Search engine optimisation (SEO) for the sector at B2B is not just about competing for top rankings on Google. SEO for B2B is, above all, a way of reaching business customers at various stages of their purchasing journey and supporting long-term sales.
What is SEO?
People type various expressions – in SEO terms, these are called ‘key phrases’ – into a search engine. Once they’ve been entered, websites appear in what are known as search results. The aim of SEO is to ensure that when specific phrases are entered, a particular company’s website appears. For example, if someone is looking for a pet supplies wholesaler in Częstochowa, they will type ‘pet supplies wholesaler Częstochowa’ into the search engine. The owner of a pet supplies wholesaler in Częstochowa, on the other hand, will want their listing to appear as high as possible in the search results when that exact phrase is entered. The role of SEO is precisely to achieve this. SEO comprises two types of activities: those carried out on the website (onsite) and those carried out off the website (offsite).
Read also: B2B – what is it and what do you need to know about it?
On-site
This is a form of optimisation in terms of page load times, as well as the quality and quantity of content. That is why it is worth describing each product in as much detail as possible – not just so that customers can find out as much as possible about it, but also to make the website more appealing to search engines. It is also worth ensuring that content is published regularly. It is a good idea to link a blog to the wholesale website, which is fully supported by the Centoro platform. On-site optimisation also involves well-designed headings and titles in the various sections of the website
Offsite
These are activities carried out outside the website. They include, amongst other things, activities on other websites – for example, interesting articles published on popular websites that contain a link to the wholesaler’s website; these include, amongst other things, various types of sponsored articles. What matters is not only the quantity of such articles, but also their quality and the popularity of the websites on which they are published. Very often, in SEO for B2B, backlinks are acquired from websites focusing on ‘business’ topics.
SEO planning: choosing the right keywords
This is the most important element of any campaign. All SEO-related activities should start here. It is worth noting that there is no point in focusing on a large number of keywords, unless you have a team of people who could handle optimising them all, or unlimited funds. Half-measures in SEO are a waste of time and money. It is not worth optimising dozens of phrases to an ‘average’ standard. It is better – and, in fact, the only sensible approach – to optimise a smaller number of phrases, but to a very high standard. In search results, the first page counts the most, and the higher up you are, the better. Therefore, in most cases, even if you optimise a large number of phrases but they appear, for example, on the second page of search results, the traffic from that channel may prove insufficient. It is far more valuable – and, above all, more profitable – to optimise just a few phrases but secure top positions in the search engine. The selection of phrases itself should also be carried out with great care. It is a good idea to analyse the competitiveness of such phrases. Sometimes it may turn out that it is not worth starting SEO for certain phrases at all. This is particularly the case with very short phrases that are also highly popular. In such cases, the top search results may be dominated by very large companies which not only have significant financial resources but also a long history, numerous reviews and are simply popular, all of which influence their ranking. It is better to focus on less popular phrases or those from the so-called ‘long tail’. You can see the results of such efforts very quickly, making it easier to optimise a larger number of phrases whilst working with the same time and financial resources.
See also: Online wholesale business – what is it and how do you set one up?
How do you check the popularity of keywords?
There are many tools available online, both free and paid, that allow you to analyse the popularity of keywords. One such tool is, for example, anwerthepublic.com. It’s a great place to find out how to choose long-tail keywords for a particular phrase. Let’s say we sell steel bars and want to rank for that phrase, but the term ‘steel bars’ itself is too competitive, and we don’t have the resources or want to see results more quickly. On answerthepublic, you can explore ideas for long-tail keywords. The site will suggest which words to add to the phrase ‘steel bars’ to create popular long-tail phrases. On Ubersuggest, you can check the popularity of specific searches, as well as suggestions for phrases that contain this keyword and are also popular. A high number of searches indicates high popularity – and therefore potential traffic to the website – but it also means stiff competition, which won’t always be easy to overcome.
Selecting a specific product category for search engine optimisation
It isn’t always necessary to optimise for a keyword that generally describes the type of business or wholesale firm you run. Sometimes it’s worth focusing on specific products. Including their names on the website in category and product descriptions is one aspect of SEO. If all these elements are well-coordinated, there’s a chance your site will appear in search results with a direct link to the product page. This makes it much easier to achieve a conversion, as the customer doesn’t have to search the entire website to find what they’re interested in.
See also: Facebook ‘B2B’ adverts – how to get them right?
Summary
B2B’s SEO strategy focuses on visibility at key stages of the business customer’s purchasing journey. Well-planned SEO supports sales and builds an image of the brand as an expert.
Questions and Answers
Why does SEO on B2B look different from that on B2C?
Because users are looking for information, not quick purchases.
What role does content play in SEO B2B?
It helps to educate customers and supports their purchasing decisions.
Should the website B2B be optimised for sales-related search terms?
Yes, but taking into account the customer’s longer decision-making process.