SEO for online stores that sell to other businesses: wholesalers, distributors, manufacturers and trade suppliers.
Prices are often hidden, catalogues sit behind logins, buyers search by part number, and sales close through quotes weeks later. We build for that: indexable part-number pages, a clear rule on what stays public, and reporting that follows the buyer to the account.
Send your store address and what's not working. Prefer to talk? Book a thirty minute call.
Fasteners › Bolts › Hex bolts › Stainless
M12 x 50 mm hex bolt, 316 stainless HB-M12-50-316
Most ecommerce SEO advice assumes an open catalogue, visible prices and a purchase that can finish in one session. B2B stores routinely have none of those, so the standard playbook transfers badly.
What B2B stores do have is unusually precise search behaviour. A buyer who types a manufacturer part number or a full specification already knows what they need. Those searches are low in volume and very high in intent, and most B2B competitors leave them unanswered.
The last row is the one that trips people up. A part number searched 20 times a month can be worth more than a category term searched 2,000 times, if one of those 20 becomes a trade account that orders every month. Volume is the wrong number to judge B2B search by. Value per visit is the right one.
| Retail (B2C) ecommerce | B2B ecommerce | |
|---|---|---|
| How buyers search | Descriptive and brand terms ("black running shoes") | Part numbers, specs, standards, compatibility ("M12 316 stainless hex bolt") |
| Pricing | Visible on the page | Often hidden, tiered by account, or quote-only |
| Catalogue access | Fully public | Partly or fully behind a trade login |
| Conversion | Checkout | Quote request, account application, repeat order |
| Who decides | One person | Often a buyer, a technical approver and finance |
| Sales cycle | Minutes to days | Weeks to months, then repeat orders for years |
| What to measure | Revenue per session | Quotes, accounts opened and account value over time |
| Search volume per term | Can be high | Usually low, but each visit can be worth far more |
This service suits stores where the catalogue is technical and the account is worth more than the order. It's the wrong fit if search can't see anything you sell, or if you need attributable revenue inside one quarter.
Not sure which side you're on? Email us your store address and we'll tell you honestly.
The biggest decision in B2B ecommerce SEO is what your catalogue shows to the public. Googlebot doesn't log in, so anything only visible to account holders can't rank. Hiding everything protects pricing but makes you invisible to new buyers. Showing everything can undercut your account terms.
We resolve that with a simple model. Each type of product information is rated Public, Partial or Private, based on its search value and its commercial risk. This is our working method, not an industry standard, and the right answer varies by business.
| Product information | Default rating | Why | SEO effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product name and brand | Public | Needed for any page to rank | Matches brand and product searches |
| Manufacturer part number and your SKU | Public | The highest-intent searches in B2B | Captures exact part-number queries |
| Full specifications (size, material, rating, tolerance) | Public | Buyers filter and compare on these | Matches specification searches and long-tail variants |
| Standards and certifications | Public | Buyers often search by the standard | Matches compliance and standard-number searches |
| Compatibility and replacement information | Public | Answers "fits" and "replaces" searches | Captures replacement-part demand |
| Datasheets and spec sheets | Public, as HTML plus a PDF download | PDF-only content is weaker as a landing page | Makes technical content crawlable and linkable |
| Stock availability | Partial ("In stock", "Made to order") | Signals reliability without exposing quantities | Supports conversion, low commercial risk |
| Minimum order quantity and pack sizes | Partial | Qualifies buyers before they enquire | Fewer wasted quotes |
| List price or RRP | Partial, your choice | Some sectors publish it, others never do | Can help shopping-style results if shown |
| Account, tiered and contract pricing | Private | This is your commercial advantage | No SEO cost to keeping it private |
| Customer-specific catalogues and reorder lists | Private | Belongs to the account | No SEO cost to keeping it private |
A common cause of an undersized public catalogue is a blanket login wall that also hides part numbers and specifications, which carry no pricing risk at all.
Each engagement draws on the workstreams below. The audit decides which ones your store needs, so you don't pay for a fixed package of work nobody needed.
Make part numbers, codes and specs indexable, matched to how buyers type them.
What you getA part-number and specification keyword map tied to specific URLs and templates.
We make part numbers, manufacturer codes, specifications and compatibility data indexable and matched to how buyers type them, including common formatting variants (with and without dashes or spaces). These searches convert well and most competitors ignore them.
Let search see your products while account pricing stays private.
What you getAn exposure plan your sales team and developer both sign off.
We apply the Catalogue Exposure Model to your store, so search can see your products while account pricing stays private.
Add the information only you hold, across every template.
What you getProduct and category templates that make every page distinct, applied across the catalogue rather than one page at a time.
Distributors often use the same manufacturer descriptions as every other reseller of that brand, so Google has little reason to prefer your page. We fix the template and the data, adding the information only you hold: stock location, pack sizes, applications, compatible parts and lead times.
Decide which specification filters deserve pages; block the rest.
What you getA filter indexation plan and crawl rules your developer can implement.
Specification filters (size, material, thread, voltage, finish) can create millions of near-duplicate URLs. Google's own documentation warns that crawlers can spend a large share of their visits on filtered URLs before working out they aren't useful, which slows the discovery of new products. We decide which filter combinations deserve indexable pages and block or consolidate the rest.
