How We Took An IT Services Client From No Rankings To Page One For Competitive Keywords In 6 Months

When it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO), ranking for branded keywords is important, but it’s not enough to drive substantial business growth. For our client, an IT service provider in the cloud computing and cybersecurity sectors, the goal was clear: rank on page one for high-traffic, non-branded keywords. 

Competing against industry giants and government websites, they found themselves struggling to gain traction for critical terms around cloud computing, cyber security and essential 8.

Their challenge wasn’t unique, but the solution we provided was bespoke and tailored to them and their situation. 

In just six months, we transformed their SEO strategy, moving them from not ranking in the top 100 to securing key positions on page one for several competitive search terms.

Here’s how we did it.

Step 1: Conduct a Full Technical SEO Audit

Before diving into content creation and keyword optimisation, we had to make sure that the client’s website was technically sound. A comprehensive technical SEO audit was our first priority to identify any underlying issues that might be preventing the site from ranking well in search.

During the audit, we examined the following key areas:

1. Crawlability and Indexing: We ensured that the site was properly indexed by search engines. Using a suite of technology combined with our extensive experience in SEO, we identified pages that were being blocked from crawling and fixed any broken links that led to dead ends. Proper crawlability is critical for search engines to find and index your content efficiently.
2. Site Speed Optimisation: Slow load times can negatively impact both user experience and rankings. We ran the website through page speed software and found several areas where improvements could be made to reduce page load times, which is not only a ranking factor but also crucial for keeping visitors on the site.
3. User Experience: We looked at the user experience across the site pages and made recommendations around what content was above the fold, calls to action and various other related improvements.
4. Fundamentals: We mapped keyword research to the website pages and optimised the meta data and content to match. In addition to this, we reviewed and correctly configured the XML sitemap, robots.txt file and various other fundamental SEO elements.
5. Fixing 404 Errors and Redirects: A key part of our audit involved identifying and resolving 404 errors (broken pages) and implementing proper 301 redirects. This ensured that any outdated or removed pages didn’t negatively impact SEO by creating a smoother user experience.

Why This Matters: Without a technically optimised website, even the best content and keywords can fall short of their potential. By fixing crawl errors, improving site speed, and ensuring mobile usability, we laid the foundation for our client’s future SEO success.

Step 2: Revamp Tracking and Analytics

After addressing the technical foundations, we focused on revamping the tracking and analytics setup. To measure the true impact of our SEO efforts and tie performance to business goals, we needed to ensure we were tracking the right metrics across the website.

Here’s how we approached it:

1. Lead Tracking by Source and Type: One of the most critical changes we made was building a system that allowed us to track leads by type. This refined their main conversion touchpoint from previously recording all enquiries as a ‘lead’, to being able to see on a more granular level, the different types of enquiries (e.g technical, sales, billing, partnership etc).
2. Custom Dashboards for SEO: To streamline reporting, we created custom dashboards tailored specifically for SEO performance. These dashboards provided clear insights into traffic, engagement, and lead generation by channel, giving the client and our team a clear view of which tactics were driving the most significant results.

Why This Matters: By revamping tracking, we ensured that our SEO efforts were measurable and closely tied to business objectives. We could now accurately report on the type of leads generated, not just traffic.

Step 3: Develop Target Personas and Create a Content Calendar

With the technical and tracking foundations in place, the next step was to ensure our SEO efforts were aligned with the client’s target audience. This involved creating detailed buyer personas and developing a content calendar focused on relevant, high-value topics.

Here’s how we did it:

1. Building Detailed Buyer Personas: To effectively target the client’s ideal customers, we created buyer personas based on their key segments. Each persona included psychographic details, challenges and goals related to cloud computing, CX management and cybersecurity. For example, one of our personas represented IT decision-makers at mid-sized companies, looking for scalable cloud solutions. By identifying their pain points, we could tailor content to answer the exact questions they were asking in search.
2. Content Themes and Pillars: We defined core content themes based on the needs and interests of the personas. These themes centred around cloud optimisation, cybersecurity resilience, and the CX management. These broad topics formed the foundation for the content strategy, with pillar pages providing in-depth, authoritative resources. Each pillar page was supplemented by more focused blog posts and articles to support long-tail keywords and niche search queries.
3. Creating a Content Calendar: To ensure consistent content output, we developed a 6-month content calendar. The calendar mapped out topics for blogs, case studies, and pillar content based on keyword research and the specific challenges of our buyer personas. By sticking to a planned schedule, we could create content that aligned with seasonal trends and industry developments. This strategic planning also allowed for timely link-building efforts around new pieces of content.
4. SEO-Optimised Content Creation: All content was written with SEO in mind, focusing on targeted keywords derived from persona pain points and search intent. This included incorporating the keywords naturally throughout the content, optimising meta descriptions, and ensuring that each piece followed on-page SEO best practices, such as proper header tag structure and internal linking.

Why This Matters: By aligning the content strategy with clearly defined personas, we ensured that each piece of content spoke directly to the client’s target audience. The content calendar helped maintain a steady flow of relevant, engaging content that boosted the site’s SEO performance while addressing the most pressing questions and challenges faced by potential customers.

