Your data will tell you how to invest in marketing, not a marketing specialist.
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Growth starts by understanding customer behaviour, market opportunities and what your customers actually want. It’s not just about verbalising you’re the specialist at what you manufacture, but analysing how your customers think, search, and decide.
Manufacturing has always been about technical excellence. Products are tested, proven, and built to last. But in today’s market, that isn’t enough. Growth now depends on how well you understand your customers and the decisions they make long before a sales conversation begins.
B2B buyers spend most of their time researching independently, comparing suppliers online, and forming opinions without ever stepping onto a factory floor. If you aren’t visible in these early stages, you will be overlooked.
That’s why manufacturing industry research is so important when trying to understand customer behaviour. It doesn’t just uncover how customers search and what they value. It translates those insights into user journeys, conversions, and marketing strategies. For manufacturers, it’s the foundation of digital growth.
Why customer behaviour matters in manufacturing marketing
Manufacturing decisions are high value, high risk and rarely made by one person. Engineers, procurement managers, and senior leaders all play a role, and each comes to the process with different priorities. That makes the buying journey complex and long.
What they have in common is how much of that journey now takes place online. Research shows that B2B buyers are 70% through their purchasing journey before they engage with sellers. By the time your sales team hears from a prospect, key decisions may already be made.
So manufacturers can’t rely on technical specs or traditional relationships alone. The advantage now comes from pairing customer behaviour insights with manufacturing industry research that feeds into a clear digital strategy. It’s what allows you to meet prospects earlier, answer the right questions, and position your business as the preferred choice.
The science of digital customer behaviour
Every click, search, and download tells a story. In manufacturing, these signals are especially important because buyers are researching complex, technical solutions long before they talk to a sales team. Understanding these behaviours is what turns digital noise into insight, and insight into strategy.
Research shows the average B2B buyer reviews 11 pieces of content before contacting a vendor, and 72% start their journey online. For manufacturers, that content might be spec sheets, whitepapers, webinars, or case studies. Each interaction is a clue about where customers are in their journey and what they need to move forward.
This is where data analytics and manufacturing industry research come together. Together, they uncover patterns, highlight pain points, and shape user journeys that drive conversions. For manufacturers, that means fewer assumptions, more evidence, and a digital strategy built on behaviour.
Key digital behaviours to track in manufacturing
Every manufacturing customer leaves a digital trail. The challenge isn’t the lack of data. It’s knowing which behaviours actually influence decisions and which are just noise.
One of the first is search intent. Buyers don’t start with product names. They search for solutions to problems: “reduce downtime in automotive production” or “improve plant safety”. If you’re not visible at this stage, you’re already behind. Search intent shows not just what customers are looking for but how they frame their challenges, a vital insight for content that connects.
Then there’s content consumption. Buyers don’t buy without reassurance, and they expect to find it in detailed resources: whitepapers, case studies, or webinars that prove credibility and capability. No surprise, 65% of industrial buyers bought online in 2025, up from 45% in 2018. Each download, video view, or webinar registration is a signal of trust being built.
Customers also compare certifications, reviews, and peer recommendations, and post-sale engagement plays a big role in building loyalty. Dedicated manufacturing industry research brings these behaviours into focus, so manufacturers can refine journeys, answer unspoken questions, and convert with confidence.
Behavioural insights into digital growth strategies
Understanding customer behaviour online is one thing. The real value is in turning those insights into strategies that influence decisions and drive growth. For manufacturers, that means linking research to execution.
Content is often the starting point. Your business needs a library of content that matches each stage of their journey, from awareness to evaluation. A whitepaper might grab attention, a case study builds trust and a specification sheet gives confidence.
Equally important is how that content is delivered. A seamless digital experience guides buyers from one step to the next with no friction. Clear navigation, logical user flows, and targeted CTAs reduce drop-offs and shorten sales cycles. Research shows 92% of buyers start with one or more vendors in mind, and 41% with a single preferred choice. That means early engagement and brand visibility are key.
Conversion rate optimisation ensures every interaction is refined to move customers forward. It turns behavioural insight into measurable growth, giving manufacturers not just data but results.
Understanding customer behaviour, industry examples: Research driving results
Red-Fern’s partnerships with global manufacturers show how research-led strategies deliver real growth.
Take Godiva and IDEX. Their project started with in-depth audience profiling and buyer persona development. Through discovery calls, interviews, and live product demos, Red-Fern gathered insight into how global teams worked, the challenges they faced, and the content they needed to support sales. The result was a strategy document that aligned stakeholders worldwide and set the direction for a digital roadmap.
For IrvinGQ, research showed that guiding customers through product education was key. A reimagined website built around clear user journeys, deliberate animations, and bite-sized content increased engagement and delivered an 89% increase in form submissions.
And with Biological Preparations, extensive manufacturing industry research uncovered audience expectations and refined digital positioning. The outcome was a next-gen website and an immersive 3D platform that aligned brand, product, and customer needs in one seamless experience.
Challenges manufacturers face
Many manufacturers think they know their customers. But without structured research, assumptions creep in.
Sales, marketing, and product teams have different views of the same audience, leading to misaligned strategies and missed opportunities.
Others rely too much on technical specs, forgetting that buyers are looking for solutions, reassurance, and trust as much as performance.
Some underestimate how much of the buying journey happens online, leaving critical touchpoints underdeveloped.
The Red-Fern approach
Our manufacturing industry research provides the foundation. Data analytics shows behaviours in real time. Conversion rate optimisation ensures every interaction is refined for measurable growth. Together, these services give manufacturers clarity, confidence, and a route to digital success.At Red-Fern, we are here to help close the gap with a research-first approach.
