Specialty products manufacturers are perfect candidates for content marketing. Their products, by definition, are special in some way. This means that people searching for those products are already midway through the buying process.
For example, imagine how many people might search for “cutting tools” – an undifferentiated product category. These searchers may not even know the type of tool they are looking for, so they are gathering information and hoping to identify a tool that can do the job they want it for. That term has nearly 20 million searches.
Now consider someone searching for “high-performance carbide end mills.” This term garners 218,000 searches, or about one percent of the broader term “cutting tools.” Clearly these searchers have more knowledge of what they want and are likely to be further along in the buying process.
I often hear companies say that they just don’t know what to write about. That seems to be a big reason they shy away from blogging. And it’s true that many blogs seem to run out of gas. But I would think any company dealing with specialty products whether they be manufacturers, distributors or retailers would have plenty to write about. Here are just a few ideas, each of which could generate several blog posts.
• Describe a particular product and what it is used for. What problem does it solve? Who is most likely to need and use it?
* Describe the criteria a buyer would use in selecting the product in question. What are its most important features? Which feature beats the competition hands down? Buyers will want to know this.
• Do you have a case study or evidence of the benefits the product gives those who purchase it? Can you project annualized cost savings if someone switches to your product? For example, a machine tool that cuts at faster feed rates or lasts longer will result in fewer tool changes and less down time. Do the math! This could mount up to considerable savings over time.
• Does the product have an interesting history? A famous inventor? People love to know how things came about, so if you have a story behind the development of the product, by all means tell it. These stories become touch points for your company and create a more personal context for your message.