Breaking through $10M eCommerce Revenue with SEO

When it comes to e-commerce, driving traffic to your website is just the first step. Converting that traffic into sales is the ultimate goal, and SEO plays a critical role in achieving it.

For our team of SEO growth experts, it's been a pleasure working with this client in the outdoor hobby industry, helping them grow from $10k monthly revenue to a staggering $600k per month. And the best part? We're on track to break through a $10 million run rate by the end of 2023.

In this blog post, I wanted to share 3 key insights into how we achieved this growth, particularly in the realm of SEO. Specifically, I'll discuss how our SEO efforts drove $1.6 million in revenue in 2022 alone, with most of it coming in Q3 and Q4. And no, it wasn't related to any end-of-year shopping frenzy.

So whether you're a business owner or an SEO specialist looking to learn from a real-world example, keep reading to find out how we did it.

1. There are no "lone wolf" marketing channels.

Marketing is not a one-size-fits-all game. It requires a strategic approach that takes into account the unique needs of each customer, and this means choosing the right marketing channels to achieve your goals. But here's the thing: there are no "lone wolf" marketing channels. No single channel can do it all, and it takes a combination of channels to get the results you want.

Some channels are better suited for conversion, while others are more effective for discovery. The key is to understand where your customer is in their journey and choose the right channels to meet their needs. But to scale your business from $10k/mo to nearly $600k, you need more than just a combination of marketing channels. You need cooperation and contribution from multiple channels, starting with measurement.

Measurement is critical for understanding the impact of each marketing channel and how they work together to drive results. This is where multi-channel funnels come into play. By interpreting directional data and understanding how everything is a blend on some level, you can get a clearer picture of the customer journey and identify the most effective channels for driving conversions.

But there's more to it than just looking at conversion data. Assisted conversions are an important concept to understand as well. These are the conversions that happen as a result of a channel's contribution, even if they are not the last touchpoint before the conversion. By analyzing assisted conversions, you can gain insights into the role each channel plays in the customer journey and make more informed decisions about how to allocate your marketing budget.

2. Understand the function of Branded vs. Non-Branded Search in a Growth SEO Strategy

Regarding search engine optimization (SEO), it's important to understand the distinction between branded and non-branded search. Branded search refers to searches that include a brand name or some variation of it, while non-branded search refers to searches that don't mention a specific brand.

While large-scale paid traffic campaigns may drive branded search, organic search growth often comes from non-branded search. This is important to remember when assessing the impact of an SEO program, as both types of search have different implications for a brand's growth.

Non-branded search is especially valuable because it reflects a brand's ability to attract new customers and build brand awareness without paying for ad space (i.e. you're not paying for eyeballs). As a result, it tends to be a more efficient way to extend a brand's reach.

What's even more promising is that this brand has seen consistent monthly increases of about 15% in non-branded search rankings MoM. You can imagine the compounding impact that has over time. 

It's a testament to the power of a well-executed SEO program and a reminder of the importance of focusing on both branded and non-branded search when developing a holistic growth SEO strategy.

3. Paid and Organic Search Visibility Matters (and it will save you money!)

Controlling both paid and organic search, your business can gain massive efficiency from a cost-saving perspective. 

By having visibility across both paths, our client saved about $32k per month when considering what it would take to pay for placement in paid search on Google ads. This significant achievement demonstrates the power of having a holistic approach to search engine marketing.

Also, our client was able to change their bidding strategy for the keywords they were targeting, resulting in improved ad performance and higher click-through rates. By using the insights gained from analyzing both their paid and organic search efforts, we were able to optimize their paid search campaign strategy and achieve even greater success.

If you're wondering if organic search can help you dial in a record sales year, the next step is to evaluate the potential ROI of an effort. 

If you want a full 360-degree look at what's possible for your brand, our team is ready to do that legwork. Let's talk! 

You can schedule a free discovery call here.