Forem: Nicolas Menicou

How I boosted my Google impressions from 2 to 200 in a month with a simple SEO tweak 🚀

Nicolas Menicou — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 08:19:28 +0000

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a fun story about how I managed to grow my website, Mirmigki, from a measly 1-2 Google impressions to around 200 impressions in just a month. And no, I didn’t hire an army of SEO experts or spend crazy money on ads. I built a simple tool and made some smart changes! 🚀

Now, if you look at the graph, you'll see a span of three months, but here’s the catch—I didn’t really care about SEO until about a month ago. The first two months were basically me throwing the website out into the wild and hoping something would stick. Then, about a month ago, I decided to roll up my sleeves and focus on improving my SEO game, and that's why I'm calling this a "month of growth."

The humble beginnings: from barely there to... well, still small, but better!

When I first launched Mirmigki, which is a job board for Cyprus and Greece, I was getting basically no impressions. Google acted like I didn’t exist, which wasn’t exactly a confidence boost. But rather than sit around waiting for miracles, I got to work.

Step 1: Building something people actually need

I knew that if I wanted more traffic, I had to create something useful—something that people were actually searching for. So, I built a tax calculator for Cyprus. It’s a tool that many people in these countries genuinely need, and that made it easier to start driving traffic.

But let’s be real—just building a tool isn’t enough. I needed to make sure people could find it. That’s where SEO came into play.

Step 2: Swapping the slogan for a keyword (yeah, it hurt a little)

Here’s where things got interesting. My main keyword target is “jobs in Cyprus,” but guess what? I’m still not ranking for it! And honestly, it’s my own fault at first. I had something vague and catchy as my H1 header—it was something like “Jobs Made Simple.” Yeah, it’s a nice slogan and all, but Google doesn’t care about slogans when you’re not an established brand.

So, I swallowed my pride and changed my H1 to “Jobs in Cyprus”. Why? Because that’s what people are actually searching for. Once I’m more established and people are coming to my site naturally, I can slap any slogan I want as my H1. But for now, I’m playing the keyword game.

Step 3: Keywords FTW 🗝️

Speaking of keywords, once I created the tax calculator, I made sure to optimize the page with relevant phrases. I researched what people were searching for, like “Cyprus tax calculator" and made sure those terms were strategically placed throughout the page.

That alone helped boost my impressions, and I started seeing more people visiting my site through search engines. Small wins, right?

Step 4: Backlinks: The real power move 🔗

Now, here’s where the magic really happened. Even though I wasn’t ranking for my main keyword, some webmasters reached out to feature my website. Not specifically for the tax tool, but for Mirmigki as a whole. Getting these backlinks helped boost my site’s authority and visibility even more.

And, of course, I wasn’t just sitting around waiting for people to contact me. I reached out to webmasters myself, too, offering interviews or suggesting collaborations.

The SEO long game 🎯

Here’s the truth: SEO is a long-term game. Yes, you can make some quick wins with tools and keyword tweaks, but if you really want to see big results, you’ve got to keep at it. That means continuously writing useful articles and building relationships to get backlinks.

My site’s impressions went from 2 to 200, which is great, but I know that’s just the beginning. The goal is to keep growing by balancing good content and solid backlinks over time.

TL;DR 🐜

Built a tax calculator tool that people were searching for.
Changed my H1 from a slogan to my main keyword, “Jobs in Cyprus,” to rank for what people actually search for.
Used the right keywords on my pages to boost traffic.
Got backlinks by reaching out to webmasters and participating in interviews.
SEO is a long-term game—the secret is combining useful content with quality backlinks.

So, that’s how I went from practically invisible on Google to making a small dent in the SEO universe. If you’re struggling with impressions, focus on building something useful, targeting the right keywords, and hustling for those backlinks.

Feel free to check out Mirmigki to see my tax calculator and job board in action. And remember, when it comes to SEO, patience is key!

Experimenting with pricing: Finding the right strategy for growth!

Nicolas Menicou — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 13:34:38 +0000

Hey everyone! I hope you’ve been enjoying following my journey so far. Today, I’m excited to share some new developments—I’ve started experimenting with pricing strategies for my platform, Mirmigki and it’s been quite an interesting ride!

