Shopify Retailer Achieves 1,900% Traffic Growth

Shopify has become the go-to platform for ecommerce brands, but it’s also one of the most competitive when it comes to SEO. Thousands of online retailers are battling for the same profitable keywords, making it increasingly difficult for smaller stores to stand out.

Our client, a Shopify store specializing in personalised gifts, faced this exact challenge. They had a well-designed Shopify storefront, a user-friendly checkout process, and high-demand products, but their website had almost no organic traffic. Most of their target keywords were buried beyond page five of Google, which meant they weren’t even being considered by shoppers ready to buy.

Recognizing that they were losing potential customers to better-optimized competitors, they turned to Rhino Rank. They needed a partner with proven Shopify SEO expertise who could build authority, drive visibility, and transform rankings into revenue.

Our first step was a comprehensive SEO audit of the client’s Shopify site. We found that their most profitable keywords ranked far too low to drive any meaningful traffic, and while they had some backlinks in place, most were low-quality and offered little SEO value. A competitor analysis also revealed that rival Shopify stores were consistently outranking them thanks to stronger backlink strategies and higher-authority referring domains.

With these insights, we built a custom strategy designed to rebuild the store’s backlink profile from the ground up. The plan focused on securing authoritative, niche-relevant links pointing directly to their homepage, category pages, and individual product listings (the “money pages” of any retailer.)

Curated Links: These contextual backlinks deliver more “link juice” than other link building methods, driving faster and more sustainable results. 

• Curated Links Package 4 ($2,200)
  • 10x RD20-100 links
  • 9x RD100-250 links
  • 7x RD2050-500 links
  • 4x RD500+ links
• 2x RD1000+ Curated Links ($400)

With a $2,600 monthly budget, we created a bespoke Shopify SEO strategy that emphasized quality links, keyword-focused placements, and ecommerce growth potential. This package mix allowed us to build a natural backlink profile, with the RD1000+ links strategically targeting competitive retail keywords. Every link placement was manually acquired through outreach, ensuring links were added contextually within content Google already trusted.

Over the course of six months, we rolled out a phased campaign designed specifically for retail SEO. Our Account Management team tracked performance closely at every stage, fine-tuning anchor text, keyword targets, and link placements as rankings improved.

• Homepage links: To build a strong foundation, we focused heavily on homepage links, using branded and generic anchors such as “[Store Name]” and “visit this Shopify gift store”. Around 80-90% of the campaign links followed this approach, as branded and generic anchors are one of the safest ways to build a natural, resilient profile.
• Product page links: We then turned our attention to product pages, targeting best-sellers with precise anchors like “personalised photo mug” and “engraved wooden watch”. These placements ensured that customers searching for specific items were directed straight to high-converting pages, rather than ending up on competing sites.
• Category page link: We also strengthened category pages with anchors such as “unique personalised accessories” and “eco-friendly gifts”. This broadened visibility across higher-volume search terms, allowing the store to capture shoppers in the discovery phase (those browsing for inspiration before making a purchase decision).

We also carried out in-depth competitor analysis and benchmarking. By analyzing backlink profiles of rival Shopify brands, we identified which sites were driving their success and secured similar, often higher-quality placements for our client. This not only closed existing gaps but allowed the store to leapfrog competitors in search rankings.

The results were nothing short of extraordinary. 

Within six months, the Shopify retailer saw a 1,900% increase in organic traffic, moving from near invisibility to thousands of visitors each month

Their keyword rankings also grew by 367%, while referring domains increased by 42%, creating a stronger and more resilient backlink profile.

Most importantly, this growth directly translated into sales. Orders for their best-selling product surged by 177%, proving that the traffic gains weren’t just vanity metrics but real revenue drivers. Today, the store ranks on the first page of Google for several competitive retail terms, capturing high-intent shoppers and building lasting brand authority.

The client has since chosen to expand their SEO investment, continuing with Curated Links and adding Guest Posts to further diversify their link profile and amplify their authority. In an industry where nearly 50% of ecommerce traffic originates from organic search, ecommerce link building is not just a supporting tactic, it is a critical growth engine for Shopify brands that want to compete and win online.

This case study demonstrates how a strategic approach to link building can completely transform an retailers online presence. By focusing on high-quality links, relevant content, and data-driven tactics, we helped this retailer climb from obscurity to the top of search results, driving qualified traffic and turning visibility into consistent sales growth.

If you’re a Shopify retailer or ecommerce brand looking to boost your search rankings, grow organic traffic, and increase orders, we’re here to help. At Rhino Rank, we specialize in link building for ecommerce websites, offering personalized outreach, authoritative placements, and proven strategies tailored to the retail industry.

See how a prominent real estate agent used our Curated Links and Guest Posts to grow its backlink portfolio, increase its ranking keywords and organic traffic, and double its monthly revenue!