Turn spec sheets and guides into crawlable pages that link to products.
What you getA documentation content plan, prioritised by search demand.
Spec sheets, installation guides, compatibility tables and standards explainers are genuinely useful to buyers, and most competitors bury them in PDFs. We turn them into crawlable HTML pages that link back to the products.
Build pages around quote requests and trade account applications.
What you getConversion paths that send qualified enquiries to your sales team with the context they need.
In B2B, a quote request or a trade account application is the conversion. We build product and category pages around those actions, with clear trade-pricing prompts, quote forms that capture the part number, and account application paths that don't lose buyers.
Product, Organization and Breadcrumb markup, with no invented prices.
What you getValidated structured data across product and category templates.
We add Product, Organization and Breadcrumb markup that reflects what's actually on the page. If a price isn't shown publicly, it isn't invented in the markup, because structured data has to match visible content.
Give search credit for the accounts it starts, not only one-session orders.
What you getA reporting setup that tracks part-number visibility, quote requests and accounts opened.
We connect Search Console, your analytics and your CRM or order system, so search gets credit for the accounts it starts, not only the orders it closes in one session.
Broader B2B attribution work is covered on our B2B SEO services page.
Here's how we'd structure one product page on a fastener distributor's store. The product and business are illustrative, not a client, but the structure is the one we'd recommend.
The product: a 316 stainless steel hex bolt, M12 thread, 50 mm long, sold in boxes of 50 to trade accounts only.
The searches it should match: the manufacturer part number in several formats, "M12 x 50 316 stainless hex bolt", "M12 stainless bolt 50mm", and the relevant standard number.
/products/hex-bolt-m12-50-316-stainless/| Page element | What goes there | Why |
|---|---|---|
| URL | /products/hex-bolt-m12-50-316-stainless/ | Short, descriptive, no filter parameters |
| Title tag | M12 x 50 Hex Bolt, 316 Stainless | [Part number] | [Brand] | Leads with the spec buyers type, includes the part number |
| H1 | M12 x 50 mm hex bolt, 316 stainless steel ([part number]) | Matches the spec search and the part-number search |
| Specification table | Thread, length, material grade, head type, finish, standard, pack size | Matches long-tail spec searches; scannable for buyers |
| Part number variants | Manufacturer code with and without dashes, your SKU, superseded codes | Captures every way the code gets typed |
| Compatibility | Matching nuts and washers, linked | Internal links to related products; answers "what fits" |
| Pricing block | "Trade pricing for account holders. Log in or apply for an account." | Price stays private, the page still converts |
| Quote button | "Request a quote" form that pre-fills the part number and pack size | Quote is the conversion; sales gets the context |
| Availability | "In stock, ships from [warehouse state]" | Partial information builds trust without exposing quantities |
| Datasheet | HTML spec summary on the page, plus a PDF download | Crawlable content plus the file buyers need |
| Breadcrumb | Fasteners > Bolts > Hex bolts > Stainless | Clear hierarchy for buyers and crawlers |
| Structured data | Product with name, SKU, MPN, brand, image; no invented price | Matches what's visible |
Applied as a template, this structure improves every product in the catalogue at once. On a distributor with 8,000 products, that's the difference between 8,000 individual rewrites and one template change plus clean product data.
Most B2B stores sell well beyond their home city, so their search strategy has to work nationally. Nationwide B2B ecommerce SEO means ranking for searches from buyers in every state, not just where your office or warehouse sits.
If you sell mainly in specific capital cities, our SEO services across Australia page covers multi-city strategy, with dedicated pages for Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
The SEO principles stay the same across platforms. The limits each platform imposes on URLs, canonical tags, filtered pages and gated content are what change.
| Platform | Typical B2B setup | SEO points to check |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify and Shopify Plus | Native B2B features or wholesale apps | Fixed URL structures, collection duplicates, app-generated pages. See Shopify SEO |
| WooCommerce | Wholesale and role-based pricing plugins | Plugin-created duplicate pages, filter URLs, speed. See WordPress SEO |
| BigCommerce | Built-in or add-on B2B tooling | Faceted search URLs, customer-group visibility rules |
| Adobe Commerce (Magento) | Shared catalogues, company accounts | Layered navigation URLs, store views, index bloat |
| Custom, headless or ERP-driven stores | Catalogue fed from ERP or PIM | Rendering, crawlability of JavaScript, data quality from source |
Changing platforms? Plan the redirects before launch with our SEO migration service.
These are the errors that most often hold B2B stores back. Each one has a straightforward fix.
It protects pricing and also hides every part number from search.
InsteadExpose product data and keep only pricing and account-specific content private.
Every reseller of that brand has the same text.
InsteadAdd the information only you hold: stock location, pack sizes, compatibility, applications and lead times.
PDFs can be indexed, but they make poor landing pages for buyers.
InsteadPut the key specifications in HTML on the product page and offer the PDF as a download.
Specification filters can create far more URLs than you have products.
InsteadChoose the few filter pages that match real searches and block or consolidate the rest.
