Amit Jain is the new SHARK in town!
CarDekho, his online auto startup, is worth $1.2B and made Rs 1597 Cr in revenue.
52% users come to CarDekho via Google ⇒ 32.2M people every month 🤯
Let’s learn how this shark used SEO marketing to catch users in millions 🧵
CarDekho, his online auto startup, is worth $1.2B and made Rs 1597 Cr in revenue.
52% users come to CarDekho via Google ⇒ 32.2M people every month 🤯
Let’s learn how this shark used SEO marketing to catch users in millions 🧵
Structure:
1. What is CarDekho ?
2. How does it make money?
3. CarDekho's SEO numbers
4. Their brilliant SEO strategy
5. How is this good for business?
1. What is CarDekho ?
2. How does it make money?
3. CarDekho's SEO numbers
4. Their brilliant SEO strategy
5. How is this good for business?
1/ What is CarDekho?
CarDekho is an online information portal for cars.
Users come to CarDekho to perform general searches, compare car models, get accurate pricing and connect to a dealer.
It also hosts a used car marketplace where users can buy secondhand cars.
CarDekho is an online information portal for cars.
Users come to CarDekho to perform general searches, compare car models, get accurate pricing and connect to a dealer.
It also hosts a used car marketplace where users can buy secondhand cars.
2/ How does it make money?
There are 4 main revenue channels:
1. Commissions from car dealers
When a user decides to purchase a new car from CarDekho's website they are directly connected to a dealer. CarDekho receives a commission amount for bringing a new customer.
(contd.)
There are 4 main revenue channels:
1. Commissions from car dealers
When a user decides to purchase a new car from CarDekho's website they are directly connected to a dealer. CarDekho receives a commission amount for bringing a new customer.
(contd.)
2) Advertisements
CarDekho runs relevant ads on its website from manufacturers pushing underperforming car models, mechanics, insurance companies, and more.
3) Insurance and loans
They offer insurance and loan services through its subsidiary websites.
(contd.)
CarDekho runs relevant ads on its website from manufacturers pushing underperforming car models, mechanics, insurance companies, and more.
3) Insurance and loans
They offer insurance and loan services through its subsidiary websites.
(contd.)
4) Sale of used cars to dealers
Over 50% of CarDekho's revenue comes from this segment. They essentially buy used cars from users and sell them to dealers.
So, CarDekho's main USP is its ability to bring niche, high-purchase intent users to its site.
(contd.)
Over 50% of CarDekho's revenue comes from this segment. They essentially buy used cars from users and sell them to dealers.
So, CarDekho's main USP is its ability to bring niche, high-purchase intent users to its site.
(contd.)
These monthly users eventually become customers that make money for CarDekho!
Even just millions of eyeballs on their pages that don't buy anything will still make them money through ad revenue.
Now, CarDekho of course gets these users through SEO! So, let's explore that.
Even just millions of eyeballs on their pages that don't buy anything will still make them money through ad revenue.
Now, CarDekho of course gets these users through SEO! So, let's explore that.
3/ SEO numbers:
1. They get monthly traffic of 32.2M users.
2. They rank for over 1.1M keywords. Out of these 99% are branded keywords.
3. They have over 1.1M backlinks and a DR of 72.
4. Over ~52% of their total visitors come to CarDekho's website through search.
(contd.)
1. They get monthly traffic of 32.2M users.
2. They rank for over 1.1M keywords. Out of these 99% are branded keywords.
3. They have over 1.1M backlinks and a DR of 72.
4. Over ~52% of their total visitors come to CarDekho's website through search.
(contd.)
Now, the majority of traffic comes from the "car model pages".
These pages are placed under the <car-company-name> subfolder ➝ /tata, /kia, /mahindra, etc.
- /mahindra/thar ➝ 627K traffic
- /tata/punch ➝ 569K traffic
- /maruti/brezza ➝ 405K traffic
(contd.)
These pages are placed under the <car-company-name> subfolder ➝ /tata, /kia, /mahindra, etc.
- /mahindra/thar ➝ 627K traffic
- /tata/punch ➝ 569K traffic
- /maruti/brezza ➝ 405K traffic
(contd.)
