Background:
A UK-based online vape shop approached Golden Oak SEO in November 2023 with significant SEO challenges. The website had no prior on-page SEO optimisation, active link-building efforts, or blog content. Additionally, it suffered from slow mobile speed and numerous technical SEO issues. The vape shop was determined to improve its organic search presence and overall site performance.
The Results You Came To See:
- 322% Increase in Organic Traffic (August 2024 vs November 2023)
- 62% Increase in Gross Revenue (July 2024 vs 2023)
Initial Metrics (November 2023):
- Google Search Console: 1490 Clicks, 205k Impressions
Ahrefs:
- DR 3 with 49 Referring Domains
- 669 Monthly Traffic
- 5190 Keywords
- Positions 11-20: 394
- Positions 4-10: 193
- Positions 1-3: 117
Metrics After SEO Implementation (August 2024):
- Google Search Console: 6290 Clicks, 722k Impressions
- Increase: 322% in Organic Traffic
Ahrefs:
- DR 30 with 422 Referring Domains
- 4000 Monthly Traffic
- 11,614 Keywords
- Positions 11-20: 1191
- Positions 4-10: 501
- Positions 1-3: 106
- Increase: DR by 27 and 373 Referring Domains
- 6424 Overall Keywords
- 308 Keywords in Positions 4-10
Woocommerce July Stats:
62% Increase in Gross Revenue in July 2024 compared to July 2023.
This highlights the effectiveness of increased organic SEO traffic as a critical factor in driving sales and revenue. For this UK vape shop, which operates in a niche where PPC is not allowed, eCommerce SEO was especially crucial.
SEO Framework Implemented:
Technical SEO:
- Site Audit: Identified and resolved technical issues.
- Mobile Speed Optimization: Fixed slow mobile load times; Core Web Vitals passed.
- URL Structure: Corrected canonicalization and pagination issues, resolving conflicts between duplicate URLs ending with and without a slash.
- E.G., Vapeshop.com/liquid/ & Vapeshop.com/liquid both existing at the same time.
- Duplicate Content: Removed duplicate category pages to avoid keyword cannibalization.
- Meta Descriptions: Added unique meta descriptions to all pages. This was especially important as none of the pages had a meta description.
- Heading Structure: Fixed duplicate H1 tags and optimised heading structures.
- Out of Stock Products: Removed and redirected out-of-stock products to relevant pages. This is important as outdated out-of-stock product pages can lead to a bad user experience, which translates to rankings on google.
- Schema Markup: Implemented schema for better search engine understanding.
Keyword Research:
- Product Category Pages: Identified primary and secondary keywords by analysing competitors and through Keyword Research Tools.
- Blog Content: Conducted keyword research to find informational keywords to write blog articles on. Created content around “Question” keywords, and “vs” and “best” keyword variations to target users further down the purchase funnel.
On-Page Optimisation:
- Meta Titles and Descriptions: Optimised product category pages with primary and secondary keywords.
- Content Creation: Added 500 words of optimised content to product category pages.
- Blog Creation: Established a blog to gain topical authority and support category pages.
- Ensured content was the best on the web for its intent, naturally integrating keywords and adding internal links to product category pages.
Link Building:
- Homepage and Inner Pages: Initially focused on building backlinks to the homepage, then shifted to product category and blog content pages.
- Quality Links: Secured backlinks from relevant, high-traffic websites relevant to the Vape Niche. Built 10 new backlinks (Guest Posts & Link Insertions) each month.
- Citations and Directories: Created foundational links to establish the business’s legitimacy.
Results:
After implementing this comprehensive SEO strategy, the vape shop experienced significant improvements in organic search traffic and domain authority. The overall organic traffic has increased by 322%, with no signs of slowing down. The shop’s gross revenue also saw a 62% increase in the latest month (July 2024), demonstrating the effectiveness of the ongoing SEO efforts.
Golden Oak SEO continues to work with this UK vape shop on an ongoing campaign to dominate the vape industry. By resolving technical issues, optimising on-page content, and implementing a robust link-building strategy, we have successfully transformed their online presence. The vape shop is beginning to see significant success, and this is just the start of their journey towards becoming a leading authority in the online UK Vape Market.
Ready to boost your eCommerce business with proven SEO strategies? Contact us today for a free 30-minute strategy call and discover how we can help you achieve similar results!