Android-powered tablets and smartphones are becoming more popular for B2B buyers, and focusing on Google SEO can help companies target this audience more effectively.

A report from IDG Connect suggests that B2B buyers may soon be more active users of Android-powered tablets, as 33 percent of business professionals planning to buy tablets will purchase those running Android. This means vendors’ and agencies’ internet marketing campaigns will be more likely to reach these buyers on the go.

For Google, the battle to make the tablet market more competitive has been difficult. Several devices have been rolled out with little success in cutting down the lead of Apple’s iPad. However, IDG’s survey showed that Android devices are becoming more popular due to their lower cost and increased integration with Google services.

However, IDG’s survey showed that Android devices are becoming more popular due to their lower cost and increased integration with Google services.

Not only are businesses professionals more likely to invest in Android devices, but 49.4 percent of IT professionals are also to purchase them. B2B marketers will likely find web marketing campaigns that play up a Google presence help them reach these audiences around the clock.

Nonetheless, the iPad is the far and away leader among these two demographics with 59.9 percent of business professionals using iPads and 48.9 percent of IT professionals doing the same. The continued growth of Google Apps for Business may likely have an impact on future tablet purchase decisions.

Regardless, Brafton recently reported that 89 percent of consumers turn to search engines when they’re researching purchases. When a B2B buyer is looking into making an investment for their company, they’ll likely access similar content they do when making a personal purchase. Given Google’s existing lead in search, targeting Google SEO with content marketing campaigns is already a good idea. However, as the Android tablet market grows, the value creating original content to engage users and dominate relevant Google SERPs expands even further.

At Google I/O last week, the company rolled the latest Android tablet, the Nexus 7, which has received strong reviews. The move was the latest in a line of shifts toward mobile from Google. Aside from the announcement of a new mobile search formula as part of the latest edition of Android, the company’s Pierre Farr urged marketers to create websites accessible for both mobile and desktop users.

As Google continues to move aggressively into the mobile web market, the popularity of its devices swells. Currently, Android-powered smartphones account for more than half of all smartphones in the U.S., Brafton recently reported. In general, SEO campaigns are best positioned for success when they are rooted in efforts to improve site visitor experience and follow guidelines defined by Google. Even with Bing making minor gains in the search market in the last year, according to Experian, Google still maintains a substantial lead in search.

Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.