Skip to content

Case Study: A Holistic SEO Strategy That Tripled Traffic in a Year

Case-Study-Hollistict-SEO-Featured-Image

From a marketing perspective, getting visitors onto your website is just half the battle when it comes to SEO. The other half, from a business perspective, is making sure that those organic visitors turn into paying customers or qualified leads.

Your SEO strategy should tackle both of these halves: it should contain the right content (so that Google puts you in front of relevant users) and be presented in the right way (so that users can easily find what they need and have a great experience).

By doing just this, my team at The Search Initiative tripled our client’s organic traffic from 15,919 to 47,256 sessions per month since the start of the campaign.

SEO Strategy That Tripled Traffic in a Year

In this case study, you’ll learn how to:

  • Build your authority with two effective link building techniques
    • One you’ve probably never heard of
    • Another that you thought was a dead tactic
  • Drive conversions from your informational content by maximizing internal linking and optimizing the navigation in your articles
  • Write Google-friendly content at scale

First though, here’s some background about the site we worked on and the main challenges that we overcame during the campaign.

If you’d prefer to watch rather than read, I cover some of the key insights in this video.

The Challenge

The client sells industrial and commercial DIY equipment across the United States.

The site was ranking well for some product-specific keywords, but was struggling to get traction on conversions. Therefore, the main goal was to improve the content on key money making pages to turn these organic visitors into paying customers.

The site’s backlink profile wasn’t quite where it should be in comparison to top ranking competitors who had lots more links from relevant websites. In order to build the client’s authority and already growing brand, we reached out to websites with “Where to Buy” pages and leveraged unlinked brand and product mentions to build backlinks.

is-that-a-challenge-is-that-a-challenge-meme

We also needed to improve the client’s blog which was already bringing in some traffic for informational search queries. To drive more conversions from the blog posts, we focused on maximizing the internal linking so that users could be guided towards relevant product and category pages and improving the overall experience of the blog by adding product widgets and a related posts section.

The product descriptions on the website were taken directly from the manufacturer’s page which meant they weren’t unique or entirely helpful for the customer. We created product descriptions that clearly outlined features and described the product’s use.

Find out how you can overcome the same challenges for your website by following the detailed steps below.

Link Building Techniques

Unless you’re a household brand that attracts backlinks naturally because everyone’s talking about you and your products online, link building is still an integral part of any SEO strategy.

With eCommerce SEO, there are several unique strategies and tactics that you can use to build your site’s authority and brand reputation online.

In this case study, I’ll show you two specific methods: getting listed on where to buy pages and leveraging brand & product mentions.

Getting Listed on Where to Buy Pages

Getting listed on “Where to Buy” pages can significantly boost your products’ visibility and sales. These pages are often hosted by manufacturers, popular review sites, or retailers, guiding consumers on where to purchase specific products.

If you run an eCommerce store that sells third-party products from other brands, make a list of all of the brands that you sell products of, and use this Google search to find which of those brands have pages that list where customers can purchase their products.

Note: if you only sell your own products, read on to find out how you can also use a similar tactic to get listed on relevant websites.

[brand name] intitle:("where to buy")

If you’re targeting the UK, you can also extend this further to include the keyword “stockist” (which just means that the shop stocks a brand’s product).

[brand name] intitle:("where to buy" OR "stockists" OR “stockist”)

Here’s an example of a search for a fashion brand called Maharishi.

If you look at the site, you can see that it lists and links to all of the places that sell this brand’s clothes.

You can also find stockist and where to buy pages with the Site Explorer tool on Ahrefs by:

  1. Entering one of your competitors’ store’s domain
  2. Navigating to the Backlinks report
  3. Filtering the referring pages with the same keywords within their page titles i.e. “where to buy”, “stockists” and “stockist”.
    stockist
  4. Click “Apply” and “Show Results”.
  5. You’ll see a list of stockist websites that are linking to your competitor’s site.

stock list result

If you don’t sell third-party products, you can still benefit from this tactic by using a similar targeted Google search related to your products. For example:

  • Best [Product Category] [Year]
  • Top [Product Category] reviews
  • Where to buy [Product Name]
  • Comparison of [Product Category]

You can also add variations of these searches, for example:

  • Best [Product Category] [Year] “where to buy”

Look for well-known review and comparison sites that dominate the search results. Pay special attention to those with “Where to Buy” sections or affiliate links to retailers.

