Thomasnet

ThomasNet.com is a powerful new industrial search that integrates search technology with our clients exact supplying capabilities.  It is an internet directory search engine hybrid.  It does what no other search engine can do – it delivers 100% industrial search results.

ThomasNet.com is a new website that seamlessly integrates the databases of ThomasRegister.com and ThomasRegional.com, as well as the content of thousands of industrial supplier websites. The site gives decision-makers a single destination for industrial sourcing, and was developed based on extensive research and testing of industrial buyer behavior.

ThomasNet.com is built to be searched the way industrial buyers naturally search, including the use of “search strings” of 3 or more words that describe a particular product or service. 

User studies, of engineers, business owners and co-owners, manufacturing and procurement personnel, and more were done.

The best way to demo ThomasNet.com is to go to www.ThomasNet.com and pretend that you are a buyer or decision-maker looking to find a new supplier for your products or services.

 Your company is able to have:

Favorable ranking and customize descriptive text for each of your listings at the keyword headings directly relating your your product(s) and/or service(s) supplying capability.  

• You should have links from each listing to the exact page in your website that has the product or service.  This will help decision-makers know that you can solve their needs at the exact moment they are making a decision regarding choosing their new supplier.
• All listings include a link to your company profile.   Your company profile includes a description of all your company's supplying capabilities and several ways to contact your company.  Such as phone, fax, email and a website link. 
• At each listing you are able to have an email link to contact the correct personnel in your company to answer any questions the user might have in regards to choosing you as their new supplier. 
• There is a “More Info” link that will bring up internet preview ads for companies that choose to have this competitive advantage.  Preview ads provide visual elements, including product specific images, which are important to the user experience.  They are easy to scan, making it easy for the user to determine if your company offers what they need.  By linking the Preview Ad to relevant content on your website or an online catalog, you can lead the user to the information they need to make a buying or specifying decision. 

These preview ads also count as 1 ranking point, obviously the higher ranking you have the better chance you have of being selected.  Your Thomas Representative will be able to inform you of the number of ranking points needed to achieve estimated positions for each main classification heading.    

During a users search there are links to related categories and a “view all related heading” link. This related heading feature is useful for some users because they like to start their search typing keywords in the search box and then drill down in specific related headings that are displayed at the top of their search results.  In order to have an effective program on http://www.thomasnet.com/ you need to have good ranking in many keyword specific areas that you have the ability to supply. 

This is a geographic target search available for users that want to find a supplier within a certain mile radius of any zip code. 

It is important to put ranking points in the state areas of your supplying capabilities due to the initial and Geographic target searches AND the fact that the users can fine tune their searches by clicking on the state in the left hand side bar after the initial results are shown. 

Users can search by manufacturer, distributor, service companies or manufacturers reps.  Many times distributors will use our site to find manufacturers in order to broaden their line or add a new line. 

Users can search by product catalog, by minority owned or woman owned, by certification standards such as ISO or QS.

In addition to the list of suppliers the user can further narrow their search by using the “Web Results” option.  This feature will “spider/scan” the words in your online Thomas company profile, listings AND your website and bring up your information or the web page that matches the users search!  This is why it is important to customize your content with product or service names, attributes such as size, shape, material, PSI, torque, flow rate, trade names, anything that the user might type in a specific search string. Users that type in specific search strings are usually buyers. 

On a side note, because we own search engine technology and we offer to help update your website design with content solutions that will help drive and convert traffic into customers it really makes sense to at least meet with one of our reps for a free in-depth analysis.  I strongly recommend that you at least investigate the new Catalog Navigator product offerings; most other catalog or content driven options are not search engine friendly.

You must buy the “Web Inclusion” offering in your Thomas program to be listed with this option.

The rules for the Web Results is determined by:

• First you must be a Thomas Client.
• Then the number of times the search term appears in your content
• Where the search term is located in your content.  Search terms that are at the top of the page are considered more relevant than those at the bottom.
• What element of the HTML content the search term is located in.  For example, if the keywords are in your “title tag” line it is given higher value than if they are in the body fields.
• Search term proximity.  Search term matches near each other imply a higher ranking value.  For example if there are 4 words in the search string and they are close together verses far apart the company with them close together has a slight competitive advantage.

ThomasNet.com’s Web Results includes a few lines of details that show the user your supplying ability.  This content is taken from your website, Thomas listing, or Catalog Navigator content that is relevant to the search term.  In addition Web Results always include a link to your Company Profile and a Contact link so that the decision-maker can communicate with you to start the buying or specifying process.  Again, no free listers are ever in any Web Result Searches, if you are not there you have no chance of being selected as a new supplier!

No matter if users find you through Directory Results or Web Results, the detailed information that you make available online is the key to converting traffic into customers.

In addition to being able to find your company through parametric searching or the drill down browse able categories, at the bottom of the home page users can find companies that have CAD Drawings through the PartSpec, PlantSpec and CAD Blocks links.

If you have a product or service that is new to industry and you are searching for a perfect way to introduce your new supplying capabilities through a newsworthy story, we will post your company and your products or services in the industrial newsroom section of our website for no charge.  This will further your company’s name recognition and spread awareness of your new offerings to the industrial decision-makers that you want to get in front of.  If you want to advertise in this section there are limited category sponsorships available, so you should ask your Thomas Rep if there are relevant categories to your supplying capabilities quickly.

The My Thomas section is another value added service for the ThomasNet.com users.  It will save frequent searches, keep Company and product information details; allow the users to contact several suppliers at the same time, and more.  This is designed to keep our users happy by saving them time and efforts.

The entire concept of Thomas has always been to be the industries-leading industrial reference resource that connects industrial decision-makers with industrial sellers.  ThomasNet.com is simply the best industrial website on the internet with the largest market share of industrial decision-makers. 

Your Thomas Representative will be happy to research what headings your company should be listed in and the internet traffic to make sure there is enough activity so that you will receive a solid return on your investment and then, only if merited, they will put together a program so that you are able to make an educated decision on favorably positioning your company on ThomasNet so that you can bring in new customers.  If you’re not a client you are out of the decision-making process before it even begins!

If you would also please inform your engineers, purchasing agents, maintenance personnel and all other key decision-makers in your company about ThomasNet.com it will help us and our clients while also helping your company save time and money while selecting your new suppliers. 

Get their opinion of the site, for it is just another way for you to evaluate partnering with us.

Thank you and we look forward to a long-term mutually beneficial business relationship with you and your company.