Schedule Your Call

SEO Case Study: Guidomaggi Luxury Shoes

Let's Get Started
eCommerce Business Case Study

Case Study: Transforming Search Engine Rankings for eCommerce Site

Client: Guidomaggi Luxury Shoes

Industry: Retail (Specialty Footwear)

Introduction

Guidomaggi Luxury Shoes, a premier Italian leather men’s shoe retailer, specializes in elevator shoes—footwear designed to discreetly increase the wearer’s height by up to four inches. Operating online in the United States, they faced significant challenges in search engine visibility for critical keywords in a competitive niche.

Challenge

Despite offering a high-quality product, Guidomaggi Luxury Shoes struggled with low search engine rankings for their primary keyword “Elevator Shoes” and two secondary keywords: “Taller Man Shoes” and “Height Increasing Shoes”. Initial analysis revealed a disproportionately high use of the keyword “Elevator Shoes” in backlink anchor text, comprising nearly 50% of all backlinks—a clear risk factor for search engine penalties under Google’s Penguin algorithm.

Objectives

  1. Reduce the risk of Penguin penalties by diversifying backlink anchor text away from the overused “Elevator Shoes.”
  2. Improve rankings for the primary and secondary target keywords.
  3. Increase organic traffic to the website.

Strategy

A tailored three-month SEO strategy was implemented, focusing on:

  • Manual Link Building: A consistent rate of link acquisition was maintained to ensure natural growth.
  • Diversification of Link Sources: Efforts included a mix of articles, wikis, web 2.0 sites, social media platforms, and social bookmarks.
  • Quality Control: All link properties targeted had a Domain Authority (DA) of 30 or higher.
  • Anchor Text Variation: Utilized 15 different anchor text variations to reduce the percentage use of “Elevator Shoes” in backlinks.

Results

The strategic adjustments led to significant improvements within just three months:

  • Primary Keyword (“Elevator Shoes”): Jumped from ranking #78 to #12.
  • Secondary Keyword (“Taller Man Shoes”): Soared from #53 to #5.
  • Additional Keyword (“Height Increasing Shoes”): Entered the rankings at #10 from being outside the Top 100.
  • Website Traffic: Increased by 60%, attributing to higher visibility and keyword rankings.

Rod Clarkson, the VP Marketing of Guidomaggi Luxury Shoes, praised the strategy and execution

 “I have been in Internet marketing since the 90’s and Jason is one of the most talented SEO experts I have ever met. He performed a thorough evaluation of my site and backlink profile that saved me from potential catastrophic Google penalties. Then, provided a clear, impressive strategy based on High PR, Relevant link building that was executed with amazing results!”

Conclusion

The SEO campaign for Guidomaggi Luxury Shoes not only optimized their search engine rankings but also safeguarded them against potential penalties, ensuring sustainable growth and increased market visibility. This case study exemplifies the importance of a diversified SEO strategy tailored to specific industry challenges and compliance with evolving search engine algorithms.