In this case study, I worked with Southwire to increase their organic website traffic by 34.26% while implementing a $5,000-per-month PPC campaign and optimizing their website’s SEO and design. The objective was to improve the visibility of Southwire’s core products, specifically in the electrical and infrastructure sectors, while driving more relevant traffic to their website and increasing conversions. By focusing on web design improvements, SEO enhancements, and launching a targeted paid search campaign, the project delivered significant gains in organic traffic, visibility, and engagement.

Initial Situation and Challenges

Southwire’s website, while established in the market, was not fully optimized for search engines or user experience, resulting in moderate organic traffic and underutilized paid search potential. The company’s paid campaigns were not yielding a positive ROI, and the website design failed to engage users effectively or drive conversions. The primary challenges were improving organic search rankings, increasing the efficiency of the paid search campaign, and redesigning the web pages to enhance the overall user experience.

My goal was to address these issues by increasing organic traffic through comprehensive SEO improvements, driving more qualified traffic via a well-targeted PPC campaign, and improving the website’s usability to boost user engagement and reduce bounce rates.

Strategy and Implementation

SEO Optimization

I began by conducting an extensive SEO audit of Southwire’s website to identify opportunities for improving organic search visibility. The audit revealed that several key elements, such as meta descriptions, title tags, and headers, were either missing or not optimized for targeted keywords. I also found that some pages had slow load times, negatively impacting user experience and SEO performance.

To address these issues, I implemented the following SEO strategies:

• Keyword Optimization: I performed in-depth keyword research to identify high-volume, low-competition keywords relevant to Southwire’s products, such as “industrial cables” and “electrical wire solutions.” These keywords were integrated into the meta descriptions, title tags, headers, and body content to improve the site’s ranking potential for relevant searches.
• Technical SEO Enhancements: I improved the site’s technical SEO by optimizing page load speeds, ensuring mobile responsiveness, and addressing any broken links or indexing issues that could hinder search engine performance.
• Content Strategy: I created and optimized content focused on Southwire’s product offerings, ensuring that it provided value to users while being optimized for targeted keywords. This included blog posts, product descriptions, and landing pages that aligned with both SEO best practices and user intent.

Website Design and User Experience Improvements

In addition to SEO, I focused on redesigning key areas of the website to improve user experience (UX). The site was previously cluttered and difficult to navigate, which negatively impacted engagement and conversion rates. The redesign involved simplifying the layout, adopting a more user-friendly navigation system, and making the site visually appealing while keeping it aligned with Southwire’s brand identity.

I also ensured that the redesigned pages included clear calls to action (CTAs) to guide users toward desired outcomes, such as purchasing products or signing up for consultations. The improvements were designed to create a more seamless user journey, reducing bounce rates and increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Paid Search Campaign ($5K Monthly Budget)

In addition to organic improvements, I launched a targeted PPC campaign with a $5,000 monthly budget. The goal of the campaign was to complement the SEO efforts by driving high-quality traffic to key landing pages for Southwire’s most important products. The campaign targeted users searching for terms like “industrial cables,” “electrical wire suppliers,” and “bulk wire for construction.”

The PPC ads were aligned with the content of the newly redesigned pages, ensuring that visitors who clicked on the ads would find the information they were looking for immediately. This approach reduced bounce rates and increased the chances of conversion. The campaign also included A/B testing for ad copy and landing pages to optimize performance over time.

Results from December to February

Organic Traffic Increase

Between December 2023 and February 2024, Southwire’s organic website visits increased by 34.26%. This growth can be attributed to the comprehensive SEO enhancements and content optimization that improved the site’s visibility for high-intent keywords. The improved page structure and keyword-rich content helped the site rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), driving more relevant traffic to the site.

Key metrics included:

• Organic Keywords: Southwire’s organic keyword count increased to 60.4K, driving more visibility across a broader range of search terms.
• Organic Traffic: Traffic from organic search improved significantly, with 65.8K visitors driven to the site by optimized SEO efforts.
• Bounce Rate: The bounce rate decreased as a result of better site structure and clearer CTAs, improving from 48% to a more manageable level.

Paid Search Campaign and Positive ROI

The $5,000-per-month PPC campaign proved to be highly successful in driving qualified traffic to the site. With high-converting ad copy and targeted keyword bids, the campaign achieved a positive return on investment (ROI). Ads targeting specific product searches such as “bulk wire for construction” and “industrial electrical cables” generated substantial traffic and conversions, leading to a 2.5:1 ROI in the first two months.

This positive ROI was achieved by aligning ad copy with the new landing pages, ensuring that users were directed to relevant content and products. The A/B testing strategy also allowed for continuous optimization of ad performance, leading to further cost efficiency in the campaign.

User Engagement and Conversion Improvements

The redesign of Southwire’s website and improvements in SEO and PPC performance contributed to significant increases in user engagement and conversions. The optimized layout and clearer navigation made it easier for users to find what they were looking for, reducing friction in the user journey.

Some of the key user engagement metrics included:

• Pages per Visit: Increased from 6.24 to 7.11, indicating that users were exploring more of the site and engaging with the content.
• Average Visit Duration: Increased to 6 minutes and 24 seconds, showcasing that visitors were staying longer and engaging more with Southwire’s offerings.
• Conversion Rate: The overall conversion rate increased due to clearer CTAs and better-aligned content, particularly with the PPC campaign driving qualified traffic.

Conclusion

This project demonstrated the power of integrating SEO, web design, and a targeted paid search strategy to improve the overall performance of a website. By increasing organic traffic by 34.26% and launching a $5,000-per-month PPC campaign that delivered a 2.5:1 positive ROI, I was able to significantly enhance Southwire’s online presence and drive better engagement and conversions.

The combination of SEO optimization, a user-friendly website redesign, and a well-executed paid search campaign created a holistic strategy that resulted in measurable business growth. This case study highlights the importance of a multi-channel approach to digital marketing, where both organic and paid efforts are aligned to achieve the best possible outcomes.