We leave our footprints for the others

Software and e-commerce freak. New technology enthusiast. Fan of Marvel comics and Star Wars saga.

Paweł Ławniczak

## 1. Tests, tests, and tests again.
**Testing on the most popular devices and browsers is your absolute must-do!** And not just once, but every time you make significant changes. **Don't forget about mobile devices.** Nowadays, most traffic is generated from them, and today's users can quickly lose patience.

## 2. Check for updates.
Are you using open-source software like WordPress? There's a good chance you're also using external plugins. **Don't forget to check for updates and make sure you're using the latest version.** This is often an overlooked step, but take our word for it, updates occur frequently. They may even occur multiple times during the website creation process. So keep your finger on the pulse!

## 3. Tame your CMS
Time to make friends with your CMS. Understanding is the key to a long-lasting and beautiful friendship here. Have you ever heard the saying that control is the highest form of trust? We don't know about human relationships, but when it comes to your friendship with the CMS - we're all for it! **Regularly check and make sure that you can optimally manage content**, and you'll gain many benefits, including streamlining your workflow and enabling bulk actions!

## 4. Safety first!
If your password is a jumble of words and two numbers, we have important news... it's time to change it! **Secure passwords are a necessity if you don't want to say goodbye to your virtual achievements too soon.** The login address also matters, especially if your website uses open-source CMS like WordPress. And most importantly, treat access to the site as highly confidential information - don't share it with random people.

![beautiful-young-woman-home-office-working-from-home-teleworking-concept (1).jpg](/uploads/beautiful_young_woman_home_office_working_from_home_teleworking_concept_1_72d8c21aa0.jpg)

## 5. Never again "our server crashed on product launch day."
**Is your server properly configured and matched?** Consider the project's purpose, security needs, and expected traffic on the site. There's nothing worse than the site shutting down during the peak of a promotional campaign for a new product...

## 6. Don't make contact difficult.
Your website is ready, and every part of it encourages conversation. But what if this is where the problems start? You'll likely lose a potential customer. Check the proper functioning of contact forms and ensure that emails aren't ending up in spam. **Also, take care of reCAPTCHAs to protect against spam and have an up-to-date SSL certificate to ensure the security of transmitted data.**

## 7. Join CloudFlare.
CloudFlare is a free tool that significantly enhances your site's security. Some of its functions include **protection against DDoS attacks, hiding your server's IP, or CDN, which greatly improves your site's loading speed**. It will only take a moment, and the benefits will last forever. So, get to work: [CloudFlare](https://www.cloudflare.com/)!

## 8. Don't forget about legal requirements.
Before publishing the site, **make sure it complies with GDPR regulations**. It may be helpful to work with a tool ([CookieBot](https://www.cookiebot.com/)). **Running an online store? Don't forget to implement the Omnibus Directive.**

## 9. On your marks, get set, START! How fast is your website?
Today's users aren't patient. Accustomed to consuming short content and instant access to everything, we won't wait for your site to load; we'll quickly flee to the competition. Want to avoid this scenario? **Test your site for loading speed.** We recommend a score of at least 80 for both mobile and desktop devices. Useful tool: [PageSpeed](https://pagespeed.web.dev/).

## 10. Don't move without analytics.
Proper analytics are key! Implementing GTM and GA-4 is essential. **Take care of setting goals and proper conversions on your new site.** GTM will allow you to deploy Meta, Hotjar, or TikTok scripts and pixels. From there, it's a short path to analyzing, drawing conclusions, and making improvements!

## 11. Make friends with SEO.
Valuable content is a vast topic, worthy of a separate post. But let's focus on the technical side for now. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is your friend when it comes to your site's visibility in Google searches. **Be sure to have a proper site structure, add it to Search Console, use headers, and don't overlook metadata.**

## 12. Destination: 301 redirect map.
Switching from an old site to a new, better one? Congratulations. **Don't forget the potential of a 301 redirect map.** New subpage names don't mean that all links leading to their old versions will stop working—quite the opposite. A redirect map will lead the viewer to the correct place, despite an outdated address. If this step seems unimportant and skippable, we're here to correct that mistake! **Lack of a 301 redirect map may result in a significant drop in Google search results, wasting years of SEO work.** So, set your course for a 301 redirect map and remember to implement it before publishing the new site!