Here’s an example:

Where to Buy

You can see that this page has a dedicated “Where to buy” section.

where to buy mattress

 

Once you’ve made a list of all of the websites that you want a link from, you can reach out to them with a simple email like this:

Hi [Name],

I’m [Your Name], [Your Position] at [Your Brand].

I wanted to know if you have a process for getting listed on your [where to buy | review | comparison] page? We sell [Describe your product or product range] and would love to be included.

Thanks,
[Your Name]

By using these strategies, you can compile a list of relevant review and comparison websites that feature “Where to Buy” sections, giving you a targeted approach to getting your products listed.

Leveraging Brand & Product Mentions

Acquiring backlinks from unlinked mentions is considered an old technique that doesn’t work like it used to, but it’s still highly effective, if you do it our way.

These mentions occur when your brand, products, or services are mentioned online, but without a corresponding hyperlink back to your site. For example, this small UK based vegan chocolatier below has over 250+ unlinked mentions that they’re missing out on.

GNAW chocolate

Converting these unlinked mentions from websites who are already familiar with your brand or products into backlinks, can improve your site’s SEO, driving more traffic and increasing visibility. They also serve as a key signal to Google of your brand’s online presence and reputation.

There are a number of ways that you can go about finding unlinked mentions of your brand or products, we’ll show you two here.

  • Google Alerts – the first is by setting up Google Alerts, which is a free and effective way to find potential unlinked mentions of your brand or product range.

Enter your brand name (or product name) within quotation marks and click “Create Alert”

the search initiative

You can also set how often, the source, language, region and how many results you receive.

You can also set up an RSS feed or have the results delivered to your email address.

Once created, this is what you’ll see:

alerts

Create a separate alert for variations of your brand or product names too.

Now, whenever another website mentions your brand or product, you’ll automatically get an alert.

  • Ahrefs Content Explorer – whilst Google Alerts is a great way to find potential brand new unlinked mentions, you’ll also want to find existing mentions of your brand or product from websites that haven’t linked to you – that’s where Content Explorer from Ahrefs comes in handy.

Like you did with Google Alerts, search for your brand or product name in quotes.

whilst Google Alerts

Click “Highlight unlinked” and enter your domain so that you only see results where your brand/product is mentioned, but hasn’t linked to you.

Highlight unlinked

Filter by “One page per domain”, this removes all duplicates so you have a smaller list to work with.

One page per domain

Filter even further by sorting the results based on the estimated page traffic. This is valuable as you’ll want to start by securing backlinks from pages that already have decent traffic.

sorting the results

If you like, you can export the results or just manually sift through them on Content Explorer. If you do export, make sure to select the option for “Only pages with highlighted domains”.

Only pages with highlighted domains

Here’s an example of a domain that has mentioned The Search Initiative, but hasn’t linked back.

insert-iname-here-placeholder
insert-iname-here-placeholder

 

When picking which websites you should reach out to for a link back to your website, here’s what to consider:

  • Domain Relevance – is the website relevant to your industry? For example, if you have a website about fishing, you’re going to want to prioritize getting backlinks from other fishing websites.
  • Context – Check whether the mention is positive, neutral, or negative. Positive mentions are much easier to convert into links, while negative mentions might require a more delicate approach when reaching out.

When reaching out to your prospect list, there are several tactics that you can use to increase your chances of the website owner adding that valuable backlink to your site.

  • Request Testimonials: Offer a testimonial for their product or service. In return, ask for a link back to your website as a form of social proof.
Subject: Quick Request + Testimonial for [Website Name]
Hi [Recipient's Name],

I hope you're doing well!

