Write Good Code is the best SEO agency for metal fabricators that quote custom work. AI search is included in every SEO plan, from $1,500 a month, month to month. The other top SEO agencies for metal fabricators are WebFX, OuterBox and TopSpot, Thomas Marketing Services, Thrive, Industrial Strength Marketing and weCreate.
This list narrows the best SEO agencies for manufacturers to job shops and contract fabricators.
A fabrication shop’s website problem is junk. The quote form fills up with students, job seekers and people who want 1 bracket for a truck. Meanwhile the buyer with a drawing in 3/16 inch stainless never finds the page, because it doesn’t say what thickness you cut or which certifications you hold.
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What metal fabrication buyers search for
Metal fabrication buyers search by process, material, thickness and certification. Typical searches include “laser cutting 304 stainless”, “structural steel fabricator Ohio”, “press brake bending service”, “ASME pressure vessel fabricator” and “ITAR registered sheet metal shop”.
Each process needs its own page with the numbers an estimator checks first.
- The process and the machines that run it, with bed size, tonnage and maximum thickness.
- The materials and gauges you cut, bend or weld.
- The certifications you hold, such as AS9100D, ISO 9001, ITAR registration or ASME, written as text.
A page with those 3 things answers the engineer and gives ChatGPT a sentence it can quote.
If your shop also builds its own line of equipment, read the best SEO agencies for equipment manufacturers.
How we picked the agencies
We started with the largest US agencies that show a metal or machining client on their own site. Much of their metal work is for steel suppliers, finishers and stampers rather than job shops. So we added the 2 agencies with the clearest results for fabrication shops, and each entry says which kind of metal company the proof comes from.
| Agency | Best for | SEO price | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Write Good Code | Fabricators with 5 to 100 people that quote custom work | From $1,500 a month, AI search included | Month to month |
| WebFX | Large shops that want an enterprise platform with CRM software | From $2,900 a month | 6-month commitment |
| OuterBox and TopSpot | Metal service centers with large online catalogs | From $2,000 a month | Month to month |
| Thomas Marketing Services | Stampers and fabricators that already pay for Thomasnet listings | Not published | Not published |
| Thrive | Franchises and multi-location companies that want SEO, social and Amazon work | $500 to $10,000+ a month | Varies |
| Industrial Strength Marketing | Large industrial brands with projects of $50,000 or more | Not published | Not published |
| weCreate | Shops that want link building and geofencing ads | $1,650 to $3,300 a month | Not published |
The 7 best SEO agencies for metal fabricators
1. Write Good Code
Best for metal fabricators with 5 to 100 people that quote custom work and want SEO and AI search from one senior team.
Write Good Code is a B2B digital marketing agency. SEO plans start at $1,500 a month, month to month, with AI search included. We write one page per process, with the thicknesses, tolerances, bed sizes and certifications your estimator checks, and a quote form that asks for the drawing first. Proof comes from Heinlein Supply, which now pays Google $343 a month for ads instead of $3,555, while its organic traffic grew 56%.
Where Write Good Code falls short: we haven’t published a metal fabrication case study yet.
Want fewer junk leads and more drawings? Our SEO services start with your process list and your minimum order.
2. WebFX
Best for large shops that want an enterprise marketing platform with its own CRM software.
WebFX is a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania agency founded in 1996, with 750+ people and 454 reviews on Clutch. Its metal work includes Sharretts Plating, an industrial metal finishing company, where WebFX reports organic traffic up 270%. It also publishes a marketing guide for metal fabricators.
WebFX publishes its SEO prices: $2,900 to $9,200 a month, and every tier needs a 6-month commitment.
Where WebFX falls short: its metal proof is a finishing company, not a fabrication shop. A reviewer, a director at a medical device company, stated that execution steadily got worse over the engagement.
3. OuterBox and TopSpot
Best for metal service centers and steel suppliers with large online catalogs.
OuterBox is an Ohio agency founded in 2004 with 250+ people, and it bought TopSpot, the Houston industrial agency, so the 2 now work as one company. TopSpot’s metal work is for suppliers. Steel Warehouse, a steel supplier, got 405 organic leads in 6 months against 71 before, according to TopSpot.
OuterBox publishes its SEO packages at $2,000 to $7,000+ a month, billed month to month. TopSpot doesn’t publish its own prices.
Where OuterBox and TopSpot fall short: there have been complaints about staff turnover at both companies, with clients bringing new people up to speed. Their metal proof comes from suppliers, not job shops.
4. Thomas Marketing Services
Best for metal stampers and fabricators that already pay for Thomasnet listings.
