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Machine Shop Marketing Case Study: 2017 Results and 2026 Lessons

October 7, 2026 update: how to read this case study

This case study describes work and observations reported in May 2017 for Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise and O & S Machine Company. The rankings, screenshots, project timelines, and visitor counts below are historical. They have not been re-measured for this update and should not be interpreted as current company performance or a promise of similar results.

The reported analytics period was November 1, 2016 through May 1, 2017. The original post reported 597 unique visitors for Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise and 505 for O & S Machine Company. Visitor counts and search positions alone do not establish incremental revenue, profit, or the number of qualified RFQs generated. The article does not provide a controlled comparison or a complete sales-attribution record.

What still makes a useful foundation

A readable website, accurate capability information, useful location details, and a clear contact route remain sensible project priorities. The transferable lesson is to begin with the shop’s real starting point and build a measurable process. The exact schedule, platform list, and number of directories used in 2017 should not be copied as a current implementation recipe.

What to do differently today

Choose directories based on relevance and accuracy rather than a submission quota. Select social channels for a defined audience and sustainable publishing plan. The historical references to Google+ and other old platform choices describe the original project, not current recommendations.

Treat historical rankings as dated observations. Search results vary by query, location, and time. Do not double a search-volume estimate to account for other search engines without supporting data. Do not equate an analytics visitor with a potential order.

The original blanket discouragement of paid advertising is also too broad. A focused PPC test may be appropriate for some shops when capability fit, landing pages, budget limits, and qualified-lead measurement are clear.

Apply the lesson with current measurement

Record the baseline, the specific changes, and the period being reviewed. Connect inquiries to qualification, quotes, and outcomes in a CRM. Document customer concentration and project changes that might affect the comparison.

Use our SEO audit checklist to identify the next website improvements and the RFQ qualification scorecard to evaluate inquiry quality. The original account follows as a historical record.

Original 2017 case study

Owners and marketing directors are hounded weekly if not daily regarding digital marketing. We at KriXis Consulting decided more than a year ago to take a different approach; create a data-backed, industry-specific case study.

This post has been written with two goals in mind, to thoroughly explain a digital marketing process and provide realistic attainable benefits from the explained processes. We realize you may be unfamiliar with some terms in this post, to help we hyperlinked terms-of-art to pages with easy explanations for your convenience.

We wanted to find the perfect machine shop; a company that understood an online presence was needed, but was not actively making improvements.

Our desired shop met the following criteria:

  • Has an outdated or no website;
  • Absent from social media;
  • Sparse if any digital presence;
  • At least 10+ years in business.

 

Shop Selection

 

Over a year ago (currently May 2017) we sent an offer via email blast for a discounted website, design and build, and creation of a digital marketing foundation in return to allow us to create a case study. We selected two machine shops – Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise, based in Franklin TN; and O & S Machine Company, from Latrobe PA. Both met all (4) criteria, and were located in competitive machining markets.

 

Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise Initial Online Presence

Shop had dated and not responsive, not mobile-friendly, website (SEE screenshot below).

 

Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise | Homepage | Old Website

 

 

Social media signals and profiles were not present and the website had zero back-links. However, due to having a website, SME was able to build some domain authority.

 

O & S Machine Initial Online Presence

This fifty year-old machine shop had no online presence at all.

 

Browser Not Found Sample

 

Both companies were given similar plans-of-action, processes and timelines, each are discussed in further detail below.

 

Timeline and Process

 

Due to both businesses having different starting points we tailored separate plans to ensure both were given a strong digital marketing foundation. However, each strategy followed a few basic principles: designing and building a responsive website, ensure focus of all major on-page SEO elements, create social media accounts, and correctly submit business listing citations.

At KriXis Consulting projects always kick-off with market research by MBAs utilizing a variety of tools, such as Google Keyword Planner and FreshKey, creating a clear marketing picture.

The two machine shops in this study were no exception to this rule. This tactic gives us insight into the volume of searches queried for specific terms or phrases, with results being based on monthly averages over 12-months, these can even be pinpointed to specific geographical areas. To simply put it, we uncover what potential customers are searching in your area, and make sure marketing efforts are geared towards those searches.

If that sounded confusing, don’t worry, it will all make sense when you see the plans in their entirety, followed by the results. Specific details for each company are listed below.

 

Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise Marketing Plan

 

SME Responsive Website

 

We allotted 7-business days to conduct the research, present a mock-up layout, and build the new website.

