4 Local SEO Tips that B2B Companies Need to Know

If your B2B company operates across the country, or even in multiple states, then the phrase “local SEO” might sound a bit strange, right? It shouldn’t. Local SEO is more important than ever and is an effective way for B2B companies to market themselves to focused audiences online.

As Google and Bing continuously work to update their algorithms to deliver users the most relevant results based on their search, one thing is certain – the most relevant results are most often local. Local search focuses on user intent which includes distance, relevance, and prominence. In fact, 46% of all Google searches are local according to a HubSpot study.

So as a B2B company, how can you take advantage of local SEO? Here are four tips that will get you on the path towards a successful local SEO strategy.

1. Create and Optimize Business Listings. 

The first step towards local SEO success is creating and optimizing your local business pages in Google and Bing. Google My Business and Bing Places for Business allow you to list your business on Google Search, Bing Search, and Maps with the following benefits:

• List your vital business information. Business listings are one of the best tools for catching someone’s attention via local search. With Google My Business and Bing Places for Business, you’re able to get your business hours, store/office/corporate address, and business logo right in front of your potential clients.
• Categorize yourself. Choose up to five business categories for your location (one primary category and up to four additional categories). Correct categorization of your business is important, as these categories help your customers find accurate, specific results for services they’re interested in. Categorization has almost always been cited as a top local ranking factor.
• Get started with posts. Business listing posts are a great way to advertise new blogs, events, or even feature a new product or service from your website. For Google My Business, these posts will appear under your B2B website listing and can be customized to include images, a call-to-action (CTA), a link to a specific page on your website, and even emojis. Posts stay live for up to seven days. If the post is related to an event, it will stay live until the day after the event.

2. Get Customer Reviews.

Reviews are a crucial element in local SEO and there is certainly evidence to support that Google will consider them when ranking your website. Strong reviews for your B2B company will validate and showcase your expertise, helping you stand out among the competition. Google even encourages business owners to reach out to clients in order to generate online reviews.

It’s important to respond to the reviews that your clients leave whether they’re good or bad. This shows that your company’s main goal is excellent customer service. Even if it’s as simple as a “thank you” for a positive review, reinforcing the company’s character and commitment to your clients is key. We even have a guide for handling negative customer reviews for your B2B company.

3. Don’t Sleep on NAP Citations. 

This may seem obvious, but it is essential to ensure that your B2B company’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) for all locations are accurate across all of your site pages. This includes:

• Business listings for each location your company operates in.
• Locations details on your site.

If your company has listings on third-party websites, it’s important to ensure these listings remain up to date. If there are NAP changes at any of your locations, make sure to reach out and get them updated. Consistency with NAP across your B2B website, business listings, third-party websites, and directories is a crucial factor in local SEO.

4. Localize Onsite Content.

Ensuring your website content is relevant to the searcher will help your ranking in search engines and increase visibility. Make sure to use location-specific keywords to optimize for local search. If your B2B company is based out of Dallas, let people know this in your about us or services section! Search engines will consider this content when a user is searching in Dallas or if they’re searching for a Dallas-based company. You can also think about creating location-specific content for the products and services that your B2B company offers.

Ready to Learn More About SEO for Your B2B Company?

Check out our essential guide to B2B search engine marketing for more insight on how to implement a strategy that produces results for your company. We explain search engine marketing’s role in your marketing mix and how to define and implement a strategy that will help your industrial company produce results.