As an SEO specialist, I worked with a client in the expatriate insurance industry who wanted to improve their website’s visibility and attract more visitors. The expatriate insurance market is highly competitive, with customers actively searching for insurance options tailored to their needs as they move or work abroad. My goal was to enhance the website’s search engine visibility, increasing traffic and engagement. Over a span of several months, from June to October 2024, I employed various SEO strategies, including keyword research, landing page optimization, and technical SEO improvements. This case study outlines the steps taken and the significant results achieved, with a 62% increase in traffic.

Initial Situation

When I began working on this project, the website was receiving moderate traffic. Between June 1 and July 31, 2024, the website had 7.75K clicks and 401K impressions. The click-through rate (CTR) stood at 1.9%, and the average position in search results was 26.1. Although these numbers were decent, they indicated that the website was not maximizing its potential in a highly competitive niche. The CTR, while higher than average, suggested that there was room for improvement in how well the site converted impressions into clicks. The average position of 26.1 meant that the site was appearing in search results but not on the first page for many key search queries, where most of the traffic is concentrated.

Upon analyzing the website, I found several areas for improvement. The keywords being targeted were too broad and not specific enough to the unique needs of expatriates looking for insurance. Additionally, the landing pages were not fully optimized for SEO and lacked engaging content that would appeal to users searching for specific insurance solutions. Moreover, there were technical SEO issues, such as slow page load times and poor mobile optimization, that were affecting user experience and, ultimately, the site’s search engine rankings.

Keyword Research and Strategy

The first task was to conduct comprehensive keyword research, focusing on expatriate-specific insurance terms. The client was targeting a global audience, but it was essential to narrow down the keywords to match the needs of people searching for insurance while moving abroad. This included specific long-tail keywords such as “health insurance for expats in [country],” “international insurance for expatriates,” and “best expatriate insurance for families.” By targeting these terms, the goal was to attract users who were searching for highly relevant, niche insurance products.

I also identified opportunities to target keywords with lower competition but higher intent, such as “temporary expat insurance” and “expat insurance for retirees.” These keywords were highly specific to the client’s target market and allowed the website to start ranking for a broader range of terms while driving highly qualified traffic. By focusing on these targeted keywords, the website became more relevant to expatriates who were actively seeking specialized insurance solutions.

Landing Page and On-Page Optimization

Once the keyword strategy was established, I turned my attention to optimizing the landing pages. The primary focus was on ensuring that the pages were optimized for the targeted keywords, with clear meta descriptions, title tags, and headers that matched the search intent. For example, for pages related to health insurance, I included keywords such as “expatriate health insurance options” and “best health insurance for expats.” This helped ensure that the website appeared in search results when users searched for these specific insurance options.

In addition to keyword optimization, I updated the content on the landing pages to make it more engaging and user-focused. Each page was revised to include detailed descriptions of the insurance options available, along with clear calls to action encouraging visitors to request quotes or schedule a consultation. The goal was not only to improve search engine rankings but also to enhance user experience and increase conversion rates.

Another important aspect of on-page optimization was improving the internal linking structure. I made sure that there were relevant internal links between different types of insurance products, such as linking pages for “health insurance” to “dental insurance” and “travel insurance.” This improved both user navigation and SEO, as search engines could better understand the website’s structure and hierarchy.

Technical SEO Enhancements

Technical SEO played a key role in improving the website’s overall performance. I conducted a thorough audit of the site’s technical aspects, focusing on page load times, mobile responsiveness, and fixing any broken links or other issues that could negatively impact the site’s search engine rankings.

Given that many users search for expatriate insurance from mobile devices, optimizing the website for mobile performance was essential. I ensured that the website’s design was fully responsive, providing a seamless experience across devices. I also worked on improving page load times by optimizing images, minifying code, and leveraging browser caching. These technical improvements not only enhanced the user experience but also contributed to better rankings on search engines, as speed and mobile-friendliness are key ranking factors.

Results from June to October 2024

The SEO efforts began to show significant results over the next several months. From August 1 to October 15, 2024, the website experienced a substantial increase in traffic. During this period, the site recorded 12.6K clicks and 887K impressions, representing a 62% increase in clicks and more than 120% growth in impressions.

While the CTR slightly decreased to 1.4%, this was expected due to the significant increase in impressions. The increase in clicks indicated that the website was attracting a larger audience, even as the site’s visibility expanded. The average position improved to 27.7, showing that the site was ranking for more keywords and becoming more visible in search results, particularly for expatriate-specific insurance queries.

The growth in traffic and impressions demonstrated that the SEO strategies implemented were highly effective. By focusing on specific keywords relevant to expatriates, optimizing landing pages, and improving technical SEO, I was able to increase the website’s visibility, attract more qualified visitors, and ultimately enhance the client’s online presence in the highly competitive expatriate insurance market.

Conclusion

This case study illustrates the power of targeted SEO strategies in improving the performance of a website in a competitive industry like expatriate insurance. By focusing on keyword research, landing page optimization, and technical SEO enhancements, I was able to help this client achieve a 62% increase in traffic and significant growth in overall visibility.

For businesses operating in competitive niches, the key to success lies in targeting highly relevant keywords, optimizing the website’s content to meet user needs, and ensuring that the site is technically sound. As shown in this case, even a website that starts with moderate traffic can experience substantial growth with the right SEO strategy. This not only improves search engine rankings but also drives more qualified leads, ultimately helping the business grow its customer base.