 

Southeastern Manufacturing | Homepage | New Responsive Design

 

On-Page Keyword SEO Focus

 

  • Nashville TN Machine Shop
  • CNC Milling
  • Turning
  • Machine Building Services

 

Created Social Media Accounts

 

Completed within 30-days.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Google+

 

Business Listing Citations

 

Completed within 60-days.

  • Top 50 Directories

 

Kudzu Business Listing | Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise

(Sample of correctly formatted business directory submission.)

 

Additional Blog

 

Within 90-days of project commencement we built SME a blog page, as well as produced an optimized article.

 

O & S Machine Company Marketing Plan

 

O & S Machine’s Responsive Website

 

We allotted 14-business days to conduct the research, present a mock-up layout, and build the new website. Extra time was provided due to no website existing prior to project.

 

Responsive Homepage | O&S Machine Company

 

On-Page Keyword SEO Focus

 

  • South Western PA Machine Shop
  • Pittsburgh Area Machining

 

Created Social Media Accounts

 

Completed within 30-days.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+

 

Business Listing Citations

 

Completed within 180-days.

  • Top 80 Directories

 

AboutUs Business Directory Submission | O&S Machine Company

(Sample of correctly formatted business directory submission.)

 

Current Standings (May 2017)

 

This is everyone’s favorite part, results that affect the bottom-line.

 

Search Engine Results

 

For each company we ran over 50 variations of common search phrases regarding services provided. We then selected (4) search terms using keywords for each shop’s geographical area, which averaged at least 50-100 searches per month; this provided a total of 200-2,000 opportunities for their machine shop to be found per month. These numbers only account for Google and their search partners; when considering Bing, Yahoo and Ask Jeeves, those numbers are easily doubled.

Feel free to test the following results for yourself.

 

SERPs | Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise

Tennessee Machine Shop

  • Ranking: First Page, #10

Machine Building in TN

  • Ranking: First Page, #6

Franklin TN Machine Shop

  • Ranking: First Page, #3

CNC Machining in Franklin TN

  • Ranking First Page, #3

 

Google Search Engine Result | CNC Machining in Franklin TN

 

SERPs | O & S Machine Company

 

PA Machine Shop

  • Ranking: First Page, #1

Greater Pittsburgh Area Machining Services

  • Ranking: First Page, #1

Southwestern PA Machining

  • Ranking: First Page, #2

Pittsburgh Area Natural Gas Machining

  • Ranking: First Page, #1

 

Google Search Results | PA Machine Shop

 

Google Analytics Data

 

We added Google Analytics tracking to both websites. This software allows web admins to gather data ranging from the number of times a website was visited, geographic location of the visitors, how someone found a website (ex. search engine or directly typing in the web address), even exactly how the website is navigated during the visit. Not only does this information track marketing effort progress, but also allows admins to seek out bottlenecks preventing visitors from what is most important, making visitor into customer.

Below we added screenshots for both company’s data over a 6-month period, November 1, 2016 – May 1, 2017.

 

Google Analytics | Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise

 

KriXis Consulting Google Analytics Data | Southeastern Manufacturing Enterprise

 

  • 597 unique visitors during a 6-month period.

 

Google Analytics | O & S Machine Company

 

Data From Google Analytics By KriXis Consulting | O&S Machine Company

 

  • 505 unique visitors during a 6-month period.

 

Case Study Overview

 

  • Two machine shops, in different locations and markets began with little to no online presence.
  • KriXis Consulting provided tailored plans to build a strong digital foundation.
  • Both companies generated awareness and business within a year time period, backed by data directly from Google.

 

We cannot stress enough that digital marketing is not an overnight success. You will not see immediate results unless you implement paid ad campaigns, which we highly discourage doing for the machining and manufacturing industry.

Additionally, it’s important to note both projects have been complete for almost a year, which provided the necessary time to have all aspects of the foundation indexed.

Our goal is long-term partnerships with clients that provide years of growth and online dominance. If you have any questions regarding what you have read or if you are interested in seeing what we can do for you, fill out the contact form below, or visit our contact page and it will be our pleasure to provide a free consultation. Thank you for taking the time to read this post, please share it via social media or with anyone whom you think it could benefit, if you’d like to learn more about our services or see more posts like this, all you need to do is click either link.

 

We Look Forward To Hearing From You!

