How a Dedicated Servers Solution Grew Traffic by 1,624% in 6 Months
https://www.redswitches.com/
Stats
29.1K to 501.4K Monthly Visits
Industry
Web & Tech
Niche
Information Technology (IT)
Reporting Date
March 2024
RedSwitches is a global hosting provider specializing in dedicated and bare metal servers. It has a network of 20 server locations worldwide, offering fast and reliable solutions for businesses of all sizes.
In 2024, RedSwitches set its sights beyond hardware and infrastructure. Its focus shifted to its domain (redswitches.com), where a new content strategy sent organic traffic soaring.
Within just 6 months, the website experienced a staggering 1,624% increase in organic traffic—and I'm here to tell you exactly how they did it.
In this SEO case study, we'll dissect the strategies RedSwitches used to achieve such phenomenal results.
Plus, you’ll get tips and tools for replicating their success to improve your website’s organic performance.
In This Article
The Catalyst: How RedSwitches Reached Over Half a Million Monthly Visits
1. Blog Posts Boost Keyword Rankings
For most of RedSwitches' lifetime, its domain had less than 100 pages at any given time.
However, between September 2023 and March 2024, content increased by 138%.
This brought the site's page count to over 900 URLs.
RedSwitches' new content strategy is focused particularly on its blog.
The RedSwitches blog covers IT-related topics, like hosting, operating systems (OS), and programming languages.
Its articles are in-depth, follow a logical structure, and are search engine friendly.
To ensure search engines can find and rank its content, RedSwitches uses on-page SEO.
On-page SEO consists of various optimizations that help pages rank higher for specific keywords.
Because of this, keyword optimizations are an important part of it.
RedSwitches excels at using natural yet strategic keyword optimizations in its blog posts.
Let’s take this Linux blog as an example. RedSwitches uses its primary keyword (rename a directory in Linux) in three locations before users even get to the article.
If I were looking for how to rename a directory in Linux, I would know that I’m at the right place just by arriving at this page.
The introduction and Table of Contents reinforce this positive feedback by sprinkling in keywords and showcasing different methods.
Ultimately, as a user, the experience is off to the right start, but the content needs to deliver.
And for RedSwitches, it does.
I’ve been extremely impressed with their blog posts’ thoroughness and readability. (Readability refers to how easy it is to read and understand content.)
And that’s coming from a non-web or tech person.
The way they structure their articles makes it easy to follow steps and, I’d imagine, implement on your own OS or software.
Why this matters:
There are a few key takeaways from RedSwitches’ SEO content strategy:
- They target topics relevant to their audience. RedSwitches doesn’t waste its time or efforts on subjects that don’t pertain to its users. They’re in a niche industry and focus on serving the unique needs of its audience.
- The content fulfills search intent. Understanding search intent is at the core of creating high-quality content. You need to know what users are actually looking for when they search for information. RedSwitches ensures content answers users’ questions in a clear and comprehensive way.
- On-page SEO helps search engines understand the web page. As we saw, RedSwitches excels at keyword optimizations. They avoid keyword stuffing and keep it natural but effective. They use their focus keyword in critical areas, helping users and search engines understand and navigate the post.
Because of all these factors, search engines rewarded RedSwitches with a rapid boost in keyword rankings.
In March 2024, it ranked for 90.3K keywords.
How to develop an SEO content strategy:
An SEO content strategy will help you create a plan of action for creating content that ranks.
This article covers 9 tips for developing an SEO content strategy, but here are some of the most critical:
- Know your target audience.
- Decipher search intent.
- Make an on-page SEO strategy.
- Establish your priority content types (blog posts, videos, case studies).
Tools for your SEO content strategy:
All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is the leading SEO plugin for WordPress. It comes with a suite of tools that can help you optimize your content for maximum reach and high rankings.
My favorite tool is the TruSEO On-Page Analysis. It makes content optimizations fast and easy, so you can focus on what matters most: creating great content and growing your business.
TruSEO updates in real-time as you work on a post or page. You’ll get handy checklists that support your SEO content strategy and on-page SEO with actionable insights.
Here’s an example of the Focus Keyphrase Checklist, which lets you know when you forget your target keyword in critical areas.
Now, let’s explore another traffic-generating element of RedSwitches’ blogs: FAQs.
2. FAQs Dominate Google’s People Also Ask
At the end of each blog post, RedSwitches shares FAQs.
FAQs are a great way to address key points in your article and resolve any potential user concerns or questions.
Their concise nature also makes them a favorite for search engines.
The search engine results page (SERP) has limited space for each result, so Google aims to provide the most concise listing for their query. FAQs follow this format, making them prime material for rich snippets.
This is particularly true for Google’s People Also Ask (PAA) box.
The PAA box appears near the top of the SERP and aims to answer related questions to the user’s initial query.
Let’s take a closer look at the first result.
