Essendant Organic Growth Opportunities

This play involves creating a dedicated, educational page for every high-value product SKU in the catalog. These pages will target long-tail, high-intent search queries by providing detailed specifications, use cases, and clear definitions, directly addressing the keyword gap with top competitors.

Example Keywords

• “what is a 2-ply c-fold towel”
• “8 oz compostable souffle cup uses”
• “high-density 33 gal trash liner specs”
• “eco-friendly food container materials”

Rationale

The domain's top competitor, Imperial Dade, generates massive traffic by ranking for tens of thousands of long-tail product keywords, a strategy Essendant has not utilized. Creating a page for each major SKU allows Essendant to capture this purchase-intent traffic at scale, as users searching for specific product attributes are often ready to buy.

Topical Authority

Essendant has inherent authority as a major distributor of these products, but this authority is not reflected in its organic search presence for non-branded terms. This play establishes topical authority at the individual product level across thousands of items, validating their expertise and catalog depth.

Internal Data Sources

Leverage the full Product Information Management (PIM) system, including SKU numbers, dimensions, material composition, compliance certifications (e.g., BPI, USDA BioPreferred), and case/pallet quantities. This data provides rich, unique context for generating differentiated and factually accurate content.

Estimated Number of Pages

5,000+

This strategy focuses on creating geo-targeted landing pages for each major product category in every metropolitan area served by an Essendant distribution center. These pages will capture high-intent local search traffic from businesses looking for nearby wholesale suppliers.

Example Keywords

• “wholesale janitorial supplies in dallas”
• “bulk paper towels distributor chicago”
• “foodservice packaging wholesale near me”
• “office supplies wholesaler houston tx”

Rationale

The domain data shows Essendant ranks for branded, location-specific keywords like 'essendant dallas' but fails to capture unbranded, commercial-intent searches like 'wholesale supplies dallas'. This play bridges that gap, targeting buyers who are actively seeking local distributors and are likely to convert.

Topical Authority

Essendant's existing network of over 50 U.S. distribution centers provides a legitimate, physical basis for local authority. Unlike competitors without a local presence, Essendant can authentically claim to be a local supplier, which is a powerful ranking signal for geo-targeted queries.

Internal Data Sources

Utilize the internal list of distribution center addresses, service area maps, local delivery cut-off times, and location-specific customer testimonials. This proprietary data will create unique, valuable content that cannot be easily replicated.

Estimated Number of Pages

300+

This play creates regional hubs that curate essential supply kits for specific natural disasters common to that area (e.g., hurricane prep in Florida, wildfire prep in California). These pages will rank for urgent, seasonal search queries from businesses needing to prepare for or respond to emergencies.

Example Keywords

• “hurricane prep bulk cleaning supplies florida”
• “wildfire smoke mitigation janitorial kit california”
• “flood recovery disinfectant bundle texas”
• “emergency preparedness supplies for business”

Rationale

Searches for disaster-related supplies spike predictably based on season and location, representing a massive, high-urgency traffic opportunity. By bundling required products into a single, comprehensive guide, Essendant can capture these panicked buyers and establish itself as a critical partner in crisis management.

Topical Authority

As a national distributor with a vast catalog and robust logistics, Essendant is uniquely positioned to be an authority on disaster preparedness at scale. The ability to recommend and deliver everything from PPE to industrial cleaning agents gives them credibility that smaller suppliers lack.

Internal Data Sources

Leverage historical sales data showing demand surges during past emergencies. Cross-reference this with FEMA and OSHA-recommended supply lists to create authoritative, data-backed kits for each disaster scenario.

Estimated Number of Pages

400+

This strategy involves creating a page for every chemical product that includes not only the official Safety Data Sheet (SDS) but also an AI-generated, easy-to-understand 'Safe-Handling Cheat Sheet'. These pages will attract compliance-driven search traffic and provide immense value to facility managers and employees.

Example Keywords

• “bleach disinfectant sds pdf”
• “quaternary sanitizer safe handling guide”
• “how to use industrial degreaser safely”
• “OSHA chemical safety sheet requirements”

Rationale

Businesses are legally required to maintain and understand SDS for all chemicals they use, leading to a high volume of compliance-related searches. While competitors may offer a simple PDF download, providing a simplified visual guide and bundling the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) creates a superior user experience and a clear path to purchase.

Topical Authority

Essendant's role as a distributor of thousands of chemical products gives them inherent authority. By enriching this compliance documentation with practical, value-add content, they can become the go-to resource for workplace safety information, building trust and driving sales of related safety products.

Internal Data Sources

Use the internal database of all product SDS PDFs as the foundation. This content can be enriched by cross-referencing with PIM data to automatically recommend and link to the correct gloves, goggles, and other PPE for each chemical.

Estimated Number of Pages

2,500+

This play creates state-specific guides that help businesses find compliant alternatives to single-use products facing legislative bans (e.g., styrofoam, plastic bags, PFAS-containing items). These pages will capture urgent search traffic from buyers forced to change their purchasing habits due to new regulations.

Example Keywords

• “styrofoam clamshell alternative new york”
• “pfas compliant food packaging california”
• “plastic straw ban replacement products florida”
• “eco-friendly takeout containers for my state”

Rationale

As states increasingly pass environmental legislation, businesses scramble to find compliant products, creating predictable spikes in high-intent search traffic. This play positions Essendant as a proactive expert, guiding customers through a complex regulatory landscape and directly influencing their purchasing decisions towards compliant (and often higher-margin) products.

Topical Authority

Essendant's broad catalog includes a wide range of eco-friendly and compliant alternatives, giving them the authority to make these recommendations. By tracking legislation and mapping it to their product line, they can provide a valuable service that competitors are not offering.

Internal Data Sources

Leverage internal product data that tags SKUs with sustainability certifications (e.g., BPI Certified, PFAS-Free). Combine this with regulatory summaries provided by a legal or compliance team to create a highly accurate and trustworthy resource for each state.

Estimated Number of Pages

600+

Improvements Summary

Create dedicated, keyword-targeted landing pages for each Essendant distribution center location and expand existing content into a pillar-cluster structure. Add local schema, FAQs, original media, and strong internal linking to improve relevance and authority.

Improvements Details

Tasks include building a /locations/ directory with unique city pages targeting terms like 'Essendant [City] distribution center', expanding the main warehouse page to 2000+ words, and optimizing headers, meta tags, and schema. Add FAQs, original photos, Google Maps embeds, and a clear internal linking structure from the homepage, pillar, and careers pages. Optimize for page speed, mobile UX, and submit all new pages to search engines.

Improvements Rationale

Current pages are thin, generic, and do not address specific location queries, resulting in weak rankings despite low competition. By matching search intent with dedicated, optimized pages and structured internal linking, the site can move from page 2 to page 1 for high-value geo-modified keywords. This approach is expected to significantly increase organic traffic, click-through rates, and local visibility while reducing reliance on unbranded directory listings.