In the competitive world of tech startups, visibility is key. Sendbird, a customer communications platform that has raised over $220 million in funding, learned this lesson early on with the help of Y Combinator (YC). CEO and co-founder John Kim recently shared how a simple piece of advice from YC partners dramatically improved their search engine rankings and, consequently, their business growth.
The Initial Challenge: Describing the Product
When Sendbird first started, they struggled with how to describe their product. Kim recalls, “Initially I remember calling ourselves real time communication solutions.” This broad, technical description, while accurate, wasn’t resonating with potential customers or search engines.
The Y Combinator Insight
The turning point came during their time at Y Combinator. Kim shares, “I was talking to Justin, Connie, Michael, Sibel, and one of the early device we got from Y Combinator, Washington. Try to think about what people are actually searching you for on the Internet.”
This advice led to a crucial realization. Kim explains, “On Google, obviously, nobody searches real time communication solution. They look for something like chat API, chat SDK.”
The Resistance and Acceptance
Initially, Kim and his team resisted simplifying their product description. He recounts the conversation with Michael Seibel: “Michael was like, okay, what do people type in Google? I’m like, well, they search for chat API. And Michael’s like, so you’re a chat API company? Like, no, we are much more than they. We’re like real time communication solutions. Like New York chat API. I’m like, okay, fine, we’re chat API.”
This moment of acceptance marked a significant shift in Sendbird’s marketing strategy.
Implementing the Change
Following this advice, Sendbird made a complete overhaul of their SEO strategy. Kim details, “So we actually change all of our SEO and keywords to like chat API, chat SDK, messaging API, and that actually start to work. So we completely did SEO optimization around those keywords that people are searching for.”
The team didn’t stop at just changing keywords. They also adjusted their content strategy: “And every single content we wrote back then was specifically targeting those keywords. And all the content was like center around that.”
The Dramatic Results
The results of this strategy were remarkable. Kim proudly states, “That really started make traction in the first couple of months. And then we saw our page rank go from page 27 to page six, five, and then ultimately to page one, just have three results.”
This improvement in search rankings had a direct impact on their business growth. Kim concludes, “That’s when we start to really grow organically. So we started as a chat API.”
Lessons for Startups
Sendbird’s SEO journey offers valuable lessons for other startups:
- Listen to your customers: Understand the language they use to search for solutions like yours.
- Simplify your messaging: Sometimes, a simpler description can be more effective than a comprehensive one.
- Align content with search intent: Create content that directly addresses what potential customers are searching for.
- Be open to advice: Even if it initially seems to oversimplify your product, expert advice can lead to significant improvements.
- Consistency is key: Apply your SEO strategy across all content for maximum impact.
The Power of SEO for Startup Growth
Sendbird’s experience underscores the critical role of SEO in startup growth. By aligning their online presence with user search behavior, they were able to dramatically increase their visibility and attract more potential customers.
Kim emphasizes the ongoing importance of this strategy: “Most of our growth, even still to this day, comes from inbounds. Like 90% of our leads and pipeline do come from inbound.”
For startups looking to boost their online presence and attract more leads, Sendbird’s journey from page 27 to page 1 of Google search results serves as an inspiring and instructive case study. It demonstrates that with the right strategy and a willingness to adapt, significant improvements in search rankings – and consequently, business growth – are achievable.
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