SEO Case Study: How a Manufacturing Company Increased B2B Leads by 180%
On April 7, 2025, a Cleveland, Ohio based manufacturing company partnered with Goforaeo because their website was not producing enough consistent B2B inquiries. They had solid capabilities, repeat customers, and a strong operations team, but organic search was not bringing in the right buyers. Most weeks, the sales team was still depending on referrals and outbound follow ups.
This case study explains what we did from April 2025 to October 2025, using a clean baseline from March 2025. You will see monthly work, monthly results, and a clear before vs after comparison that shows how the company grew qualified B2B leads by 180% through SEO.
Project overview: Location, market, and how we measured leads
This client manufactures precision components and assemblies for industrial buyers, including procurement teams, plant managers, and engineering contacts. Their service area included Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, but their quoting pipeline also depended on regional and national searches. That meant we had to balance local trust with industry-level keywords that buyers use when they are ready to request pricing.
We set up tracking in a way that the client could trust, because manufacturing SEO often suffers from messy lead reporting. If every click is counted as a lead, the numbers look good but the sales pipeline does not improve. We kept it strict, and that is why the proof is clean.
What counted as a B2B lead in this campaign
A lead was counted only when it showed real intent and was usable by sales. We also tagged leads by type so the team could see where the best opportunities were coming from.
Lead actions counted:
- RFQ form submissions with part details or drawings attached
- Contact form submissions with clear project scope
- Calls from tracked phone numbers on high intent pages
- Quote request emails from the website that included project info
- Spec sheet or capabilities brochure requests when the user provided company details
Lead actions not counted:
- Newsletter signups
- Careers form submissions
- Low intent messages with no company or project context
Tools used for tracking and SEO work
We used a practical tool stack that covered tracking, crawling, keywords, and conversion behavior. We did not overcomplicate it, because the client wanted clear explanations and clear monthly reporting.
Core tools:
- Google Analytics 4: conversion events, landing page performance, lead trends
- Google Tag Manager: clean tracking for RFQ, calls, downloads, and email clicks
- Google Search Console: queries, click growth, indexing, page level opportunities
- Screaming Frog: crawl audits, internal linking, duplicate metadata, broken links
- Ahrefs or Semrush: keyword mapping, competitor research, link monitoring
- PageSpeed Insights: speed checks for mobile and desktop templates
- Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar: user behavior, scroll depth, friction points
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting dashboard for consistent proof
Baseline: What performance looked like in March 2025
In March 2025, the website had a basic service structure and a few older blog posts, but it was not earning enough visibility for quote-ready searches. The site also did not guide users well once they landed, so even good traffic sometimes failed to turn into RFQs. The result was a website that looked professional, but did not behave like a lead engine.
Baseline metrics for March 2025:
- Organic sessions: 2,600
- Qualified B2B leads from organic: 25
- Lead rate from organic: 0.96%
- Keywords in top 10 positions: 8
- Search Console clicks: 620
Sales feedback in March was also very clear. The leads they did get were often too broad, such as “need manufacturing help,” without enough details to quote. That told us we needed better intent targeting, better page structure, and stronger trust signals.
What was blocking growth before we started
The audit showed that the site was not “broken,” but it had several gaps that matter a lot in manufacturing. Buyers want fast proof: capabilities, tolerances, materials, turnaround times, certifications, and a clear RFQ path. When those are missing or hard to find, the buyer bounces and searches again.
Main issues we found:
- Service pages were thin and did not match how buyers search for specific processes
- Many pages lacked strong internal links, so authority was not flowing to money pages
- The RFQ path was not clear on mobile, which reduced conversions
- Important trust items were buried: industries served, quality standards, equipment lists
- A few technical issues were holding back crawling and page performance
SEO strategy: The system we followed to grow qualified leads
We used a simple plan, but we executed it in the right order. First we fixed the foundation so Google could crawl the right pages and users had a smoother experience. Then we built a page structure around real buyer intent, including process pages, industry pages, and Cleveland trust signals. After that, we improved authority and conversion paths based on real user behavior and sales feedback.
