6 Ways Manufacturers Benefit from a Content Marketing Strategy

By Cultivate | January 22, 2015

Content marketing works for manufacturers. Surprised? It’s true: even if you don’t sell direct to consumers, content marketing can work for your B2B business.

So what’s been holding you back? Don’t think you’ll benefit from a content marketing strategy? Afraid your business or products are too boring? Nonsense. Content marketing does work for B2B, helping manufacturers attract and retain more customers—and grow.

Check out these great benefits:

1. Connect with More Humans
Manufacturing can feel impersonal, but every company (in every industry) has a great story to tell. Telling your story on your website humanizes your business, giving potential customers the extra information they need to make informed buying decisions, backed by a strong emotional connection. Believe it or not, even B2B/corporate decisions are emotion-based. So the more positive appeal you can generate for your brand, the more likely you are to increase sales and strengthen existing customer relationships.

2. Build Trust
Consumers want to buy from a company they trust—a company with the knowledge and experience they need. How will they know you're knowledgeable if you don't share your knowledge on your website? Content marketing brings your knowledge and expertise to consumers, so they can make better buying decisions.

3. Sell Innovation
Maybe you're a new company and don't have an extensive history. What you do have is ideas, innovation, and a fresh approach to problem solving. Your content marketing strategy should be aimed at sparking the imagination of your customers. If you can get people to share your passion, they'll believe in you—and invest in your ideas.

4. Attract Talent
One of the biggest challenges for manufacturers face today? Attracting and retaining the best and the brightest. A great content marketing strategy ensures your company looks attractive to both consumers and potential employees. Showcase your company values to attract like-minded people and you’re more likely to build a workforce with staying power.

5. Build Your Brand
Whether you like it or not, public perception defines your brand. Many companies have a few minor blemishes on their records—so if you’re not perfect, don’t worry, you’re not alone. (Hey, sometimes you gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet!) What’s most important is how you clean up after a PR disaster.

Remember WKRP's turkey-promo episode? “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!” Best episode ever.

Even a fun promotional idea can backfire if you don’t think it through. The same goes for content marketing: strategy comes first. If your brand image needs polishing, great content marketing can help your company rebuild brand trust.

6. Get Better Search Engine Results
Finally, no matter what business you're in, you need to show up in search engine results, preferably on page one. Without a constant stream of fresh content, your website won’t land on the front page—so when your customers are searching for your products, they won't see your website. Nobody wants that.

Ready to get started on your manufacturing content marketing strategy? Try these questions:

Who are you? An old-fashioned family-owned business that puts a noticeable emphasis on family? A company heavily invested in green initiatives? A quirky, cutting-edge startup with a nap room and a basketball court in the building?
Now, who are your customers? Are they your end-users? Your distributors? What do they want most out of your products? What problem does your product help your customer solve?
How would you define a model employee? What shared values might draw in that type of person? Whatever your company values, there are candidates out there looking for a company exactly like yours.

Your company can implement marketing strategies from top manufacturers—and you don't have to be one of the big guys to do it.

Download our FREE guide: Manufacturer’s Guide to Attracting More Customers to learn how your business can use content marketing to grow. Learn how: