Be Careful, Keyword Research Is Not The Same for B2B

Imagine building a house with a faulty foundation. You miss the error early on, and later the structure is compromised, forcing you to tear it down and start over. It wastes time, money, and effort. Picking the right keywords is the same; if you don’t get it right from the start, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Finding the right keywords can make or break your ranking and conversion goals. Let’s dive into how you can master B2B keyword research to ensure your content reaches the right audience and drives business growth.

This piece is a short little excerpt from an in-depth, 6-minute read on my blog. For a deeper dive, feel free to read the full article here.

Why Keyword Research Matters

In B2B, keyword research is all about precision. Unlike B2C, where casting a wide net for exposure is common, B2B targets only the narrowly-targeted opportunities, decision-makers, and professionals with very specific needs.

Keyword opportunities are harder to find for B2B customers.

You have to understand the complex needs of businesses, pinpoint potential keywords from the cheapskate keyword database, and blend it all in neatly. It’s about aligning real-world pain points their clients have with promising queries in SERP.

With that said, in B2C, keywords with high search volume are generally easier to find.

B2B clients, on the other hand, are different. It’s a bit like playing chess. You’re targeting niche markets, decision-makers, and professionals with very specific needs. It’s not just about traffic; it’s about getting the right traffic. Plus, you’re down to the wire with finding any SEO keyword opportunities.

Steps to Conduct B2B Keyword Research

1. Identify Your Market and Audience

Understanding your target audience’s needs and pain points is the foundation of effective keyword research.

Instead of creating generic buyer personas, focus on identifying the specific business challenges your target audience faces. Are they struggling with integrating new software? Do they need more efficient supply chain solutions?

Gather insights from key stakeholders through interviews, surveys, customer feedback, and industry forums. This direct input will provide you with a deeper understanding of your audience’s language and concerns.

Recording meetings with business owners or sales representatives can be particularly useful. You can pick up on industry jargon and common phrases.

2. Collect Seed Keywords

Start with the basics.

Gather terms directly relevant to your business based on your market research. These are your primary keywords. For instance, if you’re in B2B SaaS, terms like “enterprise software,” “B2B solutions,” or “business management tools” should be on your list. These terms represent the core products or services your business offers.

Next, expand your list using tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Answer The Public.

These tools help uncover a broader range of potential keywords by providing insights into search volume, competition, and related terms. For instance, if your primary keyword is “enterprise software,” related keywords might include “enterprise software solutions,” “best enterprise software,” and “enterprise software vendors.”

Additionally, consider using keyword modifiers to refine your list further.

Modifiers such as “enterprise,” “solutions,” “software,” and industry-specific terms can help you target more precise searches. Including job titles, problem-specific modifiers, and industry-specific terms can make your keywords more targeted and effective.

3. Analyze Competitors

Competitor analysis is a critical step in keyword research.

Use SEO tools to identify and analyze your competitors’ keywords. Look for gaps and opportunities where they are underperforming in terms of content quality.

For instance, if a competitor is targeting great keyword opportunities but not optimizing their content well, use it! It’s an opportunity for you to rank higher with better content.

Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush are invaluable for this purpose.

They can help you discover the keywords your competitors are ranking for, along with their search volumes and competition levels. By identifying these keywords, you can leverage long-tail keyword opportunities and fill in the gaps your competitors might be missing.

One of my b2b clients, Vending Locator, saw significant success by strategically analyzing competitors and leveraging their long-tail keyword opportunities. This approach led to 12% of their content ranking in the top 3 search results within seven months.

4. Select Target Keywords

Choosing the right keywords is a balancing act.

Ideally, you want a mix of high-volume, low-competition keywords.

For new domains or those new to SEO, it’s essential to focus on low-hanging fruit — keywords with lower difficulty scores that you can realistically rank for. This approach helps gradually attract organic traffic, earn backlinks, and boost your authority score over time.

For example, if your domain authority (DA) is 25, aim for keywords with a difficulty score of 30 or less.

This conservative approach ensures that your efforts are focused on achievable goals, avoiding wasted effort on overly competitive keywords. Plus, it will certainly boost your domain’s authority with time — just stay patient. Here’s one of my client’s domain authority after 18 months of “casual effort”.

Additionally, focus on keywords that align with different stages of the buyer’s journey. This is supper important for B2B businesses as anyone you’ll talk to won’t allow any major deviation from the core business agenda.

4.1 Create Keyword Clusters and Silos

Organize your keywords into clusters around central topics. Keyword clusters are groups of related keywords that revolve around a central theme. This structured approach helps create a coherent content plan and enhances your SEO efforts.

Tools like Keyword Cupid, SEMrush, or even ChatGPT can assist in organizing your keywords into clusters.

For instance, if your main keyword is “B2B marketing,” related clusters might include “content marketing,” “email marketing,” and “social media marketing.” Grouping these keywords helps you build a robust content strategy that covers all aspects of your core topic.

Internal linking is crucial within each cluster.

Link your content pieces to each other and to the main cornerstone page. This strategy not only boosts SEO but also improves user navigation and engagement. For example, a blog post on “SEO content marketing strategy” should link back to your main “content marketing strategy” page and other related posts.

5. Develop a Content Strategy

With your keywords organized into clusters, it’s time to develop a content strategy that includes cornerstone pages and supporting cluster content.

Cornerstone pages are comprehensive guides that cover broad topics essential to your business. These pages serve as the central hubs of your content strategy.

Map each keyword in your clusters to specific content types like blog posts, whitepapers, or case studies.

For instance, blog posts are ideal for answering specific questions or diving into detailed aspects of a topic, while whitepapers provide in-depth analysis, and case studies showcase real-world applications and success stories.

Use tools like Lucidchart or a simple spreadsheet to map out your content strategy. Start with the cornerstone page at the center and branch out to related cluster content.

Ensure strong internal linking by linking each new content piece back to the relevant cornerstone page.

Remember, Keywords Need Some Backing Up

Once your content is live, promote it through various channels.

Share your cornerstone pages and supporting articles on social media platforms where your audience is active. Include links to your latest content in email newsletters and optimize for search engines. Consider using paid ads to drive traffic to cornerstone pages.

By following these steps, you’ll create a well-organized, effective content strategy that boosts your SEO and provides valuable information for your audience. This approach results in better B2B engagement and supports your overall digital marketing efforts, ensuring your content reaches the right people and drives business growth.

Thank you for reading! Content creation brings me immense joy, and it’s not just a hobby — it’s my profession.

If you’re looking for more valuable tips on content marketing and writing — and how to do a better job for your clients and yourself — feel free to find all you need right here.