Boosting an Ecommerce Website in the Luxury Home Fashion Niche
53
Links built
30
Average DR
209.65%
Traffic Increase
12mo
Campaign Length
Project Overview
Our client operates in the luxury home fashion sector, targeting a niche market in the US and UK.
Despite having high-quality products and a solid on-page SEO, their website was underperforming in organic search results, overshadowed by competitors with stronger domain authority.
The client wanted to rank for both US and UK terms, using the same page without a subdomain or a subdirectory. This was a challenge, as it could send mixed signals to Google.
Its rankings weren’t bad. The client was ranking at the bottom of page 2 and page 3 for most of its money keywords, which means that they needed just a little boost to make it to the money-making positions.
And that’s exactly what we did.
Strategy Development
Link Gap Analysis
We conducted an in-depth SEO audit to pinpoint the link gap between our client and its competitors and find the quickest wins that ensure the highest ROI on its link-building efforts.
Based on our audit, we found that our client needs 40 links to close the authority gap.
But we can’t just build 40 links and call it a day.
Based on its competitors' average link velocity, we decided to build no more than 6 backlinks per month, distributed between the home page and key service pages, ensuring a natural and consistent backlink growth that doesn’t raise any red flags.
Anchor Text Selection
Our goal is to build as many links with exact-match anchor text as possible, as these are the ones that move the needle.
Don’t get me wrong, partial match and branded anchors can still give a good boost, but it can’t be compared to the boost you get from exact match anchors.
However, we can’t build many of those without looking unnatural, especially since the anchor distribution is calculated per page, meaning that an under-optimized page won’t offset an over-optimized one on the same website.
That’s why we did a thorough anchor text analysis to find the optimal anchor distribution for each page.
Rank for Both US & UK Terms
The client is selling products in both the US & UK markets, so they wanted to rank for terms in both locations using the same page, which makes sense financially, as you don’t want to invest in optimizing 2 pages for the same product.
This was kinda challenging, as it’s really hard to signal location relevance for 2 different geolocations using the same page.
I’ll go in-depth on how we tackled this problem in the campaign breakdown section, so make sure to read it.
Power Up The Links
We incorporated an advanced tiered link-building strategy to overcome the domain authority gap and make our backlinks more effective.
This strategy involved building powerful Tier 2 links (backlinks to the client’s backlinks) to enhance the power of the existing backlinks, which results in higher rankings with fewer links.
Get More Relevant Traffic
Once we fulfilled the service pages, we advised the client to build links to blog posts and internally link them to relevant service pages.
This will help pass more link juice to and direct visitors to the service pages, which will help both blog posts and service pages rank higher.
Link Building Results
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January 2023
At the start of the campaign, our client was ranking for 609 keywords in the US, bringing in 1308 traffic, and 481 keywords in the UK, bringing in 692 traffic.
After an in-depth analysis, we found that the quickest win we can have is by ranking the category pages in the UK.
The decision to prioritize main category pages over subcateogries was twofold.
First, it allowed us to establish the site's topical authority in its niche, which will help Google better understand the topic of the website, resulting in more visibility and higher rankings.
Second, it provided a more efficient use of resources, as boosting category pages would effectively funnel more link juice to the product variations (subcategories.)
This won’t only boost the main category pages themselves but also help the product pages rank higher, all without the need to allocate the client's budget to individual links for each product variation.
So, we kicked things off by building 3 backlinks to 2 category pages, using exact match anchor texts for maximum effectiveness.
We chose websites with significant UK traffic for our link placements, aligning with our goal to enhance the site's visibility for UK terms.
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February 2023
February was a month of careful observation and strategic reinforcement.
We noticed an encouraging 11% uptick in the number of keywords our client ranked for in the UK.
Though it was a positive sign, we knew it was too early to pop the champagne. Patience and precision are key in the SEO game, and we were determined to stick to our plan.
Continuing with our strategy from January, we kept our focus laser-sharp on the same two category pages.
However, we amped up our efforts, creating five new backlinks.
Of these, three were specifically designed to bolster our UK presence, while the remaining two aimed to give our US rankings a nudge.
Now, let's talk specifics about the links. For the UK, we secured two powerhouse links from domains with a Domain Rating (DR) of 60+, plus another from a DR 30 site to mix things up.
On the US front, we added one DR 60+ link and one DR 45+ link.
Our choice of high DR links aimed at making a significant impact with fewer but stronger links, rather than diluting our efforts across too many weaker ones.