I noticed you mentioned [Brand/Product Name] in your article "[Article Title]" on [Website Name]. 
Thanks for the mention!

To show our appreciation, we’d love to provide a testimonial for [Website Name].
Would you be open to adding a link to our site ([Your Website URL]) in return?
I think it could be a win-win for both of us.

Let me know if this works for you!

Best,
[Your Name]
  • Repurpose Old Content: If a site has old content mentioning your brand, suggest ways they can repurpose it (e.g., into a new format like an infographic or video) and include a link back to your site.
Subject: Repurpose Your [Article Title] + Quick Request

Hi [Recipient's Name],

I hope you're well!

I recently came across your article "[Article Title]" on [Website Name] and noticed you mentioned [Brand/Product Name]. 
It’s great to see our brand featured!

I was thinking—this content could be repurposed into an infographic or video, which might engage your audience even more. 
We’d be happy to help with the process and provide any resources you might need.

If you’re interested, would you consider including a link to our site ([Your Website URL]) in the repurposed content? 
It could be a great way to refresh your content and offer more value to your readers.

Let me know what you think!

Best,
[Your Name]
  • Offer Exclusive Content: Provide exclusive content like whitepapers, eBooks, or case studies that are directly related to the context in which your brand was mentioned. Offer this content to the site in exchange for a link.
Subject: Exclusive Content for Your Readers + Quick Request

Hi [Recipient's Name],

I hope you're doing well!

I noticed you mentioned [Brand/Product Name] in your article "[Article Title]" on [Website Name]. Thanks for the mention!

To add even more value for your readers, we’d love to offer you exclusive content related to the topic, such as a [whitepaper/eBook/case study]. If you’re interested, would you consider adding a link to our site ([Your Website URL]) in your article?

I think this could really enhance the content for your audience.

Let me know what you think!

Best regards,
[Your Name]
  • Interactive Content: Develop interactive tools, quizzes, or calculators relevant to your industry. Offer these to websites that have mentioned your brand to embed, increasing the likelihood of earning a link.

For example, if you run a finance website that specializes in life insurance, you could create an interactive widget that helps users calculate how much it would cost to get life insurance by asking them relevant questions like their age, lifestyle habits etc.

Subject: Interactive Content for Your Readers + Quick Request

Hi [Recipient's Name],

I hope you’re doing well!

I came across your article "[Article Title]" on [Website Name] and noticed you mentioned [Brand/Product Name]. Thanks for the shout-out!

To enhance your readers' experience, we’ve developed an interactive [tool/quiz/calculator] that aligns with the topic. I think it would be a great addition to your content.

If you’re interested, would you consider embedding it and adding a link to our site ([Your Website URL])? I believe it could offer your audience even more value.

Let me know your thoughts!

Best,
[Your Name]

Monitor the success rate of your pitches and tweak them accordingly so that you maximize your chances of getting responses and ultimately backlinks from these mentions.

Driving Conversions Through the Blog

Simply driving traffic to your blog is no longer enough in today’s competitive SEO landscape.

While achieving strong SEO results and bringing visitors to your site through informational articles on your blog is a critical first step, the true value of a blog lies in its ability to convert that traffic into tangible results—whether that’s generating leads, sales, or other key actions.

A blog post that ranks well but fails to engage readers or guide them towards a conversion is ultimately a missed opportunity. This is why optimizing your blog posts for conversion is essential.

By focusing on internal linking and improving design elements on your articles, you can transform passive readers into active customers, ensuring that your blog not only attracts visitors but also contributes to your bottom line.

Maximizing Internal Linking

The main goal for any website is to convert visitors into paying customers or leads.

A well-organized blog provides opportunities for you to add contextual internal links (hyperlinks from one page on your website to another relevant page) from your articles and drive traffic to your “money” pages i.e. product and category pages.

For non-eCommerce websites, this could be links to your service pages or other key landing pages where you want your audience to convert.

