This case study delves into the triumph of our ground-up initiative within a fiercely competitive market segment. Case Study: Achieving 40,000 Traffic through Affiliate SEO.
From its inception as a site devoid of traffic or keyword presence, we navigated the journey to achieve 40,000 unique monthly visitors (as per Ahrefs, though Google Analytics recorded even higher figures).
We’ll commence with an overarching view of the project’s trajectory before delving into a chronological account of the initial 10 months. This period saw monthly revenues peak at over $32,000.
Let’s dive in.
What Does This Case Study Cover? Traffic through Affiliate SEO
This online version exclusively focuses on the off-page SEO realm, encompassing link building strategies, 301 redirects, and related aspects. However, for an in-depth understanding of our comprehensive case study spanning 50 pages, which delves into both on-page and off-page tactics including keyword research, monetization strategies, utilization of partial match domains, and more, subscribe to our newsletter below. By subscribing, you’ll receive the full spectrum of advanced techniques, covering content optimization, plugin utilization, site structuring, and a plethora of other valuable insights. We typically send out two emails per month, ensuring you stay abreast of the latest trends and strategies in the dynamic field of SEO.
Establishing Groundwork and Project Summary
Rivalry Within Search Engine Results Pages Traffic through Affiliate SEO
Competition within the SERPs for this particular sub-niche within the broader “outdoors” niche is notably fierce. A quick glance at the Ahrefs metrics reveals a challenging landscape. For a primary keyword term intended to anchor the homepage of the site, the competition metrics are strikingly high. The keyword difficulty score sits at a daunting 86, indicating a super hard level of competition for a little over 200k monthly traffic.
Aiming to secure a place on the first page of the SERP would necessitate amassing over 500 referring domains, as per Ahrefs’ analysis. Dominating this space is a cohort of established authority sites with extensive histories within the industry, presenting a formidable challenge to newcomers.
While the primary focus of the site would revolve around targeting national-based SERPs, there’s also a strategic emphasis on two local areas to drive foot traffic to physical locations. Given the competitive landscape, it’s clear that unconventional techniques will be essential to making meaningful strides in ranking for such highly competitive keywords within a reasonable timeframe.
Background Information: Traffic through Affiliate SEO
In late 2016, during a period when domain hunting wasn’t as fiercely competitive as it is today, we stumbled upon a quality aged domain that proved to be a significant asset for our projects. This domain was acquired for just over $500 through a Godaddy Auctions purchase. Instead of relying on a trusted provider or specialized tools like Register Compass or Spamzilla, we opted to scout for domains ourselves. This approach required some expertise but eventually led us to this valuable find. It’s worth noting that aged domains can offer a substantial shortcut in the ranking process, potentially saving a considerable amount of time and effort.
Creating a Partial Match Domain
This implies that the domain name contained some (but not all) of the main keywords associated with the site. It belonged to a sub-category within the outdoors niche and possessed strong brand potential.
According to Whois records, the domain had been registered since 2001. The site’s history, as documented on Archive.org, revealed it had served as a significant e-commerce platform specializing in the outdoors niche for over a decade. During this time, it garnered substantial attention from both the media and other websites, resulting in numerous backlinks.
In its prime, the website competed with major players dominating the search engine results pages (SERPs) in the niche. Despite changes in the industry, it still boasted a considerable number of indexed pages on Google, exceeding 100.
Several Additional Matters Traffic through Affiliate SEO
With over 500 referring domains from high-authority, niche-specific sources, the website possessed a robust backlink profile. While the homepage attracted the majority of these links, numerous inner pages also enjoyed significant exposure. This provided a solid foundation for developing content strategies, leveraging the historical pages with existing authority.
The backlink profile consisted of links from reputable sources, including major US news sites, .gov domains, and .edu websites. Notably, the anchor text distribution appeared natural, comprising a mix of branded, naked, and generic anchors, supplemented by a small proportion of commercial anchors. This diverse profile facilitated effective link building strategies.
Furthermore, the website maintained a strong presence on social media platforms and enjoyed consistent brand searches over an extended period.
Given the current domain auction market conditions, it would be reasonable to anticipate paying a premium, potentially five times the original purchase price in 2016, to acquire such a valuable asset.
Continuing Link Building Traffic through Affiliate SEO
This section will address the continuous efforts in establishing links throughout the project’s duration.
