In 2018, Surfshark, a rising star in the cybersecurity domain, sought to establish a digital presence that would last. Of course, as with any emerging software company, they started operating in a highly competitive market which requires a well-thought-of approach.
Surfshark recognized that building a strong digital presence goes beyond mere existence – it hinges on the ability to attract and engage a substantial audience. Blue Tree Digital was tasked with not only increasing traffic but also securing relevant referring domains.
In SEO, both traffic and referring domains serve as tools that propel a website toward better visibility and sustained success. While traffic quantifies the influx of visitors, indicating the overall reach and engagement, referring domains dictate the site’s credibility and authority within the digital landscape.
Together, they form a symbiotic relationship, with increased traffic fostering prominence and relevant referring domains cementing the website’s position as a trustworthy and influential player in its respective industry.
Blue Tree Digital was presented with the opportunity to prove their digital PR excellence with a personalized approach to attract the attention of potential customers and raise traffic levels for Surfshark long term.
Our Approach
Using our proven 4-step strategy, Blue Tree addressed Surfshark’s specific needs by continuously improving the campaign to achieve the best results.
Step 1: Building a List of Eligible Websites
To start, we curated a list of high-quality cybersecurity sites to engage with, including those with which we were already collaborating.
- All of the sites had an average DR70+ and a minimum traffic of 20k organic visitors.
- The list encompassed over 1500 sites, forming the foundation for our outreach efforts.
Step 2: Pitching
Our team initiated outreach by presenting a cold pitch to each identified site, proposing article topics. Site editors agreed to our collaborative approach, allowing us to suggest topics or contribute to ideation, making each article topic tailored to each site’s focus.
Step 3: Content
Upon formal approval of the selected topic, our team of professional writers started working on high-quality content, submitting the pieces to each designated site. To seamlessly integrate links to Surfshark’s website, our writers and editors ensured:
- Relevance to the topic of cybersecurity – specifically VPNs.
- Contextual alignment within the content.
Our team of 10+ US-based cybersecurity writers strategically targeted the same keywords, ensuring the articles fulfilled their intended purpose.
Step 4: Analyze, Improve, Repeat
Our continuous improvement approach throughout the months of our cooperation included not only ensuring the relevance of each link but also making sure that:
- Our outreach team proposed article topics directly related to the subject matter before suggesting them to website editors, aligning the article with the intended page.
- Content creators meticulously crafted the narrative around the link, ensuring its seamless integration, and avoiding any appearance of “salesy” insertion.
- For the anchor text, our writers utilized precise data points (such as statistics) or direct quotations from the pages, embedding them within the text to blend seamlessly with the content.
- As the articles were published, the links naturally accumulated. We closely monitored each active link using a Link Tracker Sheet and consistently provided Surfshark with detailed monthly reports, highlighting the campaign’s successes.
Using this personalized approach, we successfully pitched over 1000 cybersecurity publications.
During the 20 months of our collaboration, we conducted tests on 13 different campaigns, each revolving around unique cold pitches. This iterative approach allowed us to identify and settle on the pitches that yielded the highest reply rates from site editors.
Results
The success of Blue Tree’s Digital PR campaign to establish Surfshark’s digital presence is vividly reflected in the remarkable growth witnessed throughout the campaign.
In September 2018, when Surfshark emerged in the market, the website recorded a modest traffic of 518 with 108 referring domains (RD), representing its initial standing.
Fast forward to May 2020, and the transformation is nothing short of extraordinary, with traffic skyrocketing to an impressive 402,994, accompanied by a substantial increase in referring domains to 3136.
These numbers underscore the efficacy of our strategic approach, resulting in an exponential rise in online visibility and engagement.
How We Can Help You Get Similar Results
The partnership between Surfshark and Blue Tree Digital shows how an effective digital PR campaign can address SEO challenges even in highly competitive niches. With an extensive network of over 500 editorial connections to secure authentic and high-quality backlinks, we are confident in providing attainable and measurable results for our clients long term.
With are proud of the quality standards that we employ in our Digital PR initiatives, including:
- Refraining from purchasing or excessively using links.
- Securing backlinks that are always “Do-Follow” to optimize SEO benefits.
- Strategic link placement on sites with an average of DR70+ and 20,000 organic monthly visitors.
- Seamlessly integrating each link into the content for a natural fit.
Our pricing starts at $1000 per carefully evaluated and chosen link, providing adaptable solutions to accommodate various requirements, and we extend discounted rates for monthly bulk orders ranging from 5 to 10 links.
The substantial success we delivered for Surfshark, highlighted by a significant surge of over 400,000 new, unique monthly visitors, exemplifies our capability to enhance your standing in any niche.
For a lasting impact on your SEO strategy, reach out to Blue Tree Digital today. Let’s collaborate to devise a personalized and effective link-building strategy tailored to elevate your business.
