Writing technical content for different stages of the buyer’s journey is a big hurdle for many manufacturing content marketers. In fact, a study by the Content Marketing Institute found that 62% of them identify it as a significant challenge. (Source).
This isn’t surprising, as each stage—awareness, consideration, and decision—requires a tailored approach to resonate with engineers, technical professionals, and industrial buyers.
This blog post will provide a high-level roadmap, highlighting key considerations and strategies for each stage of the industrial buyer’s journey. By understanding the nuances of this process, you’ll be better equipped to create content that not only educates your audience but also drives them toward a purchasing decision.
While the industrial buyer’s journey typically involves awareness, consideration, and decision stages, it’s far from a linear path. Unlike consumer purchases, industrial buying decisions involve multiple stakeholders with diverse roles and priorities.
This complexity often leads to detours, delays, and even complete restarts and can stretch over weeks, months, or even years, depending on the scale and complexity of the purchase.
Understanding these nuances is crucial for crafting effective technical content that resonates with each stakeholder at every touchpoint.
While all technical content aims to inform, not all technical content is created equal when it comes to lead generation and conversion. Traditional technical writing often focuses on explaining complex concepts, processes, or products clearly and concisely. This includes essential documentation like user manuals, product descriptions, and datasheets, which are crucial for educating users and supporting product adoption.
However, writing technical content for marketing requires a strategic shift beyond these foundational documents. It’s about crafting content that not only educates but also differentiates your brand, builds trust with potential customers, and ultimately persuades them to initiate a conversation. This is where the power of creating technical content that converts comes into play.
Industrial content creators must combine their technical expertise with marketing savvy to achieve this. This involves understanding the buyer’s journey, tailoring the message to resonate with the target audience at each stage, and incorporating persuasive elements that encourage engagement.
Add to this a solid understanding of keyword research and on-page optimization so that your content reaches the right audience at the right time, maximizing its lead generation and conversion potential.
Most small- to mid-size manufacturers lack the in-house resources and expertise to manage all aspects of creating and regularly publishing customer-centric industrial content. This can be a major challenge, as high-quality technical content is essential for attracting and engaging potential customers, building trust, and ultimately driving sales.
If you’re struggling to create effective industrial content, we can help. Check out our Industrial Content Creation Service.
In globally competitive industrial markets, thought leadership content can be a game-changer for manufacturers. By positioning your brand as an industry authority, you move beyond being just another supplier and become a trusted partner. This shift elevates your brand awareness and attracts higher-quality leads, primed for more meaningful conversations with your sales team.
Thought leadership content goes beyond technical details and product specifications. It delves into industry trends, challenges, and solutions, demonstrating your expertise and understanding of the market. This approach educates your audience and builds trust and credibility, making them more likely to choose your products or services when they are actively looking for your solutions.
As discussed in my previous post, “B2B Thought Leadership Marketing—How Small Manufacturers Can Drive Big Results,” this strategy can be especially powerful for small manufacturers looking to make a big impact. By creating technical content that converts, you can leverage thought leadership to generate leads, nurture them through the sales funnel, and ultimately boost conversions.
By investing in thought leadership content, you’re investing in a long-term strategy that can yield significant returns for your manufacturing business.
In my experience working with manufacturers, I hear a common complaint: “We have nothing new to say. We tend to report on ourselves.” This self-reporting tendency can be a significant roadblock to creating engaging and valuable content. Instead of focusing on your company’s latest achievements or product features, shift your perspective to your customer’s challenges and pain points.
Another common pitfall is the “a solution in search of a problem” syndrome, where companies invent problems to justify their existing solutions. This approach rarely resonates with customers and can damage your credibility.
To overcome these hurdles, I recommend taking a customer-centric approach. Start by deeply understanding your target audience’s needs, challenges, and aspirations. Conduct thorough research, engage in conversations with customers, and gather feedback through surveys or social media. This will provide you with a wealth of valuable insights that you can use to create content that truly speaks to your audience.
Remember, the goal is not to create a sales pitch but to educate and empower your customers. By providing valuable information and insights, you’ll establish yourself as a trusted advisor and build stronger relationships, leading to increased sales and long-term success.
Creating top-notch technical content is only half the battle. To maximize its impact, you must actively promote it through various channels. While social media platforms like LinkedIn are valuable, don’t limit yourself to these traditional avenues.
Explore industry-specific forums, online communities, and relevant publications to reach a wider audience of potential customers. Repurpose your content into different formats, such as videos, podcasts, or webinars, to cater to diverse learning styles and preferences.
This multi-pronged approach will significantly amplify your reach and ensure your message gets heard by the right people.
Ready to transform your industrial content marketing strategy and see tangible results? Partner with Tiecas, a leading industrial marketing agency with a proven track record of success in helping manufacturers create content that converts. We offer a wide range of services, including:
We also have a deep understanding of the industrial buyer’s journey, which allows us to create content that resonates with your target audience at each stage. Additionally, we are experts in keyword research and on-page optimization, which ensures that your content reaches the right people at the right time. If you’re ready to take your industrial content marketing to the next level, contact Tiecas today. We can help you create content that converts and achieves your business goals.
Let’s chat to determine if this will be a good fit for both of us. It will be a friendly conversation to get to know each other better, not a high-pressure sales pitch.