Close.com's Growth Story: A Deep Dive into Organic Traffic, Paid Media, and Social Media Strategies

Close.com is a popular sales CRM software geared towards startups and SMBs. They've cultivated a strong online presence and have successfully generated leads and customers through their website and content marketing efforts. This report delves into Close.com's growth story, examining how they expanded their organic traffic, the paid media and social media channels they employed, and the influence of Google core updates on their organic growth. We'll also analyze high-intent keywords with conversions to provide a comprehensive overview of their marketing strategies.

Research Methodology

To gather data for this report, we conducted extensive research using a variety of tools and methods. We analyzed Close.com's website and content using SEO tools such as SEMrush and Ahrefs to understand their organic traffic growth and technical SEO implementation. We also used SimilarWeb to track their website traffic and engagement metrics over time. To identify their paid media channels, we utilized SEMrush, Ahrefs, SimilarWeb, and SpyFu to analyze their advertising campaigns and spending. We also explored their social media presence on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to understand their social media strategies and engagement. Finally, we reviewed case studies, articles, and reports to gather insights into their overall growth strategy and the impact of Google core updates on their organic traffic.

Organic Traffic Growth

Close.com has achieved substantial organic traffic growth over the years. A key factor in this growth has been their dedication to creating high-quality, informative content that resonates with their target audience. Their extensive blog, boasting over 1,300 published articles, covers a wide range of topics related to sales, marketing, and customer service. This content has been instrumental in attracting a large audience and establishing Close.com as a thought leader in the industry¹. By creating high-quality content that is relevant to their target audience, Close.com attracts more visitors, encourages them to spend more time on their website, and improves their search engine rankings, ultimately leading to organic traffic growth.

Close.com has also prioritized optimizing their website for search engines. They maintain a clear and logical site structure, utilize descriptive URLs, and have implemented other technical SEO best practices². These efforts have contributed to improved search engine rankings and increased organic traffic.

Despite their successes, Close.com's organic traffic growth has encountered challenges. In March 2021, they experienced a steady decline in organic traffic, likely due to increased competition and changes to Google's algorithm¹. To counter this, Close.com collaborated with Five Tool to develop and implement a new content strategy. This strategy focused on refreshing stagnant content, identifying new content opportunities, and building high-quality backlinks¹. As a result, Close.com saw a 50% increase in organic traffic in just five months¹.

Close.com's reporting features play a crucial role in their organic traffic growth. Their platform offers a variety of reports, including activity comparison, activity overview, status change, sent email, opportunity pipeline, opportunity list, and opportunity funnels. These reports provide valuable insights into sales team activity, opportunity tracking, and overall performance, enabling data-driven decision-making and optimization of their strategies for organic traffic growth⁴.

Based on their current monthly organic visits, Close.com has the potential to achieve significant organic traffic growth in the coming months. Data suggests that companies with similar website traffic have experienced an average growth of 341% in 12 months⁵. This indicates a promising future for Close.com's organic traffic growth if they continue to implement effective SEO strategies and create high-quality content.

Furthermore, Close.com's web traffic has decreased by 6.56% compared to the previous month⁶. This recent decline highlights the dynamic nature of organic traffic and the need for continuous monitoring and adjustments to maintain a positive growth trajectory.

Technical SEO and Email Deliverability

Close.com recognizes the importance of email marketing in their growth strategy and has implemented a robust email technical setup to ensure high deliverability rates. They understand that email deliverability is crucial for reaching their target audience and maximizing the impact of their email campaigns⁷. By prioritizing email deliverability, Close.com can effectively nurture leads, promote their products and services, and drive conversions.

High-Intent Keywords with Conversions

High-intent keywords are search terms that suggest a user is ready to make a purchase or take action. These keywords are valuable for businesses because they can lead to higher conversion rates and a shorter buyer journey.

Some of the high-intent keywords that Close.com targets include:

• sales CRM ⁸
• best CRM for startups ⁸
• CRM for SMBs ⁸
• sales automation software ⁸
• inside sales CRM ⁹

Close.com strategically incorporates these keywords into their website content, blog posts, and paid advertising campaigns to attract potential customers actively seeking solutions like theirs.

Paid Media Channels

Close.com utilizes a diverse range of paid media channels to connect with their target audience. These channels include:

Channel	Targeting	Goal
LinkedIn Ads	Job titles, industries	Reach decision-makers
Company & role-targeted LinkedIn Ads	Specific companies and roles within those companies	Reach key decision-makers within target accounts
Google Ads	Keywords related to sales, CRM	Attract potential customers actively searching for solutions
Retargeting Ads	Previous website visitors	Encourage return visits and conversions

By targeting specific job titles and industries on LinkedIn, Close.com can reach decision-makers who are most likely to be interested in their product and have a higher conversion rate. Similarly, company and role-targeted LinkedIn Ads allow them to focus their advertising efforts on key decision-makers within specific accounts, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their campaigns. Google Ads help them attract potential customers who are actively searching for solutions like theirs, while retargeting ads allow Close.com to stay top-of-mind with potential customers who have previously shown interest in their product, increasing the likelihood of conversion. In addition to these online channels, Close.com also leverages direct mail and local events to reach their target audience and build brand awareness¹⁰.

