From 7K to 32K organic users per month

The team interaction process

The client has its own development department, we’ve been involved with. It is very important to build the right communication at the very beginning of cooperation, so that developers understand how the website progresses.

Having discussed all the details, we established the following points:

• Weekly calls where we discussed which items from the plan were completed and how to move forward.
• A specially created chat in the messenger where quick questions can be addressed as soon as they come in.
• Prompt correction of published materials, if necessary, daily discussions of the reasons for the necessary changes and how to work with similar ones in the future.
• Discussion and verification of software changes on a test domain before release on the main website.

Stage 1

The process of website promotion

The site needed to increase the targeted traffic volume and outperform competitors in key queries. In addition, there were several non-standard tasks: to improve the design, usability and change the domain without losing positions.

Internal site optimization

Our team started by changing the domain; in order to do this without losing the website weight, we set up 301 redirects for all pages and replaced the domain in Google Search Console and Yandex Master. Upon that, we transferred the analytics systems, checked whether the pages (as well as the sitemap sitemap.xml, which should contain pages of the new site and the file robots.txt) were transferred correctly. A deep technical audit helped to identify errors that we later corrected pointwise: we eliminated duplicate pages and meta tags, due to which the website could not be ranked correctly (several pages were ranked for 1 request). We have developed a new content strategy, in which the texts have become more informative and more volumetric. This allowed for reducing the bounce rate on the website. In addition, filling the website with new content increased its visibility by keywords, citation and trust.

Our main efforts in the area of internal site optimization included:

• A robust audit (with permissions) and checking the proper tuning of:
  
  1. Sitemaps, redirect;
  2. Meta tags, headers;
  3. Micro-markup;
  4. Download speed checks;
  5. 4xx and 5xx error code checks;
  6. Site content analysis, namely uniqueness, duplication, spam, and text size;
  7. Site’s main mirror;
  8. Monitoring page speed metrics (site loading time, server response time, etc.);
  9. h1, h2, and h3 header monitoring and correcting if necessary;
  10. Metric monitoring for site visits;
  11. Duplicate Title and Description metadata check and critical error elimination;
  12. Server response code 200 check for site’s main sections.
      
      • Defining terms of reference for programmers following the results of the complete SEO site audit;
      • Monitoring of all technical edits by programmers;
      • Adding a sitemap to the dashboard for webmasters;
      • Building a semantic core that best represents the website;
      • Utilizing clustering and balanced keyword distribution across site pages;
      • Checking keyword agreement, getting into the TOP 10, generating a month-end report. Queries are selected from the compiled semantic core;
      • Formation of new meta tags (title, descriptions) based on the established semantic core. They are created right away for approved website categories and their agreement;
      • Working with meta tags and writing and correcting tags for site’s main pages;
      • Resolving duplicate headers and meta tags;
      • Detailed file verification for robots.txt and tuning when needed;
      • Setting technical specifications for proper implementation of hreflang tag for different versions of the site;
      • Checking canonical tags and drafting technical specifications for their implementation, if necessary;
      • Scanning site pages, determining weight, and comparing them with traffic and promotion priority. Based on the results – developing a plan for linking site pages;
      • Organization of project manager’s work.. Coordination (communicating with client monthly, coordinating workflow, proofreading and approving additional agreements, invoicing);
      • Defining terms of reference for landing page and/or blog section text;
      • Monthly report.

Stage 2

From the second month we connected the following work activities:

From the second month of work, we began detailed monitoring of the website. Particularly, our team monitored the indicators so that they were normal after their optimization and settings in the first month:

1. Analyzing site content (uniqueness, duplication, spam, and text size);
2. Site’s main mirror;
3. Monitoring page speed metrics (site loading time, server response time, etc.);
4. h1, h2, and h3 header monitoring and correcting if necessary;
5. Metric monitoring for site visits;
6. Identification and closure of leaking and hidden links;
7. Checking site for duplicate Title and Description metadata and eliminating critical errors;
8. Server response code 200 check for site’s main sections;
9. Monitoring for the appearance of affiliates and, if detected, providing instructions and support for their closure (+ assistance);
10. Monitoring previously optimized pages and, if necessary, updating them to better    meet relevant search result conditions. For example, say the relevance of some key queries has changed because of a behavioural factor. In this instance, we change phrases, edit SEO texts, and tune the optimization;
11. Analyzing site semantic core and adjusting it if necessary;
12. When errors are detected, either terms of reference are compiled for programmers or a proposal drafted for overcoming the highlighted difficulties;
13. Optimizing the site’s main landing pages;
14. Validating main site pages through the W3C service.
    