## Whew, that's it!
You've gone through 12 steps to better prepare your new site for publication. We could expand on each of these points for hours—but why? It should be simple and clear. **However, if you feel lost in this programming maze, our team will assist you at every project stage.**

Good luck with your new site!



Are you preparing to publish a new website? Check out 12 things you need to remember.

Much like many other stories, our client, Metikam, at the start of our collaboration, was already
characterized by years of experience in the metallurgical industry and an extensive, appealing
range of services. It might seem like they had everything needed to succeed. However, their
online visibility was so limited that it effectively hampered the rapid growth they were prepared
for. What can be done? A lot! Dive into this case study for the answer.

## About the Client: Metikam

Metikam is undoubtedly an ambitious company, aiming to dominate the niche of customers seeking services in laser cutting, waterjet cutting, plasma cutting, welding, and metal processing. Their edge doesn't just come from their vast experience in the industry but also from a broad spectrum of modern solutions, collaborations with global leaders, and a state-of-the-art CNC machinery park.

## The Challenge We Faced

In January 2021, Metikam approached us with a common issue of extremely limited organic visibility, which brutally translated to low website traffic. At that point, the numbers indicated a mere 100 to 200 organic sessions per month.  
Did we mention how niche our client's industry is? While being niche usually carries positive implications, in the realm of SEO, it might limit the outcomes. Nevertheless, our goal was to highlight the client against competitors and solidify their position as a top expert in the industry. The expected result was increased organic traffic.

## Our Approach

For this client, our strategy encompassed comprehensive and multifaceted actions:  
1. **SEO Audit** - Understanding the client's current situation is always the initial step. We thoroughly assessed their existing website.
2. **Implementing Audit Recommendations** - Before delving into actual work, we ensured that the client's site was optimized, and all audit suggestions were implemented.
3. **Website Structure Expansion** - We created local subpages for every service offered by Metikam for each of the nine major cities in Lower Silesia where Metikam operates.
4. **Backlinking** - We collaborated with platforms contextually related to the client's industry and built a vast backlink base from high-quality publications within those platforms.
5. **Consistent Content Marketing** - Our content marketing strategy for Metikam also included crafting an industry guide on their website. Over a two-year collaboration, we published 40 articles optimized for high-impact keywords frequently searched by users.

![keyword research](/uploads/keyword_research_bbd583428d.jpg)

## The Results

To our and the client's delight, after 2.5 years of partnership, we achieved a **significant boost** in visibility:  
-  **Top 3 Google search results** — saw an increase of **1933%** 
![senutotop3](/uploads/senutotop3_9bdbcc85a8.png)
-  Top 10 Google search results — witnessed a rise of  **1492%** 
![senutotop10](/uploads/senutotop10_c2531ab0ce.png)
-  Top 50 Google search results — reported an enhancement of  **463%** 
![senutotop50](/uploads/senutotop50_8a0f27351d.png)
-  The backlink profile for [Metikam's website](https://metikam.pl/)  consistently grew over two years. 
![ahrefs](/uploads/ahrefs_ee5b03c3fc.png) 
All these efforts contributed to our primary goal of **boosting organic traffic**. 
![ruch organic](/uploads/ruch_organic_5bb4d9dc39.png)

After 2.5 years of SEO initiatives, we recorded a **614% surge in sessions from organic traffic, far exceeding the client's expectations**.

## Conclusion

Even the most niche and specialized industries can utilize tools like content marketing and SEO to grow their business. Over two years, we assisted Metikam in becoming an industry-leading expert in metallurgy and significantly enhanced their organic traffic, which undoubtedly leads to business success.

**Experiencing low traffic on your website? Schedule a meeting with us, and we'll tailor a strategy specifically for your business needs.**

How Can SEO Efforts Increase Organic Traffic? A Case Study Based on the Metallurgical Industry

Master of Communication Management who sees brands as if they were humans. 

Karolina Paluch

The world of marketing is ever-evolving. You might be used to thinking that influencer marketing is the marketing of our times. If so, those times are behind us. Meet UGC, or User Generated Content, which is effectively pushing aside artificial influencer campaigns. Plus, if you make an effort, you can get UGC for free.

