How These 5 Businesses Grew Their Web Traffic by Up to 144% by Avoiding the "7 SEO Sins" Everyone Else Makes
Read This Before You Waste Another $10,000 on an SEO Agency That Says "Just Be Patient."
After working with 300+ clients, I can tell you most businesses chase trends, hack their way through algorithm updates, and wonder why nothing works.
They throw money at agencies that promise the moon. They read every "SEO secret" article on Medium. They implement every tactic their competitor's intern mentioned on LinkedIn.
And their traffic stays flat. Or worse, it drops.
Meanwhile, I've Helped My Clients Get Results Like:
Submagic
340K → 680K
More than doubled in 10 weeks
Influee
18K → 28K
50% increase in 5 months
OpusClip
379K → 540K
42% growth in 9 months
Billetto
16K → 39K
144% increase in 15 months
Best of Utah Moving
7.7K → 9.7K
26% bump in 8 weeks
Submagic
340K → 680K
More than doubled in 10 weeks
Influee
18K → 28K
50% increase in 5 months
OpusClip
379K → 540K
42% growth in 9 months
Billetto
16K → 39K
144% increase in 15 months
Best of Utah Moving
7.7K → 9.7K
26% bump in 8 weeks
(Screenshots below. Because I wouldn't believe me either.)
Here's What My Clients Did Differently:
They stopped committing the "7 SEO Sins" I'm about to show you. And instead, they committed to the two foundational pillars that move the needle.
Let's go over it, shall we…?
The 7 SEO Sins
(And Why You're Probably Committing At Least Three)
Most SEO strategies fail for the same seven reasons.
They're not technical mistakes. They're philosophical ones. You could have the perfect technical setup and still get zero results if you're committing these sins.
Sin #1: Thinking SEO Is Cheap (or Quick)
Small businesses catastrophically underestimate what proper SEO costs. Time, money, technical expertise, consistent effort, and coffee. So much coffee.
Here's the bit nobody wants to hear:
If your budget is tight, SEO probably isn't for you.
(I know. You wanted me to say "we have affordable packages for startups." Sorry. I'm terrible at lying.)
You'd get faster wins with direct outreach or paid ads. SEO is compound interest, which is brilliant if you can wait six months, but terrible if you need leads by Thursday.
To compete in 2026, you need tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs, consistent content creation, technical expertise, and an understanding of AI that goes beyond "ChatGPT, write me an article about dental hygiene."
If you can't commit to that… skip SEO entirely. Seriously.
(Local brick-and-mortar businesses are the exception here. Google Business Profile and local keywords are easier. But digital brands competing nationally… that's hand-to-hand combat.)
Sin #2: Thinking AI Will Do Everything for You
ChatGPT exists, so SEO is easy now.
Right?
(Deep breath.)
Wrong.
If you're asking ChatGPT to write your content, you're producing the same generic, cookie-cutter, interchangeable slop everyone else is publishing.
Which means readers can get identical answers by opening ChatGPT themselves. Why would they visit your site?
They wouldn't. Neither would Google send them there.
Sin #3: Being Terrified of AI
The other extreme.
Some companies won't touch AI because they think Google will penalize them, their rankings will crater, and their CEO will cry into his standing desk while eating kale salad.
(Only two of those are likely.)
Here's what Google actually says:
"We're not against AI content. We're against bad content."
Use AI for outlines, research, and first drafts. Then add your insights, case studies, and perspective. That's what separates valuable content from forgettable content.
Sin #4: Not Understanding What Google Actually Wants
Most people try to game algorithms.
They hunt for hacks, shortcuts, that one weird trick agencies don't want you to know about.
(Spoiler: there isn't one. Sorry.)
But Google's goal is dead simple:
Serve users the best possible experience.
Credible sources, detailed answers, pages that load before the heat death of the universe.
If you optimize for users instead of algorithms, every SEO decision you make will be correct. You'll align with what Google wants and be rewarded accordingly.
(This is also why most "SEO hacks" stop working after algorithm updates. They were never helping users in the first place.)
Sin #5: Ignoring EEAT Principles
Experience. Expertise. Authoritativeness. Trustworthiness.
Most content fails this test because it's generic, cookie-cutter, interchangeable.
