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How a Leading Learning Platform Grew Traffic by 522% YoY

https://brainly.com/
SEO case study of Brainly.

Stats

1.6M to 10.1M Monthly Visits

Industry

Education

Niche

Learning Platform

Reporting Date

July 2024

Brainly is a popular online education platform for students, teachers, and parents. It uses a peer-to-peer network of questions and answers to help students with their homework.

The platform also recently expanded its offerings with AI-powered features, such as an AI Tutor and AI-generated study sets.

While these innovations are commendable, it's the website’s explosive organic growth that demands closer examination.

Brainly has recently experienced a dramatic surge in traffic, generating 522% more visits than the previous year.

Growth chart of Brainly 2-year organic traffic.

In this SEO case study, we'll explore the strategies driving Brainly's newfound organic success and share insights that can support your own website’s traffic growth.

The Catalyst: How Brainly Went From 1.6M to 10.1M Monthly Visits

1. Leveraged User-Generated Content: Questions and Answers

Brainly's platform functions like a forum. Users can post questions and respond to their peers.

Each question is hosted on its own landing page, which creates a dynamic and constantly evolving platform.

Brainly question about how many 8 oz glasses of water are in 3 liters.

Over the past year, Brainly's content repository has more than doubled.

Semrush reveals that in July 2023, question landing pages had 868.2K URLs, whereas, in July 2024, they had increased to over 2M.

This approach provides a rich source of long-tail keyword opportunities.

Long-tail keywords are search terms that include three or more words. They're highly specific and have significantly less competition than broad keywords.

While many website owners want to target short-tail keywords because of their high search volumes, this is often a mistake for new websites or small businesses.

Short-tail, or broad, keywords are extremely difficult to rank for and require high domain authority and backlinks.

Long-tail keywords, on the other hand, may have lower monthly search volumes but come with a great benefit: higher conversion rates.

Due to the specificity of these queries, users are likely to take action when they land on your page.

For Brainly, the recent influx of new questions resulted in a rapid boost in rankings.

Keyword rankings have tripled since last year, bringing highly targeted traffic.

Growth chart of Brainly's ranking keywords.

This is important because Brainly requires users to sign up for an account before viewing the answer.

(Users can also watch a video ad to skip this step, but this would be time-consuming if you want to view more than one answer.)

Brainly account sign up.

With all this new organic traffic coming to the site, it’s fair to assume that signups are dramatically higher now than in July 2023.

Why this matters:

By harnessing the power of user-generated content (UGC), Brainly has created a self-sustaining content strategy that continuously attracts organic traffic.

This approach reduces content creation efforts and costs while ensuring the platform remains relevant to students' evolving needs.

These new questions also provide valuable ranking opportunities for long-tail keywords.

Ultimately, Brainly's user-centric approach has solidified its position as a leader in the online learning space.

How to find long-tail keywords:

While Brainly's success with UGC is impressive, many businesses do not have access to such a vast and engaged community.

Because of this, business owners must rely on more traditional content creation efforts.

A content strategy will help you achieve similar organic growth while serving your audience’s needs.

Keyword research is the first step of this process.

And as we learned earlier, identifying and optimizing for long-tail keywords is particularly beneficial for new websites or small businesses.

This tutorial shows you how to find long-tail keywords using several beginner-friendly methods.

Tools for keyword research:

Did you know you can perform keyword research in the WordPress editor?

The All in One SEO (AIOSEO) plugin makes this possible by connecting with your Semrush account.

To get started, open the post or page you’re working on in the editor.

Then, scroll down until you see Focus Keyphrase.

Enter your primary keyword in this field, and click Add Focus Keyphrase.

Add focus keyphrase in WordPress.

Once you’ve entered your keyword, the plugin will perform on-page SEO checks and populate a new button below the checklist.

Click Get Additional Keyphrases.

Get additional keyphrases from Semrush.

Now, AIOSEO will communicate with Semrush data to generate new keyword ideas directly in WordPress.

In the example below, you’ll see that we received several long-tail keywords, which we can use in our content.

Keywords generated by Semrush in WordPress.

Now, let’s see how Brainly uses technical SEO to win rich snippets on the SERP.

2. Implemented Q&A Schema Markup for Enhanced Visibility

Behind the scenes, Brainly uses schema markup on its website.

Schema markup is a type of structured data that lives within the backend of your site. It’s housed in the HTML code and helps search engines understand your content.

Search engines can also use this information to generate rich snippets, which are enhanced search listings.

There are several types of schema, including:

For Brainly, Q&A schema markup is their most frequent.

Here, we can see that schema markup in action using the All in One SEO Analyzer Chrome Extension:

QAPage schema markup on one of Brainly's pages.

We also see the answers generated by each Brainly user in the schema markup.

QAPage schema markup of an answer.

