What is your development approach like?

Our development approach is characterized by adaptability, flexibility, predictability, and practicality, specifically tailored for eCommerce. This approach allows us to minimize the risks associated with scope, time, and cost. Drawing from years of experience across various industries, we've learned how to defy the staggering industry average of 97% project failure rates. We offer two distinct development approaches: Agile and Hybrid, providing clients with options that best suit their needs.

Do you provide services to agencies and SaaS providers?

Absolutely, we do. MAKDigital caters to a diverse clientele, encompassing not only Direct Clients but also Agencies and SaaS providers. Our expertise spans various industry verticals, including B2B, B2C, SMBs, Marketplaces, Startups, and large enterprises. We offer our services to both digital and print agencies and extend our support to SaaS providers, including ERP, CRM, Gateways, and more.

Is it possible for you to devise an eCommerce strategy for my business?

Absolutely, our team of experts at MAKDigital excels in creating tailored, all-encompassing strategies that are uniquely designed to fit your business. What's more, we can even go a step further by developing a 3-year roadmap for your business. MAKDigital's eCommerce roadmap serves as a comprehensive three-year strategic plan, mapping out your company's future trajectory and the necessary actions to achieve your objectives.

Can you offer guidance in selecting the ideal platform for my business?

Certainly, MAKDigital is well-equipped to assist you in identifying the most suitable eCommerce platform for your business, taking into consideration your specific requirements and market dynamics. Additionally, we offer a range of services, including the integration of cutting-edge features into your online store, building a custom store from the ground up, and providing SEO optimization tailored to your needs.

How can I determine the most suitable eCommerce platform for my business?

Choosing the most suitable eCommerce platform for your business is a crucial decision that can significantly impact your online success. To determine the right platform, consider the following factors: Business Needs and Goals, Budget, Ease of Use, Scalability, SEO-Friendly and Flexibil

How can I determine the most suitable eCommerce platform for my business?

Selecting the perfect eCommerce platform for your business involves conducting an objective evaluation of your business and its unique requirements. Once you've identified all the necessary functionalities and features that need to be implemented on your website, our experts can guide you in narrowing down the best eCommerce platforms that align with your business needs.

What measures are taken to maintain the SEO strength of an eCommerce website after migration?

Migrating an eCommerce website can have a significant impact on its SEO strength if not executed carefully. To maintain and even improve SEO rankings after migration, we take several measures before, during, and after the migration process. SEO is an ongoing process, and it may take some time to regain or improve your rankings after migration. Consistency, quality, and attention to detail are key to maintaining the SEO strength of your eCommerce website.

What is MAKDigital's method for confirming the correct execution of SEO preservation?

To validate the accuracy of our SEO preservation efforts, we employ a thorough evaluation process. This entails closely monitoring the performance of your eCommerce store on the new platform. We meticulously assess factors such as ranking, impressions, click-through rates, and other relevant metrics to ascertain the effectiveness of our SEO tactics. This evaluation provides our SEO specialists with valuable insights into how your website is performing following the migration. Additionally, we continuously monitor Google Search Console and Google Analytics to gain a comprehensive overview of your eCommerce store's performance. Based on the gathered data and results, we are prepared to make necessary adjustments and improvements to further optimize your SEO strategy if required.

Client

PoolandHotTubDepot BigCommerce SEO Case Study

Explore the transformative power of BigCommerce SEO with our in-depth case study on PoolandHotTubDepot. Discover how strategic optimization strategies propelled their online presence, increased organic traffic, and boosted revenue. Dive into the details of this successful e-commerce journey and unlock the secrets to achieving SEO success in the competitive world of pool and hot tub retail.

View Live View Full Portfolio

Pain Point

In February 2023, John from PoolandHotTubDepot.com approached MAKDigital, facing a pressing issue: although we had built his website in 2021, it had previously performed well. However, due to multiple Google Search updates and intensifying competition, his organic keyword rankings were plummeting, resulting in a significant decline in conversions. To maintain previous sales levels, he was investing a substantial AdWords budget, yet despite increased traffic, his conversion rates had dropped by 31%, orders were down by 33%, and overall revenue had dipped by 25% compared to the same period the previous year, spanning from September 2022 to the end of February 2023.

PoolandHotTubDepot before SEO Services graph

PoolandHotTubDepot page speed optimized on mobile

Page Speed Optimization

To assist John effectively, our initial step was to conduct a comprehensive SEO and UI/UX audit, pinpointing areas of concern and devising solutions. Given Google's recent emphasis on overall site performance, encompassing not just content relevance but also page serving mechanisms, we prioritized key factors such as page speed and content layout stability. Our foremost focus was to ensure swift site performance across all devices, minimize layout shifts for users, and ensure the accurate interpretation of rich snippets by Google, which convey essential information such as product details, reviews, FAQs, and company information.