Here are some tips on how to maximize your internal linking:

  • Identify Key (Relevant) Product Pages – Prioritize linking to your best-selling or most profitable products, but make sure that they’re also relevant to the blog post that you’re linking from.

For example, if you run an online store that sells smartphone accessories, and you have a blog post about Samsung accessories, then it wouldn’t make sense to link to iPhone accessory pages even if they’re your best selling products.

You can find your best selling products by navigating to Google Analytics > Reports > Monetization > Ecommerce purchases.

At the top, set a long enough time frame to see which products are performing well. In this case, we’ve gone with Last 90 Days.

Last 90 Days

You can then sort by “Items purchased” or “Item revenue” to find the top performing product pages.

Items purchased

  • Strategically Place Links Within Your Content – Place links naturally within the flow of the content on your blog posts. Use anchor text that describes the linked product clearly, incorporating relevant keywords where appropriate.

Here’s an example of a blog post from H&M where they’re linking to new product arrivals naturally into their copy..

insert-iname-here-placeholder

 

  • Use Content Hubs or Topic Clusters – Develop comprehensive guides on key topics related to your products and link to relevant blog posts and product pages.

Link related blog posts together to create a web of content (i.e. content hubs) that points to specific product pages, helping users discover more relevant products.

Find out how to do this in detail here.

Check out this video to find out more about the best practices for internal linking.

Include Product Widgets & Optimize Navigation

In addition to internal linking, you can also drive more conversions on your blog by strategically placing product widgets within your articles and including a related posts section to keep users on your site for longer.

Add Product Widgets

Product widgets are small, interactive elements that can be embedded within your blog’s sidebar, footer, or even within the content itself.

These widgets can display specific products, categories, or special offers and are a powerful way to promote relevant products throughout your blog.

Here’s an example of a product widget at the bottom of an article from a health supplements store about self-love.

health supplements store about self-love

Here are some pointers on how to add product widgets to your articles:

  • Types of Product Widgets – there are a number of different types of product ranges that you can include within your posts.
  1. Popular Products: Showcase the most popular or best-selling products. These products are more likely to convert since they already have a proven appeal.
    Types of Product Widgets
  2. Recently Viewed Products: Display products that the user has recently viewed. This personalized approach can serve as a reminder of items they might have been interested in.
  3. New Arrivals: Highlight new products to drive attention to the latest offerings in your store.
    New Arrivals
  4. Special Offers/Discounts: Feature products that are currently on sale or part of a special promotion to create a sense of urgency.
  5. People Also Buy: Include products that other customers have also purchased along with what the user is already viewing.

Special Offers Discounts Feature products

  • Placement Strategies – there are also a number of areas on the page where you can add your widgets:
  1. Sidebar: Place product widgets in the blog sidebar to keep them visible as users scroll through the content. This is a non-intrusive way to promote products while users are engaged with the blog post.
  2. Within content: Embed product widgets within the body of the blog post, especially when discussing a topic closely related to specific products.
    drom bedding
  3. Bottom of the Article: For a more subtle approach, product widgets can also be placed in the blog’s footer. While this is a less prominent position, it can still capture the attention of users who scroll through the entire post.

related product

  • Visual Design and Functionality – product widgets are calls to actions, so they should be designed to encourage the user to either click through to find out more about the product, or add it straight to the cart.
  1. Clickable Images: Ensure that product images within the widgets are clickable and lead directly to the product pages. Large, clear images are more likely to catch the user’s attention and show off your product better.
    Visual Design and Functionality
  2. Interactive Elements: Incorporate interactive elements like “Add to Cart” buttons or “Quick View” options directly in the widget, allowing users to engage with the product without leaving the blog post.

Add to Cart buttons or Quick View

If your website is on Shopify, you can use a paid blog builder like Bloggle to easily add product widgets to your articles. For WooCommerce, you can use plugins like YITH WooCommerce Product Slider Carousel and YITH WooCommerce Recently Viewed Products.

