4 Statistics Explaining Why Manufacturers Need to Start Blogging

The term “blogger,” may carry a negative connotation for manufacturers. You might envision kitschy mommy-bloggers posting about the latest fashion line or vegan smoothies.

But industrial companies can – and should – start investing in blogs for their own websites, too. At the beginning of 2019, we interviewed over 150 manufacturers about the state of their sales and marketing. When it came to their websites, we found something very telling.

53% OF MANUFACTURERS AREN’T SEEING INCREASES IN MONTHLY WEB TRAFFIC…

Specifically on a month-to-month basis, most industrial companies aren’t seeing a general rise in visitors to their website. That’s not great!

This is a strong indicator that your website isn’t doing its job.

Web traffic generally correlates to your lead generation. Increasing website traffic is usually an indicator of increasing leads.

Increased leads should hopefully, ultimately lead to more sales. So, if you increase your web traffic, you’ll likely get more sales eventually.

If you are trying to increase your sales, you need to include tools on your website that capture your audience and makes them want to come back again and again to learn more.

A great website needs to be visually appealing as well as informative. Providing interesting content with regular blogs introduces your reader to your company; your products and solutions; and beyond.

If you want to grow your company, you have to give people a chance to know your company.

…BUT BLOGGING FOR JUST THREE MONTHS CAN INCREASE WEB TRAFFIC BY 60%!

It’s been proven that three months of writing well-written, informative blogs on a regular basis can increase traffic to company websites by as much as 60%!

That’s one of the first reasons why manufacturers need to start blogging.

Every article becomes a resource that both returning and prospective clients can use when they have questions.

Blogs give visitors a chance to find answers on their own. When they find your blogs, they feel like you helped them achieve their goal.

On top of that, every page you add to your website – blogs especially – can increase your credibility to search engines.

If your company manufactures CNC end mills, for example, your blog articles will probably use multiple terms from the CNC field that will attract attention. Over time, your website might end up on the first page of Google when people search their CNC-related questions.

OVER 70% OF MANUFACTURERS DON’T BLOG WEEKLY…

Out of all the manufacturers that we interviewed, 34% said that they don’t blog at all. Of those that do, 35% only post once or twice a month. Less than 17% post more than twice a week.

Twice a week may seem like a lot…but remember, those blogs don’t vanish after a week. They stay on your site and grow into a vast library.

Consistently posting your blogs and posting on a regular basis is the best way to get people to return to your website. As they start to realize when the blogs will be posted, those who are truly interested in learning more will check back to see what you have to say. For those who have just found your website, it sets a timeline for them to follow.

Manufacturers need to start blogging on a regular basis because it also makes it easier for dedicated customers to refer potential clients. Regular posts and returning readers are the best way to boost your rankings in search engines. Combined with the best use of SEO, it’s almost a guarantee that the traffic to your website will dramatically increase over time. And yet, industrial companies are hesitant to start blogging.

…BUT 31% OF MANUFACTURERS ARE GENERATING SALES-QUALIFIED LEADS FROM THEIR BLOGS!

Almost a third of the manufacturers that we interviewed agreed that their blogs were a source of SQLs.

Sales-qualified leads aren’t just mildly interested in your company. They aren’t just passing through. They’re ready to buy!!

By bringing in sales-qualified leads, companies are ready to move on to the next step of the sales process. During that time, continuing to post blogs provides additional support and information the potential customer. Your sales teams can refer them to older blogs that might answer common questions more thoroughly.

Blogs are a great resource that may help your leads make their final decision.

Posting regularly will let your readers know you are always working to provide the most up-to-date information possible. It also keeps you top-of-mind with leads who aren’t yet ready to buy, but who might be in six or ten months. When they’re ready, they’ll come to you.

So what are you waiting for?

The numbers are clear: manufacturers need to start blogging to boost their web traffic, which will eventually impact their sales and revenue.

It will definitely take effort (and practice) to get into the habit of posting blogs on a regular basis.

Take the time that’s needed to create great content, and the results will take care of themselves. Once you start tracking the analytics from each blog, you will be able to see which topics are more popular than others and can update your content accordingly. Starting a blog is easy. Maintaining it will take commitment and dedication. The results, however, are well-worth all of your time and effort.

 

 

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