Our strategy had four parts:
- Technical cleanup and internal linking improvements
- High intent landing pages for processes, industries, and RFQ searches
- Trust building through proof content and quality signals
- Conversion improvements so more visitors became quote requests
Technical foundation: Fix crawling, speed, and site clarity
Manufacturing sites often grow by adding pages, but if the technical base is messy, growth slows down quickly. We cleaned up crawl paths, fixed duplicate metadata patterns, improved page speed, and made sure important pages were easy to reach. This helped rankings and helped users navigate without frustration.
Key technical work:
- Improved mobile performance on service templates
- Fixed duplicate title tags and thin meta descriptions
- Cleaned indexation for low value pages that were wasting crawl attention
- Strengthened internal linking from blogs and resources into RFQ pages
Content and landing pages: Match how buyers actually search
We focused on the searches that happen right before a buyer requests pricing. In manufacturing, that often means process plus material, process plus tolerance, or process plus industry. Instead of writing random blog posts, we built a structured set of pages that support quoting and engineering conversations.
Core page groups we built and expanded:
- Process pages: CNC machining, fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing
- Industry pages: industrial equipment, automotive supply, medical components, packaging
- Capabilities pages: materials, tolerances, equipment, quality process, lead times
- Cleveland trust pages: local presence, service radius, shipping and pickup details
Trust building: Show proof quickly and clearly
Buyers need proof before they send drawings or part specs. We improved trust signals across the site, without making it feel heavy or overly corporate. The goal was simple: help the buyer feel confident in the first 20 seconds on the page.
Trust upgrades included:
- Clear quality and certification sections where relevant
- Short case examples with measurable outcomes
- Equipment and capacity highlights written in simple language
- Updated content dates on refreshed pages to signal freshness
Conversion improvements: Make RFQ actions easy to complete
A common problem in B2B manufacturing is friction. Forms ask too much too early, or CTAs are hidden, or the RFQ page feels unclear. We simplified the experience and made the next step obvious, especially on mobile.
Conversion upgrades included:
- Cleaner RFQ page layout with step by step guidance
- Shorter form fields and better field order
- Clear upload area for drawings and specs
- CTAs added to process pages so buyers did not have to hunt
Month by month execution and results: April 2025 to October 2025
The sections below show exactly what we shipped each month and how the numbers changed. Each month includes actions and metrics so the progress is easy to follow.
April 2025: Setup, audit, and quick structural wins
April was about getting clean measurement and fixing the biggest blockers first. We aligned tracking, reviewed Search Console data, and rebuilt internal linking so key service pages were not isolated. We also refreshed the RFQ page so it matched what buyers expect.
Work completed:
- GA4 and Tag Manager setup for qualified lead actions
- Crawl audit and internal linking fixes for core service pages
- RFQ page refresh with clearer steps and a better mobile layout
- Metadata improvements for top converting pages
April results:
- Organic sessions: 2,850
- Qualified B2B leads: 28
- Keywords in top 10: 10
- Search Console clicks: 710
May 2025: Process pages rebuilt for buyer intent
In May, we focused on process pages because those drive the highest intent searches. We expanded content depth, added clear capability details, and built a stronger link path from the homepage and navigation. We also improved the wording so it sounded like a real manufacturer, not generic marketing.
Work completed:
- Rebuilt CNC machining and fabrication pages with deeper capability sections
- Added internal links from related pages and resource content
- Improved page headings to match real search terms and buyer questions
- Added RFQ prompts that felt natural, not pushy
May results:
- Organic sessions: 3,200
- Qualified B2B leads: 33
- Keywords in top 10: 14
- Search Console clicks: 860
June 2025: Industry pages and proof content added
In June, we built industry pages because buyers often search by end use. We also added proof content that sales teams can use, like short case examples and measurable outcomes. This month improved both rankings and lead quality, because inquiries came in with clearer context.
