technical SEO improvements

Technical SEO Improvements on MSP Website

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Scott Sweeney

A Chicago-based IT company, faced challenges with its website’s organic search performance, impacting its ability to attract new customers and grow its online presence. This case study outlines the technical SEO strategies implemented to vastly improve the website’s visibility, traffic, and overall performance.

Background

This provide offers comprehensive IT services to small and medium-sized businesses in the Chicago area. However, despite having a strong portfolio and an experienced team, the company’s website failed to generate the desired organic search traffic and leads.

Initial Analysis

An initial audit of the website revealed multiple issues that hindered its organic search performance:

  1. Slow page load times
  2. Poor mobile optimization
  3. Lack of HTTPS encryption
  4. Inefficient URL structure
  5. Inadequate XML sitemap and robots.txt file
  6. Duplicate content issues
  7. Unoptimized on-page elements

Strategy and Implementation

To address these issues, a comprehensive technical SEO plan was devised and executed in the following stages:

  1. Site Speed Optimization: The site’s load times were improved by compressing images, minifying CSS and JavaScript files, enabling browser caching, and using a content delivery network (CDN).
  2. Mobile Optimization: A responsive design was implemented to ensure the site displayed correctly on various devices and screen sizes. This also involved adjusting font sizes, button dimensions, and navigation elements to enhance user experience.
  3. HTTPS Encryption: To secure the website and build user trust, an SSL certificate was installed, and all internal links were updated to HTTPS.
  4. URL Structure: The URL structure was revamped to include relevant keywords and improve readability. Redirects were put in place to ensure a smooth transition and avoid broken links.
  5. XML Sitemap and Robots.txt: The XML sitemap was updated to include all essential pages, while the robots.txt file was optimized to guide search engine crawlers more effectively.
  6. Duplicate Content Resolution: Canonical tags were used to resolve duplicate content issues and to indicate the preferred version of pages to search engines.
  7. On-Page Optimization: Title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and image alt tags were optimized to include target keywords and improve click-through rates.

Results

Following the implementation of these technical SEO strategies, The provider experienced significant improvements in its organic search performance:

  1. A 65% reduction in page load times, leading to better user engagement and lower bounce rates.
  2. A 45% increase in mobile traffic, as the site became more user-friendly and accessible on different devices.
  3. A boost in search engine trust, indicated by a 20% increase in the number of indexed pages.
  4. A 35% improvement in organic search traffic, resulting from enhanced visibility and keyword targeting.
  5. A 50% increase in the number of leads generated through the website, leading to greater business growth and revenue.

The successful implementation of technical SEO strategies for this MSP demonstrates the crucial role these tactics play in improving a website’s organic search performance. By addressing site speed, mobile optimization, encryption, URL structure, sitemap and robots.txt, duplicate content, and on-page elements, the provider was able to achieve remarkable growth in both visibility and lead generation. This case study serves as a testament to the power of technical SEO in driving business success in the digital age.

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