Case Study on Local SEO in Foreign Languages with High ROI on SEO

Background

Our focus is a distinctive company, rooted in the French Canadian sector, diverging from the usual US and English-speaking markets. Typically, our SEO initiatives are conducted in English, but the client was amenable to this approach despite their website being in French. This presented an intriguing challenge to assess the efficacy of our strategy in a non-English context, and the results were affirmative.

SEO Audit

Our initial step involves a comprehensive SEO audit to ascertain the website’s current standing. The site, while free from penalties, suffered from limited traffic. A slight overemphasis was noted in their keyword strategy, with a 28% and 25% exact match for their primary keywords. Though not a major concern, given their minimal link profile, it was still an aspect worth considering.

Keyword Research

Easy Wins – Unearthing Hidden Opportunities

Our keyword research strategy prioritises identifying immediate opportunities – those keywords where the site already ranks but not at the forefront. Targeting these can swiftly enhance traffic. In this case, fewer ‘easy wins’ were apparent due to the local focus of the site. Despite lower traffic volumes compared to broader niches, these localised keywords promised higher conversion rates due to more targeted intent. We pinpointed 43 terms, ranging from 20 to 1,000 monthly searches, with a cost-per-click (CPC) ranging from 20 pence to £5. Our priority was to target keywords in the £4-£5 CPC bracket.

Competitive Gap Analysis

We identified 31 keywords leveraged by competitors, with search volumes between 20 and 1,600 monthly searches and a CPC range from 10 pence to £3. These included unexplored local areas, popular appliance brands they serviced, and potent service-related keywords lacking optimisation on their site. These insights were shared with the client for strategic planning.

The SEO Campaign

This campaign deviated from our usual approach as the client had initiated SEO efforts independently before joining our managed SEO program. They observed a notable uptick in results following their first order in March 2016 but then experienced a hiatus until August 2016.

Come January 2017, they intensified their efforts, utilising a blend of Large Diversity Links, Press Release services, and other strategies.

By mid-2017, they fully engaged with our managed SEO program, adopting a more structured approach.

Given the international and foreign language context of this project, our strategy comprised:

• Months 1-3: Uniform approach
• Diversity Links: Balancing natural, branded, and exact match keywords

Results

The outcomes were striking. Their total expenditure with Essiem summed up to £5300.99. Contrastingly, Ahrefs reported a monthly traffic value of £8,000.

That translates to an annual equivalent of £96,000 that they would need to invest in PPC to match this traffic value!

Takeaway

The key takeaway here is the importance of consistency in SEO efforts. The data clearly shows a correlation between consistent action and SEO performance. Our strategies at Essiem are designed to uncover significant wins and deliver steady results, regardless of the business type. The focus should always be on attracting the right, targeted traffic for optimal impact.