Work completed:
- Built industry pages for key verticals the company wanted more of
- Added simple case examples with results and project context
- Improved trust sections: quality process, inspection, and turnaround clarity
- Expanded FAQ sections on process pages based on real sales questions
June results:
- Organic sessions: 3,700
- Qualified B2B leads: 40
- Keywords in top 10: 19
- Search Console clicks: 1,020
July 2025: Technical cleanup round two and site speed improvements
In July, we used crawl data to find what was still slowing growth. Some pages were competing with each other, and a few templates were heavier than needed. We fixed those issues, cleaned internal linking again, and improved page speed where drop offs were happening.
Work completed:
- Fixed duplicate and near-duplicate content patterns across similar pages
- Improved speed on high traffic templates and image-heavy sections
- Strengthened internal links to the RFQ page from all money pages
- Added schema where it made sense for organization and services
July results:
- Organic sessions: 4,400
- Qualified B2B leads: 48
- Keywords in top 10: 26
- Search Console clicks: 1,260
August 2025: Authority building and smarter content expansion
In August, we expanded content based on Search Console queries and competitor gap analysis. We also started quality outreach for mentions in relevant directories and industry resources. The goal was authority that actually makes sense for a manufacturer, not random links.
Work completed:
- Built supporting pages for materials and finishing options
- Published 3 high intent guides based on buyer questions and query data
- Outreach for industry relevant mentions and supplier style listings
- Improved page titles and intros to lift click through rate
August results:
- Organic sessions: 5,100
- Qualified B2B leads: 56
- Keywords in top 10: 33
- Search Console clicks: 1,520
September 2025: Conversion improvements based on user behavior
In September, we used session recordings and GA4 funnel data to see where people hesitated. We found that some buyers wanted faster proof near the CTA, and others wanted clarity about lead times and materials before filling an RFQ. We adjusted page layout and added short clarity sections in the right spots.
Work completed:
- RFQ form improvements to reduce friction and improve completion rate
- Added lead time and process clarity blocks near key CTAs
- Updated older pages that were ranking but not converting well
- Strengthened internal links to pages ranking in positions 11 to 20
September results:
- Organic sessions: 5,700
- Qualified B2B leads: 63
- Keywords in top 10: 40
- Search Console clicks: 1,760
October 2025: Scaling what worked and locking in results
October was about scaling without losing quality. We refreshed the top converting pages again, expanded the best-performing clusters, and did a final internal linking pass. We also reviewed lead quality with the sales team to confirm that the increase was real and not just more noise.
Work completed:
- Refresh of top converting service pages with clearer proof sections
- Expanded industry content based on the strongest lead sources
- Final internal linking pass to push high value pages higher
- Tracking review to prevent duplicate lead events
October results:
- Organic sessions: 6,400
- Qualified B2B leads: 70
- Keywords in top 10: 46
- Search Console clicks: 2,010
Optional lead mix detail from October 2025:
- RFQ submissions with specs: 41
- Qualified contact requests: 17
- Tracked calls with project context: 12
Before vs after proof: The 180% lead increase explained clearly
The cleanest comparison is the baseline month to the final measured month. In March 2025, qualified organic B2B leads were 25. In October 2025, qualified organic B2B leads reached 70. That is a 180% increase, calculated as: (70 minus 25) divided by 25.
Supporting proof that it was not only traffic growth:
- Organic sessions increased from 2,600 to 6,400
- Keywords in top 10 increased from 8 to 46
- Search Console clicks increased from 620 to 2,010
- Lead quality improved, with more RFQs including drawings, part specs, and timelines
What worked best: The real drivers behind the improvement
This campaign worked because we aligned SEO with the way industrial buyers decide. Procurement and engineering searches are specific, and they need proof fast. When we built pages that answered those needs and made RFQ actions easier, the lead flow changed.
The biggest drivers:
- Strong process pages with real capability depth and clear RFQ paths
- Industry pages that matched buyer language and project context
- Better internal linking that pushed authority to quoting pages
- Trust proof placed near CTAs, not hidden in the footer
- Conversion fixes that reduced friction on mobile and on long forms