But, apart from these pages, there are also other interesting pages on CarDekho's website.
Used Car Pages ➝ 1.2M traffic
Compare Pages ➝ 334K traffic
Calculator Pages ➝ 138K traffic
Let's understand the intent of all these users and how it plays into CarDekho's strategy.
Used Car Pages ➝ 1.2M traffic
Compare Pages ➝ 334K traffic
Calculator Pages ➝ 138K traffic
Let's understand the intent of all these users and how it plays into CarDekho's strategy.
5/ CarDekho's brilliant SEO initiatives
They target 4 different types of keywords:
1. Car model pages
- High Volume Keywords
- Intent ⇒ general search + slight purchase intent
2. Used Car pages
- High Intent Keywords
- Intent ⇒ research and purchase a used car
(contd.)
They target 4 different types of keywords:
1. Car model pages
- High Volume Keywords
- Intent ⇒ general search + slight purchase intent
2. Used Car pages
- High Intent Keywords
- Intent ⇒ research and purchase a used car
(contd.)
3. Compare pages
- VS type keywords
- Intent ⇒ compare 2 car models + medium purchase intent
4. Calculator pages
- Tool-based keywords
- Intent ⇒ opt for a car EMI
Let's take a look at each of them one by one.
(contd.)
- VS type keywords
- Intent ⇒ compare 2 car models + medium purchase intent
4. Calculator pages
- Tool-based keywords
- Intent ⇒ opt for a car EMI
Let's take a look at each of them one by one.
(contd.)
A) Information portal: Car Model Pages
The car model pages are part of a knowledge repository around cars.
It has a neat URL structure that internally links pages to the succeeding hierarchy stage. As the hierarchy advances, the target keyword becomes more specific.
(contd.)
The car model pages are part of a knowledge repository around cars.
It has a neat URL structure that internally links pages to the succeeding hierarchy stage. As the hierarchy advances, the target keyword becomes more specific.
(contd.)
URL structure:
1. Car Pages ⇒ /newcars
2. Brand Pages ⇒ /maruti
3. Model Pages ⇒ /maruti/brezza
⇒ Keyword: "maruto brezza 2022"
The model pages have different subpages. For example:
- Prices
- Mileage
- Specifications
(contd.)
1. Car Pages ⇒ /newcars
2. Brand Pages ⇒ /maruti
3. Model Pages ⇒ /maruti/brezza
⇒ Keyword: "maruto brezza 2022"
The model pages have different subpages. For example:
- Prices
- Mileage
- Specifications
(contd.)
a) Price Segment
⇒ /maruti/brezza/price-in-mumbai
⇒ brezza on road price in Mumbai
⇒ Volume: 1.9K
b) Mileage Segment
⇒ /maruti/brezza/mileage
⇒ brezza mileage
⇒ Volume: 20K
c) Spec Segment
⇒ /maruti/brezza/specs
⇒ brezza engine cc
⇒ Volume: 5.4K
(contd.)
⇒ /maruti/brezza/price-in-mumbai
⇒ brezza on road price in Mumbai
⇒ Volume: 1.9K
b) Mileage Segment
⇒ /maruti/brezza/mileage
⇒ brezza mileage
⇒ Volume: 20K
c) Spec Segment
⇒ /maruti/brezza/specs
⇒ brezza engine cc
⇒ Volume: 5.4K
(contd.)
💡 Lessons
1. Keyword research is key to ranking on Google. If you find the right keywords, half your job is done.
2. A proper URL structure and internal linking can vastly improve your SEO results, as it's easier for search engines to index all the web pages on a site.
1. Keyword research is key to ranking on Google. If you find the right keywords, half your job is done.
2. A proper URL structure and internal linking can vastly improve your SEO results, as it's easier for search engines to index all the web pages on a site.
B) Marketplace: Used Car Pages
Users can search for second-hand cars on CarDekho's marketplace.
They just have to apply relevant filters and the listed cars appear.
- Every time a filter is applied the page gets updated and the filter applied is reflected in the URL.
(contd.)
Users can search for second-hand cars on CarDekho's marketplace.
They just have to apply relevant filters and the listed cars appear.
