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Gelmar is a trusted name in South Africa’s home renovation and DIY industry, with over 80 years of experience in providing high-quality handles, fittings, and home accessories. Catering to kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and offices, Gelmar offers a diverse range of locally and internationally sourced products to help you create the perfect finish for your living space. With 46 stores nationwide and an easy-to-use online platform, customers can enjoy the convenience of shopping in-store or online, with options like Click-and-Collect and direct delivery.
increase in Organic Traffic
increase in non-branded keywords on the first page
increase in Domain Authority
Gelmar is a trusted name in South Africa’s home renovation and DIY industry, with over 80 years of experience in providing high-quality handles, fittings, and home accessories. Catering to kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, and offices, Gelmar offers a diverse range of locally and internationally sourced products to help you create the perfect finish for your living space. With 46 stores nationwide and an easy-to-use online platform, customers can enjoy the convenience of shopping in-store or online, with options like Click-and-Collect and direct delivery.
increase in Organic Traffic
increase in non-branded keywords on the first page
increase in Domain Authority
Gelmar approached Ruby Digital for SEO Services to assist in the improvement of their online store sales.
Ruby Digital developed a comprehensive SEO strategy focused on specific goals and key success metrics. These included enhancing website engagement metrics from organic traffic, such as engagement rates, average engagement time per session, and percentage of new sessions, while driving more traffic to the website. The strategy also aimed to improve click-through rates and the conversion rate for high-intent actions, as well as increase the number of purchases around branded and non-branded terms.
Since Gelmar approached Ruby Digital, they were met by a few major challenges:
Gelmar’s reliance on branded terms for the majority of its traffic meant that the website was primarily attracting users who were already familiar with the brand. While this demonstrated a level of customer loyalty and brand recognition, it also limited their ability to capture new customers. By not optimising for non-branded, generic keywords, Gelmar’s organic visibility was restricted. This narrow focus meant they struggled to expand their reach beyond their existing customer base, missing out on potential traffic from broader, more competitive search terms. As a result, Gelmar’s overall online growth was hindered, and they missed opportunities to scale their business and attract new customers.
Gelmar faced intense competition from major national hardware and home improvement stores both online and offline. Competing with these large, well-established players meant that Gelmar struggled to gain visibility in search engine results, especially in competitive market segments.
Before working with Ruby Digital, Gelmar heavily relied on traditional marketing strategies such as print, TV, and radio ads. Gelmar had very little SEO optimisation in place, which meant they were missing out on valuable organic traffic from search engines. Without focusing on SEO, Gelmar’s website was not positioned to rank for relevant search terms, resulting in fewer clicks, less website engagement, and reduced opportunities for online conversions.
In 2024, Gelmar experienced the impact of over 35 search algorithm updates and fluctuations. These frequent changes in search engine algorithms affected their search rankings and visibility, leading to fluctuations in organic traffic.
Gelmar has achieved strong results, though these improvements took time to materialise. Most progress became evident after 7 to 8 months, with peak performance reached around months 9 and 10.
Between October-December 2023 and October-December 2024, Gelmar experienced significant growth in several key areas. Overall impressions increased by 92.7%, while impressions for non-branded keywords rose by 71.1%. There was also a 70% increase in clicks for non-branded keywords and a 1.57% improvement in their average position. However, overall clicks saw a slight decline of 0.99%, and the overall average position dropped by 15.7%. Despite this, estimated organic traffic grew by 54.6%, and the number of keywords Gelmar is visible for nearly doubled, with a 99.9% increase.
Many businesses initially view SEO as a quick fix for improving online visibility, expecting immediate results. However, the truth is that SEO is a long-term investment that requires time, strategic planning, and continuous effort. While tactics like paid ads may deliver instant results, SEO is built on foundational work—such as optimising content, enhancing site structure, and building authority—that compound over time for sustainable growth.
Gelmar, a prominent player in South Africa’s hardware and home improvement industry, understood from the outset that SEO was not a quick solution but rather a long-term strategy. Rather than seeking immediate gains, Gelmar has embraced SEO as a lasting investment, setting the stage for long-term growth and increased visibility. Although SEO results are not instant, Gelmar experienced notable progress within just seven months of strategic optimisation. In this section, we see the importance of how SEO should be embraced as an Investment over a quick-fix marketing solution.
The time it takes to see tangible results from SEO efforts varies significantly based on multiple factors, including the competitiveness of the industry, the quality of the website, the target keywords, and the SEO strategies employed. For industries with high competition or when targeting high-volume keywords, it can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months or even longer to see substantial results. New websites or poorly optimised sites typically experience a longer journey to success as they work to build authority and visibility in search engine results.
Several key factors determine whether SEO results can be achieved within a few months. First, the starting point of the website plays a crucial role. Established websites with a solid foundation tend to see quicker results than new or poorly optimised websites. The competitiveness of the industry and target keywords also impacts the speed at which rankings improve—high-competition niches generally require more time to rank. The quality and frequency of content updates, the strength and relevance of backlinks, and technical SEO elements (such as site speed, mobile-friendliness, and proper indexing) are also vital. Additionally, aligning content with user intent and targeting long-tail keywords can yield quicker improvements. Consistent effort, strategic planning, and an ability to adapt to algorithm changes are essential to achieving SEO results within a short timeframe.
Over the long term, SEO efforts compound and yield impressive results. The contrast between new and established websites’ growth trajectories illustrates this point. New websites, under three years old, often experience a sharp decline in performance (-49.6%) during the first year as they struggle to establish authority. However, by Year 3, they recover and achieve significant growth (108.7%), culminating in explosive results (198.5%) by Year 5 as their SEO efforts mature. In contrast, established websites experience a more gradual decline (-18.4%) during the first year, but continue to grow steadily, peaking at 126.6% in Year 5. This data underscores the potential for dramatic long-term growth from sustained SEO investment, particularly for newer websites. Established websites benefit from their pre-existing authority, showing more predictable growth but still demonstrating the ongoing value of SEO.
SEO is a powerful tool for building trust and authority over time. By optimising a website to rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs), businesses increase their visibility to users who are actively seeking relevant information. A brand that consistently appears at the top of search results is perceived as an authoritative and credible source. This visibility fosters consumer trust, as users are more likely to trust companies that rank well in search engines, associating top rankings with expertise, reliability, and quality. Over time, SEO efforts create a positive brand perception, leading to stronger customer relationships and long-term loyalty.
One of the biggest challenges with SEO is the psychology of “grudge payments.” SEO requires patience, and many businesses struggle to embrace the delayed gratification it offers. If a company is focused on short-term survival or looking for quick wins, SEO may not be the best strategy. However, for businesses that are focused on long-term success, SEO is a critical investment that pays off over time. It’s a strategy that rewards businesses that are willing to make a long-term commitment to improving their online presence.
SEO should be viewed as an investment strategy, similar to investments in financial markets such as the stock market. Just as financial markets rely on long-term strategies and compound interest, SEO investments grow in a similar manner over time. Compound interest works by earning interest on both the initial principal and the accumulated interest from previous periods, allowing investments to increase at an accelerating rate. In SEO, this growth manifests as long-term improvements in rankings, traffic, and conversions as your site builds authority and relevance in search engines.
SEO is one of the most cost-effective forms of digital marketing, especially when compared to paid advertising methods. Once you have earned success through SEO, you no longer need to pay for each click on your website, unlike paid search advertising where costs rise with each click. This makes SEO a sustainable marketing channel that helps offset the high costs of other marketing tactics. While diversifying marketing efforts is essential, investing in SEO protects your business from click inflation and ensures long-term traffic growth.
SEO also plays a critical role in driving predictable lead generation and sales. By diversifying your marketing channels and focusing on SEO, your business can generate more predictable results, thus allowing for steady growth. This predictability, combined with SEO’s long-term benefits, makes it a cornerstone of a balanced marketing strategy.
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Ruby Search Solutions (Pty) Ltd trading as Ruby Digital
