, and emailing may not be as effective in increasing sales in 2021 as they used to be a decade ago. The problem with these tactics is that their targets are usually too broad or too loose.

Those who are ahead in the manufacturing business today segment their market and use targeted content that will capture an identified buying demographic.

Why Targeted Content for the Manufacturing Industry is Important

When creating a marketing strategy for your manufacturing company, one of the key steps is to identify your customer personas. Markets have different segments and potential buyers from various industries, age groups, occupations, locations, and functions. These groups could be further segmented by considering their buying behaviors and patterns. Your targeted content takes into consideration the segmentation of your demographic.

Targeted content is vital as it allows you to focus on the buyers to which your specific capabilities are available. Customers respond to personalization with appreciation and loyalty.

The best thing about targeted content is that it can communicate your messages wherever you are in the buyer’s cycle. In manufacturing, where the sale cycles are longer, you can optimize your content to support your customer’s concerns in every stage, from awareness to purchase. When buyers are informed, they become confident in making purchasing decisions, thus, speeding up the long sales cycle.

How Can the Manufacturing Industry Increase Sales with Targeted Content

To make your targeted content effective, you need to create buyer personas. These begin with a segmentation strategy. The more specific you are with your segmentation, the more opportunity you provide to attract the right customers for your manufacturing business. When you create content with a specific customer in mind, you will supply answers even before your customers ask.

Segmentation

Choose a segment that will bring your company the most value. Ask yourself, “Which segment of my market can generate the most sales for my marketing campaign?”

Besides picking the most profitable segment, you must also choose how wide or narrow your segment will be.

Here are segmentation strategies that decision-makers can explore for their targeted content:

Differentiated Marketing

In this segmentation, two or more segments are chosen based on the potential value that they can bring to the company. Once differentiated, each segment will have a marketing strategy developed for it. For example, a company manufactures central processing units for both desktop computers and laptops.

This means that the manufacturing company’s decision-makers will have to create separate buyer personas for people in the purchasing or engineering departments of companies that assemble desktop computers.

Likewise, they also need to recognize people in purchasing or engineering departments for companies that assemble laptops.

Concentrated marketing

In this segmentation, decision-makers focus on a single niche and design a marketing strategy around it.

For example, consider a company that manufactures the engines for a farm equipment brand. Following a concentrated segmentation, the targeting should be towards a specific decision-maker in companies that produce tractors.

When choosing the appropriate targeting strategy for your manufacturing company, also consider:

• Capabilities
• Values
• Goals
• Most recent data and analytics
• Current and prospective competitors

When you offer distinctive features of your capabilities based on your target segment’s persona, your audience will remember you. Gradually, you can win over your targeted customer group with consistent content And as a result, increase your sales.

Targeted Content to Increase Brand Awareness

Manufacturers must never forget the first stage in the buyer’s cycle, raising brand awareness. Use targeted content to raise awareness about your brand and your capabilities. It is an opportunity to establish a loyal customer base and reel in new ones.

Produce either value-rich and SEO-driven content so you can provide education, insights, and actionable solutions that your potential customers will value as a resource. There are many content types that you can create according to your chosen target audience.

Blogs and Videos

Use your blogs and video content to tell your brand story while showing your ability to supply the quality products and services that your customers are looking for. Introduce yourself to your target prospects, so they will trust you enough to make purchases.

With the right keyword strategy and inbound marketing tactics, blogs and video content effectively increase organic traffic to your website.

If you are ready to increase your company’s sales using the right targeted content strategy, work with the team who knows your industry.

White Paper and Case Studies

Another example is through white papers and case studies. These pieces of content are created to address frequently asked questions about your products or your specific niche in the manufacturing industry.

Valuable resources such as these help prospective customers who are still researching or curious about your products and services.

Targeted Content Based on Market Segmentation for Specific Products and Services

Your manufacturing company can create content that targets your specific products and services’ current and potential buyers. If your company has varied product or service offerings, you must create content based on each capability.

For instance, have a different content approach if you are offering parts and another content approach when offering pre-assembled kits. With that said, focus on the customers who need your products and services and address particular customer pain points in your content.

Targeted Content Based on a Specific Manufacturing Industry

Thoughtfully created content can be aimed towards specific industries, too. If a company produces parts for the medical equipment, the content marketing must be geared towards decision-makers in the medical device space.

To be good at this approach, you must be aware of the industry’s struggles so your content will stay relevant. If you are consistent in targeting a specific industry, you are opening a window of opportunity to be the top of mind for the products and services you are promoting.

Distribution of Targeted Content

Your digital assets such as your website and social media pages can be utilized to distribute your manufacturing company’s targeted content. With search engine optimization, you can achieve organic reach and discoverability. But you can further boost your targeted content by using advertising platforms. You may run ads on platforms such as Google Ads and LinkedIn to ensure that you have brand visibility.

To distribute your targeted content, another option is to run pay-per-click campaigns. These campaigns focus on keywords that only a specific demographic will be interested in.

Equally, you can run targeted LinkedIn ads, which are considered the most effective when engaging with a targeted B2B audience. LinkedIn can be aimed towards individuals of specific companies and functions.

There is a variety of channels that you can use to distribute your targeted content.

Benefits of Targeted Content

Regardless of offerings, manufacturing companies benefit from using targeted content in their marketing plan. The advantages of this strategy are vast and are not limited to the following:

Differentiation

Targeted content differentiates your manufacturing company from your competitors. It lets you speak the language of your ideal demographic. to communicate your message and branding better.

Shows Authority

When you consistently provide relevant content, you earn your audience’s trust and show your authority in your niche. At the same time, you also provide a positive brand association.

Provides Focus

Furthermore, targeted content gives your content strategy a direction. When you know who your audience is, you are more precise and engaging. Your marketing team will also experience ease in producing high-quality. In addition, they are creating relevant content with a framework to follow.

Helps You Stay Within Your Marketing Budget

Focus only on your target market with a smaller and more specific audience. Doing so will minimize your costs by eliminating irrelevant reach or traffic.

Competitive Advantage

The manufacturing industry is constantly evolving. Therefore it is becoming increasingly competitive. As a result, manufacturers are looking for innovative ways to grow their sales. There are so many options available in this digital age. It can be overwhelming when attempting to figure out how best to market your products or services.

When it comes to reaching the right audience with targeted content online, outsourcing your marketing efforts can help you reach potential new customers every day. Work with a team that specializes in manufacturing marketing.

As the leader in Industrial Marketing, MFG Tribe has been helping Industrial companies from $2 million – $3 billion dominate their competition with the most aggressive marketing tactics that work in today’s competitive environment for over 5 years. Our strategy adjusts based on what’s most effective for YOUR company, and we only work with industrial companies. If you’re looking to set up your marketing efforts with the Industrial Marketing leader, schedule a discovery call today!