As a company that collaborates with manufacturers to develop content marketing strategies that attract attention, produce engagement, increase leads, and drive sales, we’re always interested in how this industry is capitalizing on (or failing to capitalize on, in some cases) content marketing. The Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and MarketingProfs are two organizations that truly know their stuff when it comes to inbound marketing, and their 2018 Manufacturing Content Marketing Report is a rich source of interesting and thought-provoking statistics.
Insight on the State of Content Marketing for Manufacturers Today
There are a whole host of “Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends” in the report. However, below are some stats that really caught my eye, along with my take on what they mean as someone whose inbound marketing agency in Colorado Springs, CO and Springfield, MO has been providing content marketing services and working with manufacturers for many years.
- 22 percent of manufacturing marketers report their organization’s content marketing maturity level as Sophisticated (the highest rank) or Mature. The vast majority of organizations (64 percent) fall into the Adolescent and Young categories, with 12 percent just now taking their first steps. My take on the data: We’re making progress with content marketing in manufacturing, but we’ve got a long way to go. And, if you don’t feel like your inbound strategy is hitting on all cylinders, you’re not alone so don’t be discouraged!
- 42 percent of organizations surveyed don’t outsource any content marketing activities. My take on the data: At the risk of sounding self-serving, I have to say I’m surprised that more companies aren’t leveraging outside resources. Collaborating with a skilled and experienced content marketing agency is no different than purchasing a high-quality piece of equipment for your production line. It’s an investment that begins paying dividends immediately and continues to drive profits going forward.
- 51 percent of manufacturers say they are “somewhat committed” to content marketing and 55 percent say their efforts are “moderately successful.” My take on the data: While I don’t know that there’s any true statistical tie between those figures, the numbers do seem to line up—if you’re only somewhat committed to content marketing, you’ll only be moderately successful at it. Makes sense. Imagine what your business would look like if you really set your sights on content marketing-driven success!
- 56 percent of manufacturers rate the success of their content marketing programs this year over last as Much More Successful or Somewhat More Successful. My take on the data: Of course! Content marketing is a strategy that takes time, as it involves a patient nurturing of prospects who have to learn to trust you before they make the leap to writing checks to you. However, with that trust established, not only will they come onboard as a customer, they’ll likely be more inclined to stay with you even when the inevitable issues pop up from time to time.
- 7 percent of manufacturers say they do not have a content marketing strategy and don’t intend to have one 12 months from now. My take on the data: While I wish that 7 percent no ill will, it should be interesting to see how they’ve fared in a year… or five… if they continue down that path. Content marketing is playing an ever-greater role in manufacturing success. Those who don’t embrace it may find themselves trailing the pack.
Helping Manufacturers Produce the Stats that Really Matter
The numbers in the 2018 Manufacturing Content Marketing Report are enlightening to be sure. But, the stats that really matter to manufacturers are things like leads and orders, revenue, and market share. Those are the results that matter to us at 30dps as well as we help companies achieve their marketing objectives. When you’re ready to talk about your goals, we’re ready to help you exceed them. Give us a call.
