SEO Case Study and Problem: 13× Traffic Increase in 6 Months for SSH: How We Won a High-Competition Keyword

When the Finnish security pioneer SSH Communications Security (SSH) approached The Backlink Company, the challenge was clear: despite an authoritative domain and enterprise reputation, they were struggling to gain organic visibility for a critical keyword in a fiercely competitive space. In this SEO case study, we’ll walk through the client background, our SEO strategy (technical, on-page, and link building), the results, and key take-aways.

Background

SSH Communications Security was founded in 1995 by Tatu Ylönen, the creator of the SSH protocol, now a globally recognized standard for secure remote access and communication over untrusted networks. Today SSH serves over 5,000 organisations worldwide; more than 40 % of the Fortune 500 count among its customers, including brands such as Walmart, Disney, Western Union and others.

Even though SSH appeared well positioned, with a high authority domain (DR:80) and a very strong enterprise portfolio. However, as the case shows, even high DR domains face uphill battles when competing for high-value, high-competition keywords. That makes this SEO case study particularly interesting (Check full case here).

SSH’s immediate goal? To win meaningful organic visibility for the core service keyword: Privileged Access Management (with keyword difficulty KD:54). While SSH had strong corporate brand equity, it lacked differentiated SEO traction in the organic search results for this critical term competing against larger players and major brands.

SEO Strategy? The Three Pillars:

Our intervention for SSH rested on three integrated tactics: technical SEO, on-page optimisation, and link building. Each pillar was chosen to address a specific barrier to ranking, and together they created a structure for long-term topical authority.

Technical SEO:

Multiple friction points were immediately identified on the technical front: Broken links, internal cannibalisation, and sub-optimal site architecture impacting crawl depth and internal linking. In particular, we found a page that was clearly competing with the target keywords essentially undermining the main resource’s ability to rank. 

The solution? Remove the competing page, streamline the internal linking, fix broken references, and optimise crawlability.

These steps might seem very foundational, however, for enterprise domains with legacy content and large site footprints, technical hygiene is often the unlock for better ranking performance.

On-Page Optimisation:

After addressing the foundational technical issues, we turned our attention towards on-page optimization by doing the following:

• We created a content cluster around the main keyword “Privileged Access Management” producing new assets targeting related long-tail topics (for example, “privileged access management best practices”, “PAM vs traditional access management”, etc.). This cluster architecture supports building topical relevance and internal linking to the main page.
• We updated existing pages to better match search intent: adjusting headers, refining meta tags, improving readability and aligning with the user’s needs (not just keyword stuffing). This ensured that not only the main pillar page but its context pages were aligned with what searchers actually want.
• Internal linking was carefully structured: cluster pages linking back to the pillar, strong anchor-text targeting, and limiting link dilution.

By building a network of contextually relevant content around one primary target, we elevated SSH’s topical authority in the eyes of search engines. (See our article on how to build topical authority in 2025).

Link Building

Finally, to truly compete in the high-stakes keyword environment, we mobilised link building focused on the target pillar and its cluster network. The aim: not simply more links, but strategic links that strengthen the main resource and its surrounding cluster pages simultaneously.

High-authority referrals to the main resource provide the leverage, while supporting links to cluster pages support the overall network which in turn drives internal link equity back to the main page. The synergy between on-page content and link signals is what separates high-impact enterprise SEO campaigns from more generic efforts. (Read our article on quality links).

Results

The outcome was striking. We moved the main keyword from around position 80 in the search results all the way up to the top 1–6 positions on page 1 of Google. During that time the pillar page’s organic traffic surged by 13×, while top 10 ranking keywords for the page grew approximately 3.5×. 

For an enterprise like SSH, such uplift in organic visibility and traffic translates into hundreds of thousands of potential revenue for the firm.

In summary: despite entering a high-competition keyword battle, with the right combination of technical discipline, content architecture and link authority, we captured meaningful rankings and traffic expansion.

Key Take Aways For Enterprise SEO 

This SEO case study provides multiple insights including:

Domain authority isn’t everything: Even a DR:80 can struggle with the existence of internal competition, crawl inefficiencies, or sub-optimal content architecture. Technical and structural issues must be addressed instantly.

Importance of topical clusters: By organising content around the core service and linking to it from related topics you reinforce your primary target page while capturing long tail traffic.

Remove internal cannibalisation: Multiple pages targeting the same keyword weaken your chances. Pick the best one, remove or merge others, and consolidate authority.

Align intent, not just keywords: Updating existing pages to better reflect what users are searching for (rather than simply sprinkling keywords) improves engagement and ranking potential.

Set realistic time-frames, but aim high: Six months of focused work yielded major gains for SSH but this requires coordination, resource allocation, and a strategic mindset.

Ready to Amplify Your Own SEO Results?

If you’d like to explore how we at The Backlink Company can help enterprise-level brands replicate this kind of success, let’s talk strategy. Links, content architecture, and technical execution  when aligned are what turn good brands into organic market leaders.

Engagement Question for SEO Experts

Here’s a question for the seasoned SEO minds reading this:
If you were entering a project like SSH’s today with a DR 80+ brand, a high-difficulty target keyword (KD 50–60), and a broad enterprise product-service ecosystem what one additional non-traditional or emerging SEO tactic (beyond technical, on-page, and classic link building) would you prioritise to amplify results in the next 6 months  and how would you integrate it into the strategy?

Let’s see your advanced ideas. Drop your top tactic and explain: why it would work, how you’d implement it, and how you’d measure success.

FAQ

Q1: What made SSH’s SEO challenge particularly difficult?
A1: Despite having a high-authority domain (DR:80) and strong enterprise credibility, SSH faced stiff competition for the keyword “Privileged Access Management” (KD:54). The challenge was compounded by internal content cannibalization, broken links, and sub-optimal site structure that limited their organic visibility.

Q2: How long did it take to see significant results?
A2: The main pillar page moved from around position 80 to the top 1–6 spots on Google within six months. During that period, the page’s organic traffic increased 13×, and the number of top 10 ranking keywords for the page grew by approximately 3.5×.

Q3: What is a content cluster, and why did it matter for SSH?
A3: A content cluster is a group of interlinked pages focused on related topics, all pointing to a central “pillar” page. For SSH, creating clusters around “Privileged Access Management” helped build topical authority, improved internal linking, and enhanced long-tail keyword coverage, boosting the main page’s ranking.

Q4: What were the key technical SEO improvements?
A4: The technical interventions included:

• Removing competing pages causing keyword cannibalization
  
  
• Fixing broken links and references
  
  
• Streamlining site architecture to improve crawlability and internal linking
  These foundational fixes were critical for enabling better ranking performance for high-value keywords.
  
  

Q5: How did link building contribute to the success?
A5: Link building was targeted and strategic. High-authority external sites linked to the main pillar page, while supporting links were built to cluster pages. This created a network effect, distributing link equity back to the main page and reinforcing SSH’s authority in the niche.