How We Grew Cloud Defense From 2,802 Traffic to 31,666 monthly Traffic in 1 Year

Cloud security, or the policies and technologies used to protect cloud-based data and infrastructure from external (and internal) threats, has become its own industry within the larger framework of cybersecurity. 

With 90%+ of businesses in the United States alone reliant on cloud-based services for storing their data, the cloud has become a cybersecurity battleground and one of the most vulnerable attack surfaces for cybercriminals.

It is necessary for SMBs to rely on cloud security providers that can identify vulnerabilities before they are exploited and offer actionable remediations so those businesses can continuously ameliorate their overall cloud security posture.  

Cloud Defense is an example of a cloud security company dedicated to improving the cloud security posture for SMBs.

The company offers several products designed to detect security vulnerabilities and misconfigurations, including API Scanning, Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), and Static Application Security Testing (SAST). 

In 2020, Cloud Defense approached BlueTree with the intention of running a Digital PR campaign. Their goal with the campaign was to spread awareness about their security products and draw traffic to product pages via PR mentions in some of the most respected cybersecurity websites online. 

The campaign revolved around targeting Cloud Defense’s product pages, including their DAST, SAST, and API Scanning pages. These pages, using easy-to-follow short paragraphs and screenshots, each explain how the respective product identifies and detects vulnerabilities. 

Our campaign start date. Screenshots from stats at the start date. Traffic and ranking KWs at the time.

Our post results

• What is current traffic
• What is current traffic value
• What is current backlink status

How We Did It

---

To execute the campaign and secure mentions to the Cloud Defense product pages, we followed our standard simple procedure for generating effective results:

1. We compiled a list of relevant cybersecurity sites to reach out to, including security sites we were already working with (all sites had a minimum DR rating of 65 and a minimum 5k search traffic) 
2. We reached out to each sites with a cold pitch offering to write an article for them
3. The site editors agreed that we could pitch them topics or assist with topic ideation, and our pitching team brainstormed and suggested 2-3 topic ideas per site 
4. After getting a topic formally approved, our team of professional writers got to work writing and submitting the pieces to each site 
5. Our writers and editors ensured that there was a natural placement to the respective Cloud Defense page by A. ensuring cloud security would be relevant to the topic at hand, and B. ensuring context surrounding the placement 
6. Rinse and repeat 

Doubled down on the above strategy, we ended up pitching over one thousand cybersecurity publications. 

To accomplish this, we tested fifteen different campaigns that revolved around fifteen different cold pitches, before settling on the pitches that were performing the best in regards to reply rates from site editors. An example is below:

We employed eight reliable and quality cybersecurity writers who targeted the same keywords and ensured fulfillment of the articles, many of which had to be delivered on tight deadlines or adhere to strict guidelines depending on the editorial process of each site. 

A major part of the campaign’s success came down to ensuring link relevancy in each article. All of our links are editorially received. This means that after the articles have been written and submitted, they are in the hands of the site editors.

We have little to no control over the actual production of the article following submission. As a result, we don’t control which links will make it to the final publication. 

This is why it was of the utmost importance to ensure that each placement to a Cloud Defense product page was as relevant and natural in each piece of content as possible.

To ensure links to the CloudDefense Products Pages were as relevant as possible in each of the articles, we followed another simple and yet highly effective formula:

• Our pitching team ensured each article topic was topically relevant when pitching ideas to the site editors (the idea is to write the article around the target page, rather than writing the article and then forcing the link to the page in) 
• Our writers included relevant context surrounding the link placement, thus ensuring the link would be naturally placed into the content rather than jammed in randomly 
• For anchors, our writers cited specific facts (such as figures or statistics) or quotes from the pages and used these as anchors so they would flow naturally into the content (and thus not stick out like a sore thumb) 

The links started coming in when the articles started to get published. We kept track of each live link in a Link Tracker Sheet, and shared the results with Cloud Defense at the end of each month via reports outlining each month’s wins.

Want The Same Results?

---

All of our backlinks are editorially received. It’s our job to ensure 100% natural placement by making sure that the topic of the article will be relevant to the link that we place in, as well as to ensure that the link itself and the surrounding text are fully contextual to the topic at hand as well. 

These editorially-received backlinks to new articles in high ranking websites are viewed favorably by Google. 

Cloud Defense understood that for their investment to pay off, they needed to invest in link assets rather than liabilities. That’s why they asked Blue Tree to execute the campaign for their pages.

Additionally, each link we secure meets the following criteria:

• Do-Follow
• DR65+
• 5k/mo search traffic minimum 
• Topically relevant 

Our standard pricing per link that meets the above criteria is $1,000. We also offer discounts per link when ordered in bulk (such as five to ten links per month). 

Feel free to reach out if you’d like to work with us!