You’re part of a stellar B2B organization that’s looking to break through the rankings of search engines to achieve consistent inbound demand, but you’re not sure where to start. The truth is that even top-tier B2B organizations can experience an uphill battle when it comes to SEO in 2024, because achieving business goals through SEO is a really big lift (especially these days).
Why? Competition in the search engines is fierce, customer habits change rapidly, and the search engines roll out algorithmic updates which throw everything into flux.
That’s why many orgs choose to partner with one of the leading B2B SEO agencies, in order to actually achieve their dreamiest SEO-related results, from increased revenue to more brand awareness.
B2B SEO agencies provide businesses like yours with comprehensive SEO services, which involve optimizing your website, and creating content which provides value, insights and solutions to your potential buyers. SEO leverages keywords, which help content rank in the pages of search engines, and uses techniques such as link building and technical SEO.
While there are several ways to approach executing an SEO strategy in-house, there are also B2B SEO agencies which can own this entire mission for you. Here’s everything you need to know about B2B SEO agencies, including what they do, what the perks of working with them are, and finally, a list of the top agencies out there today.
Why B2B SEO Agencies Make All the Difference
Look, we get it: at the surface, SEO (or search engine optimization) might make sense and seem pretty simple. You just need to create content with specific keywords, and after enough effort, you’ll eventually end up on Page 1 of Google. Right?
Unfortunately, SEO isn’t nearly that simple, especially in 2024 and beyond. To understand why, we’re going to offer a little history lesson 🤓
From the early 2000s until now, Google and other search engines have rolled out algorithmic updates which change the way content ranks. In the earlier days, yes, putting certain keywords in a piece of written content could usually get you a fairly decent ranking, especially when other SEO practices were used. Keep in mind, there were far fewer brands competing for the same keywords at that time.
But today’s SEO is far more technical and particular, and there are many factors which contribute to how content ranks (beyond just the keywords alone). This means that it’s far more challenging (and requires precise, tactical efforts) to rank in 2024.
For one thing, it’s important to remember just how competitive the internet is today. Data shows that in the year 2000, around 414 million people around the world used the internet. In the year 2010, that number was 2.2 billion. Research reveals that today, more than 5 billion people use the internet. While these numbers don’t directly reflect B2B organizations which are vying for valuable search engine real estate, they do show just how many of us are online.
And despite this increase in usage and traffic, the same top 10 spots still matter the most on Page 1 of search engines. For example, data shows us that less than 1% of all searchers click past the first page of Google. This means that in order to actually achieve business goals with SEO, B2B organizations need to thrive in the ultra-competitive online landscape, all while masterfully executing SEO practices.
Sounds like a handful? It is. That’s why B2B SEO agencies exist in the first place: they’re true crème de la crème experts who don’t just “know” SEO. They know how to make SEO work for your business, so you’re able to achieve your loftiest inbound goals.
The Benefits of B2B SEO Agencies
Let’s get down to the brass tax: what are the tangible benefits of working with one of the top-tier B2B SEO agencies? Especially when other options exist, such as tackling SEO in-house or outsourcing to freelancers?
Here are just a few of the benefits of partnering with B2B SEO agencies:
Benefit #1: They know how to connect SEO to your business goals
SEO is almost never executed for the sake of search engine rankings alone. There are many business goals that are achieved through SEO, and B2B SEO agencies know how to connect the dots.
Want more bottom-of-the-funnel prospects to land on a certain service page? Maybe you’re looking to boost conversion rates? How about lowering your marketing costs? Your B2B SEO agency gets it, and they can help. They’ll develop a strategy that’s custom to your business and goals, so that content isn’t just being created for the sake of content creation.
Benefit #2: They don’t just churn out content – they make sure it’s readable, and impactful
Look, it’s 2024. Of course we’ve seen how generative AI and other technology is impacting the SEO landscape. While these tools can certainly expedite and even create content, this alone typically isn’t enough to achieve business outcomes and ROI through SEO.
For example, let’s say a business is posting blog posts only created by AI, without any keyword research, technical SEO, fact-checking, or even the human touch of narrative. At the very least, this content will be fairly unengaging (when you read a piece of AI-generated content, it’s pretty clear). And in the worst case, the content will be technically inaccurate, because at this time, these models often generate false content.
