Last updated: April 23, 2024
To determine the top SEO agencies for manufacturers in 2024, our team researched and ranked 50+ firms using an algorithm based on the following criteria:
- Notable Clients (30%): Experience with high-level manufacturing clients is the strongest indicator of an agency’s ability to deliver excellent SEO services, and is therefore the highest weighted factor in our algorithm.
- Leadership Experience Score (20%): We researched the executives and marketing leaders at each agency, assigning them a score from 1-5 based on their history both in the SEO industry as a whole, and with manufacturing companies specifically.
- Company Size (15%): Company size correlates significantly with client retention and the ability to manage successful manufacturing SEO campaigns.
- Years in Business (15%): Longer-lived SEO agencies have proven their ability to adapt to both Google’s algorithm updates as well as continue to secure growth for their clients during economic downturns.
- Headquarters (10%): Being located in a major city allows agencies to access a greater professional network and talent pool than those in smaller cities, and therefore constitutes a minor factor in our ranking.
- Approach to SEO (10%): Each agency has a unique approach to manufacturing SEO, and our ranking favors those that emphasize ROI and lead generation with their services.
In total, we analyzed 54 manufacturing SEO agencies using these filters, which our research team ultimately narrowed to the 8 below:
Top SEO Agencies for Manufacturers in 2024
| Rank | Company | Notable Clients | Leadership Experience Score (1-5) | Company Size | Years in Business | Headquarters | Approach to SEO |
| 1 | First Page Sage | Swagelok, Tempo, Zetec | 4.8 | 100-250 | 14 | San Francisco, CA | Combining manufacturing thought leadership with SEO for high-ROI lead generation |
| 2 | Kula Partners | Emmerson Packaging, Essex Active, Reliable Automatic Sprinkler | 4.5 | 11-50 | 19 | Halifax, Nova Scotia | SEO-focused web design and ABM |
| 3 | Industrial Strength Marketing | ExxonMobil, Sentry, UPS | 4.2 | 11-50 | 20 | Nashville, TN | Manufacturer brand strategy and sales enablement |
| 4 | Windmill Strategy | Fast Test, Summit Engineered Automation, North Star Imaging | 4.0 | 11-50 | 17 | Minneapolis, MN | Technical SEO and web design for manufacturers |
| 5 | Factory Web Source | Porsche, Ferrari, Penske | 4.0 | 11-50 | 5 | Henderson, NV | Social media marketing and video SEO |
| 6 | Aviate Creative | Sakar, Norwalt, Cimquest, Belay Technologies | 3.8 | 2-10 | 18 | Long Valley, New Jersey | Branding for manufacturing companies |
| 7 | Ecreative | Industrial Metal Supply, Rosedale Products, Inc, Stack Plastics | 4.0 | 11-50 | 24 | Saint Louis Park, MN | Paid search and web development for manufacturers |
| 8 | Brandpoint | Birchwood, Everest Ice & Water Systems, Goodin Company | 4.5 | 51-100 | 27 | Hopkins, MN | Combining MAT releases with SEO for manufacturers |
First Page Sage
First Page Sage is the largest manufacturing SEO company in the U.S., specializing in thought leadership and content creation. Their approach uses in-depth blog articles, white papers, case studies, and industry reports to position their clients as leading authorities in the manufacturing industry. First Page Sage is best suited for manufacturers who value long-term ROI and organic growth.
- Leadership Experience Score: 4.8
- Company Size: 100-250
- Years in Business: 14
- Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
- Additional Services: Web Design, Conversion Rate Optimization, Paid Search
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| First Page Sage “significantly increases online leads” through “exceptionally competent teams.” They utilize an ”incredibly diligent form of content marketing” to create “measurable results within year one.” |
Kula Partners
Kula Partners is a manufacturing marketing firm that joins ABM with SEO-focused web design, helping their clients secure specific, highly valuable clients. They also offer sales enablement services, providing support for smaller manufacturers with more limited teams. Because of their ABM focus, they are best at working with manufacturers in niche markets whose potential customers consist of a few very large companies.
- Leadership Experience Score: 4.5
- Company Size: 11-50
- Years in Business: 19
- Headquarters: Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Additional Services: ABM, Web Design & Development, Sales Enablement
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Kula Partners are “engaged and excited”, and provide a “positive experience” and “great website builds” for their clients. |
Industrial Strength Marketing
Industrial Strength Marketing works almost exclusively with OEMS, fabricators, and contract manufacturers, bolstering their lead generation through the creation of sales enablement content. By aligning their clients’ sales and marketing efforts, they also help clients develop metrics and evaluation data, making it easier to adjust campaigns as they evolve. They are a good fit for manufacturers who need additional sales support in addition to SEO services.
- Leadership Experience Score: 4.2
- Company Size: 11-50
- Years in Business: 20
- Headquarters: Nashville, TN
- Additional Services: Sales Enablement, Integrated Marketing, Branding
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| The Industrial Strength Marketing team is described as “friendly, professional” and “providing great insights and recommendations” for improving client online presence. |
Windmill Strategy
Windmill Strategy specializes in technical SEO and web design services for manufacturing companies. They work with clients to create content strategies, then implement both UX and backend optimizations to help clients secure higher search rankings. Because they do not provide content, they are best suited for manufacturers who already have in-house writing teams.