Offering Free Listings to Test the Waters

To kick things off, I’ve begun reaching out to recruiters on LinkedIn, offering them the chance to post up to three job listings for free with a special coupon. This initiative helps me understand the value users find in the platform and allows me to gather crucial feedback as I navigate the early stages of implementing a pricing model.

Exploring Different Pricing Packages

As I dive deeper into finding the right pricing strategy, I’m considering experimenting with different packages. I recently came across a thought-provoking article on SaaS pricing strategies that got me thinking: Lenny’s Newsletter on SaaS Pricing Strategy. The article explains how moving away from a flat monthly fee can capture more of the demand curve.

One concept that stood out is the “good, better, best” pricing model. This approach allows businesses to offer multiple price points, which can appeal to a wider range of customers and maximize revenue potential. It’s something I’m keen to explore further, especially since it aligns with providing tailored options to meet different needs—like what you see with services like Netflix or Adobe Creative Cloud.

The Road Ahead

I’m eager to see how these pricing experiments pan out and to find a strategy that aligns with both the platform’s goals and our users’ needs. The process of discovering the right balance is full of learning opportunities, and I’m excited to take on this challenge.

If you have any thoughts on pricing strategies or want to share your experiences, I’d love to hear from you! And if you’re interested in trying out the platform or know someone who might benefit, feel free to reach out for a chance to post for free.

Thanks for being part of this journey! 🚀

From Electrical Engineer to Startup Founder: My Unexpected Journey

Nicolas Menicou — Sat, 17 Aug 2024 09:56:04 +0000

Hey everyone! I’m Nicolas, and my journey from electrical engineering to launching my own startup has been quite an adventure. Grab a coffee, because this is going to be a fun ride!

The Beginning: Electrical Engineering and My Dislike for Programming

After graduating as an electrical engineer, I dove into network engineering. Here’s a fun fact—I never really enjoyed programming during university. It always felt like a complex puzzle that I couldn’t quite solve. But my fascination with technology kept me curious and eager to explore new paths.

Coding Bootcamp: A Surprising Turn

Just after finishing university, I decided to give programming another shot. I enrolled in Colt Steele's Web Dev Bootcamp Udemy course and started with the basics: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. To my surprise, I discovered a new passion for coding. What once seemed like a maze now turned into a creative playground.

I tackled React next, and diving into web development was a game-changer. The journey was filled with challenges, but it was incredibly rewarding and opened up exciting new opportunities.

Climbing the Ladder: Job Hopping and Growth

I hopped between several programming jobs, each one offering fresh challenges and valuable experiences. My salary saw a significant percentage increase as I progressed, and each role helped me strengthen my skills and broaden my horizons in software development.

The Unexpected Twist: Getting Laid Off

Life threw a curveball when I was laid off from my most recent role. It was a tough moment, but I’m grateful for the knowledge and experience I gained. This unexpected turn of events gave me a chance to reflect and set the stage for my next big adventure.

Enter Mirmigki: Revolutionizing Job Boards

When I looked at the job market in Cyprus and Greece, I noticed that many job boards were outdated and clunky. They seemed stuck in the past, and I saw an opportunity to shake things up. So, I decided to create something new.

Introducing Mirmigki—a modern job board designed to stand out from the usual templated sites. My goal was to build a platform that was fresh, intuitive, and user-friendly. The response has been fantastic, especially from the Cyprus subreddit community, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to see such positive feedback.

Tech Talk: Building Mirmigki

For those interested in the tech side, I built Mirmigki using NextJS for a fast and responsive experience, Tailwind for a quick way to mess around with styling, and Supabase as the database solution. I also tackled the challenge of self-deploying on a Hetzner server, which was both fun and educational.

What’s Next?

My journey has been full of unexpected turns and exciting opportunities. From my initial aversion to programming to now running Mirmigki, I’m thrilled about the future. If you’re curious, want to collaborate, or just want to chat, feel free to reach out on Twitter.

Thanks for joining me on this adventure. Here’s to turning challenges into opportunities and making things happen! 🚀