What Are the SEO Differences Between a B2B and B2C Strategy?

Some business owners make the mistake of approaching search engine optimization (SEO) as a one-size-fits-all marketing strategy. However, the success of your SEO strategy hinges on the structure of your business.

B2B and B2C business models both have the same goal of selling products and services, but approaching their SEO the same way could prove disastrous. 

What Are the Surface-Level Differences?

Although both business models sell products and services, the people who benefit from them are vastly different. B2B, or, business-to-business, is a model where one business sells its goods and services to another business that needs them for professional growth.

A great example of a B2B model is a mergers and acquisitions broker that sells urgent cares to larger companies. The average consumer would never need this type of service, but it is an excellent means to an end for an urgent care owner that is selling off their legacy.

B2C, or, business-to-consumer is the more traditional business model of a company selling products and services the average consumer uses (I.e. pest control, plumbing services).

Both B2C and B2B are very different business models, and that’s why the SEO approach your brand takes is so important to its success. 

Here are some of the biggest differences between B2B and B2C SEO and how your brand should take its model into account when developing a digital marketing strategy.

Both Have Different Marketing Campaign Goals

Generally, B2B SEO campaigns involve selling a more expensive service that requires a long-term investment on the part of the buyer. So, a B2B SEO campaign will be very detail-oriented, authoritative, and raise awareness that helps a buyer make an educated decision on their purchase.

While B2C businesses still focus on authority and raising awareness about their industry, the marketing approach for a B2C is more urgent and creates immediate purchasing decisions.

Each Model’s Keyword Research Takes a Different Approach

Even the keyword research approach is different between these two business models. With B2C, the keyword approach links back to the immediacy of their tactics. As a B2C, the goal is to rank for medium difficulty keywords that help get a brand in front of a search engine audience as quickly as possible. With B2C, there is generally one person making the purchase decision and the right keyword in the right content could be enough to make a lucrative sale.

However, when it comes to B2B, remember, your brand is playing the long game, with more funds at stake for your customer. There is most likely a chain of command that leads to the final purchase decision. So, during the keyword research process, you’ll need to take each potential decision-maker’s individual needs and concerns into account.

B2B is also going to be a much smaller niche, so aiming for general keywords as your “big winners” isn’t always the right approach. 

As you keep all of these considerations in mind for your B2B research, the following keyword elements should be your priority:

• Technical terms
• Keywords that focus on different parts of your industry’s sales cycle
• Informational keywords
• Keywords that focus on the transactional search

Different Yet Similar Content Goals

While this is more of a similarity than a difference, we felt that each model’s approach to successful content was a key point of discussion. The biggest difference between B2B and B2C content is the depth of the model’s sales cycle. 

Where a B2C can get away with writing a fun, entertaining, piece about a general service, B2B content hones in on one aspect of the industry and delves deeper into the concepts that matter to their target audience.

Remember, content is the heart of your SEO campaign, so, no matter your business’s approach, you want it to always follow these guidelines:

• Regardless of the subject matter, your content must be compelling and entertaining. Work with your content team to come up with an innovative way to present what could be a monotonous subject. From weekly videos to podcasts, and a blogging series, there is always a way to make your content something that audiences will want more of.
• Make your content interactive and pull your audience away from being passive. Infographics, quizzes, and blog posts that leave audiences eager to respond can go a long way towards encouraging a conversion with an immediate and long-term audience.
• Above all, your content needs to be relevant and valuable to your target audience. Even if you are a B2B talking about a detailed topic that only interests a specific audience, make sure that topic is something your target audience is actually searching for. Fortunately, your keyword research, as well as the help of a professional SEO team can help you push your content’s relevance in the right direction. 

Different Branding Approaches

Branding is important to any organization trying to cultivate an audience. However, each business model has its own way of approaching branding to grow a loyal customer base.

B2C marketing focuses on emphasizing a brand’s message of delivering a quality product or experience. This is a great marketing strategy for these brands because their customer interaction is immediate and sometimes a one-time encounter. The long-term value of their services matters to a customer, but the “now” of their branding is what they emphasize.

On the other hand, long-term value is something that a B2B business would want to emphasize within its branding. If a company can prove consistency, growth, and a successful position in its market, the brand is more likely to form long-term relationships with customers who view their company as a partner, rather than a one-time experience.

Keep Your B2B Strategy on Track With Dallas SEO Dogs

If you’re a business owner that knows your brand needs to shift its SEO strategy but doesn’t know where to start, Dallas SEO Dogs can help. Our SEO experts have experience with helping both B2B and B2C business models meet their strategic goals. 

SEO without a team on your side can be a difficult road to travel, but SEO Dogs ensures that your digital marketing strategy doesn’t have to be. 

Our teams utilize their experience in content, paid advertising, social media, and, of course, technical SEO to professionally handle your rankings while you deal with your day-to-day operations.

Contact us today to learn more about our services and to schedule your free consultation with a member of our team.