13 SEO Best Practices for B2B Organizations

If you are in B2B, you know how important it is to be found. You also know that competition has never been more fierce. This makes the job of getting your message out there even harder than ever before. But with B2B SEO strategies like these, you can make sure your company’s name is at the top of every search engine result page (SERP) for relevant keywords and phrases – without paying a dime!

1) Simplify your URL structure

The simpler the better because research shows that URLs with under 10 words rank much higher on Google SERPs than those with long ones. For example, this article could have a URL like “13-SEO-Strategies-for-B2B-organizations” or something similar. But instead, it has a simple, straightforward URL – https://seoshouts.com/best-seo-practices-for-b2b-organizations/

2) Write for people first and the search engines second

Remember how Google updated its algorithm with Hummingbird? It’s all about relationships now – so your aim should be to create content that makes people feel good and also provides them with valuable information they can share. These days, Google values length – more than 1,500 words – because of the depth and quality of insight you’re able to bring to the table. That means if you want to rank on SERPs, your articles need to address long-tail keywords rather than those super competitive ones like “marketing” or “advertising.”

3) Optimize the meta description, title tag, and heading elements

We’re talking about search engine optimization here. There is no way to over-emphasize how important these three areas are in terms of appearing on SERPs (and also gaining clicks). You need to use your keywords right at the beginning of each one. And they should be under 70 characters.

4) Make sure your content flows naturally

The longer you write for people, the stronger your website will perform online; this means more traffic for you which can lead to more conversions (more money in your pocket). However, never forget that Google’s primary objective is to return relevant results – meaning it wants visitors searching for information to find the best possible content on the first page. So, think about what your site visitors are looking for and make sure you create content around that.

5) Optimize your images

Remember how important images were in 1993? Well, it’s 2021 now and they’re even more essential to search engine optimization (SEO) because Google uses them for everything from social media shares to featured snippets. This means that if you have poor quality or low-resolution images on your website, then don’t expect it to rank highly on SERPs – regardless of how many words you’ve written. Also, keep an eye out for copyright violations!

6) Create videos with transcripts

Unless you want all your hard efforts at SEO undone by some copycat website, you need to start using Google’s rich snippets. These are the star ratings and review boxes that appear alongside your search results; and which can either make or break your click-through rates (CTRs). Luckily, all you need to do is: a) upload transcripts of each video b) create proper meta descriptions for each one c) include keywords in the title tags d) make sure they use good titles, subtitles, and other listed criteria. Then just sit back and enjoy the +20% increase in CTRs!

7) Leverage multiple language versions of content

According to HubSpot, businesses that blog in two languages get 2X more leads than those who don’t – regardless of their industry. That’s because Google indexes content that’s relevant to a specific location or a language group – meaning your Canadian and US-based websites will rank much higher on SERPs. That’s why you should be using Google Translate (or the Google app) if you want to achieve international SEO ranking success.

8) Make sure each blog post is optimized for one topic

The more people you get around your message, the better it is for your SEO results; this is because other sites see your traffic increase and then link back to you in their own articles. However, this benefit can’t happen unless you focus on one core keyword per article; that way other readers will share and link only to that piece (and not all of them). Also: don’t forget to use the keyword in your title, at least once in the introduction, and to put it right at the end of your meta description.

9) Incentivize people to share your content

People rarely click on anything unless they know what’s in for them; which is why you need a great incentive that will make other bloggers want to link back to you. This could be an opt-in offer (e.g. a free trial), a giveaway, or maybe even a contest where the prize is mentioning their favorite blog post on social media. For instance: would you like a chance to win one of three designer dresses from our latest collection? Then go ahead and enter below!

10) Use internal links + bookmarks when you talk about the same topic

Your SEO success is largely determined by whether or not you’re taking advantage of what internal links have to offer. These are your bread and butter, so use them on every page of your website. For example: if you’ve written a post on “How to Start an E-Commerce Business” then link to it from similar posts like “10 High-Profit Dropshipping Niches for 2017”. The result will be greater engagement which can lead to higher rankings.

11) Hire an expert if necessary

As I said before, there’s more than one way to boost your SERPs; but sometimes, even the best-laid plans go awry because Google has new updates every year (or so). So rather than get caught up in the chaos, consider hiring an SEO expert who knows what they’re doing. For example: use someone who’s worked on niche sites similar to yours, because that will minimize your risk of getting banned or penalized by Google.

12) Separate keywords from content with headers and sub-headers

One of the best ways to optimize your blog posts is to separate each keyword with its own heading (e.g. H2). That way you can optimize them independently while still making sure Google understands their relationship; which will boost their relevancy on SERPs. Also, don’t forget to repeat keywords in headlines for every subsection; otherwise, it won’t be considered as relevant – meaning any +1s on your footprint.

13) Link out to authority sites

By linking back to other highly-ranked pages, you’re basically saying that they’re the best at what they do; which will make Google recognize your site as a leader in its own right (and then some). However, don’t overdo it because “link schemes” aren’t exactly kosher and can get you into trouble with search engines. So instead of asking for links outright: provide value first and ask later – especially if you link out to one of your competitors.

Conclusion

If you want to rank well on search engines, it’s important to take a holistic approach and make sure all your content is optimized. However, this can be difficult for B2B organizations who often have more complex SEO needs than consumer-oriented companies. As such, we’ve provided 13 best practices that will help increase rankings across the board – from improving keyword targeting to using internal links effectively. Still not sure where to start? No worries! Our team of experts is ready and waiting to provide analysis that identifies strengths as well as weaknesses in order to build an effective SEO strategy tailored just for you. Which of these strategies has been most helpful for your organization so far? Let us know below!

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