Growing Blockfi to the leading crypto lender with SEO
How strategy and speedy implementation left the competition behind.
The BlockFi Brief
First meeting BlockFi in 2018, we discussed the goals for the brand in the short and long term, where their current website was languishing outside of Google, even for branded terms.
Increase visibility in SERPs. With little to know visibility in searches across search engines, even for branded terms, BlockFi had legacy issues around their web technology to rectify. Technical SEO.
Dominate for Lending terms. Existing content was limited, with a focus on clean, uncluttered design at the sacrifice of good, strong content. Little to know targeting was therefore in place, so results and growth as a lender was yet to begin. Research.
Develop a high growth content strategy. Scaling from where the website currently was was now a clean slate. Searched had the freedom to make decisions on how BlockFi would grow their business through organic marketing. Strategy.
Implement & an eye on the future. Implementation needed to be fast, without corporate barriers, while keeping a constant eye on an ever evolving industry to identify where BlockFi could dominate at all times.
Where to start with a clear brief and ambitious brand? New York!
Before making key decisions on behalf of the brand, we kicked off with research – competitor and keyword – to get a full clear scope of what we were dealing with and what we would be able to achieve. Next we worked with our internal developers to identify how we could simply rectify the serious technical SEO issues we were discovering. Then it was off to New York to spend a week with the team, discuss our findings, solutions and potential strategies. By the end of the first week, while we were still in the city, the site had been indexed properly for the first time.
Keyword Targets;
(n) [meaning? ]
Everything in SEO needs a reason. The reason is almost always what the data tells you. Starting with understanding the brand, market and customer, we’re able to begin identifying what the website needs to do. Keywords.
Website structure;
(n) [ which is..? ]
A website is like a flow chart, with a single entity at the top (homepage), sub levels below (sales pages) and supporting content (articles, educational pieces). With the structure on top of strong foundations (technically sound framework). Build.
Content;
(n) [the easy bit? ]
With the hard work done, it’s simply about providing thought leadership, educational, interesting and powerful content as a solution to the strategy requirements over the long term future of the SEO campaign. Which can be years. Create.
Initial Results
Instant results. The fastest we’ve ever experienced due to complete client buy in on our processes and expertise.
The first 3 weeks with our hands on the BlockFi site and content was quite a revolution for the business. BlockFi were no means starting from scratch, with a couple of hundred backlinks from industry press sources, making optimisation a welcome addition for Google, as seen on the left.
Seeing quick results with safe and strategic techniques is a massive positivity boost and confidence boost for the business stakeholders. As an agency we set out to achieve these kinds of impact changes so our clients can focus on what’s most important to them, growing their business.
As seen below, traffic doubled in the first 3 months for non-branded terms, meaning the initial content strategy was having an immediate impact, which is more visible in the chart shown in year 1.
We left New York 5 days after starting implementation with a fist bump from Zac Prince the BlockFi CEO. It was a good start.
First Year
The first year was a relentless content push, to gain visibility.
The Start, September 2018 = 50 indexed keywords
The first year on BlockFi was impressive as a client case study, by that I mean they were fantastic in taking on what we were putting to them.
There were two primary directions in the first year:
Grow what we know – Crypto loans
Where to grow – Interest accounts, wealth management
By utilising the expertise of their SEO’s, the BlockFi team were beginning to leverage the power they were building online to explore their future markets. This was very smart and something that we had pitched many times at clients in the past – start building for the future.
This was so successful for BlockFi in the first year that as new terms were appearing in the crypto industry, BlockFi content was leading the way for it.
The Start, October 2019 = 220 indexed keywords
The chart shows the traffic and impressions graph from content marketing in the first year of SEO.
Ending 2019 strong, BlockFi had captured Loans and Interest accounts on a massive scale.
Find a case study for your own needs...
Second Year
Where the challenges begin. The finer details of growth.
When things grow so quickly and consistently, there comes a point where growth becomes more challenging and expansion requires additional directions and new markets, sometimes new websites, and with BlockFi, this was no different. A new CMS and product offering saw things change a few times once the primary growth had been achieved, all during a pandemic and crypto bear market.
In September a new website was launched with a complex configuration, integrating modern web technologies with headless CMS and javascript frameworks. A technical SEO masterplan was developed and delivered to the development agency. Following the expected dip, just 4 weeks later the site was returning to full health, while new replacement content strategies were being developed for the future direction of the brand.
The tables below are a competitive analysis of BlockFi versus competitors. As seen on both charts, BlockFi is often 3x the scale of its nearest competitor, including the incredibly high budget Nexo.
Change is good and new markets are even better!
Why Searched?
The journey you’re brand is starting is a long and challenging one, that will often require support and guidance to overcome many obstacles but it’s one that will deliver amazing experiences to your users and ultimately bring change for a new generation through blockchain technology. We believe in the power of blockchain and we understand what’s required for your journey to be successful.
Your goals become our goals, working together with you to provide the experience, expertise and reassuring shoulder to lean on every step of the way.
We love building relationships so much, that if our shoulder isn’t the one needed for any aspect of your brand building, you can be sure one of our friends will step up for you, and us.
What Blockfi say
We've generated scale, delivered high value solutions and been retained partners of Unicorns, our reputation speaks for us.
Partners Since 2017
“I really appreciate the work you’ve done with the BlockFi team to help our SEO efforts. It’s been a pleasure partnering with you."