Markup has to match what visitors see.
InsteadMark up what's visible and leave pricing out.
A buyer who finds you through search and orders through a sales rep three months later shows up as zero.
InsteadMeasure quotes, account applications and accounts opened, connected back to the first visit.
InsteadCreate location pages only for real branches, warehouses or service areas.
You receive working documents you can use with or without us. If you move to another agency, they're yours to take.
| Deliverable | What it contains | When |
|---|---|---|
| Findings document | Crawl and indexation audit, gated-content review, competitor gaps, part-number visibility check | Weeks 1 to 2 |
| Catalogue exposure plan | Public, Partial and Private decisions for each data type, agreed with your sales team | Weeks 2 to 3 |
| Keyword-to-URL map | Category, specification and part-number search patterns mapped to templates and pages | Weeks 3 to 4 |
| Template specifications | Product and category template changes your developer can build, or that we implement | Weeks 3 to 4 |
| Crawl control plan | Filter indexation rules, canonical and robots decisions | Weeks 3 to 4 |
| Measurement setup | Search Console, analytics and CRM or order-system connections for quotes and accounts | Month 2 |
| Change log | Every change shipped, with its date | Ongoing |
| Monthly review | What moved, what didn't, and what comes next, from Search Console and your enquiry data | Monthly |
The process follows how B2B buyers actually find and choose suppliers. Steps 1 to 4 can run as a one-off project; steps 5 and 6 continue on a monthly retainer.
We learn who buys, what they search, how they order and where deals stall. You should see a short brief your sales team recognises as accurate.
We crawl the store, check what Google has indexed, and test how your part numbers and specifications currently appear in search. You'll know exactly which pages Google can see and which it can't.
We apply the Catalogue Exposure Model with your sales and commercial team. The result is a signed-off plan, so nobody is surprised by what goes public.
We specify, or implement, the template, data and internal linking changes. Changes apply across the catalogue, not one product at a time.
Technical fixes, page builds and content go live with a dated change log, so you can match changes to results.
Each month we review Search Console, analytics and your quote and account data together, and choose the next work on that evidence.
B2B ecommerce SEO is measured by the quotes, account applications and accounts that search starts, not by traffic alone. Traffic is a leading indicator; accounts are the outcome.
On timing, technical fixes can show up in Search Console within weeks. Rankings for competitive category terms usually take months, and the revenue effect takes longer again, because a B2B buyer who finds you this month may not open an account until next quarter. Anyone promising a fixed timeline for a specific position is guessing. Google states that no one can guarantee a number one ranking.
The method transfers directly to B2B: template-level changes applied across a whole catalogue, measured in the client's own Search Console.
Technical clean-up, optimised product and category pages, and internal linking rebuilt around the terms customers search for. Search Console showed 16,842 clicks and 2.58 million impressions in a three-month view beginning 27 January 2026.
Rebuilt collection structure, product-page templates and topical content, so the store could win specific searches across the whole catalogue. Search Console showed 113K clicks and 6.85 million impressions for the period shown.
Why it matters for B2B: a B2B catalogue has the same scale problem. Thousands of products can't be optimised one by one, so the gains come from templates, data and site structure.
See the full case studies Results vary with industry, competition, the site's condition and campaign length. No one can guarantee rankings, including us.
Quoted on the work: a 300-product trade store and a 30,000-product distributor are different jobs. The price depends on your store's condition, how competitive your category is, how much we implement, and how fast you want to move.
You get a written quote with the scope after the audit. Monthly packages are on the SEO packages and pricing page.
Yes. Hidden pricing is normal in trade and doesn't stop a page ranking. It changes the conversion from a purchase to a quote request or account application, so the page needs a clear trade-pricing prompt and quote path instead of an "Add to cart" button.
Usually most of it should. Googlebot can't log in, so a catalogue fully behind a login is invisible to new buyers. Showing product names, part numbers and specifications while keeping account pricing private gives you search visibility without the commercial risk.
Often, yes. A part number searched 20 times a month can be worth more than a broad term searched thousands of times, if those searchers are buyers ready to open an account. The figure to run is account value, not search volume.
Our ecommerce SEO service covers retail stores with open catalogues and checkout. Our B2B SEO service covers lead generation for B2B service and software companies. B2B ecommerce SEO sits between them: online catalogues sold to trade buyers, with gated pricing and part-number search.
Yes. We're based in Perth and work with businesses across Australia and internationally. Because B2B buyers rarely search with a city name, the work is national by default.
Read access helps but isn't essential at the start. Product data quality usually comes from the ERP or PIM, and measuring accounts needs the CRM or order system. We agree exactly what access is needed during the audit.
It can improve your chances, but no one can guarantee inclusion. Google says there are no extra requirements for AI Overviews beyond standard SEO practice. Clear, crawlable specification and compatibility content is exactly what those answers draw on.
No. Google's own guidance says no one can guarantee a number one ranking. We commit to an agreed scope, a dated change log and reporting from your Search Console and enquiry data.
Send your store address and what's not working. We look first, then tell you plainly whether B2B ecommerce SEO is worth it for your business.