Jake Hall is back on Content Marketing Engineered for a deep dive into what actually works on LinkedIn for industrial brands. We break down best practices for approaching LinkedIn not just as a company page, but through your spokespeople and employees, too. We also dig into the evolving role of influencers in the marketing mix and what it really takes to build successful, authentic influencer partnerships in manufacturing and engineering.

In this episode, Jake Hall, aka the Manufacturing Millennial discusses the evolving landscape of content marketing, particularly focusing on the importance of LinkedIn as a platform for authentic engagement. He shares insights on effective content creation strategies, the role of influencers in the industrial sector, and the necessity of maintaining authenticity in a world increasingly dominated by AI-generated content. The conversation emphasizes the need for marketers to adapt their strategies to foster genuine connections with their audience while leveraging the unique advantages of social media platforms.

Key Takeaways

• LinkedIn is still a powerful platform for industrial marketing in 2026.
• Authenticity is crucial in content creation.
• Engagement is more important than clicks.
• Influencers can help brands reach new audiences.
• Posting consistently builds trust with your audience.
• AI should be a tool, not the core of your strategy.
• Content should tell a story and address real problems.
• Influencer marketing is evolving and should be embraced an another marketing tool.
• Companies need to empower employees to share authentic content.

Resources

• Connect with Jake on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about the Manufacturing Millenial
• Related Episode: Trade Show Tips with Jake Hall
• Related Episode: 2026 Marketing Trends: The Power of a Strong Differentiated Strategy
• Register for the Industrial Marketing Summit

Erin Moore sits down with Rand Fishkin, one of the most influential voices in modern marketing, to unpack how audience behavior, search, and content strategy are fundamentally changing in 2026. They discuss the rise of zero-click marketing, the myth that AI tools are “killing” search, and why audience research now matters more than competitive research. Rand brings data-backed clarity to some of the biggest questions marketers are grappling with right now.

In this episode, we’re joined by Rand Fishkin, founder of SparkToro, Alertmouse, and Snack Bar Studio; former co-founder of Moz; and, if we can add one more title, keynote speaker at the 2026 Industrial Marketing Summit. Rand brings decades of experience helping marketers understand how people actually discover, consume, and trust information online.

The conversation dives into why audience research has become critical step of marketing strategy as traditional inbound tactics lose effectiveness. Rand explains how data powers audience insights and why these insights are often most valuable for gaining internal buy-in, or just as importantly, for saying "no" to ineffective channels and trends.

The episode also discusses the impact AI tools have had on search, zero-click marketing, and how marketers should rethink attribution in a world where impressions and brand lift matter more than direct clicks. Rand shares advice for teams stuck in outdated SEO playbooks, emphasizing the importance of following audience behavior over competitor behavior, and pushing back against the dangerous mindset of “doing more with less”.

Resources

• Connect with Rand on LinkedIn
• Connect with Erin on LinkedIn
• Learn more about SparkToro
• Learn more about Alertmouse
• Related Episode: What is THE SEO Alligator? A New Challenge in Search Metrics
• Register for the Industrial Marketing Summit

What if one of the most influential channels for industrial buyers isn’t LinkedIn or Google, but Reddit? Reddit is shaping how engineers research products, validate vendors, and even influence AI-powered search results. In this episode, we dig into how one industrial brand embraced Reddit as a low-cost, high-impact awareness channel.

In this episode, Mandee Nguyen, Content Marketing Manager at SICK Sensor Intelligence, shares her journey through her marketing career and how her current role led her to focus on using Reddit to reach SICK's technical audience. Mandee’s journey to Reddit didn’t start with enthusiasm. Like many marketers, she initially associated the platform with gaming threads and pop culture debates. But shifting search behavior, Google’s increased surfacing of Reddit threads, and the platform’s growing influence on AI-driven search quickly changed her perspective. Engineers, it turns out, are actively using Reddit as a trusted source of information.

At SICK, Reddit began as a low-risk pilot focused on paid advertising. With most ads costing under $1,000, the barrier to entry was far lower than LinkedIn. Mandee shared examples and said video ads, especially demo-focused, educational content, performed best.

The conversation also explores why Reddit is best approached as an awareness channel rather than a direct lead-generation engine. Reddit’s lead gen tools are still in beta, and users are notoriously resistant to marketing. Authenticity is critical, both in ad copy and any organic, used-based participation.

Beyond Reddit, Mandee offers broader advice for industrial marketers heading into 2026: invest in partner marketing, leverage credible external influencers, and use AI strategically for efficiency.

Key Takeaways

• Reddit is a trusted source for information in the engineering community.
• Advertising on Reddit is more cost-effective than LinkedIn.
• Authenticity is crucial when marketing on Reddit.
• Video ads perform better than image ads on Reddit.
• Engaging with external influencers enhances credibility.
• Content should be educational rather than promotional.
• AI tools are used for content repurposing and ad creation.

Resources

• Connect with Mandee on LinkedIn
• Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn
• Learn more about SICK Sensor Intelligence
• Learn more about TREW's Marketing Strategy services
• Register for the Industrial Marketing Summit