What’s noteworthy about this specific PAA result is that the answer is a replica of one of RedSwitches’ FAQs.
This goes to show how powerful FAQs can be on the SERP, in addition to creating a positive user experience in the blog.
In 2024, RedSwitches experienced incredible success with its new FAQs. In March, they ranked for 10.6K keywords in Google’s PAA box.
Why this matters:
A well-crafted FAQ section can be a magnet for rich snippets and organic traffic.
And with rich snippets (includes PAA results) boasting an impressive 58% clickthrough rate (CTR), they’re definitely worth your time.
PAA results are also a great way to enhance your credibility. They suggest that a site is an authority on the topic, which can help build trust with users.
How to optimize for Google PAA results:
This tutorial shows you how to optimize for Google’s PAA section, but here’s a recap of the process:
- Use an SEO tool. (I’ll recommend one next.)
- Conduct keyword research.
- Craft user-centric content.
- Add FAQ schema.
- Identify competitors in the PAA box.
Tools for Google’s PAA:
With AIOSEO, you can add FAQs to your WordPress content directly in the editor. (You might be thinking, can’t I just write them?)
Yes, you could, but what’s special about these FAQ blocks is that they implement FAQ schema automatically for you. Meaning, you don’t have to worry about touching code.
Next, let’s look at how content structure plays a role in winning another type of rich result.
3. Clear Content Structures Secure Featured Snippets
This strategy combines elements from both the first and second techniques we discussed.
Content structure refers to the overall organization and layout of your content. It uses subheadings, bullet points, and other techniques to break content into smaller pieces. These elements make your content more manageable for users to navigate and digest.
It also improves your content readability for users and search engines.
Now, as we saw earlier, RedSwitches does a great job organizing its content.
Whether it’s descriptive subheadings (like we saw in the Table of Contents), clear and concise body copy, or FAQs, they prioritize the user experience by making it easy for visitors to find and understand the information they're seeking.
This people-first approach also earns the attention of search engines.
Most notably, RedSwitches has earned some of the most covetable listings on the SERP: featured snippets.
Featured snippets are enhanced listings that appear above all organic listings and below ads or sponsored posts.
Here’s what one looks like on the SERP:
(This featured snippet’s copy came from another one RedSwitches’ FAQs.)
And in March 2024, RedSwitches got a lot of this type of rich result. 987, to be exact.
Why this matters:
According to SEO statistics, featured snippets have the highest CTR at 42.9%.
They also come with the following benefits:
- Greater visibility
- Stronger brand awareness
- Improved niche authority
- More organic traffic
How to win featured snippets:
Here are some best practices for optimizing for featured snippets:
- Target question keywords. Perform keyword research and aim for questions about your topic (e.g., “How to rename a directory in Linux?”).
- Write brief answers. Provide a clear and concise answer to your chosen question.
- Structure your content effectively. Use clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points to improve readability and signal the answer to search engines.
- Implement schema markup. Schema markup helps search engines understand your content. And the easier it is for them to understand it, the better your chances of ranking.
Tools for featured snippets:
A schema plugin can streamline your optimizations for featured snippets. Take the AIOSEO Schema Generator, for example.
This tool implements some of the best schema markups for featured snippets, like how-to and FAQ.
And it does it with a click of a button.
I also really like the Readability Checklist from TruSEO.
Readability scores can sometimes be elusive, and this tool allows you to quickly see where and what needs fixing. (You can click on the eye to see where the issue is in your post.)
Finally, we’ll look at RedSwitches’ last technique for building authority: author bios.
4. Author Bios Send E-E-A-T Signals
RedSwitches includes the author on each of its blog posts.
You'll arrive at their bio page if you click on the author’s name.
Adding author bios to your content offers a two-fold benefit.
First, they enhance the user experience. Author bios allow you to showcase the talented individuals behind your content, fostering a sense of connection with your audience.
In today's digital landscape, where AI-generated content is increasingly prevalent, users appreciate seeing content crafted by real people with experience and expertise.
Second, they contribute to your SEO efforts. Author bios act as a signal to search engines regarding your experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
By highlighting your writers' qualifications and experience, you give your content credibility. This can potentially improve your search rankings.
Why this matters:
Even though E-E-A-T isn't a direct ranking factor, aligning your content with Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines can help you improve your content.
And, indirectly, your chances of ranking.
Here are some examples of how author bios align with E-E-A-T:
- Highlights your team’s experience and expertise.
- Establishes authority in your niche.
- Cultivates trust and transparency with your audience.
- Boosts your content’s credibility.
How to write author bios:
This tutorial shows you how to write author bios that boost Google E-E-A-T.
Here are some of the most important tips:
- Demonstrate your experience and expertise.
- Include keywords related to your niche.
- Write in the third person.
- Let your personality shine.
- Add relevant credentials.
