Step 1: Start, launch the project
It all began in January 2009, when the internet was a completely different place. Armed with an idea, we launched our eCommerce project. The first version of the project was built using PHP technology and hosted it on a humble shared hosting server at OVH. With the help of a talented programmer friend, we put all the necessary modules and functionalities in place. Meanwhile, we took on the role of the online marketing strategist, and thus began my adventurous journey into the world of marketing. Little did we know that this would eventually lead me to owning Digital 360 Agency and providing top-notch services to clients.
Step 2: Generating website traffic
The early days were all about hustling to increase traffic. We spent weeks and even months diligently searching for places to promote the site. The never-ending game of link building (it's been 14 years and still going on) paid off big time. With each link that we acquired, the traffic grew exponentially. In the very first month, we achieved a modest 647 visitors. But by December of that same year, the numbers had skyrocketed to an astonishing 83,963! But here's the thing, my friends, link building wasn't the only factor behind this remarkable growth.
Link Building isn't everything. Content is King!
Yes, you heard it right! While link building played a significant role, it wouldn't have been possible to achieve such amazing numbers without high-quality and engaging content. Each new piece of content that was published not only increased the number of phrases for which the site ranked on search engines, but it also provided ample opportunities for driving organic traffic through Google's long tail. Remember, it's the content on your site that acts as the driving force behind positioning your business in search engines.
Step 3: We have content, more and more links, traffic to the site is growing rapidly, what's next...?
With traffic steadily growing and content ruling the roost, we realized the need for a comprehensive marketing strategy. So, we rolled up our sleeves and put our wealth of experience to good use by crafting a master plan. By carefully planning and executing our marketing efforts, we were able to maximize the impact of our content and drive even more traffic to our site. Big, important decisions also followed....
Step 4: Why Python is Better Than PHP
After diving deep into the analytics using trusty old Google Analytics, we decided: we needed to revamp my site to better cater to the needs of our growing audience. That's when we made the bold move of transitioning from PHP to Python technology, with Django as the framework of choice. Why, you ask? Well, among the multitude of benefits we discovered were the improved site performance (faster loading times despite a surge in visitors), reduced server load, and faster time to create new modules for the site. Managing the site became a breeze, as we had more control over user permissions and the ability to customize each module. In short, Python proved to be a game-changer.
Step 5: Continuous development of the project
To sustain the momentum and continued growth, constant development was key. We embarked on a journey of refining and improving my site architecture, incorporating new functionalities, and enhancing the overall speed and performance of the site. This required working closely with an army of talented programmers and IT companies. Additionally, we invested significant time and resources into training my entire team of editors, ensuring that the site was optimized for SEO at every turn.
Step 6: End Result
And what was the result of these tireless efforts? Brace yourselves, my friend. We achieved a whopping 800,000 organic visitors to my site per month! But that's not all. The YouTube channel garnered over 200,000 subscribers, mailing list boasted more than 100,000 emails, and the product database bloomed with hundreds of thousands of products, instructions, specifications, and prices from partner sites. Oh, and did we mention that this site became the largest service with VIDEO tests in Poland? Oh boy, was it worth it!
