LinkedIn Manufacturing Buyer Research 2025

The innovation imperative for manufacturing marketers

How manufacturing brands can differentiate themselves as trusted innovation partners, and offer the tech leadership and efficiency that buyers crave.

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Manufacturing buyers know that tech leadership is crucial, but they are struggling to keep up with the pace of change in their industry. This is creating a moment of opportunity for manufacturing brands that can position themselves as trusted innovation partners.

Our in-depth survey of 1,767 B2B manufacturing buyers across Europe, APAC, the USA and Brazil explores the rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, and the opportunities it creates for marketing strategies.

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The agenda for manufacturing buyers

Manufacturing is a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem in which many of the businesses buying from manufacturers are also manufacturers themselves. It’s a world of diverse customer and partner relationships, in which innovation is becoming a priority at every point in the value chain. Buyers expect innovation to deliver operational efficiency, but also to do more. Larger and more senior buying groups seek vendors that can help them integrate emerging technologies and build resilience against macro-economic challenges.

The two realities reshaping manufacturing:

Innovation is an imperative, with 86% of buyers saying they want to be seen as tech leaders.
Manufacturing brands must differentiate or disappear, with 55% of manufacturing buyers saying they struggle to tell potential vendors apart.

Responding to these realities involves manufacturing marketers embracing five key trends:

Trend 1:

Future-proofing through innovation

Trend 4:

Creative impact, market presence and transparency get buyers talking

Trend 2:

Building trust through expertise  to win in a crowded market

Trend 5:

Social media spark action and drive result

Trend 3:

Complex buying demands  a message for every stakeholder

Trend 1:

Future-proofing through innovation

Efficiency is the immediate benefit that buyers expect an innovative vendor to deliver.  However, efficiency is no longer the end-goal. It’s the gateway to wider transformation.  Marketers who can demonstrate both immediate gains and transformative potential  give buyers the confidence to invest for the future.

Top three vendor characteristics ranked extremely important by manufacturing buyers:

Technology Expertise

Innovative Products or Services

Competitive Pricing

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Trend 2:

Building trust through expertise  to win in a crowded market

Demonstrating expertise is essential for trust, and with shortlists shrinking, this requires an always-on, full-funnel approach. Buyers respond to brands they can recognize, but also brands that consistently establish their credibility through thought leadership and testimonials.

Existing brand reputation

Detailed technical descriptions

In-person presentations

Customized solutions

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Trend 3:

Complex buying demands  a message for every stakeholder

As the size and seniority of buying groups increases, marketers must engage every member with tailored messaging that addresses their interests and priorities, and keeps their brand front of mind during a buying process that lasts several months.

Of buyers say their manufacturing product has increased in the last year

Say the size and seniority of their buying committee  has grown

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Trend 4:

Creative impact, market presence and transparency get buyers talking

Buyers respond to brands that can deliver impact and demonstrate a partnership approach.  That means solutions-based messaging, impactful ads that get buyers talking, transparency of information, and showing up in-person at events.

Of buyers prefer vendors that take a solutions-based approach

Of buyers say their buying group discusses vendor ads they’ve seen

Of Millennial and Gen Z buyers say presence at events is important

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Trend 5:

Social media spark action and drive result

Manufacturing buyers turn to social media for information and inspiration – and they act on what they discover. LinkedIn is used more than any other social platform for these professional purposes, and 59% of buyers are active on LinkedIn daily.

Influenced the decision to choose a particular manufacturing vendor

Prompted further research on an industry issue or topic

Led them to reach out to a vendor about products  and services

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Get the full, in-depth report on establishing manufacturers as trusted innovation partners.

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LinkedIn Manufacturing Buyer Research 2025

The innovation imperative for manufacturing marketers

Manufacturing buyers know that tech leadership is crucial, but they are struggling to keep up with the pace of change in their industry. This is creating a moment of opportunity for manufacturing brands that can position themselves as trusted innovation partners.

Our in-depth survey of 1,767 B2B manufacturing buyers across Europe, APAC, the USA and Brazil explores the rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape, and the opportunities it creates for marketing strategies.

The agenda for manufacturing buyers

The two realities reshaping manufacturing:

Trend 1:

Future-proofing through innovation

Trend 4:

Creative impact, market presence and transparency get buyers talking

Trend 2:

Building trust through expertise to win in a crowded market

Trend 5:

Social media spark action and drive result

Trend 3:

Complex buying demands a message for every stakeholder

Trend 1:

Trend 2:

Trend 3:

Trend 4:

Trend 5:

Get the full, in-depth report on establishing manufacturers as trusted innovation partners.

Building trust through expertise  to win in a crowded market

Complex buying demands  a message for every stakeholder