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March 2023
In the US, our efforts were nothing short of stellar. The traffic skyrocketed from 1,308 to an impressive 1,936, marking a whopping 48% increase.
The website's visibility took a leap too, jumping from 609 to 850 keywords with 29 new keywords cruising into the top 3 positions.
It's clear our strategy is on point, and the US market is responding just the way we hoped.
In the UK, the narrative took a slightly different turn.
Keywords in the did climb from 481 to 561, which is a win in our book. But here's the twist: traffic dipped from 692 to 584. This wasn’t unexpected, as we anticipated some push and pull between the two geographies.
Despite the traffic dip, the increase in keyword rankings is a silver lining. It tells us that our SEO juice is working, just not in the way we expected.
That’s why we refined our strategy, tailoring it more to resonate with the UK audience.
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April 2023
April was a month of strategic targeting and refinement. We honed in on our goal to bolster the UK market while still keeping an eye on the US.
This month, we built five more high-quality backlinks.
Four of these were dedicated to the UK market, reflecting our commitment to establishing stronger footholds in this region.
We didn't forget about the US, though—one link was aimed at maintaining our momentum there.
What made April unique was our nuanced approach to anchor texts. This time, we included 'UK' in some of our anchors.
Why? It's all about sending crystal-clear signals to Google about the geographical relevance of our client's website.
Our intention was to strengthen the site's association with the UK market, ensuring it resonates more with search engines.
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May 2023
In this month, we placed four new backlinks.
Three of these links were aimed at the UK market, continuing our concerted effort to strengthen our client's foothold in this territory.
The remaining link was dedicated to the US, ensuring we keep the momentum going in this equally important market.
As we begin to fulfill the backlink requirements for the 2 main category pages, we introduced a third category page to our link-building strategy.
We also built a link to the client’s homepage to enhance the website's overall domain authority, which will help all of our pages rank higher.
A notable highlight this month was the diversification of our anchor text approach. So far, we’ve been focusing on creating exact match and partial match anchors because these are the ones that move the needle.
However, too much of one thing can look suspicious to search engines, and we're playing the long game here.
So, we introduced more branded and URL anchors to our mix, ensuring a more natural looking backlink profile and steering clear of any red flags that could bring our progress to a halt.
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June 2023
June brought us some exciting progress, along with a couple of head-scratchers that kept us on our toes.
We hit our link building goals for the two main category pages, so we set our sights on two additional category pages.
In the US, we saw our efforts bear fruit, with traffic climbing from 1,916 to 2,171—a solid 13.3% increase. It's rewarding to see numbers like these because they tell us we're on the right track.
The website's visibility also got a boost, moving from 790 to 825 in rankings, with 62 keywords now sitting pretty in the top 3 and a robust 206 in the top 10.
The UK, on the other hand, presented a more challenging puzzle. While we saw a rise in keyword rankings—from 540 to 609 (+12.8%), with 34 making it to the top 3 and 66 in the top 10—the traffic took a slight detour, dropping to 530 from 595 in May (-11%).
A bit of detective work showed us why: our client's two main category pages, which we'd worked so hard on, had slipped in rankings. One tumbled from 3rd to 6th position, and the other took a more dramatic dive from the first page to the fourth.
In times like these, it's essential to remember that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.
Rankings can and do fluctuate, often influenced by a myriad of factors, many of which are beyond our immediate control.
It's natural to feel a twinge of concern when the numbers dip, especially after a period of steady growth. However, this is not the moment to panic or make hasty decisions.
Our experience tells us that knee-jerk reactions can do more harm than good. Instead, we take a step back, analyze the data, and look at the broader picture.
This approach allows us to identify whether these shifts are part of a normal ebb and flow or if they signal a more significant trend that needs addressing.
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July 2023
July was all about expansion. We created five new backlinks—four aimed at the UK market and one for the US, aligning with our dual-market focus.
Since we fulfilled our two main category pages backlink requirements, we introduced four new subcategory pages into our strategy.
These pages were already seeing some traction from the link juice funneled by the main category pages, so with just a few links, we could boost them to the money making positions.
We built one backlink for each of the subcategory pages, totaling 4 links.
Remember the page that dropped from the third to the sixth position of search results last month?
That’s where we pointed the fifth link.
Although the page had enough links to rank first, our analysis showed that the SERP has changed. Our client’s competitors in the UK built more links, so now we also had to build more backlink to regain our rankings.
