And you are on the best page to learn how to create such a plan.
This guide will show you
Key differences between B2B and B2C SEO
A 7-step plan with actionable tactics and examples
Tools available to you
Insider tips that few people know
Continue reading below.
What Makes B2B SEO Strategy Different From B2C?
B2B SEO means optimizing your B2B website for search engines.
This means making it better:
Search engines like Google understand what you are about so they can better index and rank you accordingly.
Your B2B potential customers will find your website and navigate it easily.
Influential content creators, bloggers, and news outlets in your niche can find your content assets faster.
The first two points are essential for B2C SEO list of mobile phone numbers database but the last one is quite specific for B2B companies. SEO strategy depends on multiple factors. That’s why many businesses prefer managed SEO services from well-known SEO agencies.
Remember: The main goal of search engine optimization is to help you stand out from your competitors. Creating linkable assets for potential link partners is an important part of B2B SEO.
We'll talk about this in a moment.
Now let's analyze a few other differences between B2B and B2C that will determine your SEO strategy.
B2B SEO aims to create lasting relationships with qualified leads and loyal customers: In contrast, B2C SEO is geared towards increasing sales through traffic generation.
B2B SEO focuses on creating thought leadership: B2B sales cycles are longer, so creating content for the top of the sales funnel is crucial.
B2B SEO needs tactical content: B2B prospects are more in-depth in their search because they are the company decision-makers, which means they need more informative and strategic content at all stages of the funnel.
7 Step Plan for a Successful B2B SEO Strategy
After reviewing the characteristics of a successful B2B SEO strategy, let's see how you can create one.
1. Research
Search engine optimization should be data-driven. This is the key to creating an effective long-term strategy that sets you apart from your competitors.
According to our B2B SEO agency's internal guidelines, research typically covers three elements:
Your website
Your target audience
Competitors (keyword opportunities, valuable content assets, and potential link partners)
We will examine these below.
1.1. Your Website
Researching your website aims to determine:
Technical SEO issues
Current keyword and content strategy
Internal link
Backlink profile
SEO tools provide a detailed breakdown of your website’s strengths and weaknesses. Their reports are spot-on, so you quickly see any issues you need to address.
Let's get a free site audit report for B2B company Paperless Parts using a free SEO tool:
Site audit report for the B2B company Paperless Parts using a free SEO tool
Source: SEOmator
Even though the website scores high on all SEO aspects, you can immediately see SEO elements that could be improved.
Addressing issues like missing canonical tags, render-blocking resources, and low content ratio can yield significant improvements:
Page load speed
User experience
Let's say you have the same problems.
If your website loaded faster, you would have fewer visitors returning to Google. And if the user experience was better, you would have longer, more in-depth website visits.
These two factors alone signal to Google that your website is relevant, which means it will rank higher.
Insider tip: Paid tools reveal other information about your SEO strategy, such as missing keyword positions.
SERP ranking tracker AccuRanker can help you quickly see the keywords your website is moving up or down for by comparing it to its competitors.
SERP rank tracker AccuRanker
Source: Accuranker
1.2. Your Target Audience
Researching your target audience can tell you useful things for B2B SEO, such as:
The language they use
Subjects they are interested in
How they conduct research
What do they value most in a product?
The most touching needs
All these details can be used to:
Focus on core keywords: You can use these to conduct more in-depth keyword and topic research in step 3.
Find the type of B2B content that’s most compelling to your audience: For example, your target audience might want industry studies or whitepapers, while another B2B company’s target audience might prefer long how-to guides.
Prioritize the right pages: If your product/service has a high learning curve, you may want to prioritize blog pages. If your high price is your main drawback, you may want to focus on engaging product pages with keyword-rich customer testimonials.
SEMrush, for example, educates its audience through a massive library of how-to guides, product reviews, and tips.
SEMrush - massive library of how-to guides, product reviews, and tips
Source: Semrush Blog
Where can you find useful information about your B2B audience?
Check it out:
Information from your sales department
Customer reviews
Chatbot conversations
Phone calls
Email exchanges
Surveys
Social media activity
1.3. Your Competition
Running your direct and indirect competitors through an SEO tool is crucial for B2B companies.