By implementing Q&A schema markup on each question page, Brainly triggered dramatic growth in rich snippets.

Most notably, rankings in Google’s People Also Ask (PAA) section.

This coveted area of the SERP presents users with related questions to their original query.

Google people also ask box for the query kinetic energy.

Brainly went from having only 138 PAA rankings in July 2023 to 466K in July 2024.

Brainly people also ask rankings growth chart.

They also acquired a brand new SERP feature: Questions and Answers.

Questions and Answers displays popular questions related to the original search. It also includes the answer and source of each question.

Google questions and answers for the query what century are we in.

July 2024 was Brainly’s first time winning this type of search result.

And they didn’t get just a few.

Brainly acquired 127.3K question-and-answer rankings in just one month.

Brainly question and answer rankings appeared in July 2024.

Why this matters:

By implementing Q&A schema on thousands of landing pages, Brainly has unlocked a new level of search visibility.

This strategy has dramatically increased rich snippets, particularly in coveted SERP features like People Also Ask and Questions and Answers.

Appearing in these areas of the SERP is an excellent way to build brand awareness and niche authority for your site.

Rich snippets also have one of the highest clickthrough rates (CTRs), making them extremely valuable to businesses.

Overall, by consistently appearing in prominent SERP features, Brainly has contributed to its SEO success and business growth.

How to implement schema markup:

This tutorial demonstrates three methods for adding schema markup to WordPress without a plugin.

Each method uses JSON-LD and requires you to obtain and copy code snippets into the backend of your website.

If you want to use an easier, code-free method, follow this schema markup tutorial. (It uses the tool we recommend next.)

Tools for schema markup:

Including schema on your website is easy with the right tools.

With AISOEO, you can add many of the most popular schema markups with the click of a button.

AIOSEO Schema Generator.

The Schema Generator will format your structured data properly for search engines, boosting the likelihood of rich snippets.

And, if you’re running a forum or use UGC like Brainly, you can also add QAPage schema using the custom schema option.

Featured snippets are one of the most coveted SERP features.

These concise, informative summaries are often the first thing users see, making them a prime target for organic traffic.

Google featured snippet from Brainly.

Now, the thing about featured snippets is they can be relatively challenging to get.

There's no one-size-fits-all strategy for obtaining them, but instead, it's a result of a more holistic approach to your content and SEO.

Here are a few SEO best practices Brainly does to acquire featured snippets:

  • Strong on-page SEO
  • Optimized content structures (question-answer format)
  • Expert-verified answers
  • Schema markup

These optimizations proved fruitful in 2024, generating 54.9K featured snippets in July.

Growth chart of Brainly's featured snippets.

Why this matters:

Featured snippets offer unparalleled visibility and can significantly boost organic traffic.

They also offer one of the highest clickthrough rates at 42.9%, according to SEO statistics.

By securing these rankings, Brainly has become a go-to resource for students seeking quick and reliable answers.

Moreover, dominating featured snippets helps to establish Brainly as a thought leader in its industry.

To increase your chances of securing a coveted featured snippet, focus on these key strategies:

  • Target question-based keywords: Identify questions your target audience is likely to ask and create content that directly answers them.
  • Provide concise answers: Offer clear and direct responses to the query, keeping your answer focused and to the point.
  • Optimize content structure: Use clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points to improve readability and make your content easily scannable by search engines.

For more details, check out this guide on how to get featured snippets.

In its most basic form, winning a featured snippet is about creating the best piece of content for a search query.

Easier said than done, right?

Well, with TruSEO, it’s not as challenging as you may think. This tool streamlines your content optimization efforts to maximize its visibility in SERPs.

TruSEO equips you with action-oriented checklists that make optimizing your content a breeze.

For example, the Focus Keyphrase Checklist lets you know when you’ve excluded your primary keyword from critical areas.

Focus Keyphrase Checklist from AIOSEO.

The Readability Checklist also lets you know what improvements you could make to improve the user experience.

TruSEO Readability Checklist.

This feature can take your content from good to great and boost important user engagement metrics, like time on page.

Standout SEO Wins

Before wrapping up, there’s a final growth strategy worth highlighting from Brainly.

Utilize Social Media to Send E-E-A-T Signals

Brainly has effectively leveraged social media to expand its reach and build a strong online community.

By sharing valuable content, engaging with followers, and participating in relevant conversations, Brainly has increased its visibility and established itself as a trusted authority in the education space.

In the example below, Brainly shares a video of a roundtable discussion on its Facebook page.

Brainly Facebook post of a roundtable discussion video.

This social media strategy not only cultivates a robust online presence but also sends positive E-E-A-T signals to Google.

E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) has become increasingly important in the 2024 search landscape.

Search engines are taking a holistic view of content quality, assessing not just the information presented but also the credibility of the source.