- Every time a filter is applied the page gets updated and the filter applied is reflected in the URL.
(contd.)
- So, when the filter applied is "maruti" the URL gets updated to ⇒ "/used-maruti+cars+in+mumbai"
- This is important because when a user searches a query with the mention of exact filters then the corresponding URL with applied filters appears in the search result.
(contd.)
- This is important because when a user searches a query with the mention of exact filters then the corresponding URL with applied filters appears in the search result.
(contd.)
Example
Keywords ⇒ used petrol cars
URL slug ⇒ /used-petrol+cars+in+mumbai
Keywords ⇒ used automatic type cars
URL slug ⇒ /used-automatic+cars+in+mumbai
💡 Takeaway
To target increasingly specific keywords, make sure your pages and URLs are optimized for that keyword.
Keywords ⇒ used petrol cars
URL slug ⇒ /used-petrol+cars+in+mumbai
Keywords ⇒ used automatic type cars
URL slug ⇒ /used-automatic+cars+in+mumbai
💡 Takeaway
To target increasingly specific keywords, make sure your pages and URLs are optimized for that keyword.
C) Capture the comparison keywords
Capturing comparison-type keywords is a very clever SEO strategy.
It not only helps users but also captures people with high purchase intent who are looking to buy a car but are confused between a few models.
(contd.)
Capturing comparison-type keywords is a very clever SEO strategy.
It not only helps users but also captures people with high purchase intent who are looking to buy a car but are confused between a few models.
(contd.)
CarDekho has a simple tool that programmatically compares 2 or more car models to each other.
Example: Hyundai's Creta VS Toyota's Hyryder
It also cleverly internal links to other popular model comparisons, so the traffic flows from one page to another.
(contd.)
Example: Hyundai's Creta VS Toyota's Hyryder
It also cleverly internal links to other popular model comparisons, so the traffic flows from one page to another.
(contd.)
💡 Takeaway
Internal linking helps immensely to let the SEO juice flow from high-authority pages to other pages on your website.
D) Calculator Pages
Another entry point to CarDekho is their EMI calculator pages. It ranks for keywords like "car emi calculator".
(contd.)
Internal linking helps immensely to let the SEO juice flow from high-authority pages to other pages on your website.
D) Calculator Pages
Another entry point to CarDekho is their EMI calculator pages. It ranks for keywords like "car emi calculator".
(contd.)
💡 Takeaways
1. Google's first priority is to fulfill user intent. So, understand the intent of your target keywords before you jump to create the pages.
2. Use programmatic SEO and buildd a simple tool to easily capture traffic from tool-based keywords in your niche.
1. Google's first priority is to fulfill user intent. So, understand the intent of your target keywords before you jump to create the pages.
2. Use programmatic SEO and buildd a simple tool to easily capture traffic from tool-based keywords in your niche.
5/ How is this good for business?
Through these 4 strategies, CarDekho grabs users with specific intent and sells them their specific services to make money.
1. Majority of its users come through the car model page. They immediately make ad revenue through these pages.
(contd)
Through these 4 strategies, CarDekho grabs users with specific intent and sells them their specific services to make money.
1. Majority of its users come through the car model page. They immediately make ad revenue through these pages.
(contd)
2) Now, to make commissions from selling new cars, you want to push the user to make a purchase.
For that, specific sub-pages under car-model pages that give pricing info, mileage info, specifications and the compare type pages help.
(contd.)
For that, specific sub-pages under car-model pages that give pricing info, mileage info, specifications and the compare type pages help.
(contd.)
3. Also, all these pages are internally linked.
So, the users can easily flow from high-volume pages to high-conversion pages.
That means users can flow from car-model pages to used car pages that make the most amount of money to CarDekho.
(contd.)
So, the users can easily flow from high-volume pages to high-conversion pages.
That means users can flow from car-model pages to used car pages that make the most amount of money to CarDekho.
(contd.)
4. Finally, through the calculator pages, CarDekho sells its loan and insurance services, covering all 4 important segments of its business.
These pages basically form different entry points that drive CarDekho's business and capture mutually exclusive segments of the user base.
These pages basically form different entry points that drive CarDekho's business and capture mutually exclusive segments of the user base.
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