● The short answer
A manufacturer should build digital marketing around how engineers and buyers research: detailed capability and product pages, technical content with real specs, clear proof like certifications and case studies, and fast responses to RFQs. Support that with search ads on high-intent terms, LinkedIn for relationships and recruiting, and steady work so AI assistants and search engines describe your capabilities accurately.
Key takeaways
- Gartner found B2B buyers spend only about 17% of purchase time meeting with potential suppliers.
- Detailed capability pages with real specs, certifications and photos do much of the selling.
- A fast, drawing-friendly RFQ process often matters more than more traffic.
How industrial buyers research now
Industrial purchases involve engineers, purchasing, quality and leadership, and most of the research happens before anyone talks to a sales rep. Gartner's research on B2B buying found that buyers spend only about 17% of their purchase time meeting with potential suppliers, and when comparing several suppliers, time with any one sales rep may be just 5% or 6%. The rest is independent research: search, supplier websites, spec sheets, peers, trade publications and, increasingly, AI assistants asked questions like "contract manufacturers in Wisconsin with ISO 13485."
That means your website and your footprint across the web do a large share of the selling.
The how is where we come in.
What we walk through with you, for your business:
- What to build first
- Channels that tend to work
- AI search and the manufacturing buyer
- Our take
Every business is different, so the plan is too. Tell us where you want to show up and we will show you what it takes.
Talk to usMore questions
Do trade shows still matter for manufacturers?
Yes. In-person events remain valuable for relationships and demonstrations. Digital marketing makes them more productive: promote your booth beforehand, capture contacts in a CRM, follow up quickly by email and LinkedIn, and publish content from the show. Treat each show as a campaign rather than a standalone expense.
Should manufacturers publish pricing online?
Exact pricing is often impractical for custom work, but you can still help buyers. Explain what drives cost, typical minimum order quantities, lead time ranges and how quoting works. That transparency builds trust, filters out poor-fit inquiries and gives search engines and AI assistants useful, specific content to work with.
Sources
Want us to check this for your business?
Send us your URL. We will show you where you are found, trusted and missing across AI answers, search, maps and reviews, in plain English.
Get a free visibility check