Company Name	Ride Inc.
Products	Jius (website creation), Speaver (rental server)
Services Provided	Website renovation, SEO measures, content marketing
Purpose	Increase inquiries and contract numbers for their services
Effect	Domain rating increased from 30 to 70, inquiries increased 70 times

Increasing Inquiries for “ZIUS” and “Speever”

――Can you tell us about the target of this initiative?

Mr. Yuji Koyano (hereafter, Mr. Koyano):

Our services include “ZIUS,” which is our in-house website creation service, and “Speever,” our rental server service.

When we established the company in 2004, the image was to pioneer the rental server business, but now the market is saturated and feels mature.

With many competitors, we realized that web marketing is essential for survival. To increase inquiries for ZIUS and Speever, we decided to enhance the site’s value and enlisted the support of Mass Driver.

――What prompted you to improve the site’s value?

Mr. Koyano:

Our web advertising efforts weren’t yielding satisfactory results. Inquiry numbers had been low for about three years. Although we noticed the declining number of orders, we hadn’t conducted a detailed analysis or implemented specific countermeasures.

Before collaborating with Mass Driver, we attempted various strategies, such as writing staff blogs and enhancing our manual site, to increase inquiries. However, our efforts lacked the necessary expertise to effectively navigate the mature market in our industry.

――What specific measures did Mass Driver take?

Mr. Koyano:

We renewed the websites for ZIUS and Speever based on SEO strategies. Before that, Mr. Makino assisted us with understanding our current situation and analyzing our sites. We started this process in August 2020.

Makino, Mass Driver Inc. (hereafter, Makino):

For example, regarding the website creation service ZIUS, we thought that if we positioned it as “a website creation company with low initial costs and affordable monthly fees,” we could compete effectively.

To achieve this, we decided to create content that combines both quantity and quality. It is also important to update the content to improve and maintain SEO rankings, so we included detailed content like glossaries. Thanks to this, the content has become very useful and is being read by many people.

I didn’t even know the term “content marketing”

――How did you proceed with the initiatives?

Makino:

First, I created a “template” for the content. By analyzing competitor articles and conducting insights research, I drafted article outlines with keywords like “What is a homepage?” and “Server,” and then had the staff at Raido write the articles based on these outlines.

Raido dedicated a considerable amount of internal resources, and thanks to that, we were able to publish content that went viral.

――I imagine producing a large volume of content in-house was challenging.

Mr. Koyano:

It would be difficult for just one person. Based on the outlines provided by Makino, four or five people worked on the production. I kept emphasizing the importance of continuity and that this would take time. Each person has their primary duties, and content creation was an unfamiliar task for them, so I made sure they understood that the time spent on content creation was enhancing the value of the site.

Makino:

After the articles were written, I handled proofreading, keyword insertion, and analysis using heat maps.

For the first year, we had daily meetings. I know it was challenging for everyone.

Mr. Koyano:

We were thoroughly trained (laughs). But thanks to that, we’ve accumulated significant know-how.

Makino:

We wanted quick results in outperforming competitors and increasing inquiries, so I put a lot of thought into our strategies.

Mr. Koyano:

In addition to accumulating know-how, the biggest challenge was embedding web marketing as a culture and developing people. We started from scratch with terms like content marketing.

Makino:

Thanks to Mr. Koyano’s understanding and flexibility, and everyone’s hard work, we achieved results.

――Please share your thoughts on goal setting.

Mr. Koyano:

Rather than focusing on achieving numerical targets, I prioritized the accumulation of know-how.

Our company is a subsidiary of the Radix Group, but there was no department within the group that had expertise in SEO and content marketing, so our goal was to absorb as much know-how as possible.

Makino:

To support this, we provided a structured proposal sheet that could be utilized for content creation.

Especially with ZIUS, attracting customers is a significant factor in the motivation to create a website. Ultimately, we aimed to convey how to attract people through content and the logic behind website improvements, so that it could become a service provided by Raido.

In the past 4-5 years, the term in-house marketing has become popular, but successful cases are still rare. However, in the case of Raido, I believe it was Mr. Koyano’s leadership of the team that led to good results. Marketing is difficult without the ability to understand people’s feelings.

At one point, the number of inquiries increased 70 times compared to the previous year.

――What kind of results did you expect from the introduction of the Mass Driver service?

Mr. Koyano:

I simply expected an increase in the number of inquiries and contracts. It wouldn’t mean anything if the number of inquiries increased but didn’t lead to contracts, but we achieved solid results in both.

About eight months after we started the initiatives, the number of inquiries gradually began to increase, and the domain rating (a metric indicating the value of a site) visibly improved.

Makino:

The domain rating was 40 as of August 2020, but at one point it rose to 70. It has now settled at 63. By raising this figure, we were able to create a foundation where SEO could be improved more easily through content and backlinks.

――How much did the number of inquiries actually increase?

Makino:

In the case of ZIUS, it was one inquiry per month in October 2020, but it gradually increased, reaching 70 inquiries per month by October 2021.

――That’s a remarkable increase.

Makino:

It was thanks to the diligent efforts of everyone at Raido, including Koyano.

Mr. Koyano:

At first, we were a complete group of amateurs, but I am deeply grateful for Makino’s persistence in nurturing us to this point.

Makino:

Everyone had a basic foundation, as they were handling servers in their main duties, so they were able to quickly digest and understand the knowledge, which was a significant advantage.

Accumulation of know-how also brings the possibility of developing a web marketing business.

――Did you encounter any obstacles during the two years of initiatives?

Mr. Koyano:

There was a period of stagnation. The cause was clear: there was a limit to handling both our main duties and content creation simultaneously. Therefore, we decided to hire a web marketing specialist, and establishing a proper business structure was a significant development for the company. Achieving this required a certain level of results.

Makino:

When we first spoke, you mentioned wanting to create a dedicated web marketing position within the company, so I’m very pleased that this goal has been achieved.

Mr. Koyano:

Our group’s overall strength lies in sales, but I felt that a department dedicated to web customer acquisition and digital marketing was necessary. We are also in the process of hiring another web marketing specialist.

――That’s a very positive development. Did you gain any new insights through these initiatives?

Mr. Koyano:

Our internal knowledge of content marketing has significantly expanded.

Additionally, I realized anew that the quality of our core business and the services targeted by our initiatives must be solid. No matter how much customer acquisition we achieve, if the core services are not good, customers will quickly leave. To prevent this, it is essential to ensure the quality of our services. We have become more conscious of maintaining high quality.

Makino:

Even if the number of inquiries increases, some customers may have low engagement, so the method of attracting customers is crucial.

――It seems there is a synergistic effect where customer acquisition and service quality both improve.

Mr. Koyano:

I can say that the quality of our services is gradually improving, and we are working hard to maintain that. More customers who closely match our advertising and marketing personas are coming in, and our orders are increasing, indicating that our marketing strategy and services are well aligned.

――You are indeed building a happy relationship between your customers and your company. What are your further expectations for Mass Driver?

Mr. Koyano:

I feel that we are starting to see the possibility of developing a web marketing service business, utilizing the know-how we have accumulated through our collaboration with Makino. That said, we still need Makino’s evaluations, as he possesses the latest information and knowledge, and we aim to continue building our expertise. We hope he will continue to provide us with the latest information as our consultant.

Makino:

Thank you very much. I will strive to continue catching the latest information and sharing it with you!