From piste to peak

Ski holiday tour operator, Heidi, had high ambitions. Challenging the standard parameters of the classic ski trip, they offered a new approach - giving individuals the flexibility to enjoy the power of the mountains and create their own holidays, on their own terms.

We had a clear objective - drive Heidi up the rankings and solidify their mark as a disruptive brand in the sector.

But as a start-up they had a mountain to climb versus their established competitors when it came to organic visibility, coupled with a restricted purchase window due to seasonality.

Targeting independent winter sports enthusiasts and 'savvy' travellers that look for and want more than the traditional ski package holiday, Heidi needed an approach which would help them steal market share and deliver more than their fair share by way of return.

In order to help Heidi supercharge their ambitions, we started to make organic search a key revenue driver. As Google continues to roll out more algorithms, the use of our "Three Pillars of SEO" methodology remained strong; focusing on technical, content and outreach to drive page authority. The proactive monitoring of each of these pillars allowed IDHL to adapt the strategic direction when relevant, whilst monitoring algorithm updates, competitor activity and fluctuations in rankings.

Keyword research and onsite optimisation:

• Initial and ongoing competitor analysis was conducted to provide a benchmark and recommend ongoing performance optimisation to elevate Heidi’s market position.
• This in-house intellectual property and ‘best in class’ keyword research, enabled us to identify gaps in Heidi’s current strategy and focus on key commercial pages that would have the quickest impact

Content:

• Taking content creation in-house, we supported by providing content briefs, keyword guidance and content reviews to support the team.
• Due to content-light commercial web pages, we worked with the client to increase the volume and EEAT quality for each of these pages whilst being symbiotic with the brand and the brand’s tone of voice.

Targeted outreach:

• Analysis was undertaken of the backlink profiles of key competitors. Relevant industry websites were identified as the best link opportunities for Heidi, driving outreach to key commercial pages.

Our strategy had impact, helping Heidi supercharge their growth ambitions.

Technical audits, best-in-class keyword research, content support and onsite optimisation were key in driving exceptional results. We not only hit KPIs but exceeded them.

Our impactful strategy not only drove exceptional results but also earned industry recognition, with Heidi’s campaign being shortlisted for a UK Search Award.

""IDHL have performed beyond our expectations (and possibly their own). With their sage technical and strategic advice, we’ve worked together to deliver the strategy, feeling strongly like we are working as one team. The results speak for themselves - our organic traffic and revenue (in fact, all metrics) have gone far beyond what we thought possible in 12 months. It’s one of the most successful client/agency partnerships I’ve ever had."“

Sarah Cramer, Brand Marketing Director, Heidi