For independent authors, gaining online visibility quickly after launching a new website is a significant challenge, especially when trying to sell novels and build a following quickly.
With countless bookish websites competing for attention, standing out requires a strategic approach. This case study demonstrates how a new website for an independent author achieved a domain authority of eight in under 10 months by consistently posting SEO-rich content.
The author leveraged keyword research, social media distribution, and email marketing to reach an average of 114 visitors per month in the first 10 months, using Semrush to track and optimize their efforts.
Objectives
- Establish higher domain authority (DA) for a newly launched site in less than one year
- Attract a steady flow of at least 100 website visitors per month from organic search
Challenges
Launching a new website presented several challenges. Firstly, the newly published website lacked initial traffic and visibility, making it difficult to attract an audience.
Secondly, identifying and ranking for effective keywords in a competitive niche required meticulous research and strategy. Maintaining a steady flow of high-quality content on a weekly basis demanded disciplined planning and execution.
Finally, ensuring that content reached the target audience through social media and email marketing called for a well-coordinated strategy.
Solutions
To address these challenges, comprehensive keyword research was conducted using Semrush to help create an SEO strategy.
This tool helped identify low-competition, high-volume keywords relevant to the author’s niche, including long-tail keywords to capture specific search intents. A content calendar was also developed to ensure a new SEO-rich blog post was published every week. Each post was optimized for identified keywords, included internal and external links, and followed best SEO practices.
Content creation focused on delivering informative, engaging, and value-driven posts. The content was designed to be shareable on social media platforms. The posting frequency was maintained at one well-researched and optimized blog post per week.
To extend the reach of the content, the author leveraged social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Posts were shared with appropriate hashtags, engaging visuals, and compelling captions to increase reach and engagement. Additionally, an email list was built through sign-up forms on the website, and weekly newsletters featuring the latest blog posts were sent out to encourage subscribers to visit the website.
Monitoring and adjustments were also crucial to the strategy’s success. Little Wave Media used Semrush, Google Analytics, and Google Search Console to track website progress, keyword rankings, and traffic patterns. Data-driven adjustments were made to the content strategy based on performance metrics and insights.
Results
Incorporating SEO and regular content creation led to significant achievements.
- The domain authority (DA) score reached 10 within ten months, a notable milestone for a new website
- The average monthly visitors increased to 114 by the eighth month, up from virtually no traffic at the start
- After two years, the website secured first-page rankings for several targeted long-tail keywords, driving organic traffic
- Social media efforts led to increased engagement and sharing, amplifying the website’s reach
- Email newsletters had an average open rate of 25% and a click-through rate of 10%, contributing to consistent website visits
Conclusion
The strategic use of Semrush for keyword research and tracking, coupled with a disciplined approach to content creation and distribution, was instrumental in achieving the objectives.
This case study showcases the importance of posting consistent, SEO-rich content and effectively distributing through social channels to help build domain authority and drive organic traffic to a new website.
It illustrates that with the right tools and strategy, significant growth in domain authority and website traffic is achievable within a relatively short timeframe. For independent authors, this approach can lead to increased visibility and a broader audience reach, essential for building a successful online presence.
