Is SEO for Manufacturing Websites Still a Thing? Absolutely.

Oct 28, 2024 | Marketing

Is SEO for manufacturing companies even worth it? Spoiler: YEP. See why Search Engine Optimization is still a must-have for your manufacturing company.
In a team discussion about SEO for manufacturers, a female team member points to a whiteboard with an SEO chart.

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If you’re in the home product manufacturing business, you’ve heard it before: SEO is a must for your website.

But here we are at the end of 2024—is search engine optimization still making a difference for companies like yours?

Spoiler alert: it sure is. Let’s see why manufacturing SEO is still one of the most important tools you’ve got to grow your business.

So, SEO: What’s the Big Deal?

You know SEO—Search Engine Optimization—helps your website show up when people search for things like the products you sell.

But it’s more than just showing up when people are curious. SEO will make sure they can find you when they’re ready to buy. And if your site’s not optimized, your products are practically invisible.

Think about it: about half of e-commerce starts with a search engine like Google. If your home product manufacturing site isn’t showing up, you’re missing out on a ton of potential customers.

SEO Isn’t What It Used to Be (In a Good Way). Here’s Why It Works.

SEO has come a long way from the days of cramming in keywords.

It’s evolved into a strategy that helps you connect with customers all along their buying journey—whether they’re browsing on the fly or ready to make a purchase right this instant.

And since most buyers are starting their research online, you need SEO to make sure your brand pops up when it matters most.

Catch Buyers Early & Often

Whether you’re selling directly to consumers or working through dealers and distributors, chances are, your customers are doing their homework online before making any decisions.

Got a buyer ready to make a decision right now? SEO gets them to you fast. Dealing with someone in the research phase? Manufacturing SEO helps your content show up when they’re comparing options, keeping you top of mind.

If your competitors are more visible on search engines, guess whose products potential customers will see first? Hint: not yours.

A solid SEO strategy helps put you in the right place at the right time to seal a deal.

Content Marketing + SEO = Visibility Win

Got great content like blogs, product videos, or case studies? SEO makes sure people actually see it.

And in an industry like manufacturing, where the sales cycle can be long, staying visible throughout the process is key. When your target audience is ready to pull the trigger, they’ll know where to find you.

The Long Game Pays Off

Unlike paid ads, which only work as long as you’re spending money, SEO keeps delivering over the long haul. It builds credibility, trust, and keeps the traffic coming.

Getting your website to rank high on Google reassures buyers that you’re a brand they can trust—whether they’re contractors, distributors, or homeowners.

Plus if your word-of-mouth leads dry up, SEO acts as your safety net, bringing in new customers through organic searches online.

The even better news is all of these methods work together. Think of it this way: Word of mouth transfers credibility, SEO-optimized content build credibility, search ads leverage credibility through brand visibility and product recognition at the right time.

Boost Your Product Pages for Search (Because Shoppers Are Looking)

If you’re selling directly to consumers, optimizing your product pages really is a no-brainer. Well-optimized product pages make your products easier to find when people are actively searching for them.

Take custom kitchen cabinets, for example. If someone’s searching for “high-end kitchen cabinets” and your product pages aren’t showing up in those results, guess what? You’re missing a sale.

SEO gets your products seen at just the right time.

Help Your Dealers & Distributors Sell More

Manufacturing SEO isn’t just about bringing people to your site. A strong SEO presence helps your entire sales network, making it easier for dealers and distributors to get the product info they need to sell your products.

  • Make products findable: Optimizing specific product pages ensures individual SKUs or categories show up in search results, making it easier for dealers to direct customers to your products.
  • Reduce dealer workload: Strong SEO means your product info is easy to find online, helping your dealers answer customer questions and close sales more quickly.
  • Cover all your regions: If you have multiple distributors, local SEO strategies can drive traffic to each location, keeping your products front and center, no matter where they’re sold.

SEO Trends You Can’t Ignore

SEO is always evolving, and these 3 trends are really shaking things up at the moment. Use them to inform your SEO strategy:

  • Structured data: This is the stuff that helps Google understand your content better, which gives you a leg up in search results.
  • AI in search: Google’s RankBrain is all about user intent. In short, it’s smarter than your average algorithm. Instead of focusing just on keywords, AI looks at what people really want when they search, which means your content has to answer their questions or solve their problems.
  • Voice search: More and more people are asking questions out loud (thanks, Alexa), so optimizing for voice search is another way to stay competitive.

Hey, like what you’re learning so far? Don’t forget to check out “Home Product Manufacturers Are Embracing Web Chat & Messaging” while you’re here!

How to Know SEO Is Working for You

Some digital marketing tactics are really hard to track. But here’s the thing about SEO—it’s measurable. You can track how it impacts organic traffic, leads, and sales. Not sure how to track if SEO is working? Here are the basic things to look at:

  1. Measure Organic Traffic Watch for steady growth in site visitors from search engines using tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics. More traffic means your manufacturing SEO is doing its job.
  2. Track Conversions Track how many visitors are converting—filling out forms, signing up to your newsletter, requesting quotes, or making calls. Conversions are key.
  3. Check Sales Figures See if SEO is ramping up the amount of inquiries or sales from both consumers and your sales channels. More interest means your SEO is definitely driving results.
  4. Create Routine Reports Keep tabs on your SEO performance with regular reports that highlight what’s working and where to improve.

With awesome tracking tools like Perk Brands business dashboards (excuse the shameless plug), you can see how your SEO strategy is performing week after week, helping you refine your strategy.

SEO Pitfalls Manufacturing Companies Can’t Afford

Manufacturing SEO isn’t something you want to “wing”. Here are a couple of common mistakes we see manufacturers make all the time. Our advice? Don’t do what they did.

Ignoring Technical SEO (Off-Page SEO)

You could have the best content in the world (on-page SEO), but if your site is slow, not mobile-friendly, or has bad structure, you’re not going to rank well.

Skipping Competitor Analysis

If you’re not paying attention to what your competitors are doing with SEO, you’re falling behind. It’s that simple.

Neglecting Product-Specific SEO

Optimizing product pages is more important than you think. If your SKUs aren’t showing up in search results, your customers—and your dealers—will struggle to find them.

Forgetting Local SEO

If you sell through regional distributors or have multiple locations, local SEO is really important. Ignoring it means losing out on nearby customers and sales.

But the biggest mistake? Not investing in SEO at all.

Why Skipping SEO Is a (Really) Bad Idea

If you’re not investing in SEO, you’re handing your competitors the keys to your customer base.

They’ll rank higher, get more traffic, and capture more leads—all while you’re left wondering where your customers went.

It’s simple: if your site doesn’t show up on the first page of results on search engines, as far as your target audience is concerned, you may as well not even exist. The result? Fewer leads, lost revenue, and losing to competitors who are more focused on SEO.

Bottom Line: SEO for Manufacturers Is Here to Stay

SEO isn’t just important—it’s what keeps your manufacturing business visible, trusted, and driving traffic. SEO will continue to evolve, but whether you’re selling directly, through dealers, or both, we’re gonna go ahead and say it’s non-negotiable. If you want to grow your sales, that is.

Your next step…

Not sure if your SEO efforts are working?

Our Velocity SEO Health Plan will give you a full audit of where you stand and help you get on track—starting at just $319. Here’s what’s included:

  • A complete review of your current SEO—what’s working and what’s not
  • A 12-month look at your website’s performance in search results
  • Super in-depth keyword research
  • Report on how you rank for 10 key search terms
  • Insights on the top 10 keywords you’re missing
  • A look at how you stack up against your top 3 competitors
  • A live, 20-minute review session to go over everything
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Let’s get your manufacturing website ready to compete, shall we?

Check out our SEO services and book a call to get your Velocity SEO Health Plan today, and let’s get to work!