This case study follows a young iGaming brand launched in Hungary (HU) and subsequently scaled into Serbia (SR)and Georgia (GE). The SEO campaign ran on Google Search and covered four language versions: Hungarian, Serbian, Georgian, and English.
The engagement spanned July 2025 to February 2026. One month before going live with active SEO, our team completed a preparation phase – locking in the strategy and mapping the competitive landscape – so the rollout could be fast, structured, and fully manageable.
Below is how we approached the project – from the client brief and overall framework to execution by stage and results in each GEO.
Client’s Objectives
The client needed an end-to-end solution combining product SEO with branded SERP protection:
- SEO growth for the main product site
- Brand Protection: securing branded search results with brand-controlled assets and reducing the risk of competitors diverting branded traffic
- A supporting-site network for HU as the primary launch GEO
- Marketing readiness: strengthening search visibility and maintaining a controlled, trust-driven footprint to support additional channels
In practice, the roadmap was simple: we had to build the technical and strategic foundation, lock down the branded SERP, and then – replicate and adapt the model for new markets.
Strategy: Three Workstreams Running in Parallel
To make results sustainable, we ran three workstreams in parallel – each reinforcing the others: core site SEO, Brand Protection, and reputation.
1) Core site SEO
We started with the essentials: technical audit, resolving critical issues affecting indexing and growth, and building the SEO strategy in parallel. The initial focus was top visibility for branded queries, followed by expansion into broader iGaming keyword clusters, starting with HU.
2) Brand Protection via a supporting-site network – built to scale
While the core site was being improved technically and expanded content-wise, we rolled out a second layer: a network of 20 supporting sites for HU. We produced SEO content for these sites and built links gradually to secure branded SERP positions and keep them stable over time.
3) Reputation (SERM) + SERP monitoring
The third workstream covered reputation and trust signals. We monitored the information landscape and key trust touchpoints – including platforms such as Trustpilot – and helped the brand maintain a consistent presence across relevant, authoritative resources.
Additionally, we also strengthened the English version by expanding the site structure through an English subfolder setup, improving visibility in markets where English pages can rank alongside local-language content.
Stage 1: HU – Core Site SEO and Brand Protection Rollout
We executed in stages: HU first, then scaled this strategy into SR and GE.
Since HU was the launch market, we ran product SEO and Brand Protection in parallel to secure branded visibility early and establish a reliable baseline before scaling.
Core site: key activities for HU
- Competitor analysis to have a clear strategy, define targets, priorities, and execution cadence
- Technical audit and implementation with dev: we resolved critical issues, ensured clean indexing, and prepared the site for sustained growth
- Keyword research and clustering: also we built a structured semantic map to guide site architecture and content
- Content plan and localization: our team produced category-focused SEO content and translated/localized into Hungarian and English. We also scaled game-related landing pages and sections. Content production was accelerated with AI-assisted drafting, followed by mandatory editorial review and human QA
- Anchor plan along with white-hat link building: we focused on high-quality outreach in HU, supported by crowd and other links to keep the link profile naturally diversified
Our key take-away for this stage: we built a strong technical base and a scalable content model – positioning the brand to grow not only on branded demand, but also across broader iGaming clusters.
Supporting-site network in HU
To reinforce Brand Protection, we deployed a brