Running a successful SEO campaign means knowing the difference between B2B vs B2C marketing strategies. Understanding what makes each unique and how to implement the strategies will make the difference between time well spent and time wasted.
Learn how to differentiate between B2B vs B2C SEO marketing and get real-life examples of each in the article below.
An Introduction to B2B vs B2C Marketing
B2B means that the sales cycle is much longer because the orders are generally more complex and customized. The company isn’t trying to make a direct sale but instead is trying to get someone to contact their sales team. Because the orders are more unique, the sales team needs to talk to the potential customer first to see what kind of products or services the company can offer. According to Google, business buyers on average contact suppliers when 57% of the purchase process is complete.
The company also wants to see if the buyer is a qualified lead, which means the lead is highly likely to purchase a product. Distinguishing between qualified and unqualified leads, who don’t truly understand what the company is about or may not actually need the company’s services, is extremely important for B2B marketing. The longer sales process and the need for qualified leads mean that B2B companies are trying to attract potential customers in a different way than B2C companies.
When a business is selling directly to a consumer, its main objective is to get the online visitor to make an immediate purchase. The sales cycle is much shorter, and if done well, could be completed when a customer reaches the first page of a website. The goal of a B2C campaign is to maximize customer engagement as much as possible and get as many visitors to their site as possible.
B2B vs B2C SEO Marketing Differences
While B2B and B2C companies have different objectives, SEO marketing campaigns are crucial for both. Organic search drives 51% of traffic to both B2B and B2C websites, so neither type of business can afford to neglect SEO. It’s crucial for B2B and B2C businesses to approach SEO strategically to achieve their unique goals.
A B2B company is not going to approach its SEO marketing campaigns in the same way as a B2C company would. For starters, companies in the B2B sector often use more complex language and require a higher level of technical knowledge to compete effectively in SEO. The problems they are trying to solve are more technical in nature than, say, selling a pair of kitchen knives.
Businesses that plan to do business with another company need to know that it understands their unique problems and has the technical know-how to deliver. To succeed at SEO as a B2B business, they will need to use more precise and detailed information to demonstrate authority and expertise.
B2C companies only have one job: to convince the visitor to purchase their product. There is only one decision-maker that the company needs to win over to make a sale. On the other hand, B2B companies might have several different decision-makers that look through their site and offerings before making a decision. In SEO, this means that B2C companies have to compete with one buyer looking at multiple companies for the same keyword, whereas B2B companies have to make sure multiple people from the same company understand how the service solves their problem.
SEO is equally important for B2C businesses; 86% of B2C companies draw traffic using content marketing. SEO is an essential component of content marketing, demonstrating the relevance and authority of content so that it ranks higher on SERPs and attracts the business’s core audience. So whether your business is B2C or B2B, you need an SEO marketing strategy tailored to your field.
B2B and B2C SEO Examples
Let’s say you’re a B2B company that sells printers to large corporations. You don’t operate a brick-and-mortar where individuals can come in and purchase a printer. You only sell in bulk to large corporations or other organizations where they need several printers at once.
Your SEO campaign would be focused on ranking for keywords specific to a corporation looking for bulk printers. Terms such as “bulk discount printers” or “high output printers” could attract the kind of clients you’re looking for. On your website, you could include more information about your products and how you sell in bulk with a call to action to contact your sales team for more information.
If you want to make sure the lead is qualified before contacting your team, you could require a form to be filled out with information that would let your sales team know if there’s a high potential for a sale.
A B2C company would approach the problem in a slightly different way. If your company was selling women’s makeup, you might want to rank for a word with higher buyer’s intent like “best black mascara” or “trendy eye makeup.” When a visitor lands on your website after searching one of those words, they already have a higher likelihood of purchasing something on that page. Instead of getting the lead to contact your sales team, you simply make it easy to purchase the product right on the site.
B2B vs B2C Marketing
The differences between B2B and B2C marketing are apparent from their campaign goals. B2B companies are trying to get potential buyers to go through a longer sales cycle and attract qualified leads. B2C companies want to get as many visitors to purchase directly on the site as possible.
Now that you understand the main differences in SEO between B2B and B2C businesses, you’re better equipped to take your company to the next level. For more informative articles, make sure to keep following the Best SEO Service Companies blog. We regularly post content with everything from basic SEO tips to updates on the latest developments in the field of digital marketing. Let us help you advance your business!