Inbound marketing is not an Internet fad. In fact, it’s here to stay and has been here to stay for years.

In HubSpot’s “State of Inbound 2015” report, three out of four marketing executives prioritized their inbound marketing strategy. And in the “State of Inbound 2017” report, one respondent said, “Online is the new mainstream, so I think we will see less of ‘digital’ marketers and more just ‘marketers.’”

So, why is it that some industries still avoid marketing online? The reality is that no industry should be exempt from a robust online presence. It doesn’t matter if your business targets an end consumer or another company; the Internet is where customers look for what they need. An effective digital marketing strategy is vital to every business.

Don’t believe us? Take a look at these six industries that aren’t your typical online giants but could be.

6 Industries that Should Definitely Start Online Marketing

Car Dealerships

When most people think of buying a car, they think you have to show up to the dealership in person to talk to the sales guy and see what they have in stock, but that’s not forward thinking. Similar to every other business, auto dealerships can benefit from being online. In fact, the Internet is a great place to start a one-on-one conversation with potential buyers.

When done correctly, Internet marketing can help car dealerships reach out to customers in a variety of ways including through email, blogs, social media, forums, and more. And it’s through all these channels that you can give customers a reason to buy from you. In particular, car dealerships should use online marketing to:

• Drive awareness
• Develop thought leadership
• Build engagement
• Gain referrals

Healthcare Services

The Internet is not where you should go for health advice—it’s why millions of Americans misdiagnose themselves on a daily basis. WebMD is not a substitute for a doctor. However, that doesn’t mean Healthcare Services shouldn’t embrace digital marketing. According to Pew research, 72% of Internet users looked for health information online last year, so it’s necessary that the healthcare industry get online.

Though online marketing, healthcare services have the opportunity to increase their reach, create transparency, and improve patient relationships. Whether you’re a small doctor’s office or a hospital, you can reach out to your target audience where they’re located online. One of the best ways to do this is by personalizing your marketing efforts to reach the right patient with the right message at the right time. In addition, healthcare services are ripe for tools such as downloadable patient forms, online appointment booking, patient portals, and more.

Legal Services

Law is an industry where charisma and reputation are the main customer drivers. This means that potential clients are looking for companies and individuals that they can trust and that they feel comfortable working with. This makes online marketing the perfect platform.

Through social media, attorneys can demonstrate their knowledge, provide answers to pressing questions, and establish their personality. Using a blog, legal services can go in-depth about their legal specialties, share information on their latest cases, and bring awareness to their various areas of expertise. And most importantly, law partners and attorneys can use SEO and keywords to get their business in front of the customers who need their help.

B2B Consulting

In general, most people think of online marketing as the ideal B2C platform, but not necessarily a great way to reach other businesses. That’s not the case. Digital marketing has a huge potential for B2B organizations. In the end, individuals run businesses, and those individuals are online looking for ways to help their company.

The key to marketing online for your B2B consulting business is to be where your customers are. In most cases, that means leveraging the power of LinkedIn to make industry contacts and to engage with executives on a personal level. Google Ads are also a valuable tool for B2B companies since you can use targeted keywords to find your exact customer.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is not and will probably never be a “hot” industry. The truth is that not many people care about it, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t have a place online. Since so few manufacturing companies are online, the market is ripe for your business to be a leader in the space. In addition, similar to B2B consulting companies, the Internet is a great way to get in contact with businesses you might never contact another way.

For manufacturing, taking a simple online approach is perfect. First, focus on creating a responsive website that is optimized for keywords. Second, develop a content marketing strategy that includes blog posts, videos, and graphics that will help you attract new customers. Finally, reach out to your customers where they’re located. LinkedIn is the premier social network for professionals and can help you find customers who make the purchasing decisions at your target companies.

Science & Engineering

While science and engineering companies might not benefit from customer relationships in the conventional sense, that doesn’t mean online marketing isn’t valuable. Right now, science and engineering are hot industries. People want to know more about what’s happening and how to get involved.

For scientists and engineers, video is one of the best marketing platforms. Through video, you can show what your company is working on as well as why it’s valuable. You can also use the Internet to host webinars, which can help you generate leads, drive awareness, and engage with prospects. Case studies and blogging are also valuable digital marketing assets to demonstrate your expertise.

As long as you customize your digital marketing strategy to your industry, there’s no reason why it can’t be a valuable tool for generating leads, increasing your profitability, and building awareness around your company.