Get your website to the top of Google

How to SEO optimise your website - A step-by-step guide for B2B companies

Tired of spending time and money on a website that no one finds? As a technical B2B company, targeted SEO efforts can make the difference between being found by potential customers - or not. In this article, you'll get a practical and down-to-earth look at how you can systematically optimise your website for search engines like Google.

Scroll down for a clear step-by-step roadmap you can use right away.

Why should you even think about SEO?

Before we dive into the details, let's briefly touch on why SEO is relevant to you. In the B2B segment, search behaviour is mostly rational: users have a specific problem that they are looking for a solution to. If your company doesn't show up when they search, they'll move on to the competition.

With effective SEO, you can ensure:

• More qualified leads via your website
• A stronger digital presence in your industry
• Greater visibility without necessarily spending ad budget

Step 1: Start with technical SEO - the foundation must be stable

We see SEO as a building: technical SEO is the foundation. Without it, the rest can risk collapsing. Here are the most important technical areas you need to get right:

• The website needs to be fast: Pages that load slowly are penalised by Google - and annoy users. Use PageSpeed Insights from Google to find concrete improvements.
• Mobile friendliness: Your target audience may be behind big screens during the day, but mobile viewing is still highly prioritised by Google. Make sure the design and functionality work perfectly on mobile.
• Sitemap and Robots.txt: Your sitemap helps Google find its way around your site. Robots.txt tells you what can and cannot be crawled. Check that these files exist and are set up correctly.
• SSL certificate: A secure site (https://) gives both users and Google confidence. This is no longer up for discussion - it needs to be in place.

Step 2: Do a thorough keyword analysis

Before you can start writing and optimising content, you need to know what keywords your potential customers are using. Here's a process that works:

1. Make a list of the services or products you offer
2. Add problems your customers typically seek help with
3. Use tools like Ubersuggest, Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to gain insights into search volume and competition
4. Prioritise keywords where there are:
   • A clear search intent
   • Appropriate competition
   • Relevant traffic with action behind it

A simple example: If you sell industrial heat pumps, think in terms like “energy optimisation for industry”, “CO2 heat reduction solutions”, and “efficient heat source for production”.

Step 3: Optimise your most important pages on-page

On-page SEO is all about what happens on the page itself. Here are the most important areas you can get started with yourself:

• Title tags: Each page should have its unique title, which includes the main keyword. Max 60 characters.
• Meta descriptions: This text appears in the search result and can determine whether someone clicks on your link. Make it catchy and use the keyword naturally.
• Headlines: Your H1 should be clear, precise and include your main keyword. Use H2 and H3 to structure the content - search engines also read them.
• Image optimisation: Give your images descriptive file names and remember ALT texts. This helps both Google and users with poor internet connection or visual impairment.
• Internal link structure: Link across your pages so that search engines can better understand how your content fits together.

A good question to ask yourself here:

“Does this page feel like the best answer to the search I want to be found on?”

Step 4: Create valuable content with high relevance

Good content is the cornerstone of any SEO strategy. But what does “good” really mean for a technical B2B company?

• It needs to be thorough: 500 words is rarely enough. Google prefers content that really goes in-depth - like this, for example.
• It should be relevant to your target audience: Avoid talking in generalities. Write about what your customers deal with on a daily basis. System integration, data security, energy efficiency, etc.
• It needs to be up to date: Outdated datasheets or articles from 2012 are no good to anyone. Schedule an ongoing review of old content.
• It should be easy to read: Use bullet points, subheadings and stick to short paragraphs. It makes it easier for both parties - reader and Google.

Consider creating a knowledge bank or an inspirational universe on your website where users can dive into professional knowledge.

Step 5: Build authority with external links

Backlinks - links from other websites to yours - are a powerful signal to Google that your content has value.

For B2B companies, it's not about quantity, but quality. Some ideas on how you can get strong links:

• Collaborate with industry media and professional portals
• Write guest blogs with links back to your site
• Attend relevant events and get publicity via organisers' pages
• Get your cases shared on customer websites, preferably with a link

One quality link from a relevant site in your industry can be more valuable than 10 meaningless links.

Step 6: Measure your results and optimise continuously

What doesn't get measured rarely gets improved. That's why SEO shouldn't be a one-off endeavour. Monitor - and adjust. Here are some suggestions on where to start:

• Use Google Analytics to track traffic and behaviour
• Set up Google Search Console and keep track of which keywords you rank for
• Track page speeds through PageSpeed or GTMetrix
• Do monthly checks - for example, are your most important pages still indexed?

Are you ready to take the plunge?

SEO may seem complex - but it doesn't have to be. Start with the basics: get the technique right, understand what your customers are searching for, create quality content and gain authority through relevant links. Every little improvement counts. Combined, it can significantly transform your website's performance.

So the next time a potential customer Googles for exactly what you offer - the question is: Is your business at the top?

Do you need sparring or help to SEO-optimise your existing website? We're ready with both advice and execution - and we speak both tech and business.

Contact us for a no-obligation dialogue about what a tailored SEO strategy can do for you.