Digital marketing is widely associated with B2C (business-to-consumer) owing to broad audiences and the rise of e-commerce. However, as businesses shift their research and purchasing online, B2B (business-to-business) digital marketing is also experiencing rapid growth. Manufacturers must have a strong online presence to stand out in the competitive landscape.

Research shows that 74% of B2B buyers conduct more than half of their research online before making a purchase. This means that without a well-optimized website and active digital marketing efforts, manufacturers risk losing potential customers to competitors.

In addition to connecting B2B buyers and manufacturers, Thomasnet is a trusted industrial marketing agency with over 127 years of experience. Its team includes experienced digital marketers and engineers who understand the challenges of the industrial sector. As a Google Certified Partner, Thomasnet offers tailored digital marketing strategies designed to help businesses grow.

Understanding Thomasnet’s Role in Digital Marketing

Originating as Thomas Register, first published in 1898, Thomasnet is an online platform tailored specifically for the industrial sector. With a vast directory of over 500,000 North American manufacturers and suppliers, the platform facilitates procurement across various industries.

Suggested reading: Strengthening Supply Chains: The Power of Domestic Sourcing

In this article, we are going to focus on its marketing services such as content marketing, SEO, lead generation, video production, website development, and more. What makes this platform effective is the fact that it has over 1.4 million active industrial buyers. This ensures that your marketing efforts reach those with genuine purchasing intent.

A manufacturer listing on Thomasnet can enhance search engine rankings and drive more traffic to company websites. In contrast to traditional advertising, Thomasnet connects businesses directly to a relevant B2B audience. This results in more qualified leads and better conversion rates.

Thomasnet also offers content marketing solutions. Manufacturers can showcase their expertise through case studies, whitepapers, and blog posts. These efforts help establish thought leadership and generate organic interest in their products and services.

The platform features verified manufacturer information, which builds trust between buyers and sellers. Manufacturers have the opportunity to stand out with a well-organized profile. It has built-in analytics and reporting tools, enabling businesses to track visitor data, engagement metrics, and leads. These insights allow manufacturers to refine their marketing strategies for the future.

Key Digital Marketing Trends for Manufacturers

SEO Strategies

To optimize Thomasnet company profiles, start with a clear and detailed company description that naturally includes relevant keywords. List your company in appropriate categories, highlight key capabilities and differentiators, and make certifications such as ISO easily accessible to buyers. Use a high-quality logo and other image resources. Lastly, update the content regularly.

Website Development

A manufacturing company's website is often the first point of contact for engineers, MROs, and procurement professionals looking for solutions. The site should be modern, fast, and responsive because as per a study, 75% of consumers judge a company’s credibility based on website design.

Content should focus on what buyers need while also containing relevant keywords. Engineers and MROs look for product specifications, technical documents, and application insights. Organizing this information makes it easier for visitors to find what they need. Clear messaging and strong calls to action also help turn visitors into leads.

Social Media Integration

While B2C companies use social media for consumer engagement, manufacturers can leverage it to drive traffic to their website and Thomasnet profile. Social media is also a great channel for increasing brand awareness, product announcements, networking, and customer service.

LinkedIn can help direct users to Thomasnet profiles, which serve as a crucial resource for connecting with buyers. By combining LinkedIn's ad targeting with Thomasnet listings, companies can also boost their lead generation. Similarly, Facebook, Instagram, and X are valuable for promoting industry events and highlighting company culture.

Content Marketing

Content marketing plays a crucial role for manufacturers, covering everything from website copy to whitepapers. When done right, it helps boost online visibility and drive website traffic. Beyond visibility, great content builds trust, strengthens relationships, and ultimately drives sales. It also keeps key decision-makers, such as procurement managers and MRO professionals engaged by addressing their specific challenges and needs. Different types of content such as blog posts, eBooks, white papers, and guides serve distinct roles in the buyer’s journey.

