Research based on how B2B buyers search
- Keyword research on your products, processes, materials and industries served
- A look at the competitors who show up on your best searches
- Agreed search terms we track every month, so you know where you stand
Industry focus
SEO for manufacturers in South Africa, built around real buyer searches
Procurement managers, engineers and distributors search before they phone. They type the part, the material, the process and often the province. If your factory does not show up for those searches, the RFQ goes to the competitor who does. We help South African manufacturers with 5 to 200 staff get found by the buyers who are already looking.
Why manufacturers lose work online
Most manufacturing websites in South Africa were built as a digital brochure: a home page, an "about us" and one page listing everything the factory can do. That made sense ten years ago. Today, buyers search for something specific, like "stainless steel tank fabrication Gauteng", "injection moulding Cape Town" or "powder coating supplier Durban", and Google wants a page that answers that exact search.
A few gaps we see often:
- One general "products" page instead of a page per product line or process
- Capabilities, tolerances, materials and certifications hidden in a PDF that Google reads poorly
- No mention of the areas you deliver to, so you miss local and regional searches
- Enquiry forms that go to a general inbox nobody watches daily
- No tracking, so nobody knows which searches bring in quotes
None of these are hard to sort out. They just need someone to work through them steadily.
What SEO for manufacturers includes
Product, process and capability pages
- One focused page per product line or process, with specs, materials, tolerances and lead times
- Industry pages for the sectors you sell into
- Area pages where you deliver or install, from the Western Cape to Gauteng and KZN
- Certifications shown on the page, not only in a PDF
- Structured data so Google and AI tools can read your products and business facts
Technical foundations
This is the same foundation we describe on Get Found, tuned to a B2B sales cycle.
- A fast, mobile first site, since many buyers search from site or the factory floor
- Fixes to page titles, headings and internal links
- Sitemap, Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools set up in your name
Google Business Profile and directories
Your factory, showroom or trade counter should show on Google Maps with the right categories, photos and hours. We also list you consistently on key SA business and industry directories. See our Google Business Profile management page for the detail.
AI search visibility
Engineers and buyers are starting to ask ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews for supplier shortlists. We set out your business facts and capabilities in a way AI tools can read, and track how they describe you in our monthly AI visibility report.
Turning searches into RFQs
- Quote request forms that ask the right questions (quantity, material, drawing upload)
- Click to call and WhatsApp on every page, with fast replies through our Get Enquiries set-up
- Call and form tracking, so every RFQ is logged with its source
Reporting in rands, not just rankings
Rankings are nice, but you cannot bank them. Our monthly report follows each enquiry from the search that brought it in to whether it became a quote and an order. You see which product pages pull their weight and where to spend next. Read more on Grow Sales.
Real content from your factory floor
Stock photos of a generic robot arm do nothing to build trust. Real photos and short videos of your team, machines and finished products give buyers confidence and give Google something original to show. We plan shoots around your production schedule. Shoot pricing is quoted per shoot.
Plans and pricing
SEO for manufacturers runs on our standard plans, with no lock-in after the 3 month start period:
- Get Found: R6,950 per month, excl. VAT. Local SEO, new pages each month, AI visibility report and WhatsApp lead capture.
- Get Enquiries: R13,950 per month, excl. VAT. Adds Google Ads or Meta ads management and cost per lead tracking.
- Grow: R22,500 per month, excl. VAT. Adds content from real shoots and enquiries to revenue reporting.
Prefer to start with a once-off? Our Google and AI visibility audit is R4,950 once-off, excl. VAT. Full detail on Packages.
How we get started
- A free online health check of your site, Google, Maps and AI search presence. Request yours.
- A short call to understand your products, best margins and ideal buyers.
- A page plan, starting with the product lines that matter most to your business.
- New pages, fixes and tracking go live, then one monthly report.
See How it works or meet the team on About.
Questions owners ask
Does SEO work for B2B manufacturers, or only for shops and restaurants?
It works well for B2B. Buyers search for specific products, processes and materials, and those searches have strong buying intent even if volumes are smaller than consumer searches. One good RFQ can be worth a lot to a manufacturer.
How long does SEO take for a manufacturing website?
Technical fixes and new product pages can start showing in Google within weeks, while competitive terms usually take several months. We track agreed searches and enquiries monthly, so you can see the trend.
We sell mostly through distributors. Is SEO still worth it?
Often, yes. Distributors and specifiers research suppliers online too, and a strong site supports your sales team and distributors with specs and proof. We can shape pages around the buyers who matter most to your channel.
Do you need us to share confidential product information?
No. We only publish what you approve. We can describe capabilities, materials and industries served without sharing drawings, pricing or anything sensitive.
Can you work with our existing website?
In many cases, yes. After the health check we will tell you honestly whether to improve your current site or rebuild. A new custom website starts from R12,950 once-off, excl. VAT.
Do you work with manufacturers outside Cape Town?
Yes. We are a Cape Town team working with businesses across South Africa. Most SEO work is remote.
Are buyers finding your factory?
Start with a free online health check of your site, Google, Maps and AI search presence.