Add Related Posts

Related posts are blog articles that are topically linked to the content the user is currently reading.

Add Related Posts

They help keep users on your site longer by offering additional content that matches their interests, and also provide opportunities to naturally introduce internal links to your product pages.

Here are some pointers on how to add related posts to your articles:

  • Selection – When selecting the related articles, select posts that are most relevant to the current content. This ensures that the suggested posts are closely aligned with the user’s interests.
  • Placement – The most common place to include related posts is at the end of the blog post. This placement captures users who have finished reading and are likely looking for their next piece of content.

related articles

  • Number of Related Posts – Aim for around 3 to 5. Adding too many related posts confuses readers as to what they should read next, but from an SEO standpoint, it dilutes the importance of each related article.
  • Adding Related Posts – If you’re on WordPress, I recommend using the Contextual Related Posts plugin. It automatically generates a list of related posts based on contextual cues from your blog post’s title and content. All you have to do is install and activate the plugin. An alternate solution if you want to pick your own, is the Custom Related Posts plugin. If you run an eCommerce site on Shopify, check out the Related Blog Posts Pro plugin.

As seen above, there are several tactics that you can use to maximize the conversion rate of your blog by guiding your target audience towards the important money making pages on your website.

AI-Powered Product Description Optimization

The primary goal of SEO is to drive traffic to your pages, but from a business standpoint, the real focus is on conversions.

In other words, are visitors taking action after landing on your page—whether it’s making a purchase, calling your business, or engaging in another meaningful way?

For example, here’s a page from an eCommerce site that doesn’t have a product description.

eCommerce site that doesn’t have a product description

And here’s one, where the site has included more details about the product:product details

Product descriptions play a crucial role in persuading users to click through and complete a purchase.

But when you have hundreds of very similar products, where only a few things like the color or size of the product is the difference, it’s super time consuming to manually write product descriptions for each one.

Later, I’ll show you how you can use AI as a stepping stone to create these product descriptions at scale, which you can then enhance with other best practices.

But first, let’s look at why you should write unique product descriptions to begin with.

Why Should You Write Unique Product Descriptions?

Here’s a quick breakdown of why the product descriptions on your website should be unique:

  • Avoids Duplicate Content: Google prioritizes unique content. If you use copied or generic descriptions, why would Google want to rank your page over someone else who already has the same content?
  • Clear Communication of Value: Unique descriptions allow you to highlight specific features, benefits, and uses of the product that matter most to your target audience.
  • Builds Trust: Personalized and well-crafted descriptions can address potential customer concerns, answer questions, and build trust, making users more likely to purchase.
  • Increases Engagement: Well-written, engaging descriptions can captivate the reader’s attention, reducing bounce rates, and encouraging them to explore more of your products.
  • Speaks to the Customer’s Needs: A well-crafted description that resonates with the customer’s needs and emotions can significantly increase the likelihood of conversion.

How to Use AI to Write Unique Product Descriptions at Scale

If you have a website with hundreds and perhaps thousands of products, a lot of which may be similar, then writing unique product descriptions for each one can be time consuming and be mind numbing – if you’re not using AI, that is.

A great way to generate product descriptions with the help of ChatGPT is via the Ecommerce SEO Product Description Writer AI GPT.

Search for it within the GPTs page

  • Click Start Chat.

Click Start Chat

  • Upload some photos of your product.
Upload some photos of your product

  • You’ll be asked to answer a few questions:
    • What is the name of this product?
    • Which platform are you creating this listing for? (i.e. Shopify, Amazon, Etsy etc)
    • Would you like to include emojis in the listing? (Yes or No).
  • Paste your answers into the Chatbot and the rest is taken care of.

For example:

    1. Dragon Loose Snowpants
    2. Shopify
    3. No emojis

You can also provide more information about any specific features you’d like mentioned:

For example:

    1. Light cotton poplin
    2. Hand machined embroidery
    3. Secure zip pocket
    4. Fully adjustable Snocord® system
    5. Internal phone pocket and ankle stash

Here’s the response:

dragon loose snowpants

As with most AI-generated content, GPT might not get it just right on the first try. You can always add additional prompts to tweak the result to how you want it.

For example, let’s ask it to use a witty tone and to keep it to a maximum of 75 words.

let’s ask it to use a witty tone

For this case study, I’ve shown you how to use AI to generate unique product descriptions for very similar products at scale.

But there are several other key factors that you should consider when building your product pages:

  • Write for Your Target Customer: Focus on writing product descriptions with the target customer in mind, rather than optimizing solely for search engines.

Different products may appeal to different types of customers, depending on factors like their budget and experience.

Use language that helps specific customer segments, like beginners, easily identify suitable products.

  • Adjust Length Based on Buyer Awareness: The length of product descriptions should be based on the customer’s level of awareness.
    • High Buyer Awareness: Customers already familiar with the product need concise descriptions focusing on key details like color, sizing, and fit.
    • Low Buyer Awareness: Customers with less knowledge about the product require more detailed descriptions to make an informed decision.
    • Combine Both Approaches: It’s possible to cater to both high and low buyer awareness in one description. Start with a brief overview for high-awareness customers like this…

Combine Both Approaches

Followed by more detailed information for those with lower awareness like this…

Followed by more detailed information

  • Key Features – highlight the main features and unique selling points of the product and where possible, explain how they will bring value to the user in real life.

Key Features

  • Specifications – list any key technical pieces of information about the product that the user should know.

Specifications

  • How to / FAQs – some products may require additional information on how to maintain or care for the product. Users may also have FAQs about the product that you should answer clearly and concisely to diffuse any concerns they might have.

How to FAQs

  • Consider Layout and Structure: The way you structure and format your product descriptions is as crucial as the content itself. For example, this site has included a navigation tab at the top of the page that makes it easy to navigate to certain sections of the product page.

Consider Layout and Structure

  • Use Headings and Formatting: Organize your content with clear headings and format key information effectively.
    • Tabs: Using tabs to organize product information can enhance the user experience by making it easier to navigate the content.
    • Headings: Ensure that headings are descriptive and clear to guide the reader through the content.
    • Bullet Points: Use bullet points to present important details in a concise and easily digestible format.
  • Incorporate Visuals: Since customers can’t physically interact with products online, include images and videos in the product description to showcase the product in use and support the written content.

In the example below, instead of just listing the product’s dimensions, the site has included a photo that demonstrates how wide, long and high this particular product is.

Incorporate Visuals

By following these guidelines, you can create product descriptions that are both informative and persuasive, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

The Results

Since the start of the campaign, organic traffic increased by 196% from 15,919 to 47,256 sessions per month.

The-Results

Monthly revenue increased by 22.63% from $5.3k/month to $6.5k/month during the same period.

Monthly revenue increased

The number of keywords that the site ranks for in the top 10 positions of Google increased from 3,098 to 3,918 since the start of the campaign.

Google increased from 1,988 to 3,575

Conclusion

In this case study, I’ve shown you how to drive more conversions on your website by:

  • Getting listed on where to buy pages and leveraging your unlinked brand and product mentions to grow your domain authority
  • Creating Google-friendly content at scale
  • Optimizing the UX of your blog by maximizing internal linking and improving navigation

If you’re looking for help with your site’s SEO, get in touch with my team at The Search Initiative.

Get a Free Website Consultation from The Search Initiative:

    Matt-Author-Img

    Article by

    Matt Diggity

    Matt is the founder of Diggity Marketing, LeadSpring, The Search Initiative, The Affiliate Lab, and the Chiang Mai SEO Conference. He actually does SEO too.

    Want to rank easier, higher and faster?

    Sign up and join 100,000+ other subscribers and get SEO test results sent straight to your inbox.

    moz sidebar

    "One of the most effective SEOs I've ever met"- Cyrus Sheppard

    As Seen On...

    Search Engine Journal
    New York Post
    ahrefs brand