Riding the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Hype: How SEO and UX/UI Boosted Retailer Sales by 30%

Solution

To achieve the set goals, we implemented a comprehensive SEO strategy that included technical optimization, site structure improvements, relevant content creation, and external link building.

All steps were executed in close collaboration with the Telemart team, ensuring alignment and maximum efficiency of the implemented solutions.

Crawl Budget Optimization

Our first priority was to reduce unnecessary load on the website’s crawl budget.
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The crawl budget refers to the number of pages Googlebot is willing and able to crawl on a website within a given timeframe. When a site contains a high number of low-value or technical pages, Google may waste its resources crawling them instead of indexing the traffic-driving pages.

We analyzed and identified pages with low or no value for users — primarily service pages generated by the CMS. These pages were excluded from indexing, allowing us to reallocate crawl resources toward key sections that had the potential to bring organic traffic.

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This helped Google focus on priority sections — categories and filters that drive traffic — and improved rankings for high-priority categories.  

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Working with Categories and Filters

Together with the Telemart team, we defined a list of core categories for optimization — including PCs, components, and later, peripherals, which became a new priority for promotion.

Here’s what we did for each category:

• Collected a semantic core based on actual user demand
• Updated the structure of categories and filters
• Created optimized content based on the semantic core and keyword frequency
• Built up the external backlink profile to strengthen SEO authority

This approach ensured steady growth in audience reach across targeted categories. For example, the share of Top 3 queries for the “Peripherals” category increased from 5.5% to 22.5% over the course of a year. Meanwhile, the number of Top 3 keywords in the “Components” category grew by 20.2% year over year.

These results confirmed the effectiveness of our strategy: rather than trying to cover everything at once, we focused on a systematic, step-by-step approach.
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These results confirmed the effectiveness of our strategy: rather than trying to cover everything at once, we focused on a systematic, step-by-step approach.

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External Link Profile

We gradually built the external link profile, focusing on priority categories and pages that already had potential in search results.

Our goal was not just to get high-quality external links to the client's website, but to do it precisely and effectively to support pages that have the potential to improve their search rankings.
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To do this, we tracked the dynamics of page indexing, and if a page was indexed with relevant semantics and ranked between the TOP-10 and TOP-30, we considered it a priority for external promotion. As part of our main SEO efforts, we saw the potential in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 release topic. For Telemart, this was a relevant news event that allowed us to attract targeted organic traffic not only to the article about the game but also to components that met the game's technical requirements.

Preparation for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Release

As we got ready to release S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, our UX/UI team came on board to help. They worked with SEO specialists to add thematic elements to the website, expecting a big surge in interest. At the same time, the Telemart team was busy developing technical specs, getting the website ready for launch, exploring new ways to draw in the audience, and overseeing implementation.

Thanks to this well-coordinated teamwork, we successfully grabbed users' attention during peak demand.

SEO Efforts

Before the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, we prepared dedicated landing pages and optimized blog content. We began by compiling the most frequently asked questions from users about PC upgrades for the game's requirements. Then, we created the necessary texts and metadata and submitted the pages for indexing.

We also added internal links to products that met the technical specifications. This boosted page relevance and streamlined the user's journey from information to purchase.

To ensure Google recognized the page as high-quality even before the game's release, and to avoid losing potential customers, we included a "Pre-order" button with a contact form. This helped us convert interest into leads during the anticipation phase.
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Thanks to early content preparation and page optimization, we managed to achieve zero-position and top search rankings even before the game launched, and we maintained those positions after the release.

UX/UI Work

To amplify the impact of the SEO strategy and attract more of the gaming audience, our UX/UI team developed visual solutions inspired by the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 aesthetic.

The design incorporated atmospheric background illustrations with Zone elements, torn edges for blocks, contrasting text, and stylized icons. All of this created a cohesive impression of a familiar game interface.
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The text was also stylized: white font, strong contrast, and typography reminiscent of a game interface.

This visual design not only maintained the mood but also helped better structure the content, especially the steps of the Trade-in process.
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For mobile devices, we adapted the interface to a vertical format. We kept the main stylistic and decorative elements but simplified the presentation to avoid overloading the screen.

All user actions (like selecting categories or filling out forms) remained intuitive and comfortable to interact with. This ensured a convenient user experience even on smaller screens.
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This approach created a personalized experience for the gaming audience, which contributed to conversions. The design not only attracted attention but also encouraged the desired action.

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Results

Our comprehensive SEO strategy led to stable growth, with organic traffic increasing by +29.2% over the year. By optimizing technical parameters, site structure, content, and the backlink profile, we successfully improved the website's overall search visibility, as well as for priority categories.

This success was made possible by the partnership and seamless collaboration with the Telemart team, from the planning stage through to the full implementation of our solutions.

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We're also seeing an increase in the number of queries ranking in the TOP-5 and TOP-10, which in the future will allow us to increase the share of keywords in the traffic-generating zone.

The work implemented also led to an improvement in Core Web Vitals (CWV) scores and loading speed.
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Core Web Vitals (CWV) are Google's metrics that evaluate a page's speed, interactivity, and visual stability. In reports, green indicates "good," yellow means "needs improvement," and red signifies "poor."

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Throughout the analyzed period, there's a significant reduction in the number of pages in the yellow zone, indicating consistent improvement in user experience and effective technical optimization.
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An additional driver for increased performance metrics was our proactive response to relevant news events, particularly the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. We prepared optimized content and thematic design elements for the website even before demand surged, which allowed us to quickly gain traffic from top rankings.

Beyond improved search visibility, the client also recorded growth in key business metrics — the SEO strategy didn't just impact traffic; it directly contributed to increased financial results.

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