The Marketing Maven: Industrial Marketing Blog & B2B Marketing Tips

Beyond Your Web Site: Seven Ways to Build Online Presence

Every company has a Web site; that’s a given. But with more than 90 percent of engineering, technical and industrial professionals going online to search for components and suppliers, you need more than a Web site in order to command online visibility and generate attention for your products and services.

To effectively compete in the market, you should establish a presence in the same online sources your customers and prospects use while searching for products and conducting research. A broad and deep online presence gives you more opportunity to present your brand, message or offer to your target audience and increases the likelihood of gaining customers.

Here are seven online strategies — beyond your Web site — that will help you build the presence you need.

What Role Should Social Media Have in Your Marketing Mix?

Social media such as blogs, podcasts and online networking sites are getting a lot of attention, both in the consumer and business-to-business world. Does this mean it’s time for suppliers and manufacturers in the industrial sector to add social media to their marketing programs?

The short answer is: Maybe not yet. However,  it is time to learn more about social media and how you might effectively use it as part of your online marketing strategy in the near future.

Tips to Improve Your Web Site Navigation

Chances are your company puts a lot of effort into driving customers and prospects to your Web site. The last thing you want is for them to be lost or confused once they get there, but that may be the case if your Web site navigation isn’t consistent, clear and easy to use. The fact is, anything that’s hard to use doesn’t get used very often. Busy engineers will quickly abandon a site that’s difficult to navigate for one where they can find what they are looking for.