What is B2B SEO?

B2B SEO is a set of digital marketing strategies and practices that collectively aim to help B2B sites rank higher in websites like Bing and Google.

How is SEO Different for B2B Companies?

The way B2B SEO differs is that you’re targeting key decision marketers rather than targeting the general public or a larger demographic. These decision-makers can be CEOs or managers. It could also be a small business that needs a new accounting software or a bulk order of HVAC units.

You should know that there are no dedicated SEO algorithms designed only for B2C companies. But, when you look into the keyword selection, the target audience, and the required practices, then it’s a HUGE difference.

Here’s one example – typical search volume for B2B keywords can be in hundreds and thousands. But, the search volume for B2B keywords could be around 50 or even less than that. Similarly, making TikToks for a B2B site may not make sense; although it’s great for B2C companies. For the former, email marketing, blogging, and newsletters make more sense.

Reasons Why You Can’t Avoid B2B SEO Anymore

SEO Makes Content More Impactful

Content is how you establish a dialogue between your business and the customer. But, only creating powerful content is not enough. You need your content to make a lasting impact by reaching a larger audience. But without SEO that may not be possible. 

For B2B this sense of trust is even more crucial. Buyers must be assured that the vendor understands their pain points, is trustable, and worth their investment.

When you combine content with B2B SEO strategy, every single piece becomes hard-hitting.  In the absence of an optimization strategy, you will easily get lost in the noise.

Many B2B Terms Are Still up For Grabs

Almost all B2B marketers face a ton of competition because hundreds of sites are fighting for the same position. However, with B2C brands, there are still many marketers who face hesitation. Therefore, the marketers that do have a B2B marketing strategy also carry a big advantage.

On top of that, many big brands in B2B do not perform optimization aggressively. A little research will tell you that many big brands still show up on the 2nd or 3rd page against relatively common keywords and terms.

It shows that there’s still room for smaller companies to hog the search results to make a mark for themselves if they can take SEO seriously.

The Value of Mobile for B2B

Mobile holds tremendous importance because it’s something people are using day and night. That means, they’re probably also searching for relevant business vendors until late hours. Without optimizing for mobile via SEO efforts, you’re missing out on a ton of customers and sales opportunities. 

It’s high time that marketers exploit this lack of saturation for many B2B terms and use it to their advantage. Optimizing your site for mobile search is a huge part of achieving that goal. Neglecting mobile SEO means letting your competitors steal brand impressions.

Making Your Website Responsive

An increasing number of people are shifting from desktop to smartphones and tablets. That means, your site now MUST appear perfectly on all kinds of screen sizes (big and small included). 

On top of that, Google’s mobilegeddon update hinted at mobile responsiveness being one of the factors in determining SEO rankings. The search engine giant has made it abundantly clear that it does not like websites that lack responsiveness.

If your site looks distorted on mobile, now is the time to look into matters and make necessary changes.

For Understanding your target audience to perfect SEO

We already mentioned that the prospective buyers for a B2B business are different from a B2C brand. That means the buyer persona is also going to be different. Buyer persona means knowing what your ideal customer thinks. 

That includes trying to understand the pain points, needs, what they expect from vendors, etc. It suffices to say that a typical B2B buyer persona is going to be quite different from regular customers. 

They are not trying to make a personal purchase. Rather they are trying to think about what investment is best for their business. SEO gives you that insight. It helps you walk in the shoes of those key decision-makers so you can better target them.

SEO’s Stability Is Important For B2B Brands

Studies tell us that 47% of B2B customers use search to find suppliers, solutions, and information. In times of pandemic, these numbers are likely to increase as more customers are house-bound and looking for solutions online rather than talking it out in person with their peers.

The pandemic has affected all kinds of marketing efforts across the world. In times of such uncertainty, consistent SEO marketing can be one source of stability as people continue to find businesses online.

Establishes you as Thought Leader

For B2B brands, one form of content marketing must never be overlooked. It’s ‘thought leadership’. It’s the kind of detailed, in-depth content that makes you sound like an expert in the industry.

It’s not big on sales; rather it offers insights into industry trends and guidelines. Consumers today (especially key decision-makers in an organization) are more educated than ever. They do tons of online research before finalizing a purchase. 

If you’re not consistently putting your best foot in the world of online marketing, there’s a good chance you’ll lose them.

Bottom Line

As you can tell by now, SEO and online marketing are no longer an option for B2B brands; especially if they’re serious about being heard and cutting through the noise.