When it comes to creating manufacturing content for engineers, it is crucial to understand their unique needs and challenges. Engineers are problem solvers by nature, and they seek content that provides practical solutions to their work-related issues.
It is important to focus on the value proposition of your product or service when writing compelling content for industrial buyers.
Know thy audience
Without understanding their unique needs and challenges, one can’t create compelling manufacturing content for engineers. By identifying their challenges, you can create content that resonates with your target audience and addresses their specific needs.
I cannot emphasize this point enough. I recently wrote a whole post on this topic. See Industrial Marketing Challenges: Identifying Roadblocks and Developing Effective Solutions.
Take the time to understand your target audience. What are their job functions, responsibilities, pain points, and their roles in the buying decision? You can then tailor your content to provide the most value by understanding their needs.
Create manufacturing content that addresses their pain points
One common pain point in the manufacturing industry is the need for efficient production processes. Engineers are constantly looking for ways to streamline their operations and reduce costs. By addressing this pain point in your content, you can provide valuable insights and solutions that will attract the attention of engineers and industrial buyers.
Another challenge is staying up to date with the latest technologies and trends. With advancements in automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics, engineers are constantly seeking information on incorporating these technologies into their operations. By providing content that educates and informs on these topics, you can position yourself as a trusted source of industry knowledge.
Engineers and industrial buyers also want to work with reliable suppliers and partners they trust. They look for companies that understand their unique needs and can provide high-quality products and services. By showcasing your expertise and highlighting your track record of success, you can build trust and attract industrial buyers to your brand. So earning their trust with content that is more about them and less about you will go a long way towards your success with manufacturing content marketing.
Crafting compelling and informative manufacturing content
Once you have identified your target audience’s pain points and challenges, it is time to craft compelling and informative content that addresses these issues. Here are some tips to help you create content that resonates with engineers and industrial buyers:
Use storytelling: Engineers and industrial buyers are humans too! They are more likely to engage with content that tells a story. Obviously, I’m not referring to fairytales (😊). Use real-world examples, case studies, and success stories to illustrate how your products or services have helped other companies overcome challenges and achieve success. There are ways to write success stories without violating NDAs.
Provide actionable insights: Your content should inform and provide actionable insights that engineers and industrial buyers can implement in their operations. Whether it’s a step-by-step guide, best practices, or tips, make sure your content provides practical value.
Communicate clearly: When targeting a technical audience, providing value through informative and educational content is essential. Simplify complex concepts without dumbing down the content. How-to videos are great for this. It’s okay to use industry-standard jargon and acronyms sparingly.
Optimize for search engines (SEO): Your content needs to be easily discoverable to attract industrial buyers. Optimize your content for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords, writing informative meta descriptions, and ensuring your content is properly formatted and structured. My take on this is to write for human visitors first and let the search engines follow. Not the other way around. Another thing to remember is that conversion is not automatic; just because someone found your content and visited your site or blog doesn’t mean they’ll become a lead. (See Industrial Marketing is Not Just for ToFU).
Different strokes for different folks
So what kinds of content should you create? One thing is for sure, one size fits all won’t cut it. You need to use different formats to target various stakeholders in the buying decision and the stage of the buying journey.
Instead of writing hundreds of words describing every content format, let me make you a shortlist of commonly used manufacturing content.
Product datasheets
Blog posts (Published on your own blog, as well as guest posts in industry portals)
In-depth technical articles
Whitepapers and e-Books
Case studies and application notes
How-to videos
Content for webinars
What content do engineers prefer in making work-related decisions? This chart from the report Manufacturing Content Marketing – Insights for 2023, published by the Content Marketing Institute, is a good reference.
For parts and components manufacturers, I suggest creating content that I refer to as sales enablers. They convert very well. Read my earlier post, Using CAD and BIM Files in Manufacturing Content Marketing.
There are other types of manufacturing content I have used with good results because they help move the buyer forward in their buying journey. They are:
Online product configurators
“How to Order” part number builders
Parametric part number search applications
Valve sizing programs
Online maintenance data management, tracking legacy installations, and managing spare parts inventory
Online interactive and real-time design tools
Cross-reference guides
Evaluation and engineering kits
One final thought, what about using Generative AI for creating manufacturing content? Ah, it’s a hot topic worthy of a few blog posts. Whatever your opinion is about using AI in content marketing, you can’t escape it. Stay tuned. I’ll publish posts soon, where I’ll share my thoughts and personal experiences using AI.
Okay, now that you’ve reached the end of this post and I thank you for it, it’s time to summarize. Crafting compelling content that resonates with engineers and attracts industrial buyers is essential for successful manufacturing marketing. Get to know your target audience well, especially their pain points, and use different formats for different roles and stages of the buying journey. Earn their trust with relevant educational content that is technically accurate and up-to-date.
Need help crafting compelling manufacturing content? Let’s talk.