 

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Local SEO Video Overview: Updated Guide for Machine Shops

Updated October 7, 2026.

This page originally introduced a local SEO video in 2016. The historical recording reflects the tools and interfaces of that period. The written companion below provides the current practical framework for a machine shop reviewing regional visibility.

What local SEO should help a buyer do

A nearby buyer should be able to find accurate information about your shop, understand whether you handle the requested work, and reach the right contact. A map listing is one part of that experience; a useful website and a reliable response process complete it.

A buyer arranging a supplier visit may care about location and access. Someone seeking a production partner may care more about process, material, documentation, and quantity. Your pages should answer those questions clearly.

Keep the business identity accurate

Use the real business name and current contact details across the profile and website. Follow Google’s business representation guidelines, including eligibility and location requirements. Do not invent offices to appear in more places.

Review the listings that customers actually use. Correct outdated information and retain account ownership records so a future move or phone change can be handled efficiently.

Connect discovery with capability information

Send visitors to a relevant page that explains the services available. Keep regional information factual and avoid repetitive pages that merely exchange one city name for another.

Google’s local ranking guidance describes relevance, distance, and prominence as the main local ranking factors. A complete profile is useful, but it does not guarantee a particular position.

Give buyers a manageable next step

Make the inquiry route visible and explain what information to provide. Test the form and phone links on a mobile device, then verify that inquiries reach an assigned person. Use an approved method for confidential technical files.

Track whether inquiries fit the shop and progress to estimating. Review repeated questions and update the website where clearer information would help.

Continue with the detailed guides

Use this overview to orient the team, then choose one concrete correction to make first. Accurate information and a working inquiry path are sensible starting points before expanding into more content or directories.

Historical video: originally shared in 2016

This recording is retained for historical context. Use the updated written guidance above for current implementation priorities.

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SEO Audit for Machine Shops: A Practical 2026 Checklist

October 7, 2026 update: add an RFQ acceptance check

Extend the audit beyond successful form submission. Select a recent sample of inquiries and record which were accepted for estimating, which needed clarification, and which were declined. Compare those outcomes with the pages and sources that introduced the buyer when that information is available.

A useful audit finding should identify the affected page, the buyer’s problem, the proposed correction, and an owner. For example, repeated inquiries for unsupported part sizes may justify a clearer capability limit; missing quantities may justify better intake instructions. Neither issue is solved merely by increasing traffic.

Use the RFQ qualification scorecard to make the review consistent and the CRM workflow to assign follow-up. Check that analytics records successful actions without collecting personal details or confidential drawing contents. Keep the original publication date and use the update date to identify substantive revisions.

The checklist below was refreshed in September 2026 and remains the foundation for this additional review.

Updated September 2026. An SEO audit should do more than create a long list of technical warnings. For a machine shop, it should identify what keeps qualified buyers from finding, understanding, and contacting the business online. The most useful audit connects search visibility to capability proof, buyer confidence, RFQ conversion, and the sales process that follows.

This practical checklist focuses on improvements that make a manufacturing website more useful to prospective customers and easier for search engines to understand. Start with the pages and problems closest to qualified inquiries—not generic scores or keyword repetition.

Start with buyer and RFQ goals

Before reviewing titles, links, or page speed, define what the website needs to accomplish. A machine shop may want more qualified RFQs, better-fit customer inquiries, stronger regional visibility, recognition for a particular process, or clearer communication about its capabilities.

Write down the questions a buyer should be able to answer after visiting the site. What processes does the shop support? Which materials, tolerances, or part types are relevant? Who is the ideal customer? What should a prospect include with an RFQ? Each audit finding should be judged by whether it makes that next conversation more informed and useful.

Confirm search engines can access the right pages

Start with the technical foundation. Search engines need to be able to crawl and understand the pages prospective customers should find. Review the XML sitemap, robots directives, canonical URLs, redirects, and indexability settings. Important service, capability, contact, and resource pages should not be accidentally blocked or marked noindex.

If Google Search Console is configured, review indexing reports, page status, and the search queries associated with high-value pages. Look for broken destinations, redirect chains, duplicate page versions, and old URLs that still receive impressions. Do not chase every automated warning equally; prioritize issues that affect important pages or interrupt the RFQ path.

Not every URL belongs in search results. Expired promotions, duplicate landing pages, thin thank-you pages, and outdated seasonal campaigns may be better consolidated, redirected when there is a clear replacement, or kept out of the index. Make deliberate choices so legacy content does not compete with current services.

