Case for SEO promotion of an online furniture store
Project characteristics:
- Target: increase sales from the site through SEO promotion in search engines
- Promoted Search Engines: Google.com.ua and Yandex.ua
- Subject: furniture (office furniture, cabinets, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, children's furniture, upholstered furniture)
- Promoted words: over 5000
- Region: Ukraine
- Sales type: small wholesale and retail
- Competition: high
- Price positioning: no data
StarMarketing project team
Audit and strategic planning
In the first weeks of the launch of the project, we conducted a thorough study of the site:
- Website marketing audit
- Website technical audit
- Analysis of the internal SEO characteristics of the site
- Analysis of the external link mass and authority of the project
We found a lot of problems on the technical part of the site:
- site categories were duplicated under different urls
- meta tags had signs of re-optimization + were not unique both on the site and on the Internet
- the header structure has not been optimized either
- 36% product pages and half of the categories had no text description
External optimization
In terms of external optimization, there was an extremely difficult situation in general:
- most of the link mass consisted of low-quality links rented from link exchanges
- anchorlist was spammed with anchor links
- very few thematic and regional links
- there was a high risk of filtering by search engines
Our main task when launching the SEO promotion of this project was to correct the technical errors of the site and the negative consequences of poor-quality promotion. Based on the conducted audits, we have compiled:
- terms of reference for internal website optimization
- terms of reference for work to increase the authority of the site on the Internet and adjust the link profile of the site
- recommendations for improving website conversion
After agreeing the work with the Customer, we introduced all the improvements to the site, while simultaneously correcting the situation with the authority of the site.
Internal SEO optimization and content
Menu and site structure
The initial structure of the site was quite primitive for quality SEO. More than 50 new product subcategories have been added to the existing categories on the site. To do this, we had to significantly change the structure of the top and side menus of the site, making it more convenient for both buyers and search engines.
before SEO optimization:
after SEO optimization:
before SEO optimization:
after SEO optimization:
Site directory
Based on the analysis of the demand in search engines for the goods presented on the Customer's website, we redesigned the hierarchy of product categories, as well as additionally visualized and optimized the most popular categories with pictures above the catalog.
Site content
- On all product and category pages that either had no content or had non-unique content, we wrote and placed new optimized content.
- Based on the search queries of the potential audience, we developed a content plan for non-commercial queries. These requests were disclosed by us in the relevant articles on the site blog and brought additional thematic audience from search engines. For example: “How to choose furniture for the hallway”, “What is the difference between chipboard and MDF?” "and" against "", etc.
- Do not forget to pay attention to the publication of reviews on the site, to increase the credibility of the site. Testimonials on product landing pages significantly improved website conversions and also activated new natural customer reviews.
External SEO optimization
Buying authoritative links. Correction of the consequences of low-quality SEO promotion
Based on the data obtained from analytics and backlink analysis services, our link building SEO specialist developed a strategy for replacing the old spammy, rented link mass with a new permanent, highly authoritative, more thematic and regional link mass. Within 4 months, we completely got rid of the leased links, while not falling under the filters of the PS and maintaining the positive dynamics of the growth of the link mass. Also, crowd marketing was connected from visited forums, blogs to get high-quality non-anchor “dilute” entries in the anchor list.
To achieve leadership positions, we needed links from the most authoritative sources on the market. SEO experts did a great job with this.
Unfair actions of competitors. Working to fix the situation
After some time, when the site received the first positions on important high-frequency queries in the market, we found a large number of extremely low-quality leased links, cat. purchased by unscrupulous competitors of the Customer in order to lower positions or send the site under the filter of search engines. Thanks to constant monitoring of the quality of the link mass and a quick response to link spam, we have leveled these actions and secured the desired positions in the TOP PS.
Results
Growth of positions and site traffic
As a result, we got traffic growth 5 times in the first 6 months, and 11 times after a year of cooperation. In direct proportion to the growth of visitors to the site from organic search, the audience of visitors from other free referral, direct channels also rose.
Growth in the number of sales and calls to the sales department
The number of purchases has increased in line with the growth of visitors to the site. Thanks to our successful work, the cost of one visitor from the search has decreased by 7 times, and the Customer has become a leader in online sales of furniture in Ukraine.
