Anchor Group Podcast: Episode 6
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- Caleb Schmitz, CRO at Anchor Group
- Michael Mueller, eCommerce Account Executive at Anchor Group
- Anchor Group (Company Page)
Podcast Transcript
Caleb (00:00)
Welcome to episode six of the Anchor Group Podcast. On this episode, we discuss SEO, specifically how to get more leads via organic traffic to your website. I'll also reveal how much I've spent on SEO for our website over the last six years—it will probably surprise you.
Michael, you're wearing a different shirt than earlier today. What's our first topic?
Michael (00:18)
That's right—changing on the fly. Today we're talking about overcoming common ecommerce challenges. Caleb, when speaking with clients, there are recurring pain points we often hear. Two things we'll discuss today are traffic to a website, especially organic traffic and SEO, which you have extensive experience with, and converting customers—strategies to boost conversion rates once visitors reach your site. Sound good?
Caleb (01:05)
Works for me. These topics are thought-leadership focused rather than technical, making them relevant for any ecommerce solution.
Michael (01:07)
Exactly. Whether running a small, local store or a large, multimillion-dollar business, increasing traffic and conversion rates are common goals. Recently, someone mentioned not getting enough organic traffic. Caleb, can you explain different traffic types for our newer listeners?
Caleb (02:10)
Sure. There are two main traffic sources: organic and referral-based. Organic traffic comes directly from Google searches after Google crawls your page and lists it. Referral traffic includes visitors clicking links from other sites or ads, tracked via Google Analytics. Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok can also be referral sources. You can analyze metrics like average cost per click and average order value. Our strategies at Anchor Group differ slightly since we offer services rather than products, but many concepts still apply broadly.
Michael (04:06)
Before diving into your strategies, Caleb, clarify one point—people often differentiate between free and paid traffic. Is traffic ever truly free?
Caleb (04:36)
No traffic is entirely free. Organic traffic seems free, but there's significant investment in employee time, consistent updates, backlinks, and adjusting to Google’s algorithm changes. Even though organic is typically viewed as "free," it involves considerable hidden costs. Later, I'll reveal how much we've invested into SEO specifically, which might surprise listeners.
Michael (05:50)
We'll save that for later—a cliffhanger for our audience.
Caleb (05:53)
Exactly. That gives context to what "free traffic" really means.
Michael (06:00)
I appreciate you setting realistic expectations. People online often promise quick, easy wins, but significant effort and consistent updates are required. Could you elaborate briefly on referral traffic costs?
Caleb (07:02)
Not all referral traffic is paid. Paid referrals come from platforms like Facebook, Google, or YouTube ads. However, content like podcasts, which we create organically, also generates referral traffic through links. Though publishing is free, creating content involves salaries and production costs. Tracking the source of this traffic is crucial.
Michael (08:16)
It's essential to understand traffic sources and their value. Businesses should track the effectiveness of each lead source—whether from podcasts, ads, or organic searches. Knowing where high-value customers originate helps optimize investment in these channels.
Caleb, share your experience managing Anchor Group’s website, especially regarding SEO and organic traffic.
Caleb (09:47)
Initially, I learned SEO by absorbing content on platforms like YouTube. The key first step is thorough keyword research using tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz. For example, we initially focused on NetSuite-related keywords, later expanding into BigCommerce. By targeting keywords with high intent and manageable difficulty, we created targeted pages that consistently rank high. Early on, I targeted easier keywords like "free NetSuite training," creating detailed landing pages with relevant subtopics and videos. This strategy quickly ranked high, driving ongoing organic traffic. Additionally, backlinks from other reputable sites boosted our domain authority.
External backlinks, which involve paying other sites to link back using contextual keywords, also significantly improved our rankings. Over six years, we spent approximately $187,000 on backlink strategies alone.
Michael (20:58)
Great insights. Even though Anchor Group is service-based, these SEO strategies apply similarly to product-based e-commerce businesses. For instance, an e-commerce site selling Trek bikes could use similar keyword research and SEO tactics to drive traffic.
Caleb (22:58)
Exactly. Detailed keyword research helps determine optimal phrases for product categories, pairing user searches with relevant landing pages, increasing visibility and traffic.
Michael (26:17)
How often does Google re-crawl updated content?
Caleb (26:41)
Google typically re-crawls every one to three weeks, but you can expedite this using Google Search Console by submitting specific URLs for indexing. Rankings usually reflect updates within about eight weeks.
Michael (28:22)
Important point—SEO isn’t a quick fix; significant ranking changes take time. Sometimes, businesses experience sudden drops in organic traffic. Can you address that?
Caleb (30:06)
Drops in traffic can occur due to website migrations without proper redirects, lack of content updates, or technical issues. Mitigating risks involves diversifying traffic sources, regularly updating high-value content, setting proper URL redirects during migrations, and maintaining access to technical resources for quick fixes.
Michael (35:23)
I second that—especially important given evolving AI technology in search engines. AI might change SEO strategies significantly, reinforcing the need for expert support.
Caleb (36:55)
Exactly. AI bots summarize and reference content, benefiting detailed technical articles. Creating content tailored to AI crawlers provides additional opportunities for organic exposure.
Michael (39:03)
We’re all adapting to these developments together. Caleb, earlier you mentioned revealing total SEO costs at Anchor Group. Let’s hear it.
Caleb (40:30)
Over roughly five years, combining salaries and external backlinks, we've spent approximately $619,000 on organic SEO. While substantial, the investment has generated significant returns, proving its value despite high initial costs.
Michael (41:19)
A worthwhile return on investment indeed. Caleb, thanks for this discussion. We’ll cover customer conversion strategies next time.
Thank you all for listening. If you have questions, reach out via AnchorGroup.tech or leave comments on YouTube. Until next week, keep chasing greatness. Thanks, Caleb.
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