In Search of Organic Optimization

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a tech phrase that brings to mind skepticism, confusion and even fear. At Drio, we recommend that our clients focus on inbound marketing, that is, traffic driven organically when a potential customer searches online. An organic search occurs without the encouragement of paid advertising, such as Google AdWords or Facebook ads. In developing websites for our clients, our mission is to deliver a site that will encourage as much organic traffic as possible.

The achievement of top-of-page ranking, search results can be gained by diligently creating content with keywords that a company would be known for. Regularly tracking and tweaking content to achieve optimal results is something that must be managed continuously, this is not an overnight quick fix.

This case study references the medical cannabis industry in search for more traffic. This industry is in a rapid growth trajectory and the market is crowded with competition. Our client, Herbal Alternatives, came to us in December, 2017 with the hope of better search engine ranking. With a cannabis dispensary in Washington, DC, it is vital to rank highly in searches for dispensaries in that marketing area.

Drio began with a Ranking Audit which revealed many areas for improvement. We created 35 keywords that would be implemented into their plan, The initial keyword report revealed they were not on the first or second page for any of these words. Many of the words were using local terminology, which as a storefront, is crucial. In addition, we ran an online traffic report to analyze the number of visitors to their site. In December 2017, they had over 3,800 visits – with just 58% coming from organic search.

By February 2019, we had added 37 new pages of content to their site, tweaked existing page titles, images, tags and descriptions, as well as adding internal linking between pages where relevant. For the month of February 2019, Herbal Alternatives ranked #1 for 12 of their key terms and 7 more ranked on the second page. These results led to impressive increases in traffic, currently over 12,000 visitors per month with 82% coming from organic search results.

Results like these are impressive and reassure us that organic optimization is a solid strategy, for any business. Our job is far more than launching a new website, we have a responsibility to make that site work as hard as possible for our client. After all, what good is a great website if no one knows it’s there? We believe that small businesses and non-profits have to work even harder to stand out in the space they occupy online.

A well-planned and managed Website Optimization Plan should be the cornerstone of any online marketing program. Clients like Herbal Alternatives understand that a focused commitment to content creation and a reliance on professionals can really make a real difference in the bottomline.