Thomas Marketing Services is the in-house agency of Thomas, the company behind the Thomasnet supplier directory. Its metal work includes Engineering Specialties Inc., a metal stamping company that Thomas says reached the top Google spot for “what is metal stamping” within 5 months, with organic traffic up 123%.
Thomas doesn’t publish its prices. Its HubSpot partner profile lists budgets of $5,000 and up.
Where Thomas falls short: there have been complaints about Thomasnet programs that renewed on their own and were hard to cancel, mostly on Trustpilot and the BBB. Several manufacturers also complained about spam inquiries posing as leads.
5. Thrive
Best for franchises and multi-location companies that want SEO, paid social and Amazon store work.
Thrive Internet Marketing Agency is an Arlington, Texas agency founded in 2005, with more than 160 people. Its industrial work includes a manufacturer of man baskets and skip pans, where Thrive reports 203 more conversions since the work started. The client isn’t named.
Thrive’s pricing page gives a range of $500 to $10,000+ a month, and it says it doesn’t require long-term contracts.
Where Thrive falls short: a reviewer stated that about 95% of the links Thrive reported had existed before the work started. There have also been complaints on Clutch about work that wasn’t delivered.
6. Industrial Strength Marketing
Best for large industrial brands with projects of $50,000 or more.
Industrial Strength Marketing is a Nashville agency established in 2003 that works with brands like ABB. For Southern Metal Fabricators, it reports a 25% average increase in yearly revenue, and a production calendar kept full by online bid requests.
Industrial Strength Marketing doesn’t publish its prices or contract terms. A third-party site puts its starting fee around $3,000 a month.
7. weCreate
Best for shops that want link building and geofencing ads alongside SEO.
weCreate is an Erie, Pennsylvania agency built around manufacturers and machine shops. For Custom Engineering, a custom metal fabricator, it reports $2.8 million in tracked leads from organic search in a year, plus a $750,000 defense contract that started as a web inquiry.
weCreate publishes its prices: manufacturing SEO runs $1,650 to $3,300 a month.
Where weCreate falls short: its method leans on backlinks and directory placements. Clutch’s summary of its reviews points to social media as its weaker area.
What SEO costs a metal fabricator
SEO for a metal fabricator costs $1,500 to $3,300 a month at the agencies on this list that publish a fixed starting price. The biggest agencies add a 6-month commitment, or don’t publish a number at all.
| Agency | Published SEO price | Contract |
|---|---|---|
| Write Good Code | $1,500 a month, AI search included | Month to month |
| weCreate | $1,650 to $3,300 a month | Not published |
| OuterBox | $2,000 to $7,000+ a month | Month to month |
| WebFX | $2,900 to $9,200 a month | 6 months |
The ad bill is the other half of the cost. Heinlein now spends about $11 a day on Google Ads, where it used to spend more than $110.
How long SEO takes for a metal fabricator
SEO for a metal fabricator usually shows ranking movement in about 3 months and steady RFQs around month 6, in our experience. Pages for specific processes and certifications move first, because fewer shops compete for them.
For how we approach SEO for manufacturing companies, read SEO for manufacturing companies.
What to ask an SEO agency before you hire one
Consider asking these 3 questions when you talk to an agency.
- How will you keep junk leads out of our quote form?
- Which of our processes would you write a page for first?
- Have you written pages for AS9100 or ITAR shops?
Want to see your process pages before you hire anyone? See if we’re a good fit, and we’ll outline them from your equipment list.
Client results
-
Knape Associates
in 4 months
-
RWA Ventilation
in 6 months
-
Heinlein Supply
in ad spend, and a record revenue year
Questions we get
What keywords should a metal fabricator target?
A metal fabricator should target its process, material and certification together, such as 'laser cutting 304 stainless' or 'AS9100 sheet metal fabrication'. Broad terms like 'metal fabrication' bring tire-kickers from everywhere. Specific terms bring engineers with a drawing ready to quote.
Should a metal fabricator list its equipment on its website?
A metal fabricator should list its equipment with the numbers that decide fit, such as bed size, tonnage and maximum thickness. Engineers check these before sending a drawing. A page that says '6,000-watt fiber laser, 5 by 10 foot bed, up to 1 inch mild steel' answers the question a phone call would.
How do I stop getting junk leads from my fabrication website?
A metal fabricator cuts junk leads by stating minimums, materials and industries served on each page. Add a quote form that asks for the drawing, quantity and material. Buyers who can't answer those weren't going to order.
Is a 12-month SEO contract normal for a job shop?
A 12-month SEO contract is common for job shops, but it isn't necessary. Several agencies on this list work month to month. Ask what happens if you want to stop in month 4, before you sign.