Why Manufacturing SEO Matters
Manufacturing Buyers Research Before Contacting Sales
Because manufacturing often requires specifics, customers have to do their research before purchasing. SEO helps to ensure your company is answering any questions they have before you make the first sale.
SEO Helps Increase Visibility for Products, Services, and Capabilities
A strong SEO strategy increases visibility for your company’s offerings. Making specialized pages for each different offering makes it easier for search engines to direct customers to exactly what they are looking for on your site.
Strong SEO Can Drive RFQs, Leads, and Revenue
Good SEO doesn’t just increase traffic, but also improves the quality of that traffic by being specialized for your company. More qualified leads can translate directly to increased sales and RFQs.
Perform Keyword Research and Map Out Your Content
Research Manufacturing and Industrial Keywords
It’s important to know how customers are searching for your products and services. This should encompass every step from research all the way through the final purchase.
Use Long-Tail Keywords for Specific Buyer Needs
Long-tail keywords are the very specific phrases customers search with. The more niche your industry or services, the more important these keywords are to place your company where the right customers will find your website.
Avoid Chasing Search Volume Without Buyer Intent
Just because you have more site traffic doesn’t mean your SEO strategy is working. Rather than simply trying to get more clicks on your site, try tailoring keywords that indicate high purchase intent.
Design a Manufacturing-Friendly Site Architecture
Create Hub Pages for Core Services or Capabilities
Having hub pages keeps your website well organized and connected. Identify your company’s key pillars and build around them, using them to make child pages for the specifics of each service and product you offer.
Improve Navigation and Internal Linking
Using your hub pages as a starting point, you can begin linking them to other connected pages. You want to ensure the path from one page to the next is logical and straightforward, and your links work how you intend.
Make Priority Pages Easy to Find
RFQ forms, inquiries, and other priority pages should be easy to find. They should be linked in many different places across your site and there should be no question about where to go when they are ready to buy.
Optimize Core On-Page SEO Elements
Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
This metadata makes it easier for search engines to crawl your website and find primary and secondary keywords, and titles and descriptions are what the customer sees within the search results. Keep this information clear, specific, and easy to read.
URL Structure
URLs tag each unique piece of your website, so a good URL can make it easy for visitors to find their way around. Making sure your domain is strong and that slugs are short and to the point can build credibility before customers even click on your site.
H1s, Headers, and Page Copy
Utilizing headings and page copy is the best way to ensure your website is built for both user experience and search engine crawling. It keeps everything organized for search engines and can also aid in keeping your pages organized and easy to scan.
Fix Technical SEO Issues That Hold Manufacturing Websites Back
Run a Technical SEO Audit
Even if your content is very strong, the technical build of your website can hold you back. A technical audit can ensure the background of your website is optimized as much as your content.
Improve Site Speed and Mobile Friendliness
Mobile-friendly sites are a must in today’s business world. Customers value their time, so the ability to shop and search from wherever is vital. Site speed enhances customer experience and makes it easier for search engines to crawl your website.
Use Schema Markup Where Relevant
Schema markup translates your content and tells AI and search engines exactly what your site is about. Utilize it where possible to increase the speed at which your site can be crawled and indexed.
Create High-Value Content for Industrial Searchers
Create Content Around Buyer Questions and Technical Problems
Once you identify what questions your customers may have or problems they may run into, you can begin to plan your content. If you are able to answer questions or solve problems, then they are already familiar with your company when it comes time to buy.
Use Blogs, Guides, Case Studies, and Technical Resources
By creating content that spans across all elements of your industry, you can start to target more niche keywords and audiences. The more information you have on your site, the more credible and trustworthy your business becomes.
Strengthen Local SEO for Plants, Service Areas, and Distributors
Optimize Google Business Profile
A strong Google Business Profile can make your company stand out against other local businesses. Reviews, pictures, and consistent NAP information can ensure that when customers click on your profile, your business is polished and professional.
Create Unique Location or Regional Pages
If your company operates in different regions, each location should have its own page. This will help search engines return the correct business when customers search with phrases like “near me” or “in my city”.
Build Citations and Keep Listings Consistent
Any listings across different pages or sites must be consistent and reliable. Building citations grows your credibility and can assure customers that you have done your research.
When to Bring in a Manufacturing SEO Partner
Lack of Internal Technical SEO Knowledge
The technical aspect of SEO can be in-depth and confusing without a strong basis of knowledge. If someone within your company doesn’t already have this foundation, bringing in a partner can close this knowledge gap.
Difficulty Creating High-Quality Content
Quality content creation is time-consuming, and not all manufacturing companies have a writing team on staff. Bringing in a partner lets you keep your resources focused on your products and services while they build out your site.
Need for Data-Driven SEO and Growth Support
A successful SEO plan involves tweaking your strategy based on data and growth. Finding a partner that can analyze the data and be ready to grow with you can be a great way to optimize growth and get the most out of your SEO plan.