How Digital Marketing Can Help Michigan Manufacturers

 

 

Marketing is a key piece of the business strategy that puts value to products or services to satisfy a customer’s wants and/or needs. As technology continues to play a role in our everyday lives, it is important for manufacturers to utilize Digital Marketing within their overall business strategy.

 

So, what is Digital Marketing and how could it help small to medium-sized manufacturers? Digital Marketing is exactly what it sounds like. It includes marketing practices that use the internet, social media, technology and any digital platform to promote a product or service. There are various ways it can benefit small to medium-sized manufacturers but let’s focus on three: attracting and retaining employees, attracting new business and building brand awareness.

 

Yes, it can! Younger generations, including millennials and Gen Z, grew up with technology and use it to look for employment. Not only do they look for jobs online, but they also pay attention to how businesses portray themselves online to see if it’s a company they would be interested in. There has been a shift in what employees want and expect from their employer. The focus is now on whether the company cares about its employees. It isn’t just about money.

 

Social media is a great tool to use for this. Posting about team-building activities, training courses and other things going on in the facility will show your followers the heart of the company – not just your products. Culture is important not only in attracting new employees but also retaining your current staff.

 

Get your team involved in digital marketing! Ask them for ideas on how to show the company culture on the website, social media and in any digital ads. Utilize photos of your team rather than only stock photography. Staff involvement allows them to feel heard, seen and valued within your company.

 

Whether you’re a heavy internet user or not, people find things by searching online. Gone are the days of looking at printed ads in newspapers and magazines. So, no matter the size of your company, it is crucial to have an updated and easy to use website. By easy to use, I mean that it should be simple for a customer to find what they’re looking for and understand what your business does just by looking at the homepage. Having an up-to-date website is essential to attracting new clients.

 

In addition to your website, utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) will help people find your business. SEO allows you to tailor the content on your website to what people are searching for. The more your SEO matches searches, the higher you will appear on search engines. Digital ads also help with this as you can pay to have your website pop up as one of the first results on Google. But applying effective SEO is a free way to boost your visibility online.

 

To attract new employees and customers, people need to be aware of your company. A brand is the feeling or experience associated with the business. Think of McDonald’s. Everyone knows what the golden arches represent because they associate it with a feeling of the experiences they have when visiting a McDonald’s. What does your brand represent? What do you want your audience to think of when they see your logo?

 

Using digital marketing, you can build brand awareness through social media, advertising and your website. Everything from your company that faces the public is a representation of your brand. This includes your employees.

 

Improve your digital identity today with the help of experts at The Center. Our marketing services are based solely on your company’s needs. We can solve areas of issue by working on enhancing website searchability, tracking website traffic and optimizing website content. Schedule a free assessment today to get your digital identity up to date. 

 

 

Emily joined the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center’s marketing team in 2022. With over four years of experience in communications and marketing, Emily strives to build the brand through digital channels, marketing campaigns, and digital and news media.