SEO Case Study #1: Comprehensive SEO Strategy That Drives Results
Client Background & Initial Assessment
Recently, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a client on improving their website’s SEO performance. Upon receiving access to the site, my first step was a comprehensive SEO audit using Screaming Frog. This helped me identify and resolve critical on-page SEO issues, ensuring that the website was technically sound and ready for optimization.
Next, I turned my attention to the content audit. I updated and optimized the website’s entire content, ensuring it was aligned with current SEO best practices and user intent. This crucial step led to immediate improvements in the site’s search rankings.
Is the Job Done? Not Even Close...
While fixing on-page issues and optimizing content was a significant step, SEO is much more than that. The real challenge lies in off-page optimization, where the most impactful work happens.
Here’s how I tackled the off-page SEO game to boost the website’s authority and rankings:
- Right Keyword & Competitor Analysis
- Backlink Profile Analysis
- Backlink Profile Audit
- Anchor Text Ratio
- Making Foundation with Backlinks
- Guest Posts & Niche Edits
- HARO Backlinks
- Natural Link Footprint
Category
SEO Optimzation
Clients
International
Location
USA, TX.
Published
2024
1. Targeting the Right Keyword & Competitor Analysis
To begin, I took the main keyword provided by the client and analyzed the competitive landscape in the SERPs. Although the keyword wasn’t highly competitive, it had its own challenges. I identified the lowest-authority website ranking for this keyword, using it as a benchmark to outperform.
2. Backlink Profile Analysis
Next, I analyzed the backlink profile of the identified competitor using Semrush. This analysis was crucial in understanding their backlink strategy and identifying opportunities for improvement. The goal was to surpass their backlink profile with higher-quality links and more diversified sources.
3. Auditing the Website’s Own Backlink Profile
After assessing the competition, I shifted focus to the client’s site. I performed a backlink audit to identify any spammy, broken, or low-quality links that might be harming the site’s credibility. By exporting a CSV file and disavowing harmful backlinks, I ensured the site was only associated with high-quality, authoritative links.
4. Maintaining a Healthy Anchor Text Ratio
One of the most crucial elements of off-page SEO is ensuring a natural and varied anchor text ratio. I paid close attention to this, making sure the links pointed to the site were contextually relevant and diversified to avoid penalties.
5. Building a Strong Foundation with Backlinks
For the next month, I focused on building a solid foundation of backlinks from authoritative, niche-relevant sites. This process helped strengthen the site’s domain authority and prepare it for more aggressive off-page tactics.
6. Leveraging Guest Posts & Niche Edits
After building foundational backlinks, I moved towards guest posting and niche edits. My strategy was to maintain a balanced approach, creating about 5 guest posts per month and acquiring 10+ niche edits per month. This approach kept the backlink profile diverse and organic.
7. Utilizing HARO Links for Powerful Backlinks
In terms of niche edits, I found HARO (Help a Reporter Out) links to be incredibly effective. These high-authority links helped to significantly improve the site’s rankings by driving both relevant traffic and boosting domain authority.
8. Maintaining Diversification & Natural Link Footprint
Throughout the entire link-building process, I ensured the approach was diverse and natural to avoid creating any SEO footprints that could be detected by search engines. This diversification, along with a steady pace of content publication, kept the site’s link profile looking organic and trustworthy.
Results: A Continuous Growth Journey
This entire SEO process took approximately 4-6 months, and the results speak for themselves. While the process is ongoing, the site’s ranking improvements and overall graph show a clear upward trajectory.
Client Satisfaction & Final Thoughts
The client is thrilled with the results, and I’m equally satisfied with the outcomes. Seeing the site move up in the rankings while following a sustainable, white-hat SEO approach is always rewarding.
My Favorite SEO Quote
To end, here’s a quote I always keep in mind:
“The objective is not to ‘make your links appear natural’, the objective is that your links are natural.”