Tools for author bios:
AIOSEO's Author SEO tool can help you craft and integrate strong author bios within WordPress. It's easy to use and provides designated fields for credentials, areas of knowledge, profile pictures, and more.
Standout SEO Wins
Before wrapping up, I’d like to share one more technique that RedSwitches uses. It’s not necessarily a reason for their recent traffic growth, but it’s good to know when working on your own website.
Natural Anchor Text Supports Internal Linking
RedSwitches understands that internal linking is crucial for website navigation and SEO success. They've mastered the art of anchor text to support their internal linking strategy.
Anchor text is the clickable text of a hyperlink. For example, in the previous paragraph, “internal linking” is the blue anchor text.
Some websites use generic phrases like “click here” or “learn more,” but this isn't the right approach. These phrases have no SEO value, nor do they tell users much about the content awaiting them.
Instead, follow RedSwitches' lead and write descriptive, search-friendly anchors that accurately describe the linked page.
This approach helps search engines understand what your page is about and which keywords you want to rank for.
Tool: Link Assistant can help you streamline your internal linking strategy. It populates linking suggestions in the WordPress editor and proposes anchor text. You just have to click Add Link.
Takeaways
RedSwitches' SEO success story has uncovered valuable tactics you can use on your website.
Now, let's translate these insights into actionable steps to improve your organic performance:
Top 3 Strategies to Emulate
- Craft content with a user focus. Move beyond the idea of creating content “for content's sake.” Instead, prioritize user-centric content that fulfills search intent and aligns with your niche. Keyword research can help you learn about your audience and their interests. This will help you create informative, engaging content that meets their unique needs. Remember, quality trumps quantity. And if you can achieve both, even better.
- Use FAQs to create a win-win for users and search engines. Integrate FAQs into your content to address user concerns and potential pain points. This enhances the user experience and provides search engines with valuable information about your site. Well-crafted FAQs can increase your chances of winning rich results, like in Google's People Also Ask box.
- Build trust with author bios. Leverage author bios to showcase the experience and expertise behind your content. Highlighting your team's unique skills fosters trust with users and sends positive signals to search engines about your credibility. This approach aligns with Google E-E-A-T guidelines and can potentially help you improve search rankings.
Bottom 3 Strategies to Reconsider
- Avoid high difficulty scores for content readability. Overall, RedSwitches does a great job of optimizing for content readability. However, occasionally, a blog post gets flagged for being difficult to read. This isn't an issue on their site because they discuss highly technical topics, but it's something to keep in mind for your website.
Readability can vary depending on your niche and audience, but aim for simplicity as a general rule of thumb. I like how TruSEO uses an actionable checklist to make this process easier. It points out where you can tweak your copy to improve its readability. - Don’t overlook image title tags. A strong SEO strategy is in the details. But it's easy to let things slip through the cracks when you're running a business and doing everything for your site. Image titles are one of the most overlooked items when doing image SEO.
Image titles appear when users click or hover over a graphic. They play an important role in accessibility and give users and search engines more context about the image. Plus, you can use an image title generator to write them automatically for you, so there's no excuse not to have them. - Stop writing super long meta titles and descriptions. Stop writing super long meta titles and descriptions. Character limits exist to provide an optimal search experience on the SERP. When you exceed them, your metadata gets cut off. This results in incomplete information and a less-than-ideal user experience. Ultimately, this can negatively impact your page's CTR. Instead, run your metadata through a SERP snippet tool to see how it looks before publishing.
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Replicate RedSwitches’ Organic Success With AIOSEO
RedSwitches' growth story serves as a powerful testament to the impact of an SEO content strategy. But achieving such results can feel overwhelming, especially for businesses with limited resources.
So, what if you could gain time and unlock a faster track to SEO success?
AIOSEO is your comprehensive toolkit for taking on the SERP and winning higher rankings.
AIOSEO can help you replicate RedSwitches' winning formula with a suite of powerful features:
- TruSEO Score: Level up your content and go beyond a simple pass or fail. TruSEO analyzes your on-page SEO, giving you actionable insights to maximize your content's reach.
- FAQ Blocks: Add FAQs to your content to increase the likelihood of appearing in Google’s People Also Ask box. These results help boost brand awareness and increase clickthrough rates.
- Rich Snippets Schema: Win more rich results with AIOSEO’s user-friendly schema generator. Just pick the schema type you want, and we’ll format the structured data properly for Google.
- Author SEO: Create powerful author bios that showcase your experience and expertise. This add-on aligns your content with Google E-E-A-T guidelines and helps readers trust what you share.
- Link Assistant: Apply internal linking best practices with easy linking suggestions and reports. These tools will help boost content discovery and prevent orphan pages.
- Image SEO: Turn on automatic image alt text and title attributes with a single click. You’ll save time from manual entries while helping users and search engines understand your images.
