A Simple Setup to Get Started
Since day one, our website has been built on WordPress using the Elementor editor. We chose a very minimal approach: create 100 landing pages by combining 10 services with 10 cities in Madagascar. Each page used similar text with small adjustments and the right keywords. This helped us rank quickly on Google with little effort, especially since the competition in Madagascar was low.
Why We Needed an Upgrade
While our basic SEO strategy worked initially, the pages started to look repetitive and unprofessional. We realized that to grow further, improve credibility, and provide better value to users, we needed a more serious approach. So in December, we committed to a complete content and structure overhaul.
Better Content and Service Prioritization
We rewrote all service pages with improved texts that were more informative and better aligned with what travelers actually search for. We also reorganized the service offerings by prioritizing the most in-demand services and combining or removing less relevant ones. This made the user experience clearer and more relevant.
Adding Example Bookings for Every Service
Many clients were asking for the same types of bookings, so we decided to add four example bookings for every service and city combination. That meant creating 400 additional booking samples, each with its own image and description. With over 500 individual content items now live, the site has become much richer in detail and usability.
The Power of ChatGPT and Templates
This scale of content creation would not have been possible without generative AI. ChatGPT helped us write consistent, high-quality content quickly. We combined this with WordPress templates that allow us to insert the generated content with minimal manual effort. This setup enables us to expand much faster than traditional methods would allow.
Visible SEO Results Across Madagascar
Our efforts paid off. In Nosy Be, we quickly climbed to the #1 position on Google for search terms like airport transfer, taxi, and car rental. This brought in a significant increase in bookings. Other cities like Tana, Diego Suarez, Tulear, and Morondava also started to grow steadily. Even slower markets have picked up momentum since we added better texts and more structured content.
Our Experiments with Google Ads
We tested Google Ads, but the results were mixed. Click prices were often too high—sometimes more than €2 per click—which is not viable for a nonprofit, no-budget project like ours. We continue to run small experimental campaigns with low bids around €0.20, but tracking conversions is difficult. Users often switch devices or apps like WhatsApp during the booking process, making Google’s tracking unreliable for us.
Why SEO Remains Our Core Strategy
Despite the challenges with paid ads, our organic SEO strategy is working incredibly well. We now rank at the top of search results for many important keywords. Even ChatGPT has started recommending our platform in its travel suggestions. This shows that with the right content structure and consistent effort, SEO can outperform paid traffic—especially for mission-driven platforms with limited budgets.
Looking Ahead
We plan to use the same approach as we expand into new countries. With AI, templates, and a solid SEO foundation, we can continue building scalable, useful websites that serve both travelers and local partners. Our goal remains to grow sustainably and stay independent, relying on quality content and real value instead of ad spend.
