Case Study: AMPL Technical SEO

Project Summary

AMPL.com is a mathematical solver software created by members of Bell Labs. This language is frequently used to solve complex mathematical problems in finance, logistics and higher level education.

AMPL asked AUQ to review their current SEO strategy and recommend a path forward to compete for organic marketshare.

We were asked to consider the following issues:

• Technical best practices for a WordPress website
• Multiple subdomains with a variety of content
• Design of current product templates
• Content recommendations

Result:

AMPL targets a small number of hyper specific keywords in a very niche industry. We were able to 3x their page 1 keywords for their product related terms.

Phase 1: Template Design & Keyword Mapping

Our first step was to run a keyword mapping exercise and assign the right keywords to the right pages. We wanted to make sure primary and secondary keywords were grouped under the correct pages.

Second step was to design templates that would be able to house the appropriate content to help us rank.

SEO Design Outlines

We worked with AMPL’s design team by providing marked up outlines of designs we’d like to see implemented, generally focusing on:

• Content blocks for keyword friendly text
• Conversion elements like pricing and demos
• FAQ section for additional QA keywords
• Internal linking elements like related blogs or pages

You can see the final product here.

Phase 2: Technical SEO

Subdomain Restructure

AMPL had a number of content rich subdomains, ranging from developer guides and information to graduate student education on python. We recommended the AMPL team move this content to their main ampl.com domain and set up the necessary content templates to house them there.

This allowed ampl.com to leverage the strength of that their subdomains’ keyword & link value, and siphon it for their main product pages.

This project included:

• Subdomain mapping
• Internal links to new content
• Creating 301 redirects from old subdomains to new content
• Header & footer updates

Phase 3: Content Planning + Creation

AMPL, known for its innovative solutions in mathematical optimizations, faced a challenge common to many technical enterprises: translating complex concepts into engaging content that boosts SEO and attracts a broader audience.

At AUQ, we devised a two-pronged strategy:

• Content Simplification: We started by breaking down AMPL’s complex solutions into simpler concepts. By focusing on client industries and use cases to appeal to a more business minded audience.
• Blog Writing: Parallel to simplifying the product pages, we launched a blog series. Each post addressed common benefits of their software and their applications within industries like logistics, energy optimization and finance. We utilized AI writing in this case.