B2B SEO vs. B2C SEO

Most B2B marketers understand that while there are many B2C tactics they can partially adopt, they can never do so completely.

Nonetheless, far too many still totally rely on SEO tactics that clearly fit B2C companies best. Until they make the switch to understanding how to use B2B SEO, their dreams of massive traffic will never come true.

The 3 Most Important Differences Between B2C and B2B SEO

Like so many things where B2B and B2C marketing is concerned, there is definitely a lot of overlap when it comes to SEO.

Still, it’s vital that you understand the three ways B2B SEO tactics differ from the kinds B2C marketers use.

1. B2B Blog Posts May Not Always Rank Highest in Google

For years, the adherents of content marketing were squarely in the world of B2C. It was thought that blog posts – much less, social media posts – would never interest B2B buyers.

Of course, that has since changed.

Unfortunately, many B2B content marketers now only create blog posts. The problem is that these posts don’t always rank well in Google. Even when B2B SEO best practices are followed, there are times when Google won’t rank your blog post because it understands that most people searching for that topic are actually ready to buy.

For example, if you search for “fulfillment center logistics”, you’ll see that the first page is full of blog posts.

However, if you search for “fulfillment center logistics software”, you’ll notice webpages that actually sell the product begin to take over.

In B2C industries, it tends to be more one or the other. People don’t need blog posts to know they need a new mattress, for example. They’re more apt to read some reviews and then make a purchase. However, they may read several blog posts – or watch several videos – before hiring a personal trainer.

For B2B, figure out what types of content work best for each keyword you are trying to rank for, and then create those assets accordingly.

2. Searches Are Being Conducted by Several Different People

Similarly, your B2B SEO strategy needs to reflect the fact that more than one person is most likely conducting searches to find the solution their company needs.

If you offer managed IT solutions, you might create blog posts and webpages for CTOs or heads of IT departments. That would make sense, but what about the CFO? Maybe it’s actually a consultant who’s in charge of contracting out this important work.

That will affect the kinds of content you create. In fact, you may find that it makes sense to create different blog posts and webpages around the same keywords in order to reflect the many different people who may be searching for them.

This is practically never the case in B2C SEO. If you decide you need a new watch, you’re most likely the only person involved in that decision. Even if you ask your partner or friends for feedback, you’re the one who’s going to be doing all the searching.  

3. Longtail Keywords Are a Must

In B2C SEO, you’ll find way more examples of branded keywords working best to drive traffic. For example, an e-commerce company that sells basketball shoes will want to rank for all kinds of keywords that include “Nike”, “Reebok”, “Adidas”, etc.

The same opportunities tend to not exist quite as much for B2B companies. When they do, it’s almost always necessary to pick a long-term keyword that will add to the branded product or service.

For example, if your company is a reseller of another vendor’s products, it would probably be great to rank for a keyword that precisely describes it (e.g. “Cisco OpenRoaming”).

Unfortunately, even though you’re licensed to sell it, most of the traffic for that keyword will probably go to Cisco. The other spots will be highly competitive, too.

Instead, find a longtail alternative that will give you a better shot at the first page. Ideally, you want one that reflects buying intent, too, so that ranking will turn into greater conversions, as well.

Turning B2B SEO Traffic into Instant Conversions

Until you understand how B2C and B2B SEO is different, you’ll always see mixed results. Of course, making this distinction can also be a daunting challenge. The switch to strictly B2B SEO will give you better results, but it may also mean starting over from scratch in many cases.

The good news is that we can help you turn your newfound B2B traffic into instant leads. In fact, at Hushly, we’ve designed a platform that will produce a 51% increase to your current lead-gen and ABM conversions. We actually guarantee it.

If you’d like to see proof of our platform in action, just contact us today.

How to Use B2B SEO for Your Company’s 3 Essential Pages

B2B SEO

Everyone knows B2B SEO matters for bringing leads to your website.

However, do you know how to make it work best for the individual pages on your site?

If you treat each page the same way, your SEO efforts are going to fall flat.

Here’s How B2B SEO Work for Your 3 Most Important Pages

Instead of applying the same principles to each page, here’s how B2B SEO works best for each of your three most important pages.

1. The Homepage

B2B SEO for your homepage is actually relatively simple. That’s because, for the most part, it’s your other pages that will decide how well it does in searches. The better you optimize each page – which points back to your homepage – the better that all-important homepage will do with Google.

Still, there are two simple steps you can take to help it attract more visitors.

First, add your most important keyword to your homepage title. Make it something like “Anderson Co. – Corporate Consulting” or “ACME – Human Resources Software.” That will give Google more to work with when deciding about your page.

Second, do your best to ensure that not a single page on your site is more than three clicks from the homepage. Shorter URLs aren’t necessarily signals that Google relies on, but the search engine does appreciate sites that will be easier to navigate. If there are only two pages standing between a homepage-visitor and the information they want, you’ll enjoy better results.

2. Your Products and Services Pages

Similarly, B2B SEO for your company’s services and/or products pages mostly comes down to creating relevant blog posts that will rank well, so you can link to the pages that show off what your company actually sells.

Nonetheless, don’t waste any opportunity to put relevant keywords on your website. In fact, while you should have one main page for each of your products/services that are linked to your homepage, create multiples for even more opportunities to put those keywords on your site. Just be sure you don’t use any duplicate content and try to focus on different keywords for each page. Then, interlink those pages for even greater navigability.

3. Your Blog Posts

Every B2B company should publish blogs. Among other things, they’re your best bet for sending Google’s attention to your homepage and service/product pages, as we’ve already mentioned.

However, this will only work if you know how to use B2B SEO to attract that attention first.

You’re probably already familiar with SEO keywords. So, let’s look at how to use keywords in your blogs.

The first rule is to focus on just one keyword per blog, two at the most. After that, you’re chasing too many of them and your content runs the risk of becoming thin. Your blog posts will then always lose out to any blog focusing on just oneof the three or more keywords you’re chasing.

Once you have your one or two keywords, make sure they’re included in each of the following:

  • Title Tag
  • Meta Description
  • Headers
  • Content
  • URL

Think about the intent of your post, as well, because intent and keywords go hand-in-hand. Don’t try to shoehorn a high-volume keyword into a post that isn’t a good fit, or you won’t see any traffic. Take the time to understand why people are searching for the keyword, and you’ll know what to write to bring them to your page.

Finally, use your blogs to link out to other sites. Google loves this because it makes its job a lot easier and turns your blog into a better resource for visitors. Just be sure you link to high-quality sites.

Bonus: Everything Else

Obviously, your B2B website probably includes a lot more pages than the three types we just covered. You probably have an About Us, for example. Hopefully, you’ve included some case studies, too.

Whatever the case, the rest of these pages serve similar purposes. Where appropriate, include keywords. When Google scans your entire site─ the more relevant keywords it finds, the easier a time it will have identifying what it is your company does.

As we already covered, interlinking is important, but be sure that your other pages bring visitors to one of the pages above. A case study linking to another case study is fine. Just make sure it also links to the relevant product page.

Earn a Better ROI on Your B2B SEO

With the right B2B SEO plan in place for all of your site’s different pages, you’ll soon enjoy the reward: a lot more traffic.

However, will you be able to capitalize on it?

Make sure you turn those visitors into leads by leveraging the power of Hushly. Contact us today and we’ll show you how our platform increases conversions by 51% – guaranteed.