Meta: SEO remains the bedrock of online visibility. If you want to be found by your ideal customers, here are B2B SEO tips to keep in mind.

Do you want to know what the B2B SEO fuss is all about? 

Research shows that sites that rank first on search engine results have over a 30 percent click-through rate.

For any marketer, more click-throughs mean higher reach, greater awareness, and the opportunity to capture leads and make sales.

So if you're looking for B2B SEO tips and other digital marketing strategies to help you reach B2B customers, we have just the thing. 

1. Search Engine Optimization

SEO can be tough to crack and undoubtedly many marketers’ nightmare, considering the not-so-easy-to-understand algorithms.

But here is the thing, very few people venture beyond the first page. They will mostly refine their search or ask different questions. 

So one thing is clear, the higher your company's website ranks for search queries related to your solutions, the more traffic you get. 

Here are some B2B SEO tips to help you with that:

● Leverage local searches by listing your company in Google My Business, Bing Places, and other relevant online directories. Complete the listing profile in its entirety to optimize visibility in local searches.

● Keywords are still key. Rather than focusing on individual words, go for phrases. For example, an accounting firm may consider phrases like "Best accounting firm in_______(your city/town)," "Bookkeeping services in _______(city/town)", etc 

● Go Take advantage of easy opportunities by incorporating medium search volume keywords. The competition is lower and you're likely to rank higher with them.

● Position keywords in strategic places, including the title of the post, naturally within the content, in headings, alt tags, and meta tags. 

● Do your best to acquire backlinks from authoritative but relevant sites. It tells search engines you're an authority worth reckoning.

● Try ranking for featured snippets by answering compelling questions in your content. Since featured snippets show up at the top of search results, you'll likely attract organic traffic.

● Improve mobile friendliness and page loading times. Slow loading pages have higher bounce rates and search engines interpret this to mean the site is not of high quality.

2. Email Marketing

How many emails are in your inbox? How many have you received today? 

Probably more than a couple, and a bunch of them came from brands promoting their products/services, right?

For years, marketers have leveraged the power of email marketing to boost awareness, build trusting relationships with customers and encourage sales.

And rightly so, because done right, email marketing can produce phenomenal ROI of up to 4400 percent. That's roughly $44 for every dollar you spend on the campaign.

Here are tips to help you maximize returns on this strategy:

● Build your email list: It's tempting to buy a list, but those brands don't know you and are likely to unsubscribe or label you as spam. Build your own list by getting valuable content, or offering newsletters. This way, you'll have obtained permission to message your subscribers.

● Personalize the messages. Create unique experiences for your audience by personalizing their journey. Let your emails target the stage they are at, address them by name, and avoid using faceless/nameless generic company emails. 

● Make the emails interesting by incorporating emojis. That's right, your audience may be B2Bs, but it is humans handling the work. Emojis may help give your brand some personality and open doors to connect with audiences.

● Add user-generated content in your email. When consumers share their experience with your brand/solutions, it pushes up your credibility. Audiences are likely to interact or make a purchase when they read about other users' experiences.

3. Cold Calling

From introducing your brand, promoting new offerings, or straight up making sales, cold calling is a top strategy for getting the message across.

In a space encompassed by technology and self-teaching, this strategy allows you to make human connections and build lasting relationships with customers.

That said, you can't just wake up one morning and make random calls to random business—you’ll just fall on deaf ears.  

Consider the following practices

● Research the prospects. Tracking down information about their business, industry, and challenges allows you to deliver value and hold their attention.

● Work on your opening line. Let your opening line revolve around a key challenge faced by similar businesses and how your solutions improved their situation.

● Overcome call reluctance. Studies show that up to 40 percent of salespeople (regardless of experience) go through call reluctance. Truthfully, no one enjoys being rejected. Overcome this reluctance by focusing on the successes you've made and maintaining a positive attitude.

● Have an outline of the things you want to say, to help keep the call in perspective, ensure you cover all areas, and ask for your goal.

● What is your goal? Do you want to book an appointment for another meeting, arrange a demo, or get the prospect to sign up for a free trial? Whatever it is, go for it.

4. Use Social Proof

Did you know that up to 50 percent of consumers who read positive reviews about a business will visit its website? 

A further 93 percent state that online reviews (read social proof) influence their purchase decisions.

Pricing aside, customers appreciate a good experience and they will look for proof that your solutions work as you say, or better. 

This proof mostly comes from previous or current users.

Here are some applications of social proof:

● Display the names of brands you're serving (or have served) on your website.

● Share testimonials of happy customers.

● Show pictures of customers using your products/services

● Request satisfied customers to share videos talking about your solutions

● Create case studies of unique clients. The reason we say “unique” is because there are far too many generic case studies available and they may not impress/impact potential customers.

● Tout the number of sales made to emphasize popularity.

5. Run Virtual Events

With some sense of normalcy returning to business circles, some brands don't see the need to engage in virtual events.

Well, new research shows that 45 percent of all future B2B events will happen virtually. So if you have been holding off, now is the time to join the bandwagon.

There are tons of reasons virtual events retain their popularity.

Thanks to virtual event technology, companies can reach wider audiences, spend less on overheads and share on-demand recordings with prospects at a later date.

Through online registration, downloads, or logins, a business can capture leads and track the event's success. This allows you to create smarter strategies for upcoming events. 

As with other strategies, there are challenges that come with virtual events and you'll need to address them if you want to be successful.

● Attendee Fatigue. Every other company is running virtual events, so the fatigue is real and attendees are becoming extremely choosy about which ones they will attend. Do fewer events and be strategic about the timing.

● Consider your end goals when choosing virtual event software. Some are relatively cheap but offer little much in terms of engagement and there are expensive options that come with extra, but highly useful features.

● Attendance and engagement. Promoting your event can pose a challenge, but even when you have attendees, they can get bored and leave. Include live chats, Q&A sessions, surveys, and polls to engage your audience.

● Onboarding speakers. Teach the speakers how to operate the software to avoid mishaps when you go live. Consider inviting industry analysts and experts to attract decision-makers.