Complete Guide to Local SEO for B2B Companies

Local SEO (search engine optimisation) is a more specialised form of SEO. Instead of trying to beat everyone to the top of the SERPs for a particular keyword, you’re trying to be the best result within a certain geographic area.

That could be a city, a 10-mile radius around your office – or even further afield if you’re targeting national customers but have a base in a particular area.

It’s even more important for B2B companies, whose customers are typically smaller and more niche than B2C. They’re also usually local. After all, receiving after-sales service, support with installation, and any other face-to-face interactions are a lot easier when the business you’re dealing with is close by.

This is our ultimate guide to B2B local SEO, including insights into what it is, why you need it, and actionable advice on how to make it work for your business.

What is B2B local SEO?

The goal of B2B local SEO is simple: to get you in front of your target local audience, and appear above both local and non-local competitors in the SERPs.

Let’s say you run a construction company in London. Naturally, you want to appear for anyone searching for ‘construction companies in London’ – but you also want to be above companies that don’t serve London or that are targeting a different audience (B2C construction companies, for example).

With that said, B2B local SEO still has the basic elements of the broader SEO discipline, such as targeting keywords, improving website authority, and creating great content.

The difference is that you’re trying to do all of those things within a smaller, more defined area. That means your SEO strategy will have to be laser-focused if you want it to be successful.

Ranking factors for B2B local SEO

There are dozens of different ranking factors that could affect your B2B local SEO performance. But some are more important than others – especially if you’re just getting started with local SEO.

Here are a few of the most important ranking factors to keep in mind:

1. The proximity of your business

One of the most important factors for local SEO is, unsurprisingly, location. Google wants to show users the businesses that are closest to them, so being close to your target audience is a major advantage.

This means being strategic when it comes to defining your target location. Try to be as specific as possible – especially if you’re targeting a large city. For example, you could target ‘Southwark, London’ rather than just ‘London.’

2. Geo-targeted keywords

Keywords are still important for local SEO – but they have to be the right keywords. That means using geo-modifiers in your target keywords, such as ‘near me,’ ‘in London’, and so on.

These keywords signal to Google that you’re a local business and that you’re targeting a local audience. As a result, you’re more likely to rank in the local SERPs.

3. Presence of localised online listings

Think of online listings as the Yellow Pages of the web. They’re directories of local businesses, and they’re a valuable way of building up your local SEO signals.

There are dozens of different online listings out there – from Google My Business and Bing Places for Business to more niche directories like Yelp, where your business should appear on.

4. How many positive reviews your business has online

People trust the recommendations of other people – so much so that online reviews have become an indispensable marketing tool for businesses of all sizes.

And when it comes to local B2B companies, online reviews can be the difference between winning and losing a customer. After all, if they’re looking for a local business, they’re more likely to go with someone that other locals trust and can vouch for.

5. Useful and engaging content geared toward a local B2B audience

Content is still king when it comes to SEO – even local SEO. That means creating content that’s useful, engaging, and relevant to your target audience.

Using our earlier example, if you’re targeting construction companies in London, your blog posts, guides, and eBooks should be geared toward that audience. That means covering hyper-localised topics like the UK’s construction industry, the London property market, or even specific construction projects in London.

6. A localised website

Your website is going to be a major part of your local SEO strategy, so every element should be optimised to make it easy for local B2B companies to find you. This includes optimising your NAP (name, address, phone number), as well as your website’s title tags and meta descriptions.

On top of that, it also means making sure your website is mobile-friendly since more and more people are searching for local businesses on their smartphones.

So, why should you even bother with B2B local SEO?

Well, imagine your online presence with all of the elements above – a website and content designed for a local audience, geo-targeted keywords, glowing reviews from local B2B companies, and a listing on major online directories.

Now imagine the difference that would make to your business. Chances are, you’d see a significant increase in web traffic, leads, and customers. And that’s why local SEO is so crucial for B2B organisations, but the benefits don’t stop there.

The benefits of local SEO for B2B

Aside from boosting your online presence from every angle, local SEO for B2B organisations offer even more advantages. Here are some of them:

1. Potential to drive traffic to your physical location

If you have a brick-and-mortar shop or office, local SEO can help you attract visitors from your target location. That’s because when people search for local businesses, they often look for somewhere they can visit in person.

By optimising your website and online listings for geo-targeted keywords, you can make it easier for potential customers to find your business – and visit you in person.

2. Relatively low-cost marketing solution

Local SEO is one of the most cost-effective marketing channels for small businesses and startups.

Local SEO is relatively affordable compared to other marketing channels, such as TV or print advertising. And if you’re a small B2B business or startup on a tight budget, that’s extremely important.