Map buyer intent to real capability proof

A machine shop website should help buyers research a specific need. Review whether the site has substantive pages for the capabilities the business wants to be known for. A strong page explains the work in plain language, provides relevant proof where possible, and gives the reader a logical next step.

Useful capability content may include:

  • Processes, equipment, materials, and production contexts the shop can accurately support.
  • Questions buyers should answer before requesting a quote.
  • Current quality, documentation, and communication practices that can be verified.
  • Relevant examples or photography that do not expose confidential customer information.
  • Clear calls to action for a consultation or RFQ conversation.

Avoid publishing large groups of near-duplicate pages that only swap a city, material, or keyword phrase. One useful page that demonstrates honest expertise is more valuable than many thin pages built around slight wording changes.

Review the on-page foundation

Each important indexable page should have one clear purpose. Check that it includes a descriptive page title, useful meta description, one primary H1, logical H2 sections, readable copy, and an accurate canonical URL. Titles and descriptions should help a buyer decide whether a page is relevant; they should not be a string of repeated keywords.

Review images as well. Use visuals that support the message, place them near relevant text, and write accurate alternative text. Real shop-process, inspection, engineering, or team photography can strengthen buyer confidence when it reflects the information around it.

Historical articles can still have value, but dated advice should be refreshed, clearly labeled, or linked to a current resource. This is especially important for older material about search, social platforms, advertising tools, and website technology.

Test technical SEO and user experience together

Technical SEO and buyer experience overlap. Test the site on a phone, tablet, and desktop. Navigation should be understandable, text should be readable, forms should work, primary pages should load reliably, and important information should not be hidden behind confusing interactions.

Check recurring templates for missing headings, oversized images, duplicated title elements, empty image alternative text, broken buttons, or inconsistent contact details. The goal is not a perfect audit score—it is a clear, dependable experience for the people evaluating your business.

Inspect internal links and the RFQ path

Internal links help visitors and search engines understand how pages relate to one another. From every service or capability page, a reader should be able to reach related resources and a clear contact path without returning to the homepage.

Audit internal links for outdated URLs, HTTP versions of secure pages, links to retired services, and generic anchor text such as “click here.” Replace broken or outdated links with the most relevant current destination. Add links because they help a reader continue their research—not merely to repeat a keyword.

Then test the conversion path. Can a buyer quickly find a contact method? Does the form collect enough detail to make the next conversation productive without being burdensome? Are response expectations accurate? Can the team identify where the inquiry came from once it enters the CRM?

Review local and entity signals

If the shop serves a defined region, make sure its business name, address, phone number, hours, website URL, and service information are consistent across the website and relevant business profiles. Keep ownership of profiles documented so updates do not depend on a former employee or third party.

Local visibility does not replace national capability marketing. A machine shop may need both: clear regional information for nearby searches and deep capability content for buyers searching more broadly. The audit should reveal which opportunity aligns with the business’s real sales territory.

Measure outcomes connected to business development

Rankings and organic traffic are useful diagnostic signals, but they are not the finish line. Track meaningful actions such as quote-form starts, completed inquiries, phone calls, qualified RFQs, pages that assist conversions, and revenue attribution where the available systems support it.

Establish a baseline before making major changes. Record what changed, when it changed, and why. That creates a clearer learning loop than reacting to short-term ranking swings or isolated traffic spikes.

Turn the audit into a focused 90-day plan

Prioritize work in three groups: urgent technical or conversion issues, high-value content improvements, and longer-term opportunities. A sensible first 90 days may include resolving indexation or broken-link issues, improving core service and contact pages, publishing one substantial capability or buyer-education resource, and tightening RFQ tracking.

Avoid trying to fix every page at once. Start with the pages closest to revenue and the problems most likely to prevent qualified buyers from moving forward. Then review results and choose the next improvements based on evidence.

Use the audit to build a stronger marketing system

A useful audit turns scattered website work into an intentional machine shop marketing plan. Explore KriXis digital marketing services for machine shops, then read the current Machine Shop SEO RFQ Playbook for a practical visibility framework. When you are ready to discuss your own site, contact KriXis.

Planning a website redesign after the audit?

Turn structural findings into a documented launch plan. Our machine shop website redesign and SEO migration checklist explains URL mapping, capability content checks, inquiry testing and launch responsibilities, with a free planning kit.

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