When you’re partnering with a B2B SEO agency, you’re not just getting words on a page. You’re getting a team of experts who are master wordsmiths, who ensure content accuracy, and who know how to craft content that humans want to read, and that will make waves in the search engines.
Benefit #3: They can help you break through as an authority in your market
Excellent SEO can be great for closing deals, but that’s not all it’s good for. It can also position a brand as a titan in its industry.
How do B2B SEO agencies manage to do that? They understand that it’s not enough to craft any piece of content with keywords. Instead, it’s vital to create compelling, useful, authoritative, and authentic content, which actually serves a purpose. That way, when it does rank highly, and prospective customers do click on it, they’re not stuck reading a fluff piece that leads to more questions than answers.
Benefit #4: They understand what “keyword research” actually means
All good SEO content starts with robust keyword research, and B2B SEO agencies know just how complex and involved this task is.
What sort of factors go into keyword research? Your partner agency won’t just look at search volume and competitiveness, but also at the intent of the target user through SERP analysis, so keywords can be mapped to correct stages of the buying journey. They’ll make sure your audience is really Googling these keywords, and that the keywords make sense for your brand and content.
Benefit #5: They do far more than just click “publish”
B2B SEO agencies know that in order to see results, you need to do much more than publish content. That’s why top-tier agencies start with thorough research and analysis, and work on the back end to shore up your website to ensure that it’s Google-friendly. They’ll also map your keywords to your customer’s buying journey, so that there’s content for every stage of the funnel.
Benefit #6: You can refocus your internal efforts on what really matters
If you’re currently managing your own SEO efforts, kudos to you 👏. It’s a big undertaking, especially if you want to actually make waves. And unfortunately, as you likely realize, it can be a massive strain on internal resources. Even managing a small army of freelancers can quickly become a full-time job.
When you partner with B2B SEO agencies, you can refocus your time, effort and financial resources on managing other aspects of your business. Plus, you can trust that your SEO efforts are actually going to convert, because they’re being handled by experts.
Spill the Secrets: What Do B2B SEO Agencies Do?
When it comes to your marketing efforts, B2B SEO agencies offer a very specific type of service. Here is a glimpse at what you can expect your B2B SEO partner agency to do for you:
1. They’ll start with strong research and planning
B2B SEO agencies don’t just dive in and start creating content. First, they get to know your organization inside and out, and learn about your dreamiest SEO-related business goals. Then, they dive deep into research, to uncover your most profitable opportunities. This stage might include intent-based keyword research, competitor analysis, content audits, technical SEO audits, and more.
Some companies will really laser in on your customers during the researching stage. That’s actually something that we here at RevenueZen specialize in, and we’ll talk about it more in-depth in a bit. But by getting to know your customers inside and out, we can basically anticipate what they’re searching for. This helps us target keywords that they’re actually using IRL, and takes guesswork out of the process.
2. They strengthen your foundations
If you have a current website, your B2B SEO partner will give it an SEO-overhaul, to fill in any gaps uncovered during the planning stage. This stage is all about improving your website, to make sure it meets your business goals, but that it’s also something that Google wants to see in order to rank well. This might involve updating title tags, improving website load performance, optimizing website url structure, creating bottom of funnel keyword targeting solutions pages, and fixing any code level technical errors.
3. They create high-quality content (that’s designed to shift the scale)
Next, it’s time to create content, in order to scale your website’s performance. You can expect content to be of the highest quality, and that keywords are precisely mapped to search intent, as well as your buyer’s journey.
This stage also typically involves building links and creating partnerships to boost your domain authority, as well as strategy consultations. Content will be produced at a pace and frequency which makes sense for your goals.
4. They’ll double-down on what works and refine their efforts
With content production in full swing, your B2B SEO partner will closely monitor their efforts, and share regular updates with you, talking through how content is performing and what your metrics are looking like. With this hawk-eyed view, they can act nimbly, doubling-down on efforts that are working well, and shifting strategy as-needed.
