SEO Case Study: How a Marketplace SaaS Platform Increased Seller Registrations by 260%
On April 8, 2025, a San Carlos based marketplace SaaS platform partnered with Goforaeo to grow seller registrations through organic search. The product was solid and the platform already had buyers, but seller growth depended too much on outbound and paid campaigns. This case study explains the exact 2025 timeline, monthly actions, and before vs after proof using tracked seller registration conversions from SEO.
Timeframe: April 8, 2025 to November 18, 2025.
Location: San Carlos, California, with seller demand coming from the Bay Area and U.S. wide searches related to selling online through marketplace platforms.
Business context: what the platform offered and what counted as a seller registration
This company runs a marketplace SaaS platform that helps suppliers and small to mid sized businesses list products, manage inventory, and sell through a marketplace environment. Their ideal new seller is a business owner or ops manager searching for a place to start selling or switch from an existing marketplace. That meant the SEO work needed to match “ready to list” searches and remove friction in the onboarding flow.
For this campaign, a seller registration counted only when it was a completed sign up that reached the “seller dashboard created” step, attributed to organic search. We also tracked partial sign ups as supporting signals, but they were not counted as the main conversion.
Seller registration actions tracked:
- Seller account created, coming from organic traffic
- Completed seller onboarding step 1, attributed to organic traffic
- Qualified “become a seller” call longer than 60 seconds, attributed to organic
Baseline: where performance stood in April 2025
We captured a baseline from April 8 to April 30, 2025. The website had blog content and a seller page, but most content targeted broad marketplace terms and buyer searches. The “become a seller” pages also lacked intent clarity and did not answer common questions sellers ask before signing up.
Baseline metrics for April 8 to April 30, 2025:
- Organic sessions: 12,400
- Seller registrations from organic: 120
- Organic registration rate: 0.97 percent
- Keywords in top 3 positions: 7
- Keywords in top 10 positions: 41
- Top landing pages: mostly general blogs, not seller signup pages
Main issues found during the audit
The platform was getting traffic, but it was not structured to convert sellers at scale. Many pages were not designed to rank for seller intent keywords, and internal linking did not push visitors toward signup. There was also confusion between “seller,” “vendor,” and “supplier” wording, which created mixed rankings and weaker page relevance.
Key issues:
- Seller intent pages were too thin and not structured for SEO
- Content focused on broad marketplace topics, not seller decision queries
- Internal links did not guide visitors to the seller signup funnel
- Titles and descriptions were not written for click through rate
- Onboarding pages had friction and did not explain next steps clearly
Strategy overview: how we used SEO to grow seller registrations
We focused on one thing: attract the right sellers, then make it easy and safe for them to sign up. We fixed technical and tracking basics first, then built a content and landing page system around seller intent. Finally, we improved conversion flow so more of the organic traffic reached the registration step.
The work followed six pillars that reinforced each other. Each month we improved visibility, relevance, and conversion rate at the same time.
Pillar 1: tracking and funnel measurement
We made sure seller registrations were tracked correctly in GA4. We also separated seller signups from buyer signups if the platform had both. Funnel tracking was set so we could see where organic users dropped off during onboarding.
Tracking actions:
- GA4 conversion event for seller dashboard created
- Tag Manager events for onboarding step clicks and form submits
- Segment reporting for seller pages and seller funnel entry points
Pillar 2: seller intent keyword map and clean site structure
We created a keyword map that matched real seller searches. We also cleaned up page overlap, so each major “sell on” intent had one primary page that could rank and convert.
Site structure work:
- One main seller signup hub page
- Supporting pages for seller types and product categories
- Clear internal linking paths from educational content to signup pages
Pillar 3: high intent landing pages that answer seller objections
Sellers do not sign up if they feel uncertain about fees, approval time, listing rules, support, and demand quality. We built pages that answer these questions with simple wording, short sections, and clear calls to action.
Landing page improvements:
- Clear “how it works for sellers” sections
- Simple fee explanation and payout schedule info
- Approval and onboarding timeline, written honestly
- Trust proof: seller stories, reviews, support coverage, platform stats
Pillar 4: content clusters that capture seller demand
We built clusters around seller problems and decisions. This created topical authority and helped the platform rank for long tail seller queries that convert well.
Cluster topics included:
- How to start selling in the platform’s niche
- Marketplace listing best practices
- Shipping and fulfillment options for sellers
- Inventory syncing and catalog setup for vendors
Pillar 5: authority building that fits SaaS and marketplaces
We earned a small number of relevant mentions and backlinks that support SaaS credibility. We also reclaimed unlinked mentions and fixed broken inbound links to improve authority without risk.
Authority actions:
- Partner listings, integration pages, and niche business directories
- Guest features on small business and eCommerce resources
- Brand mention reclamation and link fixes
Pillar 6: conversion optimization for seller signup
We reduced friction on the signup page and onboarding flow. We added clear next step messaging and ensured sellers could understand the process quickly.
Conversion updates:
- Simplified seller signup form, fewer fields at first
- Added “what happens next” after signup
- Improved onboarding help content and FAQ access
- Faster mobile experience on signup pages
Tools used: what we relied on to keep decisions data based
We used tools to measure seller registrations accurately and guide monthly actions. This kept the case study grounded and repeatable.