This is important to keep in mind, as SEO isn’t a set and forget strategy. The SERP always changes, so you should always remain proactive and refine your strategies to not just reach the top but to stay there.
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August 2023
August was a remarkable month, showcasing the fruits of our strategic labor in vivid colors.
The US market, in particular, witnessed an exhilarating surge, with traffic jumping from 2,171 to 2,689, marking a 24% increase.
US keywords soared to 945 from 852, with a whopping 108 landing in the top 3 and 198 in the top 10. These are the kind of metrics that make all the hard work worth it.
Across the pond in the UK, we also had reasons to smile. Traffic saw a 55.3% increase, climbing to 823 from 530 in June..
This month's success is a clear signal that our balanced focus on both US and UK markets, backed by a strategic mix of backlinks, is paying off.
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September 2023
As keywords rankings were sticking for both US and UK terms, our goal in September was to power up our pages.
We started a tiered link building strategy, where we build three tier 2 links to each of our high-quality backlinks. This approach aimed at boosting our existing backlinks link juice, helping our pages to rank higher.
We also continued building links for our client’s subcategory pages, with more focus on UK terms.
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October 2023
In October, we placed four new backlinks across different types of pages to maximize the impact on our client's website with three of the links targeting the UK market and one focusing on the US.
We built another backlink to the home page, using a branded anchor to boost the site's overall domain authority and break the pattern.
We noticed that a specific product was getting some traction, so we built a link directly to the product page, aiming to drive specific product visibility and sales.
We also focused on a new category page that was relatively easy to rank for, bringing faster visibility and traffic gains.
A blog post was our fourth target. This approach not only diversifies our link portfolio but also boosts the site's content depth, engaging visitors with valuable information.
Additionally, we amplified our existing backlinks' power by adding three tier 2 links to each of them. This "link to a link" strategy strengthens the original backlinks, pushing our SEO juice further and making our previous efforts even more effective.
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November 2023
November brought a wave of success we were all eagerly awaiting.
In the US, we hit a new milestone: traffic escalated to 3,429, and we saw our keyword count rise to 1,455. That's not just a number—it's a testament to the relentless effort and smart strategies we've employed. Our US-focused efforts are paying off, making the website a formidable player in its niche.
Over in the UK, the story was just as thrilling. Traffic surged to 2,498, and keywords climbed to 996. This growth isn't accidental; it's the result of our targeted approach and dedication to understanding the UK market's unique dynamics.
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December 2023
Riding the wave of our November victories, we decided it was time to supercharge our efforts even more. December was all about amplifying what works, and we did just that with our tiered link-building strategy.
We crafted a whopping 18 tier 2 links, spreading them across 6 of our strongest backlinks. This wasn't random; it was a calculated move to pump up the 'SEO juice' of our existing links, making sure they work even harder for us.
But that's not all. The UK market, where we've been making significant strides, got extra attention with 6 new backlinks.
We didn't scatter these randomly. Two were strategically placed on one of our top-performing category pages and another on a second key page, both using branded anchors.
The remaining three backlinks? We deployed them across three different category pages, reinforcing their positions and ensuring they're not just visitors but permanent residents at the top of the search results.
Campaign Results
Let's cut to the chase and talk numbers, because, in the end, they tell the real story of our SEO journey.
In the US, we watched our client’s traffic swell from 1,308 to a staggering 3,229, marking a 147% increase.
That's not just growth; that's a transformation, turning the website into a heavyweight contender in the luxury home fashion niche.
The keyword growth was equally impressive, leaping from 609 to 954 (+57%), with the cherry on top being keywords ranking in the top 3 positions skyrocketing from 24 to 108 (+350%).
Now, shifting gears to the UK, the results were nothing short of spectacular.
We started at 692 and ramped up to 2,707 in traffic. Yes, you read that right, that's a 291% increase. And for our keywords in the top 3? We went from 16 to a robust 67 (+318%), proving that our targeted strategy didn't just work; it excelled.
These numbers aren't just digits; they're a testament to strategic planning, relentless execution, and a deep understanding of the SEO landscape.
They represent not just traffic but real people, and potential customers, engaging with our client's site, and exploring the luxurious world of home fashion they offer.
If you want similar results, feel free to book a courtesy consultation call with one of our expert link builders.
During this 15-minute call, we’ll quickly go over your website, learn about your goals, and show you how to achieve them.
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