First Month (September)
The strategy was to pursue an aggressive approach to link building during the initial month. We aimed to acquire over 700 new referring domains to the primary website, in addition to generating a significant volume of content. Furthermore, a select few tiered links were to be constructed on top of this effort. It’s important to note that this endeavor was built upon the foundation of the original aged domain, which already boasted 500+ historical referring domains.
While this strategy might appear risky to conventional SEO practitioners, it was executed with the long-term sustainability of the money site in mind. The plan involved simulating a substantial influx of press coverage upfront, leveraging that momentum to boost the visibility of a large amount of content in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Did the strategy yield the desired outcome? Absolutely. By the conclusion of this initiative, we had already begun to witness the traction we had hoped for. This positioned us favorably for sustained growth in the subsequent months.
Organized Backlinks
In the initial month, approximately 500 out of 700 links were established due to the redirection of an aged domain to our site. Considering the typical pattern in search engine results pages (SERPs), it was logical for us to garner over 1000 backlinks following the merger of two sites, accompanied by approximately 200 links resembling press coverage of this merger.
While our approach involved ordering a substantial number of links, it’s noteworthy that the majority were directed to the homepage with naked, branded, or generic anchor texts. Our focus wasn’t on targeting specific lucrative keywords at this stage; rather, our objective was to bolster the overall authority of the website.
During such a large-scale link-building campaign, we always advocate for a blend of authority values within the backlinks. This mirrors the natural progression where a handful of authoritative or news sites initiate discussions, leading to a multitude of smaller sites piggybacking on that coverage.
Crafting a diverse link profile is a challenging aspect of SEO, but our aim was precisely that – to emulate the organic growth pattern seen when a site gains traction through press coverage.
Exploring the Concept of 301 Redirects
To kickstart our strategy, we opted to implement a 301 redirect from another aged domain to our site. Here are some key statistics regarding this redirection:
– The domain was a Partial Match Domain (PMD).
– It boasted about 500 referring domains (RD), all of high quality and relevant to our niche.
– This domain had been registered since 1999, indicating its longevity and potential authority.
– Despite its transition, over 50 pages from the domain were still indexed on Google.
– Previously, it served as an e-commerce platform within a specific sub-category of our niche.
– We acquired this domain through auction for a reasonable cost of $1,200.
Most of the inner pages with links were repurposed into supporting content hub pages, aligning with our site’s structure and content strategy. By executing this 301 redirect, we gained a plethora of niche-relevant referring domains and backlinks, significantly boosting our site’s authority.
Moreover, this redirection provided us with a compelling narrative to present to Google for our initial backlinks order. We framed it as follows:
“Powerful Company A acquires Powerful Company B and integrates its domain with its main site through a 301 redirect. Concurrently, we enhance our site with additional content, generating buzz around the merger in the industry. This development sparks discussions across various blogs and social media platforms.”
This narrative not only aligns with our strategic goals but also facilitates the decision-making process for selecting appropriate links to build in the upcoming month.
Guest Posts Traffic through Affiliate SEO
We plan to incorporate a diverse range of 12 guest posts, varying in authority levels, alongside lower quality guest posts sourced from different vendors. These will be utilized for tiered link building purposes, all directed towards our homepage or hub pages. Anchor texts will be kept simple, using a mix of naked, branded, and generic anchors to maintain a natural link profile.
Specialized Modifications Traffic through Affiliate SEO
We have a selection of link packs tailored to suit your needs:
– Choose from 2 Blade Packs, each containing 14 mid-authority links.
– Opt for our Level 4 Pack, comprising 3 links ranging from mid to high authority.
– Elevate your strategy with our Level 5 Pack, offering 3 links of mid to high authority.
– Amplify your online presence with our Barrage 15 Pack, including 15-20 links from sources of low authority.
– For tiered link structures, consider our Barrage 30 Pack, providing 30-38 links from low-authority sources.
All links will be directed to your homepage or hub pages, utilizing naked, branded, or generic anchors to ensure organic integration and maximum impact.
Private Blog Network (PBN)
Acquire 5 PBN links directing to the homepage. These links should feature naked URLs, branded, and generic anchors.