Video Marketing

Viewers retain 95 percent of a message when they watch it on video, compared to 10% when reading it in a text. By leveraging video content, manufacturers can create a more persuasive experience to drive conversions. Facility tours provide an inside look at your operations, highlighting equipment, production processes, and quality control measures. This transparency helps build trust and reassures buyers.

Case studies and customer testimonial videos add another layer of credibility. Seeing real customers share their positive experiences makes your offerings more relatable and convincing.

Email Marketing

Email marketing is a cost-effective way to connect with a large audience and build customer relationships. With an average open rate of 21 percent, email marketing often delivers better engagement than social media. To make your email marketing effective, personalization is key. It starts with building a list of potential and existing customers and continuously updating it.

Tailoring messages based on designation, industry, or region increases the chances of engagement. The email content should balance information and promotions. Subject lines also play a crucial role in email success. Testing catchy, informative, or humorous subject lines, can help you determine what works best for your audience. Emails should include a clear call to action that offers relevant pieces of content.

Lead Generation

A well-crafted lead generation marketing strategy is crucial as it ensures a steady influx of high-quality leads.

Successful lead generation revolves around providing potential customers with valuable resources in exchange for their contact information. This includes multiple stages, such as persona targeting, creating compelling content, SEO, and content distribution campaigns.

Webtrax

Thomas WebTrax helps manufacturers identify and connect with buyers by going beyond traditional analytics. It serves as one comprehensive dashboard that offers real-time data from the company website and Thomas profile. This enables businesses to see who is actively searching for their products, how prospects engage with various online channels, and where they stand in the buying process.

By tracking a buyer’s journey from initial interest to engagement, Thomas WebTrax ensures sales teams can act on opportunities at the right time. Advanced bot filtering removes automated traffic, which helps teams focus only on genuine customers. Custom targeting options allow businesses to further refine their approach based on industry, company size, and other critical factors.

Utilizing Data and Analytics

Understanding ThomasNet Analytics to Refine Your Marketing Approach

Analytics are crucial for refining marketing strategies to boost business performance. ThomasNet offers tools such as the Supplier Analytics Dashboard and WebTrax to provide valuable insights into customer behavior.

The Supplier Analytics Dashboard offers key metrics such as profile views, website visits, and catalog interactions. This data helps manufacturers understand how potential customers engage with their listings. For example, a company can identify its popular services or categories and refine its offerings and pricing strategies accordingly.

WebTrax goes a step further by tracking website traffic coming from Thomas profiles. It provides insights into visitor behavior and lead quality. WebTrax's ability to highlight what works and what doesn’t, enables manufacturers to allocate resources efficiently. For example, they can enhance high-performing listings for even better results and set aside more resources to target high-potential customers.

Tracking Performance and ROI with External Analytics Tools

ThomasNet's analytics tools are complemented by external tools such as Google Analytics for measuring marketing performance and ROI. For example, Google Analytics provides insights into website traffic, user behavior, and conversion rates. Manufacturing companies can track visitors, session duration, bounce rates, and page views. By using URL parameters or custom campaign tracking, they can also measure the effectiveness of specific marketing efforts, such as referral traffic from ads, emails, or social media.

With this data, marketers can identify high-performing content, refine landing pages, and customize messaging for various demographics. This approach not only improves engagement but also maximizes marketing efficiency.

Conclusion

For manufacturers, keeping up with marketing trends is essential to maintaining a competitive edge. With B2B buyers increasingly relying on online research before making purchasing decisions, a strong digital presence is a must for manufacturers and suppliers.

As digital marketing continues to evolve, manufacturers need to continuously refine their strategies with SEO, content marketing, social media, email campaigns, and analytics to maximize their ROI.ThomasNet provides a specialized platform tailored to the industrial sector. It helps businesses connect with qualified buyers and optimize their online presence. By leveraging ThomasNet’s marketing solutions and data-driven insights, manufacturers can improve visibility, generate high-quality leads, and drive long-term growth.

Find out how your digital presence stacks up against your competitors. Request a free, customized digital marketing report for your company here. Then, select from Thomas' flexible marketing packages based on your requirements.