Search Engine Optimization can feel like an elusive goal sometimes. Search engines seem to be constantly changing how they rank sites and it can be hard to keep up with those changes. However, there are some basic strategies that B2B organizations should follow at all times to make sure you are covering your bases. This post from eTraffic has some great examples of B2B SEO strategies that have remained true no matter how many changes search engines make.
Differences Between B2B and B2C
First things first, it’s important to understand the fundamental differences between marketing to B2B and B2C organizations. While the buying cycle follows the same steps for both industries, B2B has some specific differences.
B2B products typically have a higher price, more decision makers, and thus a longer buying cycle than B2C. Understanding these specifications should be the first concern for marketers targeting B2B buyers.
These differences shouldn’t all be viewed as challenges, however. For example, since B2B products typically cost more, the value of a B2B product search is higher than a B2C product search.
Keyword Research
Before you can optimize your site for specific search terms you need to determine which keywords your ideal customers are searching. Keyword research requires that you understand the questions that your potential customers are asking themselves, and then breaking those questions down into search queries. This will help nail down which terms your potential customers are actually searching for.
SEO Hierarchy and Google Rankings
When it comes to conversion, the basic SEO hierarchy of your website is as follows:
- Home page
- Product or solution pages
- Blog posts
Your home page will have the strongest conversions, as it is the first stop on your site and encourages visitors to dig a little deeper. Product and solution pages typically have more detailed content that correlates to specific keywords. Blog pages will have lower conversions but offer more opportunities to use specific keywords.
To rank those various pages, Google takes into account these factors:
- Click through rate (CTR)
- Time on site
- Return to search results
So, if someone searches one of your target keywords and reaches your site, Google will reward you if those people click through to your site, stay there for a while, and don’t return to the search results. All of that data implies that the content on your site is valuable to someone searching that specific keyword.
Link Building
Now that you have determined which keywords you’re targeting and you have a better understanding of how those keywords affect your SEO in Google’s eyes, it’s time to move onto link building.
Link building is the process of facilitating the creation of links on third-party sites that lead back to your site. The more legitimate sites that have links to your site, the more quality, organic traffic you will get to your site. This improves your site’s rankings with Google and other search engines.
The link building process includes:
- Relevant third-party websites that might be interested in publishing you content
- Creating content for those sites and embedding links that point back to your site
- Distributing that content
- Watching your incoming site traffic and search rankings go up!
It sounds simple enough, but this process can take some time. Stick with it and stay patient and you will see results.
Learn more about B2B SEO fundamentals and strategies in the full article from eTraffic.
Do you need help optimizing your B2B eCommerce site for search engines? Contact our team.