Having a presence on multiple outlets reinforces your credibility, which could indirectly trigger a boost in rankings.

Tool: With AIOSEO’s Social Media Integration, it’s easy to connect all your favorite platforms to your WordPress site. This feature allows you to control how your content and thumbnails appear on social media networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more.

Available social media networks in AIOSEO.

Takeaways

In our analysis of Brainly, several key strategies emerge as drivers of their explosive organic growth.

Let's review which strategies you can use on your website and others to improve for better SEO performance.

Top 3 Strategies to Emulate

  1. Target long-tail keywords for more qualified traffic and increased conversions. Brainly's platform thrives on user-generated questions and answers. This approach creates a dynamic content hub while also providing a rich source of long-tail keywords. These keywords are less competitive than broad keywords and provide easier ranking opportunities. They also have much higher conversion rates due to their specificity, making them valuable to your business's growth.
  2. Leverage schema markup to win rich snippets on the SERP. Brainly's implementation of Q&A schema has significantly enhanced its visibility in search results. You can replicate this win by using schema markup that best describes your content. Schema markup helps search engines understand your content, which can lead to enhanced search rankings and rich snippets. These search listings are more engaging for users and translate to higher clickthrough rates and traffic.
  3. Optimize your content for coveted featured snippets. Brainly has mastered the art of crafting content that directly answers user queries. This strategy translated to a substantial increase in featured snippets. Featured snippets are prime real estate in search engines. They're one of the first things users see, making them ideal for boosting brand awareness and gaining more online visibility. By focusing on creating informative, valuable content and complementing it with strong on-page and technical SEO optimizations, you can increase the likelihood of winning this type of search result.

Bottom 3 Strategies to Reconsider

  1. Excluding schema on blog posts. While Brainly does a good job implementing schema markup on its question pages, it neglects to include it in blog posts. Schema markup helps search engines understand your content, which can lead to faster indexing and rankings. Blog posts, in particular, can benefit from schema because they're typically prime content for rich snippets. On your website, you can use a Schema Generator to implement structured data in just a few clicks.
  2. Missing meta descriptions. Some of Brainly's landing pages do not have meta descriptions. This oversight can have negative impacts on your clickthrough rate or leave search engines to write them for you. (This happens even if you do write meta descriptions sometimes, too. However, it's an SEO best practice to include them.) If you're feeling uninspired or have several to write, use a meta description generator. This AI-powered tool will create unique and compelling metadata for any page on your website.
  3. Exceeding metadata character limits. Another less-than-ideal search experience is when metadata gets cut off on the SERP. This can lead to incomplete meta titles or descriptions that leave the user confused or, worse, scrolling to the next search result. Instead, try to keep your meta titles under 60 characters and descriptions under 160. Adhering to these character limits ensures your complete information makes it to the SERP. You can also run your metadata through a SERP preview tool to see how it will look before publishing.

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Catapult Your Organic Traffic to New Heights With AIOSEO

Want to replicate Brainly’s incredible traffic growth?

While not every website can generate 10M+ monthly visits, it is possible to significantly increase your traffic with the right SEO strategies.

And what’s even better—All in One SEO makes these winning strategies accessible to you directly in WordPress.

All in One SEO homepage, the best WordPress SEO plugin.

AIOSEO has over 3 million active users who trust it to streamline their SEO and generate more traffic for their websites. With tons of powerful and user-friendly features, you'll get everything you need to take on the SERP and outrank the competition.

Here are a few of our favorites:

  • Semrush Keyphrase Suggestions: Perform keyword research directly in the WordPress editor. AIOSEO connects with your Semrush account to generate keyword ideas for your content.
  • Rich Snippets Schema: Win more rich results with AIOSEO’s user-friendly Schema Generator. Just pick the schema type you want, and the plugin will format the structured data properly for search engines.
  • TruSEO Score: Level up your content and go beyond a simple pass or fail. TruSEO analyzes your on-page SEO, giving you actionable insights to maximize your content's reach.
  • Social Media Integration: Seamlessly connect your favorite social media platforms to your site and share content with your audience. Available integrations include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and more.
  • AI Title & Description Generator: Save time writing SEO titles and meta descriptions with the help of AI. With just a click of a button, you can generate unique metadata for any page on your website.
  • Author SEO: Create powerful author bios that showcase your experience and expertise. This add-on aligns your content with Google E-E-A-T guidelines and helps readers trust what you share.
author avatar
Gabriela Jhean SEO Specialist
Gabriela is a creative and results-driven SEO specialist dedicated to helping small businesses stand out online. She contributes in-depth SEO case studies at AIOSEO Trends to reveal the winning strategies of top-ranking websites. In her downtime, Gabriela enjoys treasure hunting for antique jewelry.