Driven by the need to compete more aggressively in their core markets, nearly nine in ten American manufacturers (86%) say they are investing in online marketing in 2012, and 52% are increasing those investments over 2011 levels, according to a survey from ThomasNet.com.

Among the manufacturing professionals surveyed, websites are central to online marketing efforts:

• 47% cite customer service as a key benefit of their Web presence.
• 45% say their website has opened up new sources of revenue.
• 32% report their website has contributed to new revenue growth.

Below, additional findings from ThomasNet.com's Industry Market Barometer (IMB) survey.

More than one-half (53%) of manufacturing professionals say their businesses grew in 2011, and that trend is expected to continue: 75% expect their businesses to grow by the end of 2012.  

Among industrial professionals overall, 46% say their businesses grew in 2011 and 70% expect their businesses to grow by the end of 2012.

Encouraged by the upward trend, manufacturers are reinvesting their futures: 72% say they are increasing their efforts to compete more aggressively in their core markets this year. 

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