How Do You Search? 
IPB May 2011
424 buyers of industrial products and/or services responded to this IPB via an online survey conducted in May 2011. Nearly 9 out of 10 respondents (89.1%) included those with job functions in engineering (25.8%), purchasing (25.6%), general management (24.8%), and manufacturing/production/operations (12.9%).
Here are the fast facts you need to know:
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Buyers will visit your company website...
In addition to the 55.8% of respondents who go direct to company websites, 87% search on general search engines and 68% search on targeted industrial sites (e.g. ThomasNet.com). Of note, company websites were ranked #1 or #2 by 61.3% of respondents as having the most relevant search results when searching for industrial products or services. -
Buyers use 3 keywords on average when searching...
When searching for industrial products, 58.8% (40.7% use 3 words and another 18.1% use 4 or more words) of respondents use 3 or more keywords. Similarly, when searching for industrial services, over half (34% use 3 words and 18.7% use 4 or more words) of respondents use 3 or more keywords. -
Buyers include product specifications in keyword searches...
Nearly half (44.2%) of respondents said that they always or frequently include detailed product specifications (e.g. "1/2 in. x 2 in. galvanized carriage bolt") or detailed capabilities specifications (e.g. tolerances or machinery) when searching for what they need. An additional 47.3% said that they sometimes included detailed specifications. -
Buyers search by brand names...
53.6% of respondents state that they always (4.3%) or frequently (49.3%) include brand names (e.g. "3M" or "Baldor") as part of their search keywords. An additional 43.2% said that they sometimes included brand names. -
Buyers include geographic locations in search keywords...
A little more than one-third (37.7%) of respondents state that they include a geographic location (e.g. specific state) when searching for industrial products or services. An additional 52.9% say that they sometimes include a geographic location.
What do these fast facts mean for you?
Industrial buyers are searching online for the products and services they need with more specificity than ever before. Their expectation is that the more specific they are in their search keywords, the more relevant their search results will be. They need to find what they are looking for as efficiently as possible, and they canít afford to waste time wading through results that may or may not be relevant. Time is money as the saying goes.
How can you ensure that your company information delivers as a relevant search result when industrial buyers are searching? It's all about the content on your website. To better address long tail search terms (3+ words) you need to include deep and relevant content such as product details, specifications, certifications, applications, capabilities and equipment. Think about the words, phrases and other details that an engineer would use to find your products and services (e.g. "22B-Z series parallel shaft BLDC gearmotor") and include that type of content. If you carry certain brands, make sure that they are listed on your website. If not, you may be missing out on new business.
ThomasNet has helped thousands of companies just like yours to create an online presence that supports their goals in growing their businesses. We can help you too.
