CASE STUDIES

RankUno-Case Study

"I would say we have been able to make huge savings and the team’s productivity and quality of work has improved, as now we are not focusing on looking for ranks, instead, concentrating on the reasons of the swings or in the drops in those ranks."

Neeraj Vaishnav

SEO manager | RankUno

99 Acres-Case Study

"Easy availability over the phone and quick resolution to our queries are the two reasons that made us to go for RankWatch."

Ravinandan

Marketing Team | Naukri.com

"We signed up to the free trial on RankWatch and one element that was really good on the dashboard was the current rank, search volume and webmasters tools information all on one screen. This was quite helpful and I don’t think there are many others that show it in such a useful way and these are features we use quite often."

Ned Wells - Director

SEO manager | cicada-online.com

"RankWatch has a very positive impact in saving our team a lot of time and money. Also its user-friendly interface made it easy to understand the visual language of digital platforms."

Leon Hamelink

Founder -Traffic2Result

About 99 Acres

99acres.com is an Indian real estate website where anyone can buy, sell and rent properties. The website was launched on September 15, 2005. 99acres is a part of Info Edge (India) Limited with its headquarters in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

As a team of diligent SEO experts, the only challenge we initially faced was just with the sheer volume of keywords. We are targeting more than 30,000+ keywords for all the domains that we own. It’s quite time consuming to find and monitor the rankings of each and every keyword manually. So, in order to save our precious time we thought of getting an alternative to our existing solution.

Before moving onto RankWatch we were using Advancedwebranking to calculate our rankings and of course, I was quite satisfied with the facilities offered by them but the only thing they lacked in was their immediate support, i.e. lack of quick response to the queries that we used to face which turned to be quite ineffective in resolving our issues.

SEARCH FOR SOLUTION

We didn’t have a fixed criteria when looking for such a tool, the only solution that we had in mind was acquiring a paid tool so that we could manage our time in a more efficient manner and automate our processes better. Then, while researching one day, we stumbled upon RankWatch, which made our lives a whole lot easier.

ANY CHALLENGES FACED

There were primarily two reasons that made us choose RankWatch over other tools in the market: Easy availability over the phone and quick resolution to our queries.

However, there were a few challenges that we came across but all of them were resolved within a stipulated period of time. Everything is quite satisfying.

One thing that I can certainly say about RankWatch is that it is a great help to us in terms of time management.

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

One thing that I can certainly say about RankWatch is that it is a great help to us in terms of time management. We can now use the same amount of time and focus on other prominent tasks that had previously taken a back seat. After implementing RankWatch, even our overall SEO results have improved drastically.

About Cicada

Cicada is a digital marketing and SEO consultancy, based in Wallingford. They take a strategic approach to digital marketing and SEO, helping businesses and not-for-profit organizations better connect their online assets to their commercial goals.

They specialize in search engine optimization, Digital Marketing, Conversion optimization and social media marketing.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Clients and organizations generally wish to understand how well their sites are ranking, and what they can do to improve their natural rankings, principally on Google as we are rarely asked to help organizations rank on other search engines. So, one of the most challenging aspects of any Digital agency is to find a rank-tracking tool that has the functionality we need and is affordable as well. There are loads of tools in the market that are affordable but not all have the functionality that meet our requirements. So it’s a matter of choosing the one with the required functionality in the right price bracket.

SEARCH FOR SOLUTION

We evaluated a number of rank trackers over the years. I would try the free trials and analyze their functionalities that they used to advertise. We spoke to multiple people in the industry as well and once we decided to replace Linkdex, our partner introduced us to RankWatch, they were using it for their own operations at that time. We had very specific criteria in mind while looking for a solution and I think that Daily rank tracking was extremely important for us. We signed up to the free trial on RankWatch and one element that was really good on the dashboard was the current rank, search volume and webmasters tools information all on one screen. This was quite helpful and I don’t think there are many others that show it in such a useful way and these are features we use quite often. Another element that stands out for RankWatch is it’s excellent customer support.

TRIED AND TESTED

We tested a bunch of solutions before sticking with RankWatch and like I said, price and functionality were two major decision factors for us. Actually, we recently did another exercise where we tested few other tools as we are looking for a certain set of functionality that we had with Linkdex, which is currently not available on RankWatch or the others within the price range we are looking at.