## What's the value of UGC?

Let's start with the basics, the definition of **UGC**. User Generated Content, roughly translated, means **Content Generated by the User**. This includes photos, videos, reviews, opinions, or posts on social media created by customers based on a purchased product or service. That's right, customers — the keyword here. By design, these aren't paid collaborations, and the content they generate is spontaneous and incredibly authentic.

## Authenticity in Media

A lack of authenticity is currently the biggest pain point of social media. Fake content is glaringly obvious, to the point where authenticity is one of the highest compliments one can give to a brand or creator. If they are perceived as genuine, they win in terms of image. Not long ago, most social media users struggled to differentiate sincere recommendations from paid partnerships. Influencers advertised vigorously and without verification. Thankfully, those days are behind us. Audiences no longer blindly trust influencers, and influencers now scrutinize brands more closely before collaborating. However, trust has been compromised, and the reputation of influencer recommendations has been significantly tarnished.

The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) played a significant role in this change by declaring war against undisclosed advertising collaborations and spreading awareness on the subject. And so, we arrived at a point where UGC became the breath of fresh air and authenticity.

![young-man](/uploads/young_man_358dd640bc.jpeg)

## Real content, but for how long?

In its original form, UGC is unsponsored and spontaneously created by genuine brand consumers. Recommendations from non-influencers proved to be more credible and often more effective. But as the UGC trend evolved, individuals began specializing in creating this type of content, and brands were ready to pay. The nature of these contents remains consistent — to the average consumer, they appear spontaneous and sincere, regardless of whether they were commissioned by a brand or emerged organically. As with influencer marketing, it will take some time before this phenomenon is widely recognized.

So what can we do in the meantime? Capitalize on this trend, of course!

## Invest in UGC, but do it wisely

Using UGC on a micro scale means reposting photos and stories of customers related to our product or service. It's also about designing user experiences to provoke these natural reactions.

How? It's essential to be creative.

If you run an online store, pay attention to how products are packaged. Ensure they are packed aesthetically; you might also want to add a personalized note (even if it's always the same). There's a good chance a beautifully packaged parcel will end up in a customer's Instagram story.

Running offline services? Create a space begging for a memorable photo.

You can also offer discounts, vouchers, or gifts to customers who post about your brand. Then repost everything on your channels and watch trust grow!

![woman-with-phone](/uploads/medium_shot_woman_with_phone_min_29655ce8e9.jpg)

## Not just trust. What benefits does UGC offer?

What can your brand gain by incorporating regular UGC into communication:

1. **Credibility**: Which message resonates more with you: a friend's recommendation or promises from an advertising campaign?
2. **Engagement**: Your content is created by brand users. Is there anything more indicative of an engaged community?
3. **Strengthening świadomości marki**: Recommendations from so-called "ordinary people" stick in our memory better. The cumulative micro-reach of your customers can significantly impact spreading brand awareness.

## How to leverage UGC? 5 proven ideas for everyone

1. **Create a unique Hashtag**: This could be the brand name, product, or a unique name directly related to the brand. Encourage customers to use the hashtag when giving reviews, stories, or photos.
2. **Reviews and opinions**: Always encourage customers to leave a review. Even if it's not perfect, your response matters — there's no room for emotion or unprofessionalism here.
3. **Customer stories**: Use stories where your product/service helped a customer solve a problem or achieve success. Create content based on them for different platforms.
4. **Contests and challenges**: Organize competitions that prompt users to create brand-related content. This builds relationships and strengthens the brand community.
5. **Build a community**: Broadcast channels on Instagram, Facebook groups, or even live streams on Tik Tok — choose a platform and format suited to your audience and provide them value while collecting their experiences in one place.

Chances are, over time, we'll become immune to UGC, just as we became immune to influencer recommendations. However, this communication trend currently exists, is thriving, and most importantly — it works. So it's worth introducing UGC into your communication. I especially recommend the real, authentic content created by satisfied brand customers.

We leave our footprints for the others

UGC — what is it and how to start using it?

UGC — what is it and how to start using it?