SEO Case Study: How an Online Gaming Platform Increased Active Users by 280%
An online gaming platform headquartered in Redwood City, California partnered with Goforaeo in 2025 after noticing a pattern: they were getting impressions in Google, but they were not turning that visibility into steady, active players. The product was strong, the gameplay was smooth, and retention was decent for paid users, yet organic growth was not reliable.
This case study explains how we improved technical health, built search focused content hubs, and fixed key conversion leaks from “search click” to “first play.” The results were measured month by month, so the growth is clear and easy to validate.
The campaign ran from May 12, 2025 to November 30, 2025 and focused on building long term search visibility that brings players who actually play, not just visitors who bounce. By the end of the campaign window, organic driven active users increased from 9,800 to 37,240 per month, confirming the 280% lift.
Campaign overview: business context, dates, and what we measured
This platform competes in a space where search intent changes fast. People search by game type, device, difficulty level, and even short phrases like “play now” or “free online.” We built the strategy around how real players search, then made sure the site experience matched that intent in seconds.
Redwood City mattered for brand trust and entity signals because that is where the company is based, but the player acquisition was wider than one city. So we used Redwood City for credibility and brand proof, while targeting national and regional searches for scalable growth.
Business snapshot: what the platform offers
The platform offers browser based and mobile friendly games with multiple modes, quick matchmaking, and beginner friendly onboarding. Their strongest categories were casual multiplayer, skill based matches, and short session games that fit into 5 to 15 minutes.
They already had a library of game pages, but many were not built in a way that Google could rank consistently. Some pages were too thin, some overlapped, and the internal linking was not guiding either Google or users to the right next step.
Timeframe and location
Campaign location: Redwood City, California, plus broader coverage because the platform is online. The campaign ran from May 12, 2025 to November 30, 2025 with monthly reporting and monthly execution sprints.
We kept the campaign timeline tight on purpose. Instead of spreading effort across too many experiments, we focused on a repeatable system: fix, build, measure, improve, then scale.
What “active user” meant in this case study
We used one clear definition so reporting stayed honest from start to finish. Active users were counted only when the user came from organic search and then showed real gameplay activity within the same month.
We counted an active user when they completed at least one of these actions:
- Signed up from an organic landing and played at least one full session
- Completed onboarding and started a match or game mode
- Returned for a second play session within the same month after the first organic visit
We also tracked support metrics to explain why active users changed, not just that they changed. Those included organic signups, onboarding completion rate, and “first play” rate from organic landing pages.
Starting point: baseline performance and what was limiting growth
Before making big changes, we needed a clean baseline and a clear list of blockers. The platform had decent visibility, but it was not organized around search intent, and some technical issues were holding back performance on mobile.
We also found that users who landed on informational pages often did not move into a “play” action. That gap between content and action is common in gaming SEO, and fixing it is where the biggest wins usually come from.
Baseline metrics from May 2025
May 2025 was used as the baseline month because tracking was cleaned up at the start of the campaign. These numbers reflect organic traffic and organic users only, with bot filtering and spam protection applied.
Baseline metrics:
- Organic sessions: 165,000
- Google Search Console clicks: 71,500
- Organic signups: 1,620
- Organic active users: 9,800
- Onboarding completion rate from organic: 24%
The baseline confirmed the main issue: traffic existed, but the path to becoming active was not smooth enough. We needed more pages that match play intent, and we needed fewer steps between landing and playing.
What was holding the platform back
The problems were not mysterious, they were just stacked together. When several small issues happen at once, growth feels random even when the product is good.
Key blocks we identified:
- Indexing noise: low value URLs were getting crawled and diluting focus
- Overlapping pages: multiple pages competing for the same keywords
- Weak internal linking: hub pages were not guiding Google to deep pages
- Mobile speed issues on key landing pages, especially first click pages
- Content gaps for high intent searches like “play online” plus genre or device
- Conversion leaks: unclear next step and too many steps to first play
We also noticed that trust and safety messaging was too hidden. In online gaming, users often want quick reassurance about fair play, account security, and moderation, especially when they are new.
SEO strategy: the system we used to increase active users
We followed a simple order that reduces risk and builds momentum. First we fixed crawl and performance problems, then we built a clear site structure, then we scaled content that brings players ready to play. At the same time, we improved conversion and onboarding so new users actually became active.
This approach worked because every improvement supported the next one. Better crawl health helped content rank faster, better structure reduced keyword confusion, and better onboarding increased active users without needing endless traffic.
Phase 1: technical foundation and index control
We started by making sure Google was spending time on the right pages. We cleaned indexing, strengthened canonicals, fixed internal link paths, and improved mobile speed on the pages that already had impressions.
Actions we completed:
- Reduced crawl waste by tightening index rules for parameter and filter URLs
- Improved sitemaps and ensured the right pages were prioritized
- Fixed page speed issues on top organic entry pages, especially mobile
- Updated titles and meta descriptions to better match play intent and boost clicks
These changes improved click quality and lowered bounce rate. It also gave Google a clearer picture of what pages matter most.
Phase 2: site structure built around “play intent”
Next, we built a structure that matches how players search. Gamers do not search like shoppers, they often search in short phrases, and they want instant clarity.
Structure improvements included:
- Genre hub pages that explain the category and link to playable options
- Mode pages that explain rules and link directly to “start playing”
- Device pages for browser play and mobile play, written in simple language
- Beginner pages that reduce confusion and feed directly into play actions
This structure stopped pages from competing with each other. It also helped users move from curiosity to action without feeling lost.
