Working with equipment manufacturers, we hear it all the time: "We can't produce website content." Many of our clients have tried content marketing in the past and it failed. Why? They have gone about it the wrong way. 

It's not that content marketing doesn't work for equipment manufacturers. We know from experience that's not the case at all. The real issue we find is that content hasn't been written by the right people, using the right process.

Content has most likely been written by someone who falls into one of these groups: product experts or general writers. Product experts are likely engineers, highly technical individuals who can't always convey their message in a way that is accessible to people without an engineering background. And general writers don't often understand the complexities of the product, who it serves, or how it solves problems from a technical perspective. 

Finding a person who has a technical understanding and is a competent writer is like searching for a single drop of oil in a gigantic vat of vinegar. Identifying that person would take time and resources that companies simply don't have. So they skip content marketing altogether. 

This is the wrong approach. 

How to Work through the Content Block

As previously mentioned, we know from experience that content marketing can and does work for equipment manufacturers. (See how the implementation of a content marketing strategy aided a manufacturing client in increasing organic website traffic 376% year over year.) It's not a wise move to ignore content marketing and reap none of its benefits. 

It takes strategy and consistency to build a content machine that produces visibility and ultimately qualified leads for your business. Here's how we do it: 

• Research - We want to get deep into the trenches of what your business does, who it serves, and what the pain points of your customers are. A thorough understanding of your customer persona helps us create content that your customer needs at the right time. 
• Interviews - We find that content is stronger when our clients are interviewed about content topics before writing begins (as a bonus, this saves time in the back and forth of editing). 
• Use technical writers - Individuals do exist who have a technical background and excel at writing. It's the perfect blend to effectively communicate complex topics. Technical writers are the only people we would recommend to tackle content marketing for equipment manufacturers. 

Is Content Marketing Worth All That Hassle?

You bet. Consistent content marketing done correctly (as described above) brings more organic traffic to your website. This website traffic is made up of people who found your business because they were searching for a topic that was addressed by your content. Most importantly, this additional traffic from organic sources usually results in more qualified leads who are more likely to make a purchase. 

It is unwise to skimp in this area. If you do, you can be certain that a competitor will fill that gap in online content. Instead, we would advise equipment manufacturers to invest time and resources in content marketing. It is a long game marketing tactic, yes, but a tactic that ultimately elevates your company, bringing in valuable leads that you wouldn't have otherwise.