5. They’ll help cultivate your leads
Instead of just vying for any old lead, once your strategy is in motion, your B2B SEO partner will work closely with you to talk through your sales cycle. They’ll make sure they’re not just generating “leads,” but that these leads are highly-qualified and ready-to-close. That way, at the end of the day, you’re left with a list of leads that you’re over-the-moon to have.
Tips for Choosing a B2B SEO Partner Agency
There are many B2B SEO agencies to choose from, it can be tough to weed through the noise, to determine which one will actually make a perfect-fit partner for your business and goals. Here are some things to consider when choosing a B2B SEO agency.
1. Consider their focus
There are endless marketing agencies out there today, which supply all sorts of digital marketing services. But keep in mind that B2B SEO work is very specific, and that not every digital agency has actually mastered this service. For example, an agency might be great when it comes to pay-per-click ads or managing your brand’s social media, but they might not have a wealth of experience in B2B SEO.
The good news is that many agencies do specialize in B2B SEO specifically. With this in mind, look for agencies which can speak specifically to their B2B SEO services.
2. Weigh their strategy
The B2B SEO agency you choose shouldn’t keep their strategy a secret from you. Whether it’s public on their website (cause they’re loud and proud about the work they do) or they walk you through their strategy on an intro call, you should be able to see their process. Transparency is key in B2B SEO work, because businesses should be able to see exactly how their B2B SEO partner is operating, what their plan of attack is like, and how their results are panning out.
3. Take a look at the specific services they offer
B2B SEO is an umbrella term which can include a wide range of specific services. Because of this, it’s crucial to see what specific services your B2B partner agency is offering. For example, a comprehensive B2B SEO strategy should ideally include keyword research (with keywords mapped to search intent & the buyer’s journey), technical SEO audits, link building, off-page SEO, competitive gap analysis, and on-page optimizations.
4. Analyze their track record
Can your B2B SEO agency put their money where their mouth is? While they might talk a big game about their SEO offerings, you should hold their services and experiences up to a microscope. You can analyze their track record (including previous clients, ratings, and success stories) to get a feel for the outcomes they produce IRL.
5. Prioritize content quality
Plenty of businesses out there operate “content farm” style, where they just churn out high quantities of content which aren’t of the highest quality. For your B2B SEO efforts to convert, you’re going to want to ensure that the content is technically accurate, engaging, and authentic to your brand voice. Keep in mind that the content that’s created is going to represent your brand to a global audience, so it’s important that it’s done right.
The Definitive List of the Top B2B SEO Agencies Now
Now that you know just how much B2B SEO matters, and what to look for in an agency, here’s our list of the best B2B agencies to choose from.
1. RevenueZen
What? We never said we were shy.
Hi there, we’re RevenueZen, and yes, we’re starting off this list with ourselves. That’s because we’re B2B SEO fanatics with vast experience in the space, and we’re incredibly proud of the mountains we’re able to move.
We have a proven track record of success when it comes to B2B SEO efforts (you can check out our real, honest client reviews here), and we know that it’s not enough to post some content with random keywords. Our efforts are rooted in powerful, strategic methods that we’re cultivated, and which are designed to approach SEO efforts from all sides.
Don’t take our word for it, take a look at what we’ve been able to do for ourselves. RevenueZen ranks in the top 10 for some of the most competitive search terms in our own space, like:
- “B2B inbound marketing”
- “SaaS technical SEO”
- “B2B SEO services”
- “B2B SEO agency”
- “How to post on LinkedIn”
- “B2B SEO agencies”
- “SaaS website best practices”
One thing that sets us apart? I would definitely say our onboarding process. It’s not just a “welcome aboard” sort of thing. Instead, it’s a robust deep dive into your company, and into your customers. While many agencies build a strategy based on keywords that seem relevant to your organization, we know that this doesn’t necessarily translate into what customers actually need and are searching for online. Because most of the time, your prospects don’t actually know what they need. So our job is to dissect your clients, to figure out what they’re really searching for.
We know just how much the right SEO strategy can transform your business, because we’ve seen it happen plenty of times. Our passion is working with businesses to break their own records for organic-sourced revenue, and we love to partner with orgs which are a one-to-one perfect fit for us.
