From zero to page 1: Non-branded keywords drive 339% more clicks.
At a glance
SOLIDWORKS for Makers is a 3D CAD (computer-aided design) program for personal, non-commercial use. The software is created for hobbyists, DIY enthusiasts, and other makers to design, share, and collaborate on their projects, using many of the same professional-grade features included in SOLIDWORKS.
SOLIDWORKS for Makers is a powerful product. But it faced an uphill battle against established competitors in the B2C CAD software space. That’s where BOL came in.
The challenge
The SOLIDWORKS brand, as well as its parent company, Dassault Systèmes, is well known in the B2B space. From SOLIDWORKS 3D CAD to Draftsight 2D CAD and DELMIAWorks manufacturing software, the company offers a variety of industry-leading software for businesses. But this success also created challenges: SOLIDWORKS for Makers is a B2C product within this B2B unique portfolio offering.
SOLIDWORKS for Makers needed to drive awareness among an audience that may be more familiar with free CAD products and educate them on its value. More specifically, they wanted to increase the number of keywords appearing on page 1 of search results, particularly in the top 3 rankings, which generally have click-through rates above 10%.1
The approach
SOLIDWORKS for Makers needed a cost-effective approach that would drive awareness with an audience unfamiliar with the SOLIDWORKS name. The answer? Search engine optimization (SEO). The reason? Organic search continues to drive more than 36% of website traffic in the technology industry.2
In the SaaS industry, non-branded keywords account for 53% of organic search traffic.2 But the SOLIDWORKS brand has traditionally focused only on branded keywords with commercial intent.
To drive awareness of SOLIDWORKS for Makers, our strategy needed to focus on value-based, non-branded keywords. First, we performed comprehensive keyword research and competitor content gap analysis. This resulted in a list of 183 target keywords.
We analyzed the current top search results to better understand what kind of content was ranking in Google for those 183 keywords. We then outlined and created content to fill that gap and provide solution-oriented value to audiences unfamiliar with the SOLIDWORKS brand.
The results
Our strategy increased page rankings and engagement for non-branded keywords across the board. During the course of our engagement, we:
- Increased top 3 rankings from 0 to 33
- Increased page 1 rankings from 0 to 80
- Increased clicks from 943 to 4,139 (+339%)3
In a world where the value of SEO has become a subject of debate, the success of SOLIDWORKS for Makers proves that a strong SEO strategy remains an essential part of digital marketing.
See how you can grow with B2B SEO and BOL.
1 Smart Insights, 2024 Comparison of Google Organic Clickthrough Rates.
2 Conductor, The 2024 Organic Search Traffic Benchmarks Report.
3 Four-month year over year comparison, 9/22/23–1/21/24 vs. 9/22/24–1/21/25.
3200%
increase in top 3 keyword rankings
7900%
increase in page 1 keyword rankings
339%
increase in clicks