Increased search revenues for retail giant Argos

Argos arguably has one of the largest product ranges of any UK retailer, requiring the management and optimisation of a hundreds of keyphrases and various content types.

Eager to establish consistency across its range of keyphrases, whilst increasing the revenues generated from search, Argos approached NetBooster in October 2010 with the following brief:

• Achieve consistent search rankings across its keyphrase portfolio
• Understand and address any issues effecting the websites SEO performance
• Maximise search visibility around key seasonal product ranges and promotions

Using its unique Ascendex platform, which spiders websites in the same way a search engine does, NetBooster conducted a comprehensive audit of www.argos.co.uk to establish and identify any technical elements effecting SEO visibility.

Alongside Argos’ E-commerce and Information Services teams, NetBooster implemented a number of key improvements to the layout and structure of the website. NetBooster also looked at each of the websites thousands of product and category URLs to ensure that only the most SEO friendly formats were visible to the search engines.

The NetBooster team meticulously went through the websites entire library of images, video content and metadata, ensuring all relevant areas were fully optimised for maximum SEO success.

Training workshops with Argos’ trading teams were provided by NetBooster, so that valuable information about forthcoming promotional and seasonal ranges would be relayed to NetBooster, to create content and keyphase strategies to drive traffic and increase sales.

Around each key seasonal product range NetBooster created a content and external linking strategy, using content and competitions to secure valuable links back to Argos’ website from relevant high-traffic websites.

In the twelve months for October 2010 – October 2011, the number of Argos’ keywords in the top 10 search results had increased by 246.4%, with 62% of those keywords achieving a top 5 ranking.

NetBooster also ensured strong growth in rankings for Argos’ technology based items such laptops and mp3 players and big ticket items such as beds, garden furniture and sofa beds.

Daniel Patmore, Search Marketing Manager, Argos, commented: “Search is an essential element of our online strategy, playing a significant role in helping to make www.argos.co.uk the second most visited website in the UK.

“Since working with NetBooster we have seen a consistent improvement in search results across the board which is testament to the teams’ meticulous approach to ensuring targets and objectives are met."