Step 4: Build Authority with Link Acquisition

Achieving page one rankings in competitive sectors like cloud computing and cybersecurity requires more than just well-optimised content. Link acquisition was critical in establishing the client’s site as an authoritative source in their industry. 

Here’s how we executed our link-building strategy:

1. Identifying High-Quality Link Opportunities: Our first step was to identify high-authority websites in relevant spaces that would be valuable for backlinks. These included industry publications, blogs, and other relevant platforms. We focused on websites that had good levels of traffic and were both relevant to the client’s industry, brand and service offering, and highly respected by search engines.
2. Outreach and Relationship Building: We implemented a targeted outreach campaign with the goal of securing guest posts, mentions, and features on high-authority sites. This required personalised outreach, where we offered valuable insights or content that would benefit the publisher’s audience. By positioning the client as a thought leader, we earned natural backlinks to their pillar pages, blogs and high-priority service pages.
3. Monitoring and Maintaining Link Quality: We continually monitor the link profile of the client for quality and relevance and to ensure that backlinks were coming from reputable sites, while links from spammy or irrelevant sources were cleaned up to prevent them from harming the site’s authority.

Why This Matters: Quality backlinks remain one of the most influential ranking factors in SEO. By securing authoritative links from industry-leading sites and publications, we significantly boosted the client’s domain authority. This, in turn, helped the client rank higher for competitive keywords and enhanced their overall search visibility.

Step 5: Create and Optimise Pillar Pages

To establish our client’s authority and improve their rankings for high-traffic, non-branded commercial keywords, we focused on building easy to navigate pillar pages specifically for their main service offerings. 

Due to the complexity of their service offerings, there were multiple service landing pages that were created but were hidden or not linked to the main navigation menu. The goal was to position these pages in one go-to resource for potential in-market customers, driving both organic traffic and conversions. 

Unlike blog content, these pages were dedicated to core services like cloud computing implementation and cybersecurity solutions. 

Here’s how we approached it:

1. Developing Service-Oriented Pillar Pages: These pillar pages were designed to provide a comprehensive overview of each core service which the client did not have prior. For example, the cloud computing pillar page detailed the client’s end to end approach to cloud migration and optimisation, the benefits of their services, and key differentiators. The objective was to make these pages the top destination for users searching for solutions in these competitive sectors.
2. Optimising for Transactional Keywords: Each pillar page was built around targeted, high-intent keywords that aligned with the client’s business goals and had good levels of search volume and clear commercial intent. We incorporated these keywords in key SEO elements such as:
   • Meta titles and descriptions that clearly articulated the service’s value proposition.
   • Header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure the content around relevant subtopics.
   • Body text where keywords were naturally woven in, ensuring they served both user and search intent.
3. Supporting Pillar Pages with Content and Links: While these pillar pages stood independently as comprehensive guides, we used internal linking to connect them with related service pages, blog posts, case studies, and white papers. This not only created a stronger internal linking structure but also supported the user journey to provide prospects at different stages with the information they need at that stage in order to confidently progress. The content clusters surrounding each pillar page reinforced its SEO authority and allowed us to target both broad and long-tail keywords.
4. Conversion-Centric Design: Because these were commercial service pages, we optimised them for lead generation and conversion. Each page included:
   • Clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) 
   • Trust elements like client testimonials, case studies, and industry certifications to build credibility.
   • Visual aids such as relevant imagery to help break up the text and keep users engaged throughout the landing page. 
5. Link Acquisition for Service Pages: To boost the authority of these pillar pages, we pursued a targeted link acquisition strategy which involved securing backlinks from industry-relevant websites. By building links from high-authority domains, we improved the authority of these service pages, ensuring they ranked higher for competitive keywords.

Why This Matters: The right site architecture for commercial service pages is vital for driving organic traffic and conversions in competitive industries like cloud computing and cybersecurity. By creating highly detailed, keyword-optimised pillar pages and child pages, we matched search behaviour, intent and keyword difficulty, helping them achieve page one rankings for key commercial search terms. This strategy not only boosted search visibility but also provided a clear path for converting visitors into qualified leads.

Results: Multiple Page One Rankings for Competitive Keywords

Our comprehensive SEO strategy resulted in significant improvements in rankings for the client’s most important non-branded commercial keywords. These were competitive keywords, and the client was up against established industry players, including government websites. Here’s what we achieved:

• Top 10: 7 keywords
• Top 20: 12 keywords
• Top 100: 30 keywords

These page one positions were critical in driving more qualified traffic to the client’s site. 

• The client began competing head-to-head with major players, including Government sites and large enterprises, for search visibility in the cloud computing and cybersecurity sectors.
• The SEO results have also opened the door for further collaboration, with the client entrusting us to manage their Google Ads campaigns, blending both organic and paid search approaches for maximum visibility.

Conclusion: Building Trust and Sustaining Long-Term Growth

By focusing on technical optimisation, a strategic content marketing plan, and authoritative link acquisition, we were able to drive measurable results for the client. 

The pillar pages we created became cornerstone assets for their digital presence, and the overall strategy helped the client achieve page one rankings for key commercial keywords that were essential to their business.

These strong results are only the beginning and we’re excited to see things progress over the next 6-12 months.

If you’re ready to take your SEO to the next level and achieve similar results, please feel free to reach out any time and we’ll be happy to chat.

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