There are a lot of misconceptions surrounding search engine optimization (SEO). For instance, SEO is not a one-time setting, it’s an ongoing process that involves analyzing results and then updating websites, online listings, and link collections based on those results. It can sometimes take months — even years — to establish effective keyword rankings. It’s also thought that Google looks for exact keywords within a website when, in actuality, Google can understand the topic of a page based on the related keywords within. Catalyst has an SEO process that encompasses the entire progression of successful SEO implementation. This process involves initial research, website and user experience optimization, online listing management, blog content, and link building. Together, these steps ensure that your website is primed to continually rank higher as your audience searches for you.
THE CHALLENGE
The Luxx student housing in San Antonio, Texas, has it all: VIP-style amenities, a convenient location to campus, and diverse room layouts and styles. The one thing it seemed to be lacking? Website traffic. The Luxx website only ranked on the first page for 23% of the 31 keyword phrases that Catalyst identified as being relevant to the property, such as “apartments near utsa” and “student housing san antonio”. None of these keywords showed The Luxx as the top result. This means that when apartment hunters searched for keywords that directly applied to The Luxx, it wasn’t shown as a viable option.
the SOLUTION
Catalyst led a redesign of The Luxx website and, over the course of the following year, implemented SEO strategies to generate rankings for high-quality keyword phrases. The website was set up with WordPress and filled with SEO-friendly content and relevant call-to-action buttons that helped optimize the user experience. Catalyst also secured and updated online listings for Google, Yelp, Foursquare, and more. As part of their SEO process, Catalyst monitored the website’s search rankings and analyzed the performance of keywords to ensure the website experienced a growth in traffic.
the RESULTS
Among the 31 keywords identified with the greatest potential to generate quality traffic, The Luxx saw a 279% average ranking increase, rising from 16.3 to 4.3. Catalyst was able to increase the number of rankings on the first page to 89% from 23% at the beginning of the campaign. Over the course of a year of monitoring and optimizing their strategy, The Luxx saw a 35% year-over-year increase in leads from organic website traffic.