We were looking for ‘partner analysis’, where you are able to group keywords together by tagging, but then you have a summary at the bottom of the page for those grouped keywords. For example, if I have 5 keywords in one group, so I am able to see the total search volume and the total hits from webmaster tools and that will tell me what percentage of the available search volume my client has for that particular group of keywords and that provides me with a really strong argument for clients to invest in SEO.

Similarly, with the competition module as well, it will be extremely valuable if I can look at the specific set of grouped keywords within my list that I can look at the search volume, then I can see how many clicks I have had out of the search volume and an estimate of how many clicks the competition would have had.

ANY CHALLENGES FACED

Yes, initially we found that the solution ran quite slowly sometimes, and this was quite frustrating as we would have uploaded all the keywords and we wanted to see the results and do some analysis but we found that the screens weren’t updating and that was quite frustrating. We surmounted them by contacting your support team and they responded really quickly, which is not conventional when it comes to SaaS support. Even though they did not manage to solve the solution all in one shot but over a course of a few months they were really efficient and agile with their responses. And now, the solution is as fast as we need it to be and it’s been very satisfactory.

Retention is one aspect we were really able to excel in. We have been able to retain existing clients since we have started operating on RankWatch. So, specifically, I think RankWatch has been about retention and growing existing clients to a far extent.

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

As time management is concerned, there hasn’t been too much time we have been able to save but I think using your tool alongside Moz’s tool set has been really useful for us. So, we have worked with several clients who have had an interest in their keyword rankings and wanted to know what they are, what their Low hanging fruits are and what the opportunity was for them to improve their rankings or improve their traffic in terms of site visits. Moz is only weekly rank tracking, and with the combination of daily rankings on RankWatch, we were able to meet the needs of our clients. So, using these bundle of tools, affirming and confirming ranks, we were able to cater to the clients better.

About RankUno

RankUno is a 10 year old full service Internet Marketing firm, based in Pune, empowering online businesses with cutting edge strategy and impeccable execution to start, build and grow. RankUno blends the right mix of Organic (Natural) Search Engine Optimization, Pay-Per-Click Advertising, Social Media Marketing and Outreach to ensure maximum ROI. Targeting agency clients as well as direct clients, RankUno does it by having verticals in multiple industries and providing a wholesome service to its clients, who are primarily from the USA, from an organic and paid standpoint.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

The primary focus to implement a solution for our requirements was to save valuable time. Since our clients are large scale in nature, we have to work with a lot of keywords that they are targeting and our business model does not bound us to a limited set of keywords. We do not have a package system where in we optimize 10 or 20 keywords, we work directly with agencies and the quantity of keywords can range anywhere between 10,000 to 20,000 keywords in the first phase itself. With such a large volume of keywords, it is not feasible to ensure clients what the rank is all about as we wanted to automate our ranking creating process.

The second problem area related to our requirement for vertical optimization, whether it is local, video, or images. We are not limited to only organic- we have clients focusing on locals, mobile and paid as well and we were looking for a solution that could help us achieve local rankings. In addition, we knew when we started with RankWatch, that mobile will be a critical element in our service offering.

In the research phase, we had identified multiple solutions but each focusing on individual aspects of rankings but we were in the market for a one-window solution instead.

Our third pain point was to come up with specific insights on how desktop was performing against mobile as that would give us a lot of insights on how to help our clients strategize their responsive design or optimize their mobile websites.

SEARCH FOR SOLUTION

I don’t quite remember all the names of the competitors we evaluated at this moment but RankWatch was chosen after an exhaustive evaluation of multiple varieties of solutions available. We started off with manual rank tracking, but it was obviously quite cumbersome and we could do it only once a month. Moreover, after Google changed its algorithm, it became more aggressive in its policies and there were ranking variation on daily basis, the task became further formidable. Clearly, we were looking for a solution where the rankings can be automatically updated for us. Secondly, we started looking for a stand-alone solution, to give you an example, I don’t remember the name, maybe it was Wordtrackr, and it was a desktop-based application. The primary concern with such a solution is when you add a high volume of keywords, it uses your IP and automatically blocks it when rank calculations are going on. So, when you have 30,000 keywords calculating ranks on a daily basis, Google is bound to ban your IP and you end up getting the CAPTCHA code every time. After about 30 keywords, it would say that there are no rankings found.