Connecting Pillows Traffic through Affiliate SEO
The strategy employed was quite aggressive, yet it aimed to minimize risks while setting the groundwork for sustainable long-term success. The focus primarily rested on directing a multitude of links to the homepage using natural, branded, and generic anchors. Although the approach involved diverse link types and varied anchor texts, it was careful to avoid spammy tactics.
The initial phase included leveraging social profiles, press releases related to the company buyout, blog comments, and Web 2.0 platforms with unique content. Additionally, efforts were made to garner social signals, citations, and some lower-quality backlinks, albeit not extensively documented. Notably, the utilization of high-quality PBN links was considered acceptable, provided they were used sparingly and judiciously.
Furthermore, the strategy sought to emulate the natural buzz generated by press coverage, as smaller blogs often comment on releases from larger sites. Leveraging an aged domain with significant referring domains and implementing a 301 redirect from a comparable site bolstered the initial momentum.
Tiered linking was deployed strategically, with a focus on refreshing crawlability for powerful links from the original website and the 301 domain. It’s important to highlight the diversification of both tiered and tier 1 links to ensure a balanced link profile.
It’s noteworthy that no force-indexing of links was undertaken. Instead, the reliance was on natural indexation, acknowledging that it might extend the timeline for full crawlability. Some links might take months to index, and some might not index at all, but this was considered acceptable within the overall strategy.
Strategic Use of Low-Quality Links
Many SEO practitioners may recoil at the idea of incorporating what they deem as “spammy” links into their strategies. However, it’s crucial to shift perspective away from purely human thinking and consider the viewpoint of web crawlers.
Low-quality links serve a purpose on the internet and can contribute to diversifying a comprehensive backlink portfolio. From a data-driven perspective, this approach makes logical sense.
While it’s not advisable to inundate websites with such links in hopes of significant results, judiciously integrating them can aid in enhancing crawlability and promoting diversification.
One effective method involves mimicking the natural influx of press that occurs within search engine result pages (SERPs). By analyzing viral content and its associated backlinks, a common pattern emerges: a diverse array of links flooding the site simultaneously.
These links encompass various types, including inner page links, homepage links, contextual links, social media mentions, and web 2.0s, among others. Moreover, the anchor texts of these links exhibit significant diversity, with many being branded, naked, or seemingly random.
What’s notably absent from this mix are an overwhelming number of money-oriented anchor texts originating from a single type of link.
Furthermore, the quality of these links varies, as genuine press coverage attracts attention from a wide range of sources, including random bots. Understanding this dynamic enables strategic integration of lower-quality links into the overall strategy.
Traffic Outcome Traffic through Affiliate SEO
In the initial month of our development efforts, we didn’t anticipate significant growth, but even a slight uptick in traffic provided a sense of reassurance regarding our progress.
Our strategy involved a cautious approach with anchor text selection, leveraging over 1,000 referring domains from the original site along with implementing 301 redirects, and supplementing with numerous auxiliary links. Additionally, we acquired 30-40 authoritative links through guest posts and niche edits. Resulting in a diverse and organic link profile devoid of any identifiable patterns.
By employing generic anchors pointing to the homepage, we aimed to simulate substantial interest. Which yielded the desired outcomes and propelled our burgeoning website towards establishing itself as a leading authority within its niche.
A closer examination of the backlink profiles of major websites using tools like Ahrefs reveals that even they have a portion of low Domain Rating (DR) links attached.
Replicating rapid growth achieved through a diverse set of backlinks may be challenging, but by observing and learning from natural occurrences, it’s possible to sustain high link velocities over short periods.
Hence, incorporating some lower-quality links into the strategy from the outset, as done in month number one, aligns with this principle.
Growth in Traffic from October to November: Surging from 800 to over 4000 Visitors
Over the coming months, our strategy will shift towards prioritizing the acquisition of authoritative backlinks alongside continued focus on content development. We’ll maintain our practice of directing most links to the homepage using a mix of branded, URL. And generic anchors to safeguard against penalties while bolstering overall site authority.
While some may rush to employ money anchors targeting inner pages, we remain committed to a patient, long-term approach. Our aim is sustained link building, albeit at a reduced pace compared to the initial phase, avoiding abrupt halts which can be detrimental.
This phase represents a deliberate cooling-off period following the significant event of the merger, resembling a trailing press effort. Though still assertive, our tactics will appear comparatively moderate against our earlier actions.