Many of our clients come from certain industries:: we often work with growth-focused startups, professional service firms, and financial service companies, for example. But I would say, more importantly, we pride ourselves with working with new types of organizations. We’re a team of people who love figuring things out, and who love to tinker. We love partnering with you to figure out how to make SEO work for your business, especially in new niches and new industries. Instead of just relying on the same old processes and sticking to one type of client, our folks are passionate about being pioneers in this space.
Now that we’ve introduced ourselves, we’re gonna list some other B2B SEO agencies out there, so you can choose for yourself which is right for you.
2. Siege Media
Siege Media says it helps “growing brands scale with SEO, content marketing and PR.” They say they use search data “to find lucrative ranking opportunities” that they know you can capture. Some of their previous clients include known names such as Zillow, Quicken Loans, and Instacart.
Their specific services include content strategy, content creation, link building, SEO consulting, and graphic design. Some of the benefits of partnering with Siege Media include their clear experience and know-how, but it’s clear that they specialize in fairly large brands.
3. JumpFly
JumpFly’s tagline is “smart digital marketing” and it offers PPC, SEO, Amazon, and paid social media services, which are designed to “generate better returns.” JumpFly says it has 20 years of experience in the field, and when it comes to SEO, that their roadmap “charts the tactical steps to organic search success.”
While it appears that JumpFly offers a wide range of services, it’s not clear if they have a wealth of expertise in the B2B SEO space specifically.
4. Zipline
Zipline calls itself “the B2B marketing agency,” and says it helps “B2B companies that are struggling to fill their pipeline with quality leads.” They say their efforts will “start generating serious demand” for your business. They appear to have an appealing array of B2B SEO services, such as demand generation, inbound marketing, and lead generation. However, it also appears that their services are compartmentalized, and you might need to add on services to achieve the scope of results you’re looking for.
5. Rock the Rankings
Rock the Rankings claims to be an “SEO agency that makes sure you’ll never miss your growth goals again.” They also say that they bring your business “leads, pipeline, and revenue,” instead of just some traffic and monthly keyword reports. Their services include SaaS SEO management, SEO consulting, SEO content writing, and link building
Rock the Rankings seems to have solid case studies and services, but they don’t share a ton of insight into their exact process, and it also looks like they only take on “5 total right-fit clients per quarter.” They also say they’re dedicated to “driving positive ROI in the first 90 days of our engagement with no long-term commitments,” but it’s not clear how they can achieve sustainable SEO results using that method.
6. Directive Consulting
Directive Consulting says it’s a “performance marketing agency for tech brands” and they offer a range of digital marketing services, including SEO, paid media, design, marketing operations, video, and strategy.
When it comes to SEO, Directive Consulting says it’s a “SaaS SEO agency,” and they offer a wide range of services in content marketing, technical SEO, and what they call “core page SEO.” While it seems their expertise is in tech companies, it’s not clear if they serve clients in other industries.
7. Skale
Skale says they offer “B2B SEO agency services that drive SQLs & predictable growth.” They also say they use their “unique SEO revenue engine to turn vanity metrics like organic traffic into real SQLs.” They also say their team has a “deep understanding of SEO best practices and a background in B2B.” Some of their notable past clients include HubSpot, Asana, and Appcues.
While they focus on many similar things to us here at RevenueZen (such as topical authority), they promise results in 3 months. While this is possible, it depends on the scale and scope of the “results” you’re looking for, and we here at RZ find that honest estimates for significant, revenue-generating results tend to be about 16 months.
SEO can move the needle. You deserve to partner with a B2B SEO agency that will make it happen.
You want to grow your business, and you know it’s destined for great things. But you haven’t quite cracked the code when it comes to organic-sourced inbound revenue. Allow us to take it from here.
We’re RevenueZen, a B2B SEO agency that specializes in helping brands break through noisy search engines to rank for content that can actually drive business results. Our team of pros are SEO wizzes, who understand all of the nuances of what it takes to see results from SEO efforts.
Let us show you what we mean with a free B2B organic growth strategy session.