We evaluated a bunch of other tools as well, for example, Moz, which has its own ranking tool and a few from Israel and USA who were offering rank calculations but we ended up with RankWatch because of its cost effectiveness and it was pretty much meeting all our needs. Also, the fact that you are based in India meant we got excellent customer support, which was a key factor for us.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

In total, we had 5 specific criteria to evaluate any product we tested. These were automation, accuracy, ease of use, transparency and the ability to add multiple search engines

As I mentioned before, we were extensively looking to automate our rank aggregation process. So, that was really high on our priority list. Secondly, of course, if data aggregation was automated, it had to be accurate as well. So that was a pre-requisite to automation. Third, the tool had to be easy to use, which was perfectly illustrated by RankWatch with its excellent user interface. Fourth, we always wanted to have our clients see the reports. We were looking for a possible While Labeling option so that clients can immediately see the data without our intervention. To elaborate, discussions with clients should not be centered on what keywords have moved; instead it should be centered on why they moved. Hence, with clients already aware of the movements, meetings are much more productive. Lastly, as we are tracking on multiple devices and on different verticals, we required a solution that allowed us to do just that and RankWatch is probably one of the few solutions that provides City Specific Rankings compared to other tools, which are not so prospective.

ANY CHALLENGES FACED

There were definitely some challenges that we faced while implementing your solution. Initially while randomly verifying rankings, we did find some inaccuracies but they were quickly resolved as we had immediately taken up the issue with your support and they were able to fix them.

Trust was a challenge that we faced internally rather than with the platform. Internally it was difficult to gain the trust of the clients and the team because the moment you say automation, people take a step back thinking that it may not be accurate. So, it took us a while to convince the team along with the clients that the solution is accurate as long as the settings are placed on the basis of what you wanted.

We approached this by not opening out the solution to everybody instantly; we ran a test phase with our internal team. We asked them to test it for some months before using it extensively for reporting and other aspects. So, the first few months they were given a free hand to play whichever way they wanted to and we also gradually opened it to the clients as well to see what their feedback is. All the insights I received from our side I shared it with your support team who were able to action upon them.

Even right now there may be 10% of ranking discrepancies, which is expected when tracking such a high volume of keywords. So, no problem over there!

HOW DID YOU COME ACROSS RANKWATCH?

We were primarily looking for it on search engines. It was a random search that we did, plus our criteria were very precise and over time we kept refining them even further.

We started searching for a rank generation tool and then we wanted to look for an automated ranking solution. A tool based in India, definitely would have been a plus point. So, this is how we stumbled upon RankWatch.

WHAT DO YOU FIND THE MOST ATTRACTIVE ABOUT RANKWATCH?

I guess it would be your support; we are quite pleased with it so far and the fact that the changes are really proactive. For instance, you came out with the new agency level dashboard recently. I really like it and we were able to use it for our clients really well. So it is not like a solution that gets updated every 5 years; it gets updated every 4-5 months.

Another aspect is the reactiveness with the way feature requests are addressed. Most feature requests I have suggested have been handled quite swiftly. Some new features that we had shared with the support have already been implemented.

Also, I would say the pricing flexibility that we were offered in the beginning of our subscription. Most other solutions are quite rigid with the pricing. So RankWatch has been quite cooperating in that sense.

RankWatch has been able to enhance our data aggregation- the primary process of any analytics reporting cycle that we do, monthly or a daily, is data collection. and this solution helps us achieve that. So, extracting the data is what I could consider the most enhanced aspect of our business.

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

I would say we have been able to make huge savings and the team’s productivity and quality of work has improved, as now we are not focusing on looking for ranks, instead, concentrating on the reasons of the swings or in the drops in those ranks.

Earlier we used to spend 16 man-hours per month on ranking per project and now this has reduced to 0. Now we are saving at least 16 man-hours a month per project. So, lets say about 100 man-hours a month of work.

WHAT BUSINESS PROCESS DOES RANKWATCH ENHANCE SPECIFICALLY?

RankWatch has been able to enhance our data aggregation- the primary process of any analytics reporting cycle that we do, monthly or a daily, is data collection. and this solution helps us achieve that. So, extracting the data is what I could consider the most enhanced aspect of our business.