By the conclusion of this phase, we anticipate significant site growth. Facilitated by the implementation of affiliate partnerships and discussions around potential dropshipping collaborations. While profitability may not yet be realized, the project’s solid progress within its three-month lifespan positions it favorably for future success.
Ordered Backlinks
During this period, our efforts were slightly scaled back compared to the initial month, but still maintained considerable momentum. Similar to the first month, our primary focus remained on generating links to the homepage using a variety of anchor types such as naked, branded, or random anchors.
Our primary objective throughout this project remained the enhancement of overall authority, persisting until we observed a significant uptick in rankings. However, in the third month, we also directed a portion of our efforts towards building links to inner pages.
As with previous months, we continued to employ a diverse mix of authority levels to ensure a varied landscape for search engine bots to crawl.
It’s worth noting that a recurring feature of our monthly strategy involves ordering social signals. We firmly believe that a robust presence on social media is essential for garnering attention, as sites with significant press coverage often see corresponding traction on social platforms. Therefore, we consider social signals an integral aspect of our overall approach, recognizing their importance in achieving sustained visibility and engagement.
Contributions by Guests
We require 16 guest posts with anchor texts that are natural, unbranded, and not overly promotional.
Niche Edits Traffic through Affiliate SEO
Here’s a rewritten version:
Our link-building services offer various packages tailored to your needs:
1. Level 4 Pack: This package includes 6 mid to high authority links to boost your website’s credibility.
2. Level 6 Pack: For those seeking even stronger endorsements, we provide 3 high authority links in this package.
3. Barrage 30 Pack: Get a comprehensive link strategy with tiered links, consisting of 30-38 low authority links aimed at improving your website’s visibility.
4. Barrage 15 Pack: This package offers 15-20 low authority links strategically deployed to enhance your online presence.
We use a variety of anchor types including naked, branded, and generic anchors to ensure natural and diverse linking profiles.
PBN
Throughout this time span, 7 were incorporated. Anchors were introduced in three variations: naked, branded, and generic.
Connections of Cushions
In the third month of our campaign, we implemented a strategy focusing on diversity links, ensuring a mix of white hat pillow links. Social signals were integrated into our approach, maintaining a balance between naked, branded, and generic anchors. While we introduced links to inner pages during this phase, we did so sparingly, predominantly using URL, branded, and generic anchors. However, a few long-tail anchors were incorporated into pages with a strong history of referring domains and promising SERP performance. Notably, we refrained from targeting direct money keywords at this stage. To bolster our existing links and social profiles, we employed a single round of “Barrage” niche edits as tier-2 links, primarily featuring naked, branded, or long-tail anchors. By the end of this period, our growth trajectory demonstrated significant progress. This marked the conclusion of our pillow link procurement, as we felt confident in our comprehensive approach.
Traffic Outcome Traffic through Affiliate SEO
Traffic experienced a significant surge, given our concentrated efforts in link building and site development spanning just three months. Following the third month of intensive link-building activities, traffic metrics showcased remarkable growth. By November’s close, monthly visits skyrocketed from approximately 400 to a staggering 4,300 visitors, as per Ahrefs data. Consequently, this uptick translated into increased earnings through Amazon Affiliate partnerships, bolstering our financial gains.
Traffic Surges to 4000-6000+ Visitors Monthly in Months 4-6 (December through February)
Starting from the fourth month, we decided to reallocate our budget towards prioritizing content over backlinks. While we didn’t completely halt our link-building efforts or press generation, we opted for a more strategic approach. Instead of bombarding with a variety of random links, we focused on cultivating a steady stream of links from higher authority sources. Our link profile remained diversified, but we primarily utilized guest posts and niche edits. The initial buzz we generated with our links provided us with an advantage, making it easier to elevate our content in the search engine results pages (SERPs). With this advantage in hand, we also experimented with new content strategies, even though we were initially uncertain about their efficacy.
Ordered Backlinks
During this phase, our focus shifts towards targeting money anchors, though we proceed cautiously. The majority of our links will still direct to the homepage, utilizing naked, branded, and generic anchors. While we’ve begun gaining traction in the SERPs and are prepared to incorporate money anchors, we’ll do so sparingly. Roughly, the distribution would be around 20% money anchors mixed with 80% generic anchors. Thanks to the established authority of the site, content targeting lower to medium competition terms will start auto-ranking. This strategy reinforces our commitment to building overall authority rather than aggressively pushing inner pages. Furthermore, we’ll reduce the practice of pillowing for the site, with the exception of leveraging social signals. And shift our focus towards securing higher authority links moving forward.
