Industrial marketers, it’s time we stop flying blind when it comes to "local SEO". (i.e. Your regional competitors) If you're runnin B2B service firm or regional supplier, your online visibility within a 100-mile radius can be the difference between steady inbound leads ... and crickets.
Local SEO is not some mysterious force. It’s a tactical playbook. And one of the most powerful chapters in that playbook is competitor analysis. Not in a fluffy “check-the-box” way ... but in a strategic, head-on, high-impact way that fits our world of long sales cycles, technical buyers, and relationship-based business.
This isn’t theory.
This is about taking command of your local digital footprint by dissecting what your competitors are doing ... and then doing it better. Let’s break this down in a way that makes sense for your industrial, B2B space.
Know Who You’re Really Competing Against Online
Here’s the kicker: Your offline competition may not be your real threat online.
You might think the shop across town or across the state is your main rival. But Google’s algorithm doesn’t care about who’s closest ... it cares about who shows up strongest in search. That means your real SEO competition might be a distributor three counties over, a directory site, or even a big-box store with national reach but localized search authority.
Run some incognito Google searches for your key terms in your service area. Who shows up? Are you seeing:
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Direct competitors?
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Aggregators like ThomasNet?
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Content-rich players like trade publications?
That’s your actual battlefield.
And if your brand isn’t even on the map for key terms? You need to look at paid search or social to bridge the gap while your primary strategy ... organic strategy ... gains traction.
On-Page SEO: Read the Tea Leaves in Their Website Copy
Start by dissecting what’s working on your competitor’s website. It’s not just about who’s ranking above you ... it’s why they are.
Look at:
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Page titles and headings: What keywords are they anchoring their message around?
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URL structures: Are they using location-based slugs like /industrial-pumps-kalamazoo?
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Internal links: How are they connecting content and guiding users?
A lot of your competitors will unknowingly leave SEO gold on the table. Sloppy H1s, zero schema markup, no neighborhood-level content ... all opportunities for you to do better.
Run their site through Google’s PageSpeed Insights. Compare mobile-friendliness and UX performance with your own site. If their mobile experience is clunky and yours is clean ... that’s your edge. Personally, I like SEMrush's local SEO tools (paid). It can tell a lot in one dashboard.
Google Business Profile (GBP): Your Local SEO Power Move
Your Google Business Profile isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s a revenue lever.
Most industrial firms grossly underuse GBP. That’s your advantage ... if you’re paying attention.
Spy on competitors' GBP pages. Look at:
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Chosen categories
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Keywords in their business descriptions
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Number of photos and posts
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How often they post
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Review activity
Google says businesses with photos get 42% more map directions and 35% more clicks. If your competition posts once a year ... typical in this sector... and has blurry product shots from 2009 ... your weekly content and fresh images will dominate your local and regional B2B competitors over time.
Local Citations: Industrial Brands Still Win with NAP Accuracy
It’s old-school ... but citations still matter. Especially in niche B2B spaces.
Tools like Whitespark or BrightLocal will help you see where your competitors are listed. Look for:
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Directories they're in that you’re not
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Inconsistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across listings
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Opportunities for industry-specific citations
Citations are about trust signals. And in our world ... where buying cycles are long and buyers do their homework ... that matters.
Again, tools like SEMrush (paid) can manage all this using their Listing Management tool. If you are a competitive regional provider ... in my opinion, if your marketing folks or agency is not using this tool, it is malpracetice.
Backlinks & Local Link Building: Your Online Street Cred
Backlinks from local sources carry serious weight in local SEO.
Use SEMrush to look at where your competitors’ backlinks are coming from:
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Local news
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Trade associations
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Chambers of commerce
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Partner blogs
- Parent companys
Find gaps where you can one-up them. Can you write a guest post for your regional manufacturing alliance? Partner with a vendor on a case study? Sponsor a local event and get featured on their site?
Backlinks validate both your local and industry authority. This is SEO with boots on the ground.
Reviews & Reputation: Monitor and Respond Like You Mean It
For industrial brands, reviews can feel like an afterthought. Big mistake.
B2B buyers are doing deep diligence before they even pick up the phone. If your competitors have recent 5-star reviews with thoughtful responses ... and your profile is a ghost town ... guess who’s getting the lead?
Study:
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Volume of reviews
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Recency
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Sentiment
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Response rate
Then make reviews part of your process. Ask loyal customers. Incentivize your inside sales team to follow up. Make it systematic.
Local Content: Own the Conversation in Your Zip Code
Let’s be honest ... most industrial companies aren’t winning awards for content. That’s your in.
I still find that hard to believe ... but understand. You're busy!
Look at the kind of content your competitors are posting:
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Blog posts?
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Local case studies?
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Event recaps?
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“How-to” articles tied to local needs?
Then go 10% further. Instead of “Best Welding Tips” ... try “Best Welding Practices for Outdoor Installations in Indiana winters.” Make it hyperlocal and specific.
One of my favorite plays? Local guides. Think:
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“Top 5 Machine Shops in Grand Rapids” (with you at the top)
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“How to Winterize Your HVAC System in [Town]”
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“OEM Support Options Within 50 Miles of [City]”
Make your site the source of industrial insight for your local niche.
Turn Gaps Into Growth Opportunities
Every weak spot you find in a competitor’s game is a chance to take the lead.
Ask yourself:
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Where are they missing sub-categories in Google Business Profile?
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Are they neglecting niche keywords?
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Are they skipping out on video content?
Don’t just plug the holes ... build a better boat. Your content, your UX, your social proof ... make it all sharper and more aligned with what your buyers actually want.
Reverse Engineer the Win
Copying your competitors won’t work. Adapting their strategy to your business and improving it will.
Look at what’s working. Understand why it’s working. Then ask:
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Can we make this more relevant to our buyers?
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Can we deliver more value?
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Can we add richer media (video, PDFs, calculators)?
If they’re writing about "lean manufacturing tips," you write the ultimate lean manufacturing guide ... include tools, local stats, expert quotes.
Out-execute them at every turn.
Relationships Still Rule the Local Game
Here’s something your competitors can’t duplicate: your local network.
Partnerships with like-minded businesses, content collabs with suppliers, in-person events with local industry groups ... those build your local SEO footprint and your real-world reputation.
If your competitor’s partnering with the local college, think bigger. Sponsor their capstone projects, host facility tours, get featured in their alumni newsletter.
This is where B2B meets boots-on-the-ground branding. And Google pays attention. Boy ... do they pay attention!
Always Be Monitoring
Set a recurring schedule to check:
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Your ranking vs. theirs
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New competitors entering your space
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Content frequency
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New backlinks
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Review counts
Tools like SEMrush help, but your gut and experience matter too. Watch the market like a hawk. React fast. Adjust even faster.
This Isn’t Just SEO … It’s Strategy
Competitor analysis isn’t a tool ... it’s a mindset.
The industrial companies dominating local SEO aren’t the ones with the biggest budgets ... they’re the ones with the sharpest strategy and relentless execution.
You’ve got the grit. Now sharpen your digital strategy and go to war ... because your competitors already are and if not, will be soon.
Want to know more, go to What We Do or Contact Me in the menu above. Or give me a call at 269-375-0349.