Page Speed Before SEO Optimization:

Mobile Report Desktop Report

Our developers meticulously combed through the PoolAndHotTubDepot codebase, updating necessary code libraries, optimizing the delivery of third-party scripts with a tailored strategy for each component, and employing third-party media optimization services to serve images optimally for various devices. We also revamped select out-of-the-box BigCommerce stencil components to ensure consistent content loading before invoking JavaScript. Furthermore, we ensured that every element on the site adhered to the latest accessibility standards.

For a comprehensive list of techniques employed, please refer to our blog article here The outcome was remarkable: the site achieved blazing-fast speeds and excelled in all critical Google ranking parameters.

Page Speed After SEO Optimization:

Mobile Report Desktop Report

Code Optimization:

Reduced unused JavaScript
Eliminated render-blocking resources
Reduced JavaScript execution time by lazy loading javascript components
Implemented Cloudflare API for the media Optimization
Created custom image component to process page images with correct accessibility tagging and Lazy Load
Created custom carusel component that insured elements looked the same befor/after javascript initiation
optimized fonts eliminating un-used components
Created custom React Navigation Component to minimize DOM size

Optimized 3rd Party Apps:

Stamped.io
Live Chat
Searchanise
Notify me when available
Google Tag Manager

UX/UI Optimization for better conversions

Sticky Add to Cart Feature:

Our next focus was addressing the gaps in the user experience to leverage and maximize the purchase potential from the organic traffic visiting the site. We conducted an analysis of shopper behavior and strategically implemented a sticky 'Add to Cart' feature for both desktop and mobile, utilizing an intuitive scroll-based approach that seamlessly integrated with the user experience. This enhancement yielded an immediate and noticeable increase in conversions.

Up-Sell Feature:

In order to incentivize customers to make larger orders, we developed a customized upsell component. This component empowered administrators to associate upsell products with specific items, and it also allowed them to assign groups of upsell products to specific product categories, all while specifying priority flags for the assigned groups. We achieved this functionality by harnessing Product Meta Fields and Category Meta Fields, and we streamlined front-end management using the Space48 MetaFields Manager app.

PickUp in Store Feature:

PoolandHotTubDepot operates as both an online retailer and maintains two brick-and-mortar establishments in Canada. Consequently, as we aimed to boost online revenue, we also sought to encourage customers to take advantage of BigCommerce's 'Pick-up in Store' feature.

To facilitate this, we leveraged the Google Location API to determine the location of our Canadian customers. Once identified, we provided customers with the distance to the nearest physical PoolandHotTubDepot location. This strategic implementation resulted in increased conversions, especially for customers who preferred not to wait for shipping and were in close proximity to our physical stores, enabling them to make a purchase online and schedule a convenient in-store pickup.

Keyword & Content Optimization

After conducting an extensive keyword research analysis, we undertook a significant overhaul of our top navigation structure. The most critical keywords were elevated to top-level navigation, enhancing accessibility for search engine crawlers. Company information and other utility links were relocated to the upper tier within the header, neatly organized under 'Help Center' with the introduction of a user-friendly dropdown feature. Additionally, we restructured the remaining categories under a streamlined departmental side navigation, built as a responsive React component, complete with easily recognizable icons for effortless navigation

Furthermore, we introduced a 'Parts' category section, where we linked landing pages to specific keyword targets within the Canadian region. To optimize these categories for SEO in the Canadian context, we developed custom category page templates. Our efforts extended to thorough content optimization within each category, designed to improve organic search engine rankings.

Testimonial

We reached out to MAKDigital desperately looking for a solution after another company delivered an incomplete site and abandoned us. The initial consult with Mary and her team was great, she had a plan for our site and advised short term band aid solution to mitigate issues with the old site until they could develop a complete new site. Outstanding experience, the new site poolandhottubdepot.com is doing very well in SERP and lots of positive comments from our customers. Highly recommend MAKDigital, they are now our go-to company.

John, CEO Pool & HotTub Depot

After Eight Months of Working with The MAKDigital Agency

After just eight months of collaboration, we orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for PoolAndHotTubDepot. What was initially a challenging scenario with a 25% revenue decline compared to the previous year underwent a complete transformation, resulting in an impressive 11% increase year-over-year and a total revenue boost of 36%. The positive impact was equally significant in the realm of orders, surging by 34% compared to a previous 33% loss. Furthermore, our strategic efforts saw a notable 35% increase in organic search traffic while simultaneously reducing AdWords expenditure by nearly 60%. Remarkably, all these achievements were realized amidst the backdrop of the 2023 Canadian forest fires, which cast a substantial negative shadow over the pool supplies industry during the summer.

Increase Revenue 36%

Organic Visits 35%

AOV 11%