Tracking and reporting:
- Google Analytics 4: organic sessions, seller registration conversions, funnel drop offs
- Google Tag Manager: signup and onboarding event tracking
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting and conversion trend dashboards
SEO research and audits:
- Google Search Console: query growth, page performance, CTR improvements
- Screaming Frog: crawling, redirects, metadata, internal linking checks
- Ahrefs: keyword gaps, competitor research, backlink tracking
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse: speed and usability improvements
- Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity: behavior tracking and onboarding friction
Monthly timeline: work completed and monthly results
This campaign ran from April 8, 2025 through November 18, 2025. Monthly results below reflect organic search only, and seller registrations were tracked consistently across the entire period.
April 2025: baseline, tracking cleanup, and seller funnel mapping
We started by fixing measurement. Seller registration events were set for the dashboard created step, and onboarding funnel tracking was added. We crawled the site, mapped content gaps, and built the initial seller intent keyword plan focused on high intent searches.
April 8 to April 30, 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 12,400
- Seller registrations: 120
May 2025: rebuild the seller hub page and clean internal linking
In May, we rebuilt the main seller hub page so it could rank and convert. We added clear sections that explain how selling works, fees, approval timelines, and support. Internal links were improved so blog visitors could easily reach the seller signup page.
May 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 13,900
- Seller registrations: 145
- Keywords in top 3: 10
June 2025: launch seller intent landing pages
June focused on landing pages that match high intent searches such as “sell on marketplace” and niche specific seller terms. Each page was written with simple answers and a strong next step. We also improved titles and descriptions for click through rate.
June 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 15,800
- Seller registrations: 172
July 2025: content clusters for seller decisions and setup questions
In July, we launched supporting content clusters around seller setup and decision questions. The goal was to capture long tail searches that convert well, then route those visitors to signup pages with internal linking and strong calls to action.
July 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 18,200
- Seller registrations: 215
- Keywords in top 10: 68
August 2025: speed improvements and onboarding conversion lift
August focused on conversion and experience. We reduced friction on signup, improved mobile speed, and clarified the onboarding steps. We also added “what happens next” sections so sellers felt confident after signing up.
August 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 20,700
- Seller registrations: 252
September 2025: authority building and trust improvements
In September, we improved trust proof across seller pages and earned relevant mentions through partnerships and integrations. We also reclaimed unlinked mentions and fixed inbound link issues to support authority.
September 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 23,800
- Seller registrations: 296
- Keywords in top 3: 18
October 2025: refresh high impression pages and improve CTR
October was about getting more clicks and more conversions from pages already ranking. We used Search Console to find queries with impressions but lower clicks, then updated titles, headings, and FAQs. We also improved internal links into the highest converting seller pages.
October 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 26,400
- Seller registrations: 340
November 2025: scale proven pages and finalize growth
From November 1 to November 18, we scaled the winning patterns. We expanded the best seller landing pages, improved onboarding help content, and tightened calls to action. We also ensured reporting stayed clean and attributed only true seller registrations to organic search.
November 1 to November 18, 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 27,900
- Seller registrations: 432
Before vs after proof: the seller registration increase
We compared the baseline period to the final reporting period using the same tracking definitions. April 8 to April 30, 2025 produced 120 seller registrations from organic search. November 1 to November 18, 2025 produced 432 seller registrations from organic search.
That is a 260 percent increase in seller registrations attributed to SEO. Organic sessions also grew from 12,400 to 27,900, showing stronger visibility and stronger demand capture. The growth was consistent month by month, not a one time spike.
Supporting proof points that matched the registration lift:
- Organic registration rate: 0.97 percent to 1.55 percent
- Keywords in top 3: 7 to 22 by November 2025
- Seller pages became top converters instead of blogs
Why it worked: simple explanation behind the results
This campaign worked because we stopped treating sellers like general readers. We built pages that match seller intent and answer seller objections clearly. When sellers can understand fees, timelines, and how to start in under a minute, they are far more likely to register.
It also worked because internal linking and structure guided visitors toward signup. SEO brought the traffic, but the site structure turned that traffic into registrations. Finally, conversion improvements reduced signup friction, and trust proof reduced doubt, which lifted registration rate across the board.
Changes that had the biggest impact on seller registrations
These updates made the largest difference over the campaign:
- One strong seller hub page supported by focused landing pages
- Titles and meta descriptions written for seller clicks, not generic branding
- Content clusters that capture long tail “how to sell” searches
- Faster mobile signup flow with fewer initial form fields
- Clear “what happens next” messaging that reduced hesitation
What we would do next after November 18, 2025
Next, we would expand SEO into more niche category pages based on Search Console query growth and seller supply gaps. We would also build comparison pages that help sellers choose between platforms, written carefully and honestly. These pages often attract high intent users and can convert very well.
We would continue monthly content refresh work and ongoing authority building through partnerships and integration ecosystems. For marketplace SaaS, staying visible means staying helpful, current, and trusted.
Key takeaways for marketplace platforms that want more sellers through SEO
Seller growth through SEO works when the platform ranks for seller intent keywords and makes signup feel easy and safe. More traffic helps, but conversion lift comes from clarity, trust, and low friction onboarding. This is the approach Goforaeo used to help a San Carlos marketplace SaaS platform increase seller registrations by 260 percent through SEO in 2025.