Most manufacturing websites are built for information — not performance. They’re often slow, outdated, clunky, and completely invisible to search engines. But here’s the truth: even the best content and keyword strategy will fail if your technical foundation is broken.
If you want to rank on Google and bring in high-quality B2B leads, technical SEO isn’t optional. In fact, it’s one of the biggest missed opportunities in manufacturing SEO today.
Why Technical SEO Matters for Manufacturing Businesses
Think of technical SEO as the scaffolding behind your website. It ensures search engines can crawl, understand, and index your content correctly — and that users get a fast, frictionless experience.
For manufacturers targeting enterprise buyers, plant managers, and procurement teams, a poor-performing site sends the wrong message. If your site feels outdated, it suggests your processes might be too.
Suggested further reading: How to Optimize Your Manufacturing Website for Industrial Keywords
Common Technical SEO Issues on Manufacturing Websites
Manufacturing companies are especially vulnerable to technical SEO problems because their sites are often:
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Built on outdated CMS platforms
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Loaded with PDFs instead of crawlable content
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Missing metadata
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Slow-loading due to oversized images or old code
Here are the most common issues we see:
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Slow page speeds (especially on mobile)
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No SSL certificate (HTTPS)
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Missing or poorly structured XML sitemap
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Duplicate content
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Broken internal links
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No mobile responsiveness
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Unoptimized images (huge file sizes, missing alt text)
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Multiple H1 tags on a page
Suggested further reading: The Ultimate Guide to On-Page SEO for Manufacturing Websites
Step-by-Step: Fixing Your Technical SEO
1. Run a Full Technical Audit
Use tools like:
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Google Search Console
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Screaming Frog
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Ahrefs Site Audit
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PageSpeed Insights
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GTmetrix
These will show you crawl errors, slow-loading pages, redirect chains, and other red flags holding back your visibility.
2. Improve Site Speed
B2B buyers don’t wait around. If your site takes more than 2–3 seconds to load, expect high bounce rates.
Key fixes:
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Compress and resize images
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Minify CSS and JavaScript
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Enable browser caching
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Use a fast, reliable hosting provider
Suggested further reading: SEO vs Paid Ads for Manufacturers: What Gets Better ROI?
3. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
Over 60% of B2B searches now start on mobile. Your site should be:
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Fully responsive (adapts to all screen sizes)
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Easy to navigate with touch
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Free from overlapping elements or pinch-zoom issues
Test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
4. Optimize Crawlability and Indexing
Make sure Google can actually crawl and index your site:
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Create and submit an XML sitemap
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Use a proper robots.txt file (don’t block important pages)
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Avoid using noindex tags unless intentional
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Fix all broken links and 404 pages
Suggested further reading: Manufacturing SEO Checklist: Everything You Need to Know
5. Use Structured Data (Schema)
Schema markup helps search engines understand what your pages are about. For manufacturers, you might use:
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Product schema
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Organization schema
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Breadcrumb schema
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Review schema
Schema also increases your chances of getting enhanced listings in Google (like FAQs, star ratings, and product details).
6. Secure Your Website (HTTPS)
An unsecured website (HTTP) is flagged by browsers and reduces trust. Switch to HTTPS using an SSL certificate — most hosts offer them for free.
7. Set Up Canonical URLs
If your site has duplicate or similar pages (e.g., multiple service variations), use canonical tags to tell Google which version to index. This helps consolidate authority and avoid confusion.
Suggested further reading: Why SEO is Essential for Manufacturing Companies in 2025
Final Thoughts
Manufacturing companies are competing in a digital-first world — but most still have websites built like it’s 2008. Fixing your technical SEO gives you a clear edge in rankings, user experience, and trust.
If you want your content, keywords, and backlinks to actually work, your site needs a clean, efficient technical structure. Start with an audit, fix the basics, and watch your rankings improve.
