In this case study, I detail how I helped a professional photography studio specializing in commercial, product, eCommerce, and interior photography boost their search visibility and attract more relevant traffic. The client has been a key player in the Irish market for nearly two decades, serving prestigious brands across various industries.
The website, initially well-organized and designed, ranked highly in organic search for general photography terms. However, many of these searches, such as those for wedding or passport photography, didn’t align with the studio’s core services. This led to an influx of irrelevant traffic, which neither converted nor added value. Furthermore, the site’s extensive portfolio attracted unqualified leads, which increased the bounce rate and resulted in non-convertible calls and emails.
UNLOCKING OPPORTUNITIES
While the website was visible in organic search, it ranked lower for crucial, service-specific keywords. Terms such as “commercial photography” and “advertising photography” were either absent or positioned below competitors.
By analyzing keyword patterns in the photography niche, I uncovered key insights: potential clients often searched for product or eCommerce photography under broader terms like “commercial photography” or “advertising photography.” This blend of user intent reflected how people searched based on their specific needs.
The site was also missing from several industry and B2B directories, and its Google My Business (GMB) profile was unoptimized. With these insights, I developed a targeted SEO strategy to enhance relevant visibility and reduce irrelevant traffic.
MY APPROACH
Based on the audit findings, I implemented a range of optimization measures:
- Structural Changes: Added new sections for “Commercial Photography” and “Advertising Photography” to clearly delineate the studio’s specialized services.
- Keyword Optimization:
- Conducted in-depth keyword research specific to each service area.
- Removed irrelevant keywords and refined existing keywords to better represent the studio’s offerings.
- Added new keywords aligned with the new content areas.
- Content and Image Optimization:
- Created new content for each service category, using specific keywords to precisely describe services.
- Updated image names, alt tags, and URLs to enhance visibility in image search results.
- Performance Improvements:
- Optimized the large image files on the website to improve load times and user experience.
- Implemented site speed optimizations to ensure fast loading and seamless interactions.
- Link-Building Strategy: Established a robust backlink profile by acquiring links from industry-related articles and reputable sources.
- Local SEO and Directories: Optimized the Google My Business profile and created listings in relevant industry directories to increase local visibility.
RESULTS
The SEO optimization efforts resulted in significant improvements across key performance indicators:
- Keyword Rankings:
- Top 10 national rankings for “advertising photography” and related keywords.
- Top 5 local rankings for keywords related to “advertising photography.”
- Top 10 national rankings for “commercial photography” keywords.
- Top 5 local rankings for “commercial photography” keywords.
- All keywords specific to the studio’s services positioned within the top 3 of Google search results.
- Targeted Traffic and Conversions:
- A significant increase in relevant organic traffic across defined keywords.
- Improved quality of phone and email conversions, with fewer inquiries unrelated to the studio’s offerings.
- Stable rankings across all targeted keywords with ongoing growth for new terms.
- User Experience and Performance:
- Faster page loading times and improved site interactions due to image optimization and technical improvements.
- Reduced bounce rate and increased pages per session, boosting engagement with the site’s core service areas.
FINAL WORDS
This project required a strategic, targeted approach to elevate rankings for specialized services while filtering out irrelevant traffic. By restructuring the website, we effectively highlighted core service categories, attracting more relevant visitors who were more likely to convert.
The improved website performance and optimized content led to higher-quality sessions, with fewer users leaving immediately due to unrelated content. Additionally, the updated Google My Business profile attracted more inquiries for studio rentals, workshops, and training sessions. With the strengthened backlink profile, the site’s authority continues to grow, ensuring that these results will support long-term visibility and growth.