SEO Case Study - Salt & Seek
525.9% Growth in Organic Traffic and Search Rankings Within 5 Months
How a focused local SEO strategy turned Salt & Seek into the top search result for Utah's best restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and weekend plans.
Challenges We Faced
When we began the project, the brand faced several key SEO challenges:
Low Organic Traffic
As a newly launched local guide, Salt & Seek had almost no search footprint and was missing from the discovery searches Utah locals run every week.
Poor Keyword Rankings
High-intent terms like 'best restaurants in Salt Lake City' sat buried on page 4 and beyond, behind national directories and legacy local press.
Technical Issues
The Shopify-based site had duplicate collection and tag URLs, slow image-heavy pages, and inconsistent canonical tagging hurting crawl efficiency.
Weak On-Page Optimization
Blog content lacked consistent meta titles, header structure, and internal links connecting guides to the event calendar and Deals Club.
Content Gaps in Buyer Intent Pages
There was limited informational content targeting user intent for cannabis benefits, dosage guidance, product comparisons, and long‑tail keywords relevant to THCs and wellness edibles.
Weak Backlink Profile
Limited high-quality backlinks are reducing your domain authority and search rankings. Building relevant, authoritative links will help improve visibility, credibility, and overall organic performance.
Our Approach & Solutions
Technical SEO
- Resolved duplicate URLs created by Shopify collections and tags, and fixed canonical tagging across blog and product pages.
- Improved page speed by compressing imagery and lazy-loading restaurant, bar, and event photo galleries.
- Implemented schema markup for products and XML sitemaps to improve indexing and rich result eligibility.
On-Page SEO
-
Updated meta titles and descriptions for every city and neighborhood guide to match real search intent.
- Restructured headings and internal links so each guide pointed readers toward the event calendar, Deals Club, and related neighborhood content.
- Added descriptive alt text and optimized image file names across every restaurant, bar, and coffee shop feature.
Off-Page SEO
- Built consistent local citations across Utah business directories and tourism listings.
- Secured backlinks through partnerships with featured restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in exchange for editorial mentions.
- Ran outreach to Utah lifestyle blogs and local press for guest features and 'best of' roundup inclusions.
Content & Keywords
- Mapped keyword opportunities by neighborhood and category to fill gaps across restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and events.
- Published consistent, intent-matched guides targeting long-tail searches such as 'best brunch spots Salt Lake City.'
- Refreshed older event and seasonal content on a rolling basis to keep time-sensitive pages ranking.
Why This Works for Salt & Seek
By tackling both technical barriers and content gaps, we strengthened Salt & Seek ability to compete for key search terms in the highly competitive cannabis and edibles market. Our strategy not only improved organic search performance but also enhanced user experience, helping visitors find the right products — hidden-gem restaurants to weekend events.
Results in Five months with Proven Data
Before & After SEO - Organic Traffic
Increased by 2170.18% within one year, reflecting significant growth driven by our SEO efforts.
| METRIC | BEFORE | AFTER | PERCENTAGE GROWTH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Traffic | 57 | 1,294 | 2170.18% |
Keyword Rankings & #1 Positions
Before & After SEO - Keywords
Majority of target keywords moved to page 1.
| KEYWORDS | VOLUME | BEFORE | AFTER |
|---|---|---|---|
| Things to do in Utah | 9900 | NA | #1 |
| things to do in Utah County | 880 | NA | #1 |
| best restaurants in utah county | 720 | NA | #1 |
| Utah Valley Events | 390 | NA | #1 |
| events in utah county | 320 | NA | #1 |
| utah county events | 320 | NA | #1 |
| free events in utah today | 260 | NA | #1 |
| best restaurants utah county | 210 | NA | #1 |
| best bars in utah | 210 | NA | #1 |
| bars in utah | 210 | NA | #1 |
Like the keywords mentioned below, Salt & Seek ranks for numerous other high-volume terms at the top of SERPs, driving substantial organic traffic and directly contributing to increased business and sales. We are actively working on optimizing 2,000+ keywords to further enhance visibility and growth.
Successfully ranked #1 on Google
Rank #1
| KEYWORDS | BASELINE (BEFORE) | 6-MONTH RESULT (AFTER) | GROWTH PERCENTAGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top 3 Positions | 2 | 54 | ↑ 2600% |
| Top 10 Positions | 2 | 81 | ↑ 3950% |
| Top 20 Positions | 3 | 138 | ↑ 4500% |
| Top 50 Positions | 43 | 515 | ↑ 1097.7% |
| Top 100 Positions | 75 | 877 | ↑ 1069.3% |
| Total | 81 | 1,193 | ↑ 1372.84% |
Analytics Data
Key Performance Highlights
- User Growth: 12K users (+183%)
- Sessions: 14K (+158.2%)
- Event Count: 59K events (+113.5%)
- Organic Growth: 525.9%+ across organic users metrics
Across every key metric, Salt & Seek saw growth well above 180% within 5 months — a clear signal that the local SEO foundation is now compounding rather than plateauing.
Search Console Performance Overview
- 1.39K organic clicks – Strong, high-intent traffic driven directly from search.
- 308K impressions – Powerful search visibility and expanding online presence.
- 0.5% CTR – Compelling listings that successfully convert impressions into visits.
- Average position 8.8 – Positioned just outside page one, unlocking major growth potential.
Driving Growth: How SEO Yodha Elevated Salt & Seek
The SEO strategy was carefully tailored by SEO Yodha to meet Salt & Seek specific goals and challenges. Key actions included:
Targeted Keyword Strategy
Identified competitive and niche keywords to attract relevant, high-intent traffic.
Optimized On-Page Experience
Enhanced meta tags, descriptions, and content to match user intent and improve engagement.
Strategic Content Creation
Produced high-quality, targeted content addressing customer questions and providing actionable insights.
Technical Performance Improvements
Upgraded site speed, mobile responsiveness, and overall user experience.
Audience Insights & Engagement Trends
Device Preferences
Most visitors accessed the site via desktop, reflecting a professional and business-oriented audience.
Global Reach
Traffic primarily came from the United States, Europe, and Asia, demonstrating Salt & Seek expanding international presence.
Measurable Impact & Results
The SEO campaign led by SEO Yodha delivered remarkable results for Salt & Seek, driving top keyword rankings and a substantial increase in organic traffic. By focusing on optimized content and technical enhancements, Salt & Seek continues to attract high-quality visitors and is positioned for ongoing growth.
Why SEO Yodha is the Best Choice
SEO Yodha provides customized digital marketing strategies that boost visibility and drive targeted traffic. By combining deep SEO expertise with innovative tactics, SEO Yodha ensures measurable results and long-term success for businesses like Salt & Seek.