Imagine having an instant technical library dedicated entirely to capturing the attention of potential specifiers within the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) community. That’s exactly what Design Hub can do for building product manufacturers like you.
With Design Hub, you can expand your online presence and connect directly with key decision-makers—showcasing your products and expertise in a space built for the AEC industry.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- What Design Hub is
- The top 4 advantages of using Design Hub
- 6 ways to maximize your Design Hub’s impact
- How to get started
What Is Design Hub?
Design Hub is a professional technical library hosted by CADdetails and fully managed by our in-house team of professionals with over 25 years of industry experience.
It makes your product information and design files easily accessible to AEC professionals, and the speed at which they find this information is crucial to getting your products specified. According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), 61% of architects will switch to a competitor’s site if they can’t quickly find what they need.
With this in mind, Design Hub is divided into two user-friendly, distraction-free sections designed for AECs to swiftly access everything they need: the Product Library and the Project Library.
1. Product Library
The Product Library is an intuitive catalog of your products that allows design professionals to view and download design files and additional resources with ease. With clickable Collections and CAD, 3D, and Spec filters, they can quickly find the perfect fit for their designs.
2. Project Library
The Project Library showcases completed projects featuring your products, giving design professionals real-world examples that spark creativity and demonstrate proven success. When AECs see your products in action, they can better envision how to incorporate them into their own designs, giving them the confidence they need to specify your solutions.
Top 4 Advantages of Using Design Hub
1. Increase Specifications with a Targeted Technical Library
Unlike generic digital solutions, Design Hub is specifically created for manufacturers targeting the AEC industry. It ensures your brand and products are positioned exactly where specifiers are searching during the design and planning phases of a project.
Instead of sending specifiers to a marketplace with your competitors, you can keep them focused within a branded environment, so they interact exclusively with your products from initial discovery through to specification.
The impact of Design Hub speaks for itself: our clients saw 4x more conversions and inquiries on their CADdetails listings after activating their Design Hubs!
2. Deliver an Exceptional Brand Experience
Did you know that 74% of architects will leave a manufacturer’s website if they cannot find what they need within a few clicks? With Design Hub, you can present your product information to AECs in a clear, focused, and streamlined manner, free from the distractions of a larger website. This enhances their experience when specifying your products, resulting in higher conversions and increasing the likelihood that they’ll select your products again in the future.
You can also promote your Design Hub across all your channels (like your website, email signatures, trade show materials, and social posts). This drives targeted traffic to your design files and ensures they're always within reach when design decisions are made. Plus, Design Hub optimized for both desktop and mobile devices, so AEC professionals can browse your products on any device.
3. Gain Unique AEC Data Insights
In today’s data-driven world, relying on analytics is essential for manufacturers to make smarter, more strategic choices. In fact, nearly 92% of organizations derived measurable value from their data and analytics investments in 2023.
With Design Hub, you can tap into this power by gaining powerful insights into which AEC users and firms are actively engaging with your products, their locations, and the frequency of their visits. Leverage this data to predict specifier behavior, qualify potential firms early in their product discovery, and nurture them throughout their purchasing journey with personalized outreach efforts.
Design Hub's analytics are also far more robust and detailed than GA4, offering valuable contact-level data that helps you identify the top professions and personas engaging with your content. Gain deeper insights into your customers to create lookalike audiences targeting new prospects who share similar characteristics to existing AECs showing interest in your products.
4. Save Valuable Time & Resources
Design Hub is a turnkey solution tailored to ease the workload of busy manufacturers. You'll enjoy all the benefits of a modern, professional, and branded site ready for AEC use, without the need to drain your internal resources or hire expensive marketing agencies and website developers.
6 Ways to Maximize Your Design Hub’s Impact
1. On your website: Post a link to your Design Hub with our Design Hub logos on your homepage, website footer, product page, and resources page. Contact your CS Manager to request our official Design Hub logos.
2. On social media: Launch AEC-focused campaigns, such as interactive contests or targeted hashtag initiatives, to boost awareness of featured projects and products.
3. Ad campaigns: Run targeted ads that drive qualified traffic directly to your Design Hub.
4. Email signatures: Integrate a link to your Design Hub in your email signatures to boost its exposure during everyday customer communications.
5. Business Cards: Add a link to your Design Hub on your business cards to increase visibility and engagement during networking events and outreach.
6. At trade shows: Give AEC tradeshow goers a direct link to your Design Hub, offering them a streamlined, distraction-free space to explore your products.
Ready to Launch Your Design Hub?
Design Hub gives manufacturers like you a branded, professional online library for your technical files, designed specifically to help your products get specified more often.
Download the Design Hub Overview to learn more, or contact your CS Manager to launch your Design Hub today.
Cover image by victorzastolsiy on Canva