The Value Case for a Modern Website: Manufacturing Industry

You have a website and most of your business is obtained and conducted offline. So why should you invest in updating or creating a brand new one?

Understanding the value case of having a modern website for your manufacturing company can present the need for making a change. There are several key value points presented below that you may not be aware of.

Attracting New Employees

Finding and retaining quality employees is a challenge for most manufacturing companies. In recent times we have seen the use of web and mobile apps rise as the dominate way employees search for new jobs. In fact, Glassdoor states that 79% of job seekers use social media and job search engines like Indeed when conducting their job search. The percent for manufacturing related job seekers falls just below the overall average at 74%.

Indeed delivers 65% of all hires made in the US from online sources. This method of recruiting and conducting research for new job opportunities continues to rise.

Why does your website matter if job seekers are using online platforms like Indeed to conduct research? The answer is fairly simple. After finding a job description that peeks their interest, job seekers continue their research on a company’s website and social media pages (for manufacturing, LinkedIn dominates as the primary social profile). Outdated websites and no social media presense tend to create negative impressions with younger generations.

In a recent survey 76% of job seekers said a company’s corporate website and social media was a significant factor in deciding to apply for a position online. The percentage is even higher among Millennials and Gen Z.

Finding the right job is about more than picking a career and making some money. If you have an outdated website with little or no information on your company work environment, culture, benefits and other key areas of employment you’re going to struggle attracting quality job applicants online.

Finding New Buyers

Manufacturing companies looking to grow revenue and aquire new customers need a modern website. Like job seekers, buyers look to a companies website when researching for a new supplier.

• In 2021, Gen-Z and Millennials made up nearly half of the engineers and manufacturers making purchasing decisions
• 94% of B2B buyers research online before purchasing any business product, according to Acquity Group State of B2B Procurement Study.
• 73% of millennials are involved in B2B purchasing decisions
• 89% of B2B buyers stated a company’s website and user experience was a top factor in the purchase making decision

Younger generations of buyers consider a company’s web presence as a direct reflection of the company itself. If your website is old and outdated you have little chance amongst your competitors to generate new opportunities to bid on a project or service. In fact, most often users will leave your website before visiting a second page after a first impression.

First impressions are important. If you have an old/outdated website you should consider hiring an agency to redesign your website from the ground up.

Sales Enablement

Sales enablement is the process of providing your business’s sales team with the resources they need to close more deals. If your manufacturing company is sales driven, you need your website to assist in this process.

Consider your website as a resource for your sales team to use. This can take many different forms depending on your sales process. These resources may include content, catalogs, tools, knowledge, downloads, and information to effectively sell your product or service to customers.

As buyers have changed, so have sales reps’ requirements. The need for sales enablement first became apparent in the late 90s, when sales conversation moved from physical to digital and content moved online. The “marketing closet” became a thing of the past as companies put their content onto websites and portals.

Search Engine Visibility

Whether you service a local, regional or even national audience, if you have an outdated website you’re not going to rank well on Google. There are several reasons for this most of which fall under a technical category, but to put it simply old website’s are not favored by Google.

Website speed and user experience are among the top considerations for Google’s search rankings. Having a modern, fast and well built website creates a strong foundation for search engine visibility. This alone does not necessarily mean you’re going to obtain a large amount of new visitors to your website, but a strong foundation is required if you want to achieve this increase in traffic.

Getting your website to show up in search results when potential customers are searching for the products or services you offer will generate more opportunities for your business. If your website is outdated you very likely miss out on these opportunities.

Brand Trust

Brand trust, in simple words, is the trust your consumers give to your brand/company. As mentioned prior first impressions are important. When a prospect visits a website for the first time an initial impression is made. If your website is old and outdated this impression will also be made. Hence the reason most visitors will leave your website before even giving your company a chance.

Customers do business with companies they trust. To be among that number, use your website to boost consumer confidence in your company.

Trade Shows

Trade shows are a staple in generating awareness and new prospects for manufactures. If you attend or participate in trade shows you need a modern website. Initial awareness and impressions can be made a tradeshow, but when the dust settles and the event ends these prospects often visit a companies website to learn more.

Again, an outdated website will not leave a good impression with your visitors. Initial interest generated at a trade show can quickly uproot and dry up. On the other hand if you have a modern, well structured website this can serve to reenforce your brand/company trust.

In fact, if you are investing in marketing at all you should consider your website as the hub for all your marketing channels. This includes offline marketing channels.

Interested in Learning More?

Our team of web design and marketing experts are specialized to work with manufacturers and other industrial sectors. If you would like to learn more about us or how we help our customers contact us today and schedule a discover call.