Ranking in international markets: Spain and Italy in the transport rental sector

Organic traffic
150
%

Traffic grew 250% in qualified traffic in a year

Faster website
0
%

Site speed optimisation produced a website 88% faster

Booking increase
+
0
%

A 39% increase in bookings thanks to better user experience and traffic.

In August 2021 we took on the challenge of improving the online visibility of a transport rental company in the Spanish and Italian markets — two of the most competitive tourism destinations with high demand for mobility services. The main goal of the project was ranking the website in key local and national searches, attracting qualified traffic and improving direct bookings.

The business, which offers personalised transport options such as group vehicle rentals, specific routes and transfers to tourist spots, faced strong competition from big international platforms and established local companies. Our strategy, built on multilingual SEO and geographic segmentation, aimed to take advantage of search behaviour differences between the two markets to maximise results.

Through a combination of technical optimisation, adapted content and backlink strategies, we positioned the client as a standout option in searches related to transport rental in both Spain and Italy. You can read more about this approach in our international SEO section.

Strategic approach

To optimise the site's presence, we developed an approach across three levels:

1. Local keywords:

   • We identified sector-specific terms.
   • We created specific pages for each activity and area, optimised with relevant content and clear calls to action.

2. National keywords:

   • We focused on searches by users within Spain that included specific terms.
   • We designed compelling content highlighting the destination's advantages and the activities offered.

3. International keywords:

   • We worked keywords in Italian and French.
   • We implemented hreflang tags to guarantee content was served correctly in each language.

2. Challenges identified

After running an initial site audit, we spotted a series of obstacles limiting visibility in the Spanish and Italian markets, affecting the site's ability to attract qualified organic traffic and convert visits into bookings. The main challenges were:

2.1. Low visibility in organic search

The site ranked weakly for key service-related terms in both markets. This made it hard to compete effectively against other local and international companies.

2.2. Generic, non-adapted content

• Pages lacked market-specific content. This included no approach tailored to the language and cultural specifics of users in Spain and Italy.
• The content structure didn't highlight the business's competitive advantages or provide enough detailed information on the services offered.

2.3. High competition

The transport rental sector is highly saturated, with large international platforms and well-positioned local companies in both countries. Standing out in search results without a differentiating strategy was difficult.

2.4. Technical issues

• No multilingual optimisation: the site wasn't configured to serve specific versions in the required languages, which hurt its relevance in the Italian market.
• Slow on mobile: load speed wasn't enough to guarantee a good user experience, especially in markets where mobile searches dominate.

3. Solutions implemented

To get past the challenges identified, we developed and implemented a comprehensive strategy covering technical optimisation, adapted content and geographic segmentation designed specifically for the Spanish and Italian markets.

3.1. Technical optimisation for multilingual SEO

• Hreflang tags implemented: we configured hreflang tags across the site to guarantee content in each language (Spanish and Italian) was served correctly in the corresponding markets.
• Load speed improved: we cut load times by 30% through image optimisation, script minification and enabling a caching system.
• Mobile-first design: we prioritised user experience on mobile devices, given that the majority of searches in both markets happen on smartphones.

3.2. Creating adapted content

• Specific content writing: we created informational pages explaining services clearly and adapted to the needs and expectations of users in each market.
• Focus on valuable content: we published articles and practical guides on the site's blog to capture organic traffic and respond to frequent questions about the services.
• Differentiation strategy: we highlighted the business's added value in the content, like service personalisation and customer care.

3.3. Geographic segmentation

• Content structured by market: we designed a content architecture grouping services and advantages by country, making pages more relevant to specific market searches.
• Dedicated pages: we developed pages dedicated to the key services offered, optimised for searches related to specialised transport.

3.4. Backlink strategy

• Generating links from relevant sites: we earned quality backlinks from specialist blogs and directories in both markets, increasing domain authority and improving search ranking.
• Local collaborations: we worked with local tourism portals and digital media that mentioned the business in articles related to transport services.

3.5. Ongoing monitoring and adjustments

• We set up a monthly tracking system to analyse performance in both markets.
• We adjusted the strategy in real time based on the data, prioritising the actions generating the biggest impact on traffic and conversions.

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4. Key success factors

The project's success was built on implementing SEO strategies specific to the Spanish and Italian markets, adapting both the technical side and the content to maximise site relevance in both countries. The key factors that made the difference were:

4.1. Focus on multilingual SEO

• Implementing hreflang tags and creating content in Spanish and Italian meant the site responded effectively to the needs of users in both languages.
• Structuring the site for specific markets improved the client's ability to compete on relevant local searches in each country.

4.2. Technical optimisation

• Improvements in load speed and mobile-first design guaranteed a better user experience, which translated into higher visitor retention and lower bounce rate.
• Resolving technical issues like the missing hreflang tags meant search engines indexed content correctly in both markets.

4.3. Relevant, adapted content

• Strategic content, culturally adapted to the Spanish and Italian markets, attracted more qualified traffic and increased conversion intent.
• Practical guides and informational articles on the blog reinforced the site's authority, generating a steady flow of organic traffic.

4.4. Link building strategy

• Earning quality backlinks from relevant blogs and directories in both countries significantly improved domain authority, helping the site compete against large international platforms.

4.5. Ongoing monitoring and adjustments

• Continuous performance analysis allowed us to adjust the strategy in real time, maximising the impact of each action and prioritising the ones that generated the best results.

This case shows how a tailored SEO strategy can transform a business's digital presence in competitive international markets like Spain and Italy. Thanks to a combination of technical optimisation, adapted content and backlink strategies, the client achieved:

• A 250% increase in organic traffic in Spain and 200% in Italy.
• Improved rankings on relevant searches.
• A 39% increase in direct bookings from the website.

This project is a clear example of how addressing the specifics of different markets can make the difference for a business looking to expand its international reach.

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