What makes content pass:
→ Your personal perspective (not regurgitated LinkedIn wisdom)
→ Your research (data you gathered, not copied from Google's first page)
→ Insights AI can't replicate
In other words, if ChatGPT can write the same article, you haven't written anything valuable.
Sin #6: Buying Toxic Backlinks from Agencies
Backlinks matter. Obviously.
So agencies sell them. Desperate businesses buy them. Then those businesses discover their site is now linked from domains with names like "BestSEO4U-Cheap-Links dot ru."
(Awkward conversation with the CEO follows.)
Now you need a disavow campaign to clean up the mess you paid for.
I've never paid for backlinks. Not once. Not even when I was broke and considering alternative career options involving my kidney.
What works instead:
→ Industry directories
→ Guest posts on relevant, high-authority sites
→ Press mentions
→ Broken link replacement strategies
It's organic, sustainable, and yes, terribly boring… but it works.
Sin #7: Ignoring Technical Foundations (While Creating More Content)
Your content could be Pulitzer-worthy. Hemingway-level. So good it makes grown marketers weep.
But it doesn't matter.
If your mobile site takes 10 seconds to load, Google won't rank you. Period. Full stop. End of discussion. Close curtain, everyone go home.
That's because 60% of searches happen on mobile.
So if your mobile performance score is below 70, you're hemorrhaging rankings while wondering why your brilliant blog posts aren't working.
Check yours here: Google PageSpeed Insights
Most businesses spend six months creating content while ignoring the technical issues destroying their rankings.
(It's like watering plants in a house that's on fire. Technically you're doing something. Just not the right thing.)
The Proof
(Because Words Are Cheap and You've Been Lied to Before)
Right. Let's talk numbers. Real ones. With screenshots. Because I've been in marketing long enough to know everyone lies about their results.
Case Study #1: Submagic Doubled Their Visitors in 10 Weeks
BEFORE (DEC 2024)
340,297
AFTER (MAR 2025)
687,682
RESULT
102% Growth
That's more than doubled in 10 weeks.
BEFORE
AFTER
Case Study #1: Submagic Doubled Their Visitors in 10 Weeks
BEFORE (DEC 2024)
340,297
AFTER (MAR 2025)
687,682
RESULT
102% Growth
That's more than doubled in 10 weeks.
Case Study #2: Influee Grew Their Traffic 51% Over 5 Months
BEFORE (DEC 2024)
18,676
AFTER (APR 2025)
28,201
RESULT
51% Growth
That's 51% growth in 5 months.
BEFORE
AFTER
Case Study #2: Influee Grew Their Traffic 51% Over 5 Months
BEFORE (DEC 2024)
18,676
AFTER (APR 2025)
28,201
RESULT
51% Growth
That's 51% growth in 5 months.
Case Study #3: OpusClip Added 161K Monthly Visitors in 9 Months
BEFORE (JUN 2024)
379,211
AFTER (MAR 2025)
540,266
RESULT
42% Growth
That's 161,055 additional monthly visitors in 9 months.
BEFORE
AFTER
Case Study #3: OpusClip Added 161K Monthly Visitors in 9 Months
BEFORE (JUN 2024)
379,211
AFTER (MAR 2025)
540,266
RESULT
42% Growth
That's 161,055 additional monthly visitors in 9 months.
Case Study #4: Billetto Went From 16K to 39K in 15 Months
BEFORE (JAN 2019)
15,882
AFTER (APR 2020)
38,800
RESULT
144% Growth
That's 144% growth competing against Eventbrite with zero paid backlinks.
BEFORE
AFTER
Case Study #4: Billetto Went From 16K to 39K in 15 Months
BEFORE (JAN 2019)
15,882
AFTER (APR 2020)
38,800
RESULT
144% Growth
That's 144% growth competing against Eventbrite with zero paid backlinks.
Case Study #5: Best of Utah Moving Added 2K Monthly Visitors in 8 Weeks
BEFORE (AUG 2025)
7,723
AFTER (OCT 2025)
9,743
RESULT
26% Growth
That's 2,020 additional monthly visitors in 8 weeks.
BEFORE
AFTER
Case Study #5: Best of Utah Moving Added 2K Monthly Visitors in 8 Weeks
BEFORE (AUG 2025)
7,723
AFTER (OCT 2025)
9,743
RESULT
26% Growth
That's 2,020 additional monthly visitors in 8 weeks.
