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Kartik Mahajan - Technical SEO Consultant
Kartik Mahajan
Table of Contents

The Problem

This travel platform had a deceptive problem - decent rankings but bleeding users. High bounce rates and declining engagement were killing conversions despite solid search visibility.

The real issue? Traffic quality mismatch. They were attracting visitors, but not the right ones.

User Engagement Metrics

My Diagnosis

After diving deep into their analytics and user behavior data, I identified three critical issues:

Traffic Quality Mismatch

  • Rankings for keywords that didn’t match user intent
  • Attracting browsers, not buyers
  • Content misaligned with actual search behavior

Technical Bottlenecks

  • Slow page load times affecting user experience
  • Poor mobile optimization for travel searches
  • Search functionality not optimized for booking flow

Conversion Path Problems

  • Disconnect between search results and booking experience
  • Content didn’t guide users toward conversion
  • User journey had too many friction points

The Solution Framework

Instead of chasing more traffic, I focused on converting the traffic they already had.

SEO Strategy Framework

Phase 1: Traffic Quality Rebuild

Goal: Attract users who actually want to book travel

  • Keyword Strategy Overhaul - Shifted focus to booking-intent keywords
  • Content Realignment - Rewrote content for actual user intent, not just rankings
  • Search Intent Mapping - Matched content to different stages of travel planning

Phase 2: Technical Optimization

Goal: Remove barriers to engagement and booking

  • Site Speed Optimization - Reduced load times by 40%
  • Mobile Experience Enhancement - Optimized for mobile travel searches
  • Search-to-Booking Flow - Streamlined the entire user journey

Phase 3: Engagement Optimization

Goal: Keep users engaged and guide them to conversion

  • User Experience Redesign - Improved navigation and booking flow
  • Content Strategy - Created content that actually helps users make decisions
  • Conversion Path Optimization - Reduced friction in booking process

The Results

Performance Recovery Dashboard (Updated on September 2025)

Engagement Recovery

  • 35% boost in engagement metrics
  • Significantly reduced bounce rates
  • Users now spend more time exploring options

Traffic Stabilization

  • Stabilized 280K keyword portfolio
  • Improved traffic quality over quantity
  • Better match between search intent and content

Business Impact

  • Turned declining trends into steady growth
  • Site now retains users effectively
  • Actual bookings increased - the metric that matters most

What Made This Work

User-First Thinking

Instead of optimizing for search engines, I optimized for humans who want to book travel.

Technical Excellence

Fast, smooth experience that doesn’t frustrate users trying to make purchasing decisions.

Data-Driven Decisions

Every change backed by user behavior data and conversion analytics.

Conversion Focus

Measured success by bookings generated, not just traffic numbers.

Key Insights

SEO isn’t just about rankings - it’s about connecting the right users with the right content at the right moment in their journey.

For travel platforms specifically:

  • Intent matters more than volume - focus on booking-ready users
  • Speed is critical - travel decisions happen fast
  • Mobile optimization is non-negotiable - most travel searches happen on mobile
  • User experience directly impacts conversion - every friction point costs bookings

Need help turning your traffic into actual customers? Let’s analyze your conversion funnel and optimize for real business results.