IS IT ONLY RANK-TRACKING YOU ARE CONCENTRATING ON?

No, we are primarily focusing on rank tracking but we are slowly and gradually expanding into other areas of RankWatch as well. Currently we are only using RankWatch for rankings but we will be aggressively using it in more detail.

We are aware of the other features which we have not incorporated them as part of the process but will be using them gradually. These are features we do not expect in a rank-tracking tool but appreciate the improvisation and the revolutionary approach by RankWatch.

About Traffic2Result

Traffic2Result is a North Amsterdam based Internet marketing company engaged to help its clients to get more customers through the Internet and they do this by building websites, generating traffic through various optimization channels and other sources such as social media and referral marketing.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

For Traffic2Result, it’s important to monitor the rankings of a website for specific keywords and have a clear reporting structure as well. Hence, this was one of the primary reasons that made us search out for a solution. We tried numerous other tools such as Rank Tracker, Market Samurai for optimization, and one or two more in the past but they were not able to meet our needs. The problem with those tools was, at one point they stopped reporting about the rankings and also the interface was not that great. But, now we have been using RankWatch for quite a long time and it’s quite satisfying.

SEARCH FOR SOLUTION

For effective optimization, the tool should be easy to use; it should give a good overview of the progression and improvements, which we are trying to reach. The technical aspect of a rank-tracking tool should be user friendly and it should represent true and accurate rankings.

For Traffic2Result, it was important to get a tool, which could meet the above requirements, and RankWatch solved the purpose very well. Its user-friendly interface is very effective as it shows the rankings and progression of the rankings very well and the reports generated can directly be shared with our customers, which again emphasizes the tools usefulness to us.

ANY CHALLENGES FACED

No, not really. Actually I didn’t have any historical data when I started using RankWatch, so I was wondering if I could get the data imported, but again the video solved the problem.

WHAT DO YOU FIND THE MOST ATTRACTIVE ABOUT RANKWATCH?

Like I said, according to me, the user interface has been the most attractive element of RankWatch. Also, in the beginning when I decided to go for RankWatch, I found the services of RankWatch affordable in comparison to other tools available in the market. I did a pretty thorough survey and I found out that the price offered for its services by RankWatch was far greater than other tools in terms of value for money. The number of new functionalities introduced is really impressive and the company seems to be growing constantly.

WHAT BUSINESS PROCESS DOES RANKWATCH ENHANCE SPECIFICALLY?

Not using any other tool but RankWatch has a very positive impact in saving our team a lot of time and money. There are other service providers dealing in the same product, either at higher prices or providing unsatisfying user experience. So for Traffic2Result, RankWatch has proved as the best investment in comparison to other tools. It helped in reporting and checking quickly the rankings, which was not possible manually. RankWatch saves more time if we compare it with other tools in the market, the user experience is better and also the price is competitive.

There are other features like mobile search option; local results are again very commendable. I’m not using them now, but I would be exploring them soon to know more about them, so that I can get familiar and start using them.

IS IT ONLY RANK-TRACKING YOU ARE CONCENTRATING ON?

Primarily I’m focusing on the rank-tracking aspect of the tool only, but I do appreciate the other features instilled by RankWatch as well. Moreover you discover other features when you start using them intensively. I’m planning to check out some of the other features offered by RankWatch in future as I think they will be really effective and useful and could make my experience even better.

One thing for which I would like to highlight RankWatch is its outstanding user interface. It not only shows the rankings and progression of the rankings very well, but also the reports generated can directly be shared to customers, which again emphasizes the tools usefulness to us.

RESULTS AND BENEFITS

One thing for which I would like to highlight RankWatch is its outstanding user interface. Also the functionality, more added features have served like a cherry on the cake. Reporting part also served well. Because of these features, I had been able to increase my keyword limit and thus, increase my customers.

RankWatch is moving towards a full Internet marketing economy and that’s commendable.

CUSTOMER SUPPORT SYSTEM

Customer Support System of RankWatch is super-eminent. I haven’t faced any problem regarding any issues and also, the Customer Support team of RankWatch has contacted me very frequently, just to verify if everything is moving perfectly or not. So, the overall experience was positive for me using all of RankWatch’s services.