    • Internal site re-linking;
    • Working with site meta tags and writing or generating Descriptions for pages with blank descriptions;
    • Working with micro-markup, defining technical specifications for addressing errors;
    • Working with incoming domains, including the rejection of “toxic” ones with a disallow tool;
    • Monitoring site positions and promotion dynamics;
    • Defining terms of reference for landing page and/or blog section text;

The technical optimization has been done correctly and the website began to be indexed quickly, the traffic started moving and the visibility in the Google search engine began growing.

External website optimization

The website has a large backlink mass. Before continuing to expand the website backlinks profile, we cleaned up the website from low-quality external links, plenty of which was found during the check.

Then the link strategies of the main competitors were analyzed and a new unique link strategy was developed. To increase the number of links and create a better backlinks profile, we purchased links with traffic and high DR (domain rating).

This helped to improve the behavioural factors and website authority as a whole. The link audit helped to get rid of spam links that prevented the website from ranking for certain keywords due to competitors using them as anchors.

As a result, the website spam rate has decreased.
The main works performed for the external website optimization:

• Website audit was performed;
• Backlinks strategies of the main competitors were analyzed;
• Competitor websites structure was analyzed;
• Low-quality backlinks were removed;
• A new promotion strategy was developed;
• Website backlinks profile was expanded;
• Spam links were eliminated.

Additional work on internal and external optimization:

The project specificity consisted in the high competitiveness of this market niche; it was important to refine the website in such a way that the user would be motivated to apply to the company without delay. Very often, people who are ready to buy/order are looking for a service for installing plastic windows. To do this, useful triggers have been introduced into the website design:

• A pop-up window with ready-made questions for feedback (a person needs to only select the proposed option and click “Send”);
• “Call me back” button (so as not to make a person wait if the operators are busy);
• A convenient form with a calendar, time selection and a questionnaire for a free call of a measurer who can arrive within an hour;
• Banners with interesting offers and service messages (free shipping, factory prices, discount offers);
• Favourable loans section to purchase windows, etc.

Results of work with SEO:

Website optimization increased the website position in search significantly, also the client’s website outperformed the competitors in many positions. By introducing the Ukrainian-language version, with the correct implementation of hraflang for different versions of the website and the window calculator, we’ve managed to significantly increase the organic traffic. 

The website ranked top 1-5 for all major queries. The organic traffic grew by 378% and was aiming for 35 thousand users per month. Keyword visibility continues to increase due to internal relinking (to date, we have already analyzed links throughout the website and made recommendations for optimization) and further work on website backlinks profile. 

The website has now one of the highest organic traffic rates among all window companies in Ukraine. 

Visitor dynamics (by months) analytics since the beginning of work in relation to the previous period. Organic traffic grew by 379%.

Data from analytics:

Organic traffic growth:

Organic traffic by Ahrefs (traffic increased from 7 thous. to 32 thous. users per month): 

Site visibility by Serpstat:

Traffic by Serpstat:

Some positions on the project:

Note:

In order to locally bypass competitors, we needed to implement something new on the client’s website. By analysing the features of competing sites we understood why users choose these resources, what exactly attracts them and makes them stay there.

In addition, we determined the tools that customers do not use for promotion and included this also in the strategy, thereby adding new competitive advantages for our client.

Upon collecting and checking the semantic core, we have optimized the content using Silo method. To improve behavioural factors, increase key queries by 30-40%, it was decided to introduce the Ukrainian-language version of the website. The Ukrainian-language version of the website has helped to improve search results significantly and increase traffic.

Besides:

• we have added a calculator for calculating the cost of window installation services. This helped to expand the semantic core and improved the website usability;
• to increase the conversion on the website, we have introduced an online store;
• setting up the store on the website helped the company to increase the number of online orders and increase sales by 15-20%.

In order to maintain the website positions, we have regularly checked the semantic core, expanding the list of keys, adding expert content on the website; work has also been continued on increasing the backlinks mass.

If you already know what kind of online business you want to open, plan to create an online store and don’t know where to start, contact us! We will analyze the potential market and your competitors and help you launch your project from scratch to first sale!