Guest Posts Traffic through Affiliate SEO
We’re seeking 12 guest posts from websites with strong authority, typically with a Domain Rating (DR) of 36 or higher. The focus will predominantly be on directing traffic to our homepage, utilizing naked, branded, and generic anchors. Approximately 10% of the anchors will lead to inner pages, incorporating money anchors for diversification.
“Niche Enhancements”
Here’s a revised version of the paragraph:
Offering different levels of link packages, we provide a variety of authority links tailored to your needs. Our Level 3 Pack includes three mid-authority links, while the Level 4 Pack offers three links ranging from mid to high authority. For those seeking top-tier links, our Level 6 Pack delivers three high-authority options. Most of these links will direct traffic to your homepage, utilizing naked, branded, and generic anchors. Additionally, we allocate 10% of the anchors to inner pages for optimal diversification.
Links for Cushions
Despite initially employing exact match anchors, we were judicious in their use. With the majority of links directed towards the homepage using naked, branded, or generic anchors. Our approach to targeting inner pages with money anchors was straightforward. If a page showed traction in the SERPs and lacked money anchors, we would incorporate them there. Conversely, if a historical inner page already had a significant number of money anchors from referring domains. We diversified the links with long-tail or generic anchors. While there was still a substantial amount of authority from backlinks, the intensity had decreased compared to earlier months.
We maintained a consistent link-building strategy to avoid signaling a decline in activity to search crawlers, as abruptly halting link-building can suggest a loss of interest or relevance. It’s crucial to keep the momentum going.
Furthermore, we refrained from force-indexing any links, allowing them to be crawled naturally over time. During this period, we chose not to utilize PBN links or tiered links, though this decision may have been an oversight, as we would typically consider incorporating a small number of them.
Traffic Outcome Traffic through Affiliate SEO
During this period, our plan continued to unfold seamlessly, leading to notable progress. While the gains weren’t as substantial as the previous period, we witnessed a significant upward trajectory in our search engine results page (SERP) rankings.
After six months of dedicated link building efforts, the outcomes were evident. Between December and February, we experienced a doubling of traffic, which consequently drove an increase in sales.
March to May: Traffic Surges from 6500 to Over 27000.
During this phase, our efforts to establish an authority website seem to have paid off handsomely. Our presence in search engine results pages (SERPs) has surged. With articles swiftly climbing the ranks upon publication, and coveted featured snippets consistently landing in our lap. The influx of traffic has translated into a promising return on investment, setting us on a path of success.
While our focus remained steadfast on the digital realm, we also ventured into physical partnerships without encountering any hiccups. However, it became apparent that our attention was starting to splinter, potentially foreshadowing challenges ahead.
A notable development during this period was the initiation of manufacturing a limited range of products within our larger shop, diversifying our revenue streams.
Despite these expansions, our website continued to witness a steady stream of orders akin to previous periods. Our strategy revolved around a dual approach: generating a substantial volume of content while cultivating authoritative backlinks. This concerted effort paid off, propelling us to achieve exponential growth. As evidenced by a more than fourfold increase in monthly traffic according to Ahrefs.
Ordered Backlinks
In the preceding section, we highlighted our continuity in ordering and executing link building strategies. However, a slight adjustment was made to accommodate the creation of new product pages. Approximately 40% of our link orders during this period were directed towards these new inner pages, constituting a slightly larger order compared to previous ones.
These new page links were diversified into naked, branded, and generic types, as they lacked any historical links. For the remaining pages, we continued to prioritize higher authority links, maintaining a similar ratio of money to natural anchors, roughly 20/80.
Despite our endeavor to kickstart this new campaign promptly, we remained committed to employing conservative link building tactics.
Guest Posts Traffic through Affiliate SEO
We seek 10 guest posts primarily from websites with higher authority metrics, with a Domain Rating (DR) of 36 and above. The focus will be on directing the majority of these posts to the homepage, utilizing naked, branded, and generic anchors. Approximately 10% of the anchors will include money keywords directed towards inner pages of our website.
