In the last 25 years, the advent of the internet has completely changed the marketing landscape for B2B as much as for B2C. At Rivergate Marketing, our specialty is helping our engineering firms understand what it takes to develop a dominant online presence. We know a powerful presence will earn you customers and provide access to quality requests for quotes.

We all know that content is key. But where can engineers and business owners find the relevant, industry-related content they need to boost their search engine optimization (SEO) and web presence? With this article, we’re going to show you some content resources you have right at your fingertips. We’ll also give you some ideas for finding more!

Content Creation is Easy! Start With Information You Have at Hand

Your website may already have a page titled FAQs. It’s a great place to start developing your content strategy. Ask yourself:

• What questions do I get asked most about my products or process? How can I answer these questions clearly for customers?
• Do I get emails or phone calls about a specific topic all the time?
• What is the most important part of my prospective customer’s final purchase?
• Are there any sections of our proposals that I can expand into a blog post?

We think Forbes Magazine says it best: “Your first priority should be your audience. Understanding what exactly your customers want to read is crucial to generating high-quality, engaging content. Ask yourself what topics they might be interested in learning about, what problems they’re dealing with, and how you can guide them to a solution…”

In other words, start with the information you know customers want. Try to explain your methods or materials the same way you’d explain it to buyers.

Look at Jobs You’ve Completed

When you complete jobs with noteworthy solutions, go ahead and write about them! (Obviously, don’t write about classified projects or give away sensitive details.) Beyond creating your content, you’ll have a chance to build your relationship with your customers by including them with links.  If the customer is also trying to grow their web presence, they will be happy with the boost in search engine awareness, too!

Case studies make excellent content. Originally case studies were used in the medical field as profound, thorough records of physical and mental illness research. In business applications/content creation, they are in-depth discussions that will explain your customer’s needs in detail. They should provide a timeline of your work, the technology included, and highlight the ways your solution stands out.

Know that detail is crucial to a case study! By carefully examining the work you’ve done, you’ll attract customers who have similar needs. You’ll also provide them with answers to questions they’ll have in the future. Case studies are a great way to generate extremely relevant content for your future customers.

Write About Events

As a business owner or supervisor, you undoubtedly get to experience some industry events. Write about them! Take a look at your local community involvement too. Consider writing about:

• Trade shows
• Conventions
• Local Hometown Events (like parades, the local fair, or high school football teams you sponsor)
• Chamber of Commerce or networking events

These are all ways readers can learn about your organization. They’ll create plenty of opportunities to link to related websites (that’s the stuff search engines love).  It also helps your customers get to know you and your personality.

Let Staff Write About Their Jobs

You want prospective customers to connect with your organization and your staff. It’s also beneficial to reach out to future potential employees. This content is simple to achieve. Just ask your team to write about their jobs. Consider topics like:

• What it’s like working at…
• A day in the life of a (insert job title)
• The most challenging part of my job is…
• How I use (or don’t use) my education in the workplace

By the time you’ve exhausted these content sources, you’ll be well on the way to a keyword rich, well linked, detailed treasure trove of content. Your new content will surely appeal both to search engines and customers. Would you like to learn more about outstanding content creation for engineering firms? Contact us today and download our blog outline to make engineering firm content creation easy!