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How a French bakery ranked #1 on Google with low-competition keywords
Executive overview
A Paris-based couple launched Pastries.com, the first authentic online French bakery in the US. Before leaving Paris, they used keyword research to validate demand and spot a gap: high search volume, low competition for terms like "macarons near me."
They combined targeted on-page optimisation, competitor backlink analysis, and product outreach to reach the #1 Google ranking within months.
Organic traffic, built on genuine keyword opportunity, is the only sustainable foundation for an e-commerce business.
Keyword research and market validation
- Used SEMrush to test buying-intent keywords: "macarons near me", "buy macarons", "macarons online"
- High search volume confirmed real demand; low keyword difficulty confirmed weak competition
- Validated the business case before committing to the move
On-page optimisation
- Analysed how competitors optimised pages for each target keyword
- Assigned one keyword per page across the site
- Page 1 targets "macarons near me", page 2 targets "buy macarons online", etc.
Backlink building
- Prioritised quality over quantity — signals authority to Google
- Identified competitor backlink sources via SEMrush
- Sent free macarons to those sites in exchange for honest reviews
- Generated approximately 100 inbound links through this outreach
Results and ongoing strategy
- Ranked #1 on Google for core buying-intent keywords
- Sold over one million macarons; expanded product range to crepes
- SEO remains a daily practice — treated as the only primary traffic channel
- Paid ads used only for retargeting, not as a main acquisition strategy
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