Specialized Modifications
Deploying three Level 4 packs comprising 9 mid to high authority links. Alongside a Barrage 15 featuring tiered links totaling 15-20 low authority links. The primary focus is directing the majority of links to the homepage utilizing naked. Branded, and generic anchors, with approximately 10% allocated to money anchors targeting inner pages.
PBN
Acquire two high-quality PBN links directed to your homepage, utilizing both branded and generic anchor texts for optimal diversity.
Linking with Pillows
Social signals were maintained in a similar manner as the previous period, with a focus on sustaining growth rather than introducing novel strategies. Tiered links and a few Private Blog Networks (PBNs) were incorporated into the approach.
During this phase, the emphasis remained on preserving link building efforts, prioritizing higher authority sources akin to previous strategies. PBN usage predominantly featured naked, branded, and generic anchors directed towards the homepage, chosen for their natural appearance.
This approach is deemed most logical for leveraging PBNs, as it enhances authority without overtly manipulating search algorithms. Moreover, diversifying anchors to homepages aids in safeguarding the integrity of the PBN, contrasting with a heavier reliance on money anchors targeting internal pages.
It’s acknowledged that homepage links typically resemble advertising placements, unless exceptional circumstances lead to organic brand mentions on news sites – an occurrence that is infrequent.
Traffic Outcome
After establishing an authoritative website that garners recognition in search engine results pages (SERPs), witnessing its consistent upward trajectory is truly gratifying. Adding fresh content consistently leads to gratifying results. This was the breakthrough we had been eagerly anticipating. By the conclusion of this phase, the website was attracting nearly 30,000 monthly visitors, marking a traffic increase of over double. More significantly, this surge propelled the financial aspect of the business into exponential growth territory.
June through July: Witnessing Traffic Surge from 27,000 to Over 40,000 Visitors
Despite the challenges faced by the real-world aspect of our business, the website experienced remarkable growth in traffic. Although the situation would have been ideal for a purely affiliate-style site. We persevered with our efforts to enhance the website. Our strategy during this period focused on creating targeted content optimized for specific search engine results pages (SERPs) through thorough keyword research. Additionally, we prioritized building a robust network of high-authority backlinks to further strengthen our online presence.
Ordered Backlinks Traffic through Affiliate SEO
During this timeframe, we significantly reduced our allocation for backlink budgets, mirroring the adjustments made in content budgeting. Our strategy shifted towards prioritizing the overall authority of websites. Throughout this period, our emphasis primarily lay in constructing homepage links featuring branded, generic, or naked anchors.
Posts by Guest Authors
We’re seeking six guest posts on websites with significant authority, typically possessing a Domain Rating (DR) of 36 or higher. These posts should include homepage links with a mix of generic, naked, and branded anchor texts.
Niche Edits: Revamping Specifics
Generate 2 Level 3 Packs comprising 6 links of low to mid authority.
Include homepage links with generic, naked, and branded anchors.
Links for Cushions Traffic through Affiliate SEO
It was regrettable that we had to reduce budgets just when the site was performing exceptionally well. Nonetheless, we aimed for this adjustment to sustain our progress in the SERPs.
Given the decreased budget for link building, our strategy pivoted towards directing links to the homepage using natural anchors from mid to high-authority sources.
While uncertain about the project’s future trajectory, we were confident in the website’s momentum to sustain its progress.
Consequently, our priority transitioned from boosting traction on inner pages to maintaining and bolstering overall authority.
Results of Traffic through Affiliate SEO
During the latest surge in traffic, the website experienced remarkable growth, culminating in over 40,000 monthly visits as reported by Ahrefs.
Concluding Remarks
Here are some key insights from the case study:
Craft a strategic narrative for your website’s development, focusing on gaining visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Emulate the natural progression of successful websites by analyzing their strategies and outcomes.
Utilize the “Holy Trinity” of link building to diversify your link profile effectively.
Consistently address both on-page and off-page factors to optimize your website’s performance.
Exercise caution and rationality in your decision-making process, ensuring that your budget is allocated wisely over an extended period.
It’s important to note that this summary provides only a glimpse of the full case study. For comprehensive insights, consider subscribing below.
For more information visit softglaze.com
Are you interested in Prioritizing Backlinks