Oh, SEO... You've been hearing about this acronym for a long time without really focusing on the subject.
In a highly competitive environment, where every SME/design office is trying to stand out as much as possible, it's time for you to seriously consider natural referencing.
Definition of SEO
But then, what exactly is SEO? 🧐 (Because with all the English acronyms used in marketing, we can well imagine that you don't understand anything anymore...)
SEO stands for "search engine optimization." To put it simply, it refers to actions that naturally improve (i.e., without paying for advertising on Google) the ranking of your website's pages in search results.
>>> For example, you are Company X, specializing in industrial sheet metal work. When a prospect types in "expert in fine sheet metal work for industry," the idea is that you will be in the top three Google results. Sounds appealing, doesn't it?
SEO objectives for your SME
It is essential that the content published on your website is well indexed and ranked as high as possible in search engines, so that your audience finds you first when searching.
More and more companies are realizing the importance of SEO strategies and are starting to optimize their websites. As proof, today, 45% of large companies and 20% of SMEs/mid-cap companies spend more than €15,000 per month on SEO.
SEO in industry: are there really any benefits?
The evidence is clear: even today, many websites in the industry are not optimally referenced, due to the B2B industry's lag in web marketing efforts.
However, for several years now, purchasing processes have been going digital: B2B prospects are turning to the web to gather information and compare potential suppliers. They are no longer solely focused on direct commercial relationships, as was previously the case. It is therefore necessary to adapt to this change and capture them as early as possible by integrating an effective SEO strategy.
Some figures to keep in mind:
- In France, 84% of individuals are connected and gather information via the web.
- 85% of internet traffic occurs on the first page of Google, and the top three results receive more than 80% of clicks from internet users.
A new way of communicating and selling that the industry sector will have to adopt!
Of course, some manufacturers have understood this very well and are designing modern websites that comply with current standards, for which they are adopting an effective SEO strategy (thanks to high value-added content, backlinks, and the use of high-potential keywords).
Some tips from the MITeam to make your SEO strategy a success
Choosing the right keywords to position yourself on search engines
Start by working on your personasor, at the very least, gathering ideas that may be of interest to your target audience. Then define the keywords and phrases that your audience might search for. Feel free to search for keywords directly on Google to find out if they are often used and if they will be a source of potential business.
To do this, there are many tools at your disposal:
- 👉Moz's Keyword Explorer
- 👉Google AdWords
- 👉Keyword finder
- 👉Google trends
Prioritize content quality over quantity to generate high added value.
You may not realize it, but your website is directly ranked based on its content in relation to other content available on the web. Behind search engine algorithms lies a battle for the best content (because yes, they too want to satisfy their users by offering the most relevant content possible). It is therefore essential to create high-quality content in order to contribute to your website's ranking. However, it is also important to note that a certain level of regularity is required (one article per month is a good starting point, for example).
Reduce website loading time
The loading speed of your website is very important for your SEO strategy. Nowadays, internet users have high expectations and are unwilling to wait several seconds to access content or information. And since user experience (UX) is very important for the Google platform, it will penalize sites that are too slow. To avoid losing users and visibility, our advice is to reduce the weight of your pages (without compromising the quality of the visuals/videos) by compressing them.
Develop effective netlinking
This is THE fundamental (but time-consuming) technique in SEO. It mainly consists ofincreasing the number of hyperlinks, or "backlinks," pointing to a website, with the aim of improving its visibility. By including links to other sites, you allow your visitors to access new information, which inevitably adds value to your website.
If necessary, choose paid search engine optimization.
This is known as SEA (we will discuss this in a new article very soon), and you have probably already heard of it. It involves creating advertising campaigns on search engines. SEA can complement (but is by no means essential to) your SEO strategy, and will enable you to significantly increase your traffic.
So, are you ready to embark on an SEO strategy to boost the growth of your SME/engineering firm? 👷🏼
If you need assistance, don't hesitate to contact us. Our experts are here to help!🧑🏻💻