Social Media Channels

Close.com maintains a strong social media presence and actively engages on the following channels:

• LinkedIn: Close.com utilizes LinkedIn to share their content, engage with industry professionals, and build relationships with potential customers¹⁰.
• Twitter: Close.com leverages Twitter to share their latest news and updates, engage with followers, and participate in industry conversations¹⁰.
• Facebook: Close.com uses Facebook to share their content, engage with followers, and build brand awareness¹⁰.

Close.com's social media strategy centers around providing value to their audience and building relationships. They regularly share informative content, engage with followers, and participate in industry discussions. This approach has helped them grow their social media following and establish themselves as a thought leader in the industry.

Impact of Google Core Updates

Google core updates are significant changes to Google's search algorithm that can affect website rankings and organic traffic. These updates are designed to improve the quality of search results and ensure that users find the most relevant and helpful content.

Close.com has been impacted by Google core updates in the past. As mentioned earlier, they experienced a decline in organic traffic in 2021, which was likely due in part to changes to Google's algorithm¹. To mitigate the impact of future core updates, Close.com focuses on creating high-quality content that meets Google's guidelines. They also regularly monitor their website's performance and make adjustments as needed to ensure that they are following SEO best practices.

Conclusion

Close.com has achieved remarkable growth by focusing on a multi-faceted approach that encompasses organic traffic, paid media, and social media strategies. Their strong online presence, coupled with their dedication to creating high-quality content and optimizing their website for search engines, has enabled them to generate leads and customers effectively. By utilizing a variety of paid and social media channels, Close.com has solidified its position as a leading CRM software provider for startups and SMBs.

Their success can be attributed to several key factors:

• Focus on high-quality content: Close.com consistently creates informative and engaging content that resonates with their target audience, driving organic traffic growth and establishing thought leadership.
• Data-driven approach: Close.com leverages data and analytics to track their performance, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions about their marketing strategies.
• Strong online presence: Close.com maintains a strong online presence through their website, blog, and social media channels, ensuring they are visible and accessible to potential customers.

For businesses looking to achieve similar success, we recommend adopting a comprehensive marketing strategy that incorporates these key elements. By focusing on creating valuable content, optimizing for search engines, and leveraging paid and social media channels effectively, businesses can establish a strong online presence, generate leads, and drive sustainable growth.

Works cited

1. SEO Content Strategy Delivers: Close.com Organic Traffic Up Over 50% in 5 Months, accessed January 3, 2025, https://fivetoolagency.com/case-study/close/
2. Technical SEO for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide | Search Engine People, accessed January 3, 2025, https://www.searchenginepeople.com/blog/technical-seo-for-beginners-a-step-by-step-guide.html
3. The tech stack behind Close sales communication software, accessed January 3, 2025, https://making.close.com/posts/tech-stack-behind-close-sales-communication-software
4. Reports - Close Help, accessed January 3, 2025, https://help.close.com/docs/reporting
5. How Much Can You Increase Organic Traffic In One Year? [CALCULATOR] - Nectafy, accessed January 3, 2025, https://www.nectafy.com/blog/organic-traffic-calculator
6. close.com Traffic Analytics, Ranking & Audience [November 2024] | Similarweb, accessed January 3, 2025, https://www.similarweb.com/website/close.com/
7. Effective Email Delivery: Technical Setup, Strategies, and Best Practices - Close CRM, accessed January 3, 2025, https://www.close.com/blog/email-technical-setup
8. Identifying Buyer Intent Keywords: High Intent vs. Low Intent - WriterZen, accessed January 3, 2025, https://writerzen.net/blog/high-intent-vs-low-intent-keywords
9. How Close.io Wins In The Crowded CRM Industry With Content Marketing - Bruce Harpham, accessed January 3, 2025, https://bruceharpham.com/close-io-wins-crowded-crm-industry-content-marketing/
10. 16 Steps Outreach.io Took To Build a $1.1 Billion SaaS Company, accessed January 3, 2025, https://blog.getlatka.com/outreach-saas-revenue-sales-customers/

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How did Close.com achieve organic traffic growth? Close.com achieved organic traffic growth by creating high-quality, informative content that resonates with their target audience. They also optimized their website for search engines and implemented technical SEO best practices.

2. What challenges did Close.com face in organic traffic growth? Close.com faced challenges such as a decline in organic traffic in March 2021 due to increased competition and changes to Google's algorithm. They addressed this by developing a new content strategy and building high-quality backlinks.

3. How does Close.com utilize high-intent keywords? Close.com targets high-intent keywords like "sales CRM" and "best CRM for startups" in their content and advertising to attract potential customers ready to make a purchase.

4. What paid media channels does Close.com use? Close.com uses LinkedIn Ads, Google Ads, and retargeting ads to reach decision-makers and potential customers actively searching for CRM solutions.

5. How does Close.com engage with their audience on social media? Close.com engages with their audience on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook by sharing informative content, participating in industry discussions, and building relationships with potential customers.

6. What impact have Google core updates had on Close.com? Google core updates have affected Close.com's organic traffic, prompting them to focus on creating high-quality content and adhering to SEO best practices to mitigate future impacts.