- Leadership Experience Score: 4.0
- Company Size: 11-50
- Years in Business: 17
- Headquarters: Minneapolis, MN
- Additional Services: Web Design & UX Optimization, ABM, Marketing Automation
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Windmill Strategy web designs are “outstanding” and marketing strategies are “highly-effective” at helping clients “achieve” their goals. |
Factory Web Source
Factory Web Source is a younger agency that focuses on social media and video SEO to help generate leads through a diverse array of digital marketing channels. Their clients have included high profile automotive manufacturers such as Ferrari and Porsche, and they work best with vertically integrated manufacturers who sell directly to consumers.
- Leadership Experience Score: 4.0
- Company Size: 11-50
- Years in Business: 5
- Headquarters: Henderson, NV
- Additional Services: Website Design, Social Media Marketing, Video Production
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| N/A |
Aviate Creative
Aviate Creative’s focus is branding and creating a unique identity for manufacturing clients based on their in the competitive landscape. This brand can then be promoted across multiple marketing channels, creating a consistent company image. Because of their creative focus, they are best suited for either new manufacturers who need to establish a visual identity, or older manufacturers in need of a brand refresh.
- Leadership Experience Score: 3.5
- Company Size: 5-10
- Years in Business: 18
- Headquarters: Long Valley, New Jersey
- Additional Services: Branding, Web & UX Design
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Aviate Creative is known for “truly listening and reflecting” the client “brand in their work.” |
Ecreative
Ecreative specializes in combining paid search and web development for manufacturer websites with specialized technical needs such as ERP and RFQ integration. They also offer paid search management, making their services a good fit for manufacturers who need short term lead generation and can afford the higher cost of inorganic marketing.
- Leadership Experience Score: 4.0
- Company Size: 11-50
- Years in Business: 24
- Headquarters: Saint Louis Park, MN
- Additional Services: Web Development, Marketing Automation, Social Media Marketing
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Ecreative shows “excellent project management”, maintains an “efficient workflow” and helps clients increase “site traffic.” |
Brandpoint
Brandpoint operates in a highly specialized niche, combining MAT releases of syndicated, sponsored content with content development services for a unique approach to manufacturing SEO. Their service straddles the line between PR and organic search, and their best work has been for companies launching new products or services.
- Leadership Experience Score: 4.5
- Company Size: 51-100
- Years in Business: 27
- Headquarters: Hopkins, MN
- Additional Services: PR, Graphic Design, MAT Releases
| Summary of Online Reviews |
| Brandpoint works “really quickly” and helps clients “tell a cohesive story“. Their reporting is “comprehensive“. |
How to Evaluate a Manufacturing SEO Agency
Our team included several additional considerations when determining whether or not a manufacturing SEO agency is the right fit for your company. The following table provides a more general overview of what to expect from agencies at different levels of service.
Manufacturing SEO Agencies: What to Expect
| Factor | Minimum | Average | Excellent |
| Scope of Work | Limited to a single specialty within SEO (e.g. technical SEO, web design, conversion optimization). | Necessary technical optimizations combined with basic SEO content. | Delivers a fully custom SEO strategy and provides industry leading content. Updates published content to improve and maintain search rankings according to the Corpus of Content model. |
| Content Strategy | N/A — Agencies at this level of service rarely provide content or any notable content strategy. | Uses a standardized template based on the the client’s general industry or company type. | Works with client to create a fully personalized strategy using manufacturing industry-specific SEO knowledge. |
| Team Composition | Not provided. Agency supplies learning resources for the client’s team to use. | General SEO team provided; writers and strategists may or may not have relevant experience | Dedicated strategists and technical writers work with manufacturing experts to craft industry-leading SEO content. |
| Campaign Updates | Updates mostly over email; may or may not provide regular in-person meetings | Meets with client once a week; sends additional updates via email. | Regular weekly meetings and at least one team member available to handle emergencies. |
| Measuring Results | A single report at the beginning of the campaign and little, if any, ongoing reporting. | Measured according to agency’s standard metrics, using the same metrics for every client. | Prioritizes client ROI by default, but works with manufacturing clients to determine which metrics are most important. |
Finally, the list below includes several key questions to consider asking when speaking with an SEO agency. During the sales process, it’s important to have your priorities straight
Specialty
Although many firms out there will claim to be able to do anything you need, the reality is that each SEO agency has a specific field they excel in. For example, First Page Sage is a full-service SEO company, but within SEO, specializes in creating authoritative thought leadership content and custom tailored strategic SEO plans. Agencies you consider should be able to provide similarly specific answers.
Follow up questions:
- What does your agency specialize in?
- What are your core services?
Content Creation
Whether you are looking for thought leadership or ad copy, the agency’s methodology for content creation will tell you a lot about how they view their work, your industry, and ultimately your agency. These questions are especially important in distinguishing a mid-range agency from an industry leader since most low-cost agencies may not even have content creation as an option.
Follow up questions:
- How involved will my team’s experts be?
- How do you create and organize your content plan?
- How many people will be assigned to my account?
- What is the background of the writer that would be assigned to my account?
Determining Results
How an SEO agency determines whether or not the campaign is a success is a critical discussion you should have first within your own company and then with the agency themselves. Require full transparency here: an agency that is hesitant to speak about or adjust their preferred metrics is a major red flag during the selection process.
Follow up questions:
- How do you measure campaign success?
- How often do we get a progress report?
- How do you attribute marketing results among SEO and other marketing activities?
- Can you provide client testimonials, specifically from within my industry?
Learning More About Choosing an SEO Agency
Finally, if you’d like to learn more about how to choose or evaluate a manufacturing SEO agency, you can reach out to us on our contact page.
