It's no secret to digital marketers that SEO is critical to gaining online visibility.
People regularly use search engines like Google to find the products they're looking for, and the higher the ranking of your website on results pages, the higher the chance you'll be able to convert more sales.
We know SEO can be effective in B2C, but is it that important when trying to generate B2B leads? Considering that 71% of B2B researchers begin brand research using generic search, the answer is clear.
SEO can be highly valuable when trying to not only help other businesses find you online but also establish more authority and credibility for your brand.
Although the SEO process can take time, you can follow some easy steps to start and launch your own B2B SEO campaign.
1. Identify Your Ideal Customer Persona
Before attracting more B2B customers to your products or services, you first need to identify who those customers are.
Chances are, not all businesses or their procurement teams place the same value on your offerings—which is why it's important to speak more directly to those who do.
Think about your ideal customer persona, whether purchasing managers, directors, or members of the C-suite. Consider their familiarity with various industry concepts, or their primary pain points, which they're probably looking to address.
Also consider where they go to source their information. Do they frequently connect with other brands on LinkedIn or other professional sites? Maybe they engage with brands on industry-specific forums instead. Use those various platforms to learn more about what questions they're asking or the problems they're researching.
2. Use Effective Keyword Research Techniques
Like consumers, B2B audiences also use relevant search terms and phrases to find what they're looking for. It's therefore important to conduct thorough keyword research to identify those terms and incorporate them into your campaign.
There is no better place to start your keyword analysis than Google itself. You can research Google Search's autocomplete feature to help find related terms surrounding a keyword or topic. You can also use Google's Keyword Planner tool to help create large clusters of semantic keywords you can start targeting.
Other tools, such as Answer the Public, are also invaluable when planning your content strategy. By just entering a few keywords, you can generate a large volume of frequently asked questions that can help you fine-tune your keyword strategy.
3. Design Your Content With Purpose
Although there are numerous elements in a successful B2B SEO strategy, the content you create is by far one of the most important. It not only helps you to rank for more keywords on search engines but also constitutes the first impression that potential buyers will get when researching your brand.
Accordingly, the content you create should be purposeful and formatted to showcase both your expertise in the industry and your overall professionalism. Although there is nothing wrong with having a good mix of some self-promoting content, you'll also want to showcase your thought leadership by providing informative and unique content designed to help answer common questions about various industry topics.
Having a balanced approach when generating content helps you to create an impactful and effective lead funnel.