3. Builds up your brand’s authority online

Diversifying your online presence across various channels has further benefits. When potential customers see that you’re active on multiple platforms – from your website and blog to social media and online listings – it helps build up your brand’s authority in their eyes.

4. Introduces you to new audiences

Third-party platforms like Yelp have their own audiences who might not know you exist. But if you’re listed on their platform, you can reach a whole new group of potential customers.

Local SEO helps small businesses and startups get in front of new audiences and introduce them to your products or services – which could lead to more website visitors, leads, and customers down the line.

5. Maximises your presence on Google

Last but not least, local SEO can help maximise your presence on Google – which is pretty essential, seeing as most consumers now use the internet to find a local business.

When potential customers search for local businesses on Google, the platform displays a mix of Organic Search Results and Google Maps Results.

Organic Search Results are the traditional blue links that appear when you type in a query. But Google Maps Results are what appear in the map section, which is often one of the first things people see when they search for a local business.

So, if you’re not optimising your website and online listings for local SEO, you could be missing out on a lot of potential traffic and customers.

7 areas to improve your B2B local SEO

There’s no doubt that local SEO is a powerful marketing tool for B2B small businesses and startups. But if you want to make the most of it, there are a few key strategies you need to implement. Here are 7 areas to improve your B2B local SEO:

1. Optimise your Google business profile

Formerly known as “Google my business,” a Google business profile is a free listing that appears on both Google Search and Maps.

To create a listing, you need to claim and verify your business with Google. Once you’ve done that, you can start optimising your profile by adding important details like your business name, address, phone number, category, and opening hours.

On top of all that, you should also add some high-quality photos, a description of your business, and any relevant information that will help potential customers learn more about what you do.

Creating and optimising a Google business profile is a cornerstone of local SEO. Why? Simply because local results appear on top of the regular organic search results on Google – and a business profile is one of the main ways to get your business included in those results.

2. Create and optimise business listings

Aside from having an optimised Google my business profile, you also need to create and optimise business listings on other platforms. Some of the most popular listing sites include Yelp, Trustpilot, Feefo, BBB, and Angie’s List.

Creating a listing on these platforms is usually free and only takes a few minutes. But what matters is that you have a presence on as many platforms as possible – and that each listing is optimised with accurate, up-to-date information.

3. Get customer reviews

Again, never underestimate the power of customer reviews. Online reviews are one of the main factors that influence whether or not a potential customer will use your business. In fact, most consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

The best way to get customer reviews is simply to ask your happy customers to leave one. You can do this by sending them an email or adding a link on your website or social media platforms.

Take note of all the places online where they can leave reviews as well – your GMB page, third-party review sites, and even the testimonial section of your own website. The more reviews you have, the more likely you are to attract new customers.

4. Localise onsite content

Websites that are optimised for local SEO usually have at least some content – whether it’s a blog post, page, product description, or something else – that’s specifically targeted toward a local audience.

This means including relevant keywords, like the name of your city or area, throughout your website. Moreover, it also means creating content that’s relevant to your local audience, like blog posts about things to do in the area or guides to the best local businesses.

5. Link building and B2B local SEO

Link building is the process of acquiring links from other websites to your own. In the world of SEO, link-building is an essential ranking factor for Google. It’s a trust signal from other websites that says, “Hey, this site is good!”

And while link building can be a complex and time-consuming process, there are a few simple things you can do to get started. For example, you can reach out to other businesses in your area and ask for a link to your website. In addition, you can also submit your site to local directories and listings or create partnerships with other businesses where you link to each other’s sites.

6. Make NAP easy to find

NAP stands for Name, Address, and Phone number, and it’s a critical element of local SEO. As the name suggests, it’s simply your business information that you need to make sure is easy for customers – and search engines – to find.

The best way to do this is to include your NAP information on every page of your website, in the header or footer. That way, it’s always easy to find, no matter where someone is on your site.

Aside from that, you should also include your NAP information on your GMB profile, as well as on any other local listings or directories you’re on. Even your social media profiles should include this information so that people can easily find and contact you.

7. Engage with the community

A big part of local SEO is simply being involved in the community. This means things like being active on forums relevant to your industry or sponsoring local events. In addition, you can also get involved by writing guest blog posts for other local businesses, or by participating in charitable work in the community.

Not only is this a great way to support local businesses and organisations, but it’s also a fantastic way to get your name out there. And when people see your business giving back to the community, they’re more likely to want to support you as well.

The local SEO experts can help

B2B local SEO campaigns are some of our favorite projects here at Common Ground. There’s nothing like helping B2B businesses connect with each other and with their local communities, all while applying our SEO expertise.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to optimise your website for local SEO, or if you need help with a local SEO campaign, we’d love to chat. Drop us a line or give us a call – we’re always happy to help out however we can.