Heavy utility equipment providers face a significant challenge when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). They need to appeal to decision-makers in construction companies while also ensuring their website ranks well for important local keywords. This combination leads to what is known as B2B local SEO, a specific and challenging area of traditional SEO.
Many heavy equipment providers struggle with visibility on search engines like Google because they often focus on only one aspect—either B2B or local SEO—neglecting the other. For instance, a company might work hard to rank first for local keywords related to their heavy equipment but fail to create sufficient content that appeals to the decision-makers at construction companies. B2B marketing typically involves a long sales cycle, requiring targeted content for each stage.
The key to success is combining B2B strategies with local SEO. This case study focuses on how we did just that for a utility equipment provider that specialised in sweepers and scrubbers. Thanks to our expertise in B2B local SEO, we achieved a remarkable 432% increase in the client’s organic traffic in just six months.
The Client: A Veteran Utility Equipment Provider
Our client is a well-established utility equipment company with over 40 years of experience in selling, renting, and repairing cleaning equipment and vehicles. They boast a large fleet of sweepers, scrubbers, sewer equipment, and general utility vehicles. Despite their long-standing reputation and solid business performance, their website was struggling to attract visitors and was being outranked by competitors.
While other marketing channels were still generating business, the client realised they were missing out on significant opportunities due to their weak online presence. Nowadays, most people use search engines to find local businesses, and this trend extends to B2B decision-makers as well. Research indicates that nearly 90% of consumers search for local businesses on their smartphones each week, and 57% of B2B marketers agree that SEO generates more leads than any other marketing channel.
Recognising the importance of SEO, our client reached out to us for assistance.
The Initial Consultation: Setting Goals
During our initial consultation, we discussed the client’s primary goals and the best ways to achieve them. After evaluating their needs, we determined that a Clout X campaign would be the most effective approach. Clout X is our fully managed service that connects clients with dedicated campaign managers. Unlike standalone SEO products, Clout X combines various services to provide a comprehensive SEO solution.
The Audit: Identifying Opportunities for Improvement
Every Clout X campaign begins with a detailed SEO audit. This step involves analysing the website’s current performance and identifying any glaring errors that need to be addressed. For example, we often find indexing errors that prevent the client’s content from appearing in Google’s search results.
In this case, the client’s website was in relatively good shape. It had a professional design, was easy to navigate, and loaded quickly. However, we still needed to check for common issues, including:
- Broken links: Links that lead to non-existent pages.
- Noindex tags: These tags can mistakenly remove web pages from search results.
- Orphan pages: Pages without any internal links pointing to them.
- Duplicate content: Multiple pages trying to rank for the same keywords.
In addition to these technical factors, we closely examined the website’s content. We specifically looked for keywords where the site already ranked but not within the top three positions. We refer to these as “easy wins” because they can be improved with some straightforward optimisation.
By enhancing content quality, adding relevant keywords, and incorporating images, we can significantly boost a web page’s rankings in a relatively short period. This is because the content is already indexed by Google, meaning we don’t have to wait for the search engine to discover the changes.
In our client’s case, we found numerous easy wins related to the products they offered, so we quickly began targeting those opportunities.
The Strategy: Building Authority Through Backlinks
The main issue we discovered during the audit was the client’s lack of authority in their niche. In the world of SEO, authority is vital, and it is largely built through backlinks. Backlinks are like endorsements from other websites, signalling to Google that your site is trustworthy and valuable.
Our primary strategy involved building high-quality backlinks pointing to the client’s pages for heavy equipment sales and rentals. We accomplished this through:
- Guest posts: We identified relevant websites that accept guest contributions.
- Link insertions: We sought opportunities to mention our client’s products on sites discussing heavy utility cleaning equipment.
These tactics proved to be highly effective. Within just over six months, we were able to meet the client’s goals.
The Results: A Dramatic Increase in Traffic and Keyword Rankings
The results of our campaign were impressive. The client experienced a dramatic increase in organic traffic following the implementation of our strategies. Their traffic continued to rise steadily, and they began ranking for over 1,000 relevant keywords, with 42 of those in the top three positions.
Moreover, the client consistently generated £1.3k worth of traffic to their site, ensuring they were no longer missing out on potential business opportunities due to a lack of online visibility.
This case study highlights the importance of a robust SEO strategy for heavy utility equipment providers. The success we achieved for our client demonstrates that with the right approach, it is possible to significantly enhance online presence and drive valuable traffic.
If you’re looking to achieve similar results for your utility company, consider a Clout X campaign. With a dedicated campaign manager at your service, you’ll receive a tailored strategy designed to elevate your online visibility and drive traffic to your site. Don’t miss out on the opportunities that a strong online presence can bring—get in touch with us today!