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What All Five Companies Had in Common
(Besides Me, Obviously)
Same strategy. Same philosophy. Same two foundational pillars.
They stopped committing the Seven Cardinal SEO Sins. And they committed to the two things that actually matter:
01
Create Valuable Content With the Reader in Mind
Not keyword-stuffed garbage. Not AI-generated slop. Not content created because "we need to post twice a week."
Content that answers questions, solves problems, and provides insights readers can't get anywhere else.
02
Secure Backlinks From Reputable Websites
Not from "SEO4U dot ru." Not from link farms. Not from agencies promising "100 high-quality backlinks for $500."
From industry directories, relevant publications, press mentions, and sites that actually care about their reputation.
Here's the Beautiful Part
These two pillars work together.
When you create genuinely valuable content, other sites want to link to it. You're not begging for backlinks. You're earning them.
When other reputable sites link to your valuable content, Google notices. Your authority increases. Your rankings improve. More people find your content. And the cycle continues.
(It's almost like Google designed the system to reward publishers who create value instead of gaming algorithms. Revolutionary concept, I know.)
Wait, What About SEO vs. AEO?
(Or: Why Every Agency Suddenly Became an "AI Search Expert")
Let me guess….
You've heard agencies banging on about Answer Engine Optimization. Or AI Optimization. Or "GEO for ChatGPT."
Sounds cutting-edge, right? Modern? Worth paying premium rates for?
(Spoiler incoming...)
It's rebranded traditional SEO.
They're making it sound revolutionary, so you'll pick them and pay more.
Most experts agree it's the same game with a different interface. Google or ChatGPT, the goal is identical: to satisfy the user with the best possible answer.
Yes, LLMs weigh brand mentions on Reddit and external sites. But traditional SEO already did that. The fundamentals haven't changed. Only the buzzwords have gotten fancier.
(It's like when gyms started calling treadmills "cardio optimization platforms." Same treadmill. Different invoice.)
One More Thing You Can't Ignore
(Even Though You Probably Want To)
Right. Deep breath....
All the traffic in the world means nothing if your site doesn't convert.
You could have 100,000 monthly visitors. If they land on your page and immediately check Instagram, you've got nothing.
SEO gets them there. Conversion copywriting closes them.
You need persuasive copy that builds trust, demonstrates value, and makes the next step obvious. Clear offers that solve real problems. Strategic calls-to-action that feel natural, not desperate.
I can help with both.
(It's almost like Google designed the system to reward publishers who create value instead of gaming algorithms. Revolutionary concept, I know.)
Book a Call Before Your Competitors Do
One call. 20 minutes.
I'll look at your site and show you the top three issues holding you back.
Or send me your domain.
I'll record a 5-minute Loom showing you what's broken and exactly how to fix it. Free. No strings attached. Just helpful.
(Why would I do this for free? Because I'm confident once you see what I notice in 5 minutes, you'll want to have a longer conversation. And if you don't? No hard feelings. You still got value.)
But, There's A But...
I wouldn't be a good copywriter if I didn't include a bit of urgency at the end.
But instead of giving you the whole "only two spots left this month" scarcity tactic, the truth is I run a tiny agency, and we only have so much capacity.
So if you're reading this and thinking, "I'll book something next month," you might be too late.
And then you'll spend the next six months implementing the 7 SEO Sins while your competitors figure this out before you do.
(Your call. Literally.)
Or email me directly: [email protected]
P.S. — If you're still reading this, you're either genuinely interested or procrastinating spectacularly on something else. Either way, book the call. Worst case? You get honest feedback that improves your SEO. Best case? You get results like the five companies above.
P.P.S. — "But Frederik, what if I can't afford you?" Then you definitely can't afford six more months of flat traffic while your competitors pull ahead. The real question isn't whether you can afford me. It's whether you can afford not to fix this.
P.P.P.S. — Yes, I know three P.S. notes is excessive. I'm Danish. We're practical people. We don't do three of anything unless it's important. Book the call.
Frederik Baun
SEO Strategist & Conversion Copywriter
Based in Denmark (Where We Take Our Coffee Black and Our SEO Honest)
300+ Businesses Consulted | 10+ Years Making Brands Un-ignorable
Have an absolutely wonderful day.