Must-Haves Of A Marketing Strategy For The Steel Industry

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Jun. 30, 2025

Must-Haves Of A Marketing Strategy For The Steel Industry

Raw material availability is a cornerstone of the U.S. industrial sector, and clearly vital to its growth, and steel continues to be a top product sourced by buyers.

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But even with the high demand and longevity in the industry, there are still challenges with running a business — whether it's maintaining relationships, building new ones, or generally trying to build a company that's going to last.

We're here to help ease some of that burden, though, in this post — here are some basic marketing strategy must-haves to grow your steel industry business and tap into more market share.

Understand The Customers You're Trying To Reach

Digital marketing ensures you stay connected with customers and continue getting seen by new prospects — and more manufacturers are investing in its technologies.

That's because today’s new age of B2B buyers are tech-savvy millennials and they’re researching your services online before contacting you.

Studies show that:

74% choose the vendor that was first to add value and insight to their problems
67% rely more on content and research now than they did a year ago
80% expect the same buying experience as B2C customers

Manufacturers can no longer avoid digital marketing's reach and effectiveness and have adjusted their approach from dated tactics like print ads to generating new customers using their website and digital ads.

Deliver The Online Content Buyers Need

With buyers searching for your services online, your website is a big foundation of your growth efforts. They simply can't find you if you don't have a presence. (You can see exactly who's searching for companies like yours on Thomasnet.com with a free Custom In-Market Buyer Report.)

Today, 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less and 33% of people abandon a website that takes more than 4 seconds to load. If the mobile version of your website is not similar to the functionality and control of the desktop version, visitors are likely to get frustrated at the poor user experience and turn to a competitor.

Buyers like to research tips in your industry and educate themselves on their own before contacting you. Present yourself as a trusted leader by publishing free resources, guides, and case studies that address your buyers’ common challenges.

Infra-Metals showcases all their material specs organized in a catalog format. This helps their engineers and buyers see exactly what Infra-Metals has in stock and how their materials can fit their project requirements. It simply makes the customer's job easier, which is key to gaining new business.

In addition to updating your website’s mobile functionality and content pages, prioritize key components to encourage website conversions. This means including easy solutions on your website for prospects and customers to contact you or submit their information. For example, your Contact Us page provides more than one option for website visitors to contact you, like a click-to-call button, RFQ forms, address, and 24/7 service CTAs. Make sure these are visible at all times.

Continental Steel's Contact Us page is built for lead generation. Note that website visitors have many options to contact Continental Steel based on their need — a basic form, an Emergency RFQ, Future Project RFQ, etc.

Regularly Track Your Current Lead Generation Efforts

Before you make any changes, it's important to see the performance of your current marketing efforts (if any).

For most manufacturers, that would mean digging into your reporting tools like Google Analytics and taking a look at key website components like:

Keyword performance
Optimized images
Page titles and descriptions
Contact buttons
Mobile page speed

If you're unsure how to analyze your website efforts, that's okay! It might be necessary to turn to industry experts to fully assess your website’s content, SEO traffic, mobile-friendliness, etc., and understand what all those details mean. All of this reporting is important so you can see where to allocate your resources, make better-informed business decisions, and prove ROI.

(Bonus! Our Free Digital Health Check can review your steel manufacturing website and show a detailed comparison of your website against competitors.)

Online Directories To Promote Your Steel Industry Business

To take your website efforts even further, a digital advertising strategy can promote your steel business to the exact audience you want to do business with. In some cases, you can advertise your business for free with minimal effort.

Enter your company information in online business directories such as:

Google My Business Profile
LinkedIn Company Directory
Yelp For Business
Apple Maps Connect
Thomasnet.com

Take the time to make sure your company name, address, and number are consistent on all platforms. This ensures you’re bringing traffic to your website, prospects and customers can find you, and your brand stays professional.

The right content combined with digital strategies like SEO will help drive high-quality traffic from search engines to your website, and adding location-based keywords to relevant pages like “steel manufacturing services in NY” or “steel and metals custom manufacturer New England” will help attract buyers searching for you in your area.

Many manufacturers include paid advertising strategies like display ads and promoted content to amplify their reach, increase the awareness of their steel services, and drive traffic to their website. Managing paid advertising campaigns on search platforms can be costly if you’re new at it. There are many filters and factors to consider like the timing of your ads and the job titles you’re trying to reach.

Generate Leads With A Digital Marketing Strategy

Is your marketing strategy set to meet the needs of your buyers?

Today’s business and consumer landscape is changing to be more digital every day. There are many components to a full digital marketing strategy for steel industry manufacturers but you can start with some website updates. Studies show that 30% of consumers won't even consider a business if they don't have a website, so your website should be the foundation of your growth efforts.

Our free eBook The Ultimate Guide To Digital Marketing For Manufacturers will outline all the steps you need to take to grow your company into and beyond.

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How to Check the Quality of Steel Before Buying?

Steel is one of the most widely used construction and manufacturing materials in the world. From high-rise buildings to bridges and home structures, steel plays a pivotal role in providing strength, durability, and stability. However, not all steel is created equal. Understanding how to check the quality of steel before buying is essential to ensure long-term reliability and safety. This guide outlines the top steel quality check methods, helping you make an informed purchase decision.

Why Checking Steel Quality Before Purchase is Crucial

Using substandard steel can result in structural failure, increased maintenance costs, and even safety hazards. Hence, conducting a proper steel inspection before purchasing is not just a recommendation—it’s a necessity. For builders, contractors, and engineers, knowing how to test steel quality helps avoid compromised construction integrity and ensures adherence to industry standards.

How to Identify Good Quality Steel: Key Parameters

There are several ways to assess steel quality before purchase. Here’s a breakdown of the most reliable methods:

1. Check the Steel Grade

Every type of steel is classified into grades based on its mechanical and chemical properties. You must:

Look for grade markings on steel bars or packaging.
Ensure the steel grade aligns with your project requirements.
Use a steel grade chart to compare specifications.

For example, Fe500 and Fe550 are commonly used in construction for their high tensile strength. Verifying the steel grade is the first step in determining whether you’re getting quality material.

2. Review Steel Certifications

Always ask for test certificates from the manufacturer or supplier. These documents provide information on:

Chemical composition
Mechanical strength
IS (Indian Standards) compliance

The ISI mark or certification from a reputed lab is a good indicator of steel quality standards in India. Buying steel without certification puts your entire project at risk.

3. Physical Inspection of the Steel

Before accepting the delivery, conduct a thorough steel surface inspection. Check for:

Uniform shape and size
Absence of rust or scaling
Smooth surface without cracks or dents

A visual inspection can tell you a lot about how to know if steel is good quality. Rust, bends, or inconsistent thicknesses are red flags.

4. Conduct a Bend Test

A simple way to test steel quality on-site is the bend test:

Take a steel rod and bend it at 180 degrees.
Good quality steel will not crack or break.

This test gives a rough but effective understanding of the material’s ductility and strength.

5. Examine Tensile Strength

Tensile strength of steel determines its ability to resist elongation under load. High tensile strength ensures better performance in structural applications. This test is usually done in certified labs but you can refer to the manufacturer’s test certificate for values.

A higher tensile strength typically signifies better steel quality.

6. Check for Corrosion Resistance

Steel used in construction, especially in coastal or humid areas, must have high corrosion resistance. To ensure this:

Prefer epoxy-coated or galvanized steel
Verify corrosion-resistant treatments in the test certificate

This helps prevent premature degradation of steel components.

7. Use a Magnet Test

For certain applications, magnetic properties may matter. Mild steel is magnetic, while some stainless steel types are not. Although not a definitive quality test, this can help you identify the type of steel you’re dealing with.

8. Assess the Chemical Composition

The right proportion of carbon, manganese, sulfur, and other elements determines steel’s durability and flexibility. Excessive sulfur or phosphorus can make steel brittle. Test reports should mention the detailed chemical composition for you to compare.

Steel Testing Checklist for Buyers

Here’s a handy checklist of steel quality check methods:

Verify steel grade based on application
Ask for lab test and quality certificates
Conduct visual inspection for physical defects
Perform a bend test on random samples
Review tensile strength data
Check for rust or corrosion-resistant features
Confirm chemical composition in documentation
Ensure compliance with IS standards

This steel testing checklist for builders and contractors ensures you don’t compromise on quality.

Difference Between Good and Bad Quality Steel

Knowing the difference between good and bad quality steel helps in identifying trustworthy suppliers and protecting your construction project.

Ferrite Structural Steels – Trusted Steel Supplier in India

When it comes to buying high-quality steel, choosing a trusted supplier is as important as testing the material. Ferrite Structural Steels Pvt Ltd is one of the leading steel suppliers in India, known for:

Providing ISI-certified steel products
Maintaining strict quality control
Offering a wide range of steel grades for various applications
Delivering reliable customer support and prompt service

With years of industry experience, Ferrite ensures that clients receive only the best quality steel for construction, manufacturing, and industrial use. If you’re unsure how to check steel quality before buying, our expert team guides you every step of the way.

Conclusion:

Choosing the right steel is more than just a price-based decision. Knowing how to check the quality of steel before buying is critical to building safe and long-lasting structures. From inspecting steel grade and certifications to checking mechanical properties, there are various reliable ways to assess quality.

Partnering with a reputable steel supplier in India like Ferrite Structural Steels gives you the confidence that your project uses high-quality, standard-compliant materials. Whether you’re a builder, contractor, or engineer, following these steel inspection tips will help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure your structure stands the test of time.

Are you interested in learning more about Steel Products Manufacturer? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

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