Phase 3: content clusters that bring players ready to start
We avoided writing random blog content and focused on clusters that lead to play. Each cluster had one main page and supporting pages that answer quick questions, with clear links back to the playable page.
Content themes we built and improved:
- “Play online” pages by genre and mode, with fast loading templates
- Beginner guides that explain how to start in 60 seconds
- Device specific pages for “play on browser” and “play on mobile”
- Short FAQs based on real Search Console queries, not guesses
We kept intros short, used simple words, and made the “Play Now” step obvious. In gaming SEO, clarity often beats creativity.
Phase 4: conversion improvements that turn visitors into active users
SEO traffic only matters if users take action. We worked on the first two minutes of the user journey because that is where most drop offs happened.
Conversion improvements included:
- Clear above the fold calls to action like “Play Now” and “Start a Match”
- Fewer onboarding steps and clearer progress indicators
- Better trust signals around fair play and account security
- Cleaner internal navigation so users find the right mode quickly
We also improved tracking so we could see where users dropped. This helped us fix real issues instead of guessing.
Month by month progress: what we did and the numbers we saw
The monthly timeline below shows how results grew in a steady, compounding way. May 2025 is the baseline month, and the next months show how the system improved traffic and active users together.
Each month includes both: what we changed, and what moved in the numbers. This is the simplest way to show that the results are real and repeatable.
May 2025: baseline, tracking cleanup, and the first fixes
We finalized GA4 event tracking for signup, onboarding completion, first play, and return play. We also cleaned Search Console mappings so query data matched the right landing pages.
May 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 165,000
- Search Console clicks: 71,500
- Organic signups: 1,620
- Organic active users: 9,800
June 2025: crawl cleanup, faster pages, and better click intent
We tightened indexation to reduce low value pages, improved internal links from key pages, and optimized mobile speed on the top landing pages. We also rewrote titles and meta descriptions to match how people actually search for quick games.
June 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 182,000
- Search Console clicks: 78,900
- Organic signups: 1,980
- Organic active users: 12,600
July 2025: hub pages and a clearer path to play
We launched genre hubs and mode pages with clean templates and clear “start playing” links. We also improved internal linking so hub pages passed authority to deep pages that convert.
July 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 205,000
- Search Console clicks: 89,200
- Organic signups: 2,430
- Organic active users: 15,900
August 2025: scaling content clusters for play intent
We expanded content around high intent searches like “play online” plus genre and “free browser games” style queries. We also added device pages and beginner guides that funnel into play.
August 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 242,000
- Search Console clicks: 106,400
- Organic signups: 3,100
- Organic active users: 20,800
September 2025: stronger rankings and less drop off to first play
We refreshed pages that had impressions but weaker clicks, improved internal anchors, and simplified the landing to onboarding path. We also added short trust blocks and clearer next steps.
September 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 287,000
- Search Console clicks: 124,700
- Organic signups: 3,980
- Organic active users: 26,700
October 2025: pushing page one results into top positions
We targeted pages ranking in positions 6 to 15 and improved structure, FAQs, and intent matching to lift them higher. We also reduced onboarding friction and improved “first match” guidance.
October 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 318,000
- Search Console clicks: 138,500
- Organic signups: 4,860
- Organic active users: 31,900
November 2025: consolidation, refresh, and peak performance
We refreshed top hubs, updated FAQs using recent query data, and improved internal links to the highest converting pages. We also refined snippet text to lift click through rate on pages already ranking well.
November 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 354,000
- Search Console clicks: 152,800
- Organic signups: 5,620
- Organic active users: 37,240
Before vs after proof: clear results you can verify
We compared the baseline month to the final full month in the campaign window. This keeps the proof simple, and it prevents confusion caused by short spikes.
The lift also shows up across multiple metrics, not just one. When sessions, clicks, signups, and active users rise together, it is stronger proof that SEO drove the change.
Key before vs after metrics
May 2025 vs November 2025:
- Organic active users: 9,800 to 37,240, which is +280%
- Organic sessions: 165,000 to 354,000
- Search Console clicks: 71,500 to 152,800
- Organic signups: 1,620 to 5,620
- Onboarding completion rate from organic: 24% to 41%
Tools used by Goforaeo during this campaign
We used tools that supported real decisions and clean measurement. The goal was to connect SEO work to player activity, not just rankings.
Tracking and reporting tools
- Google Analytics 4: conversion events, funnels, and organic user paths
- Google Tag Manager: event setup and tracking control
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting dashboards with simple KPI views
- Product analytics inside the platform: onboarding and active user validation
SEO and technical tools
- Google Search Console: queries, pages, indexing, and click trends
- Screaming Frog: crawling, internal link audits, and template checks
- Ahrefs and Semrush: keyword gaps, competitor tracking, and content planning
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse: mobile speed and performance monitoring
- Heatmap and session tools: drop off discovery on key landing pages
Why this worked in Redwood City and beyond
Redwood City helped the brand side of trust, because clear company signals and entity details improved credibility. But the main growth came from intent matching and conversion, because gamers everywhere search in similar patterns.
The biggest difference was turning SEO into a system. We did not rely on one “viral” page or one keyword. We built hubs, supported them with content, then made it easy for users to start playing and return.