Case Study · SEO & Content Strategy

Growing Ace My Tennis
Through Search & Data

A full SEO and content marketing strategy built from scratch — from keyword research and on-page optimization to Google Analytics 4 setup and organic growth.

Project
Ace My Tennis Blog
Role
SEO Strategist & Content Creator
Platform
WordPress + Instagram
Tools
Google Analytics 4 · SEMrush · Yoast
18
Total Sessions (Last 28 Days)
27.78%
Overall Engagement Rate
66.67%
Organic Search Engagement Rate
3
Organic Sessions — Huge Room to Grow
Overview

The Challenge & The Opportunity

Ace My Tennis is a tennis lifestyle blog covering tips, gear reviews, and mental game strategies. After setting up GA4, the data revealed nearly zero organic visibility — and a clear roadmap to fix it.

The Problem — Real GA4 Data

  • Only 18 total sessions in the last 28 days
  • Organic Search drives only 3 sessions (16.67%)
  • Overall engagement rate of 27.78% — well below 50% benchmark
  • Average engagement time of just 7 seconds
  • Homepage has a 68.8% bounce rate
  • Only 1 blog post getting any traffic at all

The Goal

  • Build a keyword strategy targeting low-competition, high-intent terms
  • Set up GA4 with proper event tracking and conversion goals
  • Optimize existing posts and create new pillar content
  • Establish a consistent content calendar to build authority
  • Use Instagram as a traffic driver linked to blog content
  • Launch an email list to drive repeat visitors
Keyword Research

Targeting the Right Search Terms

Using SEMrush and Google Search Console, I identified low-competition, high-intent keywords across the three content pillars — where a newer domain can realistically rank.

how to improve tennis forehand
1,900/mo  Low KD
best tennis racket for beginners
2,400/mo  Med KD
tennis footwork drills
880/mo  Low KD
mental strategies tennis match
720/mo  Low KD
tennis serve tips for beginners
1,100/mo  Low KD
Wilson vs Babolat beginner racket
480/mo  Low KD
how to stay calm during tennis
590/mo  Low KD
tennis tips for club players
480/mo  Low KD
tennis shoes clay vs hard court
1,600/mo  Med KD
Analytics Setup

Google Analytics 4 Implementation

Before any optimization, I set up GA4 from scratch — creating a measurement foundation so every decision going forward could be data-driven.

📊

GA4 Property Setup

Configured GA4 with data streams, cross-domain tracking, and linked Search Console for keyword-level data in reports.

🎯

Event & Goal Tracking

Set up custom events for scroll depth, outbound link clicks, and contact form submissions to understand real engagement.

📈

Custom Dashboards

Built reports tracking organic traffic by landing page, top-performing keywords, bounce rate by post, and audience demographics.

🔍

Search Console Integration

Linked GSC to monitor impressions, CTR, and average position for target keywords — feeding data back into content decisions.

📱

Device & Channel Reports

Analyzed traffic breakdown by device and source to prioritize mobile optimization and identify top referral channels.

🗓️

Monthly Reporting

Created a recurring reporting structure to track month-over-month organic growth, top content, and keyword improvements.

Current Baseline — Real Data

What the GA4 Data Revealed

After setting up GA4 and analyzing the last 28 days (Feb 25 – Mar 24, 2026), here is exactly where the site stands — and why there is a massive opportunity to grow.

18

Total Sessions in 28 Days

Traffic is at its very early stage. Referral is #1 source (8 sessions), meaning organic search hasn't been activated yet.

3

Organic Search Sessions

Only 3 organic sessions — but with 66.67% engagement rate and 18s avg time, organic visitors are the most engaged.

7s

Average Engagement Time

Very low overall — driven down by direct traffic with 0% engagement. Signals a UX and content structure issue.

68.8%

Homepage Bounce Rate

The homepage gets 70% of all traffic but bounces most visitors. Improving CTAs and internal links is a priority fix.

Roadmap

90-Day Execution Plan

Month 1 — Weeks 1–4
Fix the Foundation
  • ✓ Set up GA4 + Search Console properly
  • ✓ Full keyword research with SEMrush
  • ✓ Fix on-page SEO for top 10 existing posts
  • ✓ Submit sitemap, fix crawl errors
  • ✓ Publish 4 new SEO-optimized posts
  • ✓ Connect Instagram to blog via Linktree
Month 2 — Weeks 5–8
Build Momentum
  • ✓ Publish 4 posts (pillar page strategy)
  • ✓ Launch email list + lead magnet
  • ✓ Start repurposing content to Reels
  • ✓ Check Search Console for quick wins
  • ✓ Internal linking audit
  • ✓ Send first newsletter
Month 3 — Weeks 9–12
Scale & Measure
  • ✓ Publish 4 posts + refresh 3 old ones
  • ✓ Analyze GA4: top pages, sources, engagement
  • ✓ A/B test email subject lines
  • ✓ Double down on top ranking keywords
  • ✓ Build full results report for portfolio
Campaign Channels

Four Channels, One Goal

Each channel plays a specific role — SEO captures search demand, content builds authority, social drives discovery, and email brings readers back.

SEOHigh priority

Fix on-page SEO, target low-difficulty keywords, submit sitemap, add schema markup.

→ Rewrite all title tags & meta descriptions
→ Add H2/H3 with target keywords
→ Internal linking between posts
→ Schema markup (Article + FAQ)
ContentHigh priority

Publish 1 SEO-optimized post per week. Build pillar pages in Month 2 for topical authority.

→ 12 new posts across Tips, Gear, Mental Game
→ FAQ sections on every post
→ Refresh top 3 existing posts
→ Build beginner guide as pillar page
SocialMedium priority

Turn every blog post into Instagram content. Use Linktree to drive followers to the blog.

→ 1 Reel + 1 carousel per blog post
→ Post 4–5x per week on Instagram
→ "This week on the blog" story Monday
→ Tennis hashtags to grow reach
EmailMonth 2+

Build a list with a free lead magnet. Weekly newsletter to drive repeat traffic from Month 2.

→ Mailchimp signup + free checklist
→ Welcome email sequence (3 emails)
→ Weekly "Tennis Tip" newsletter
→ A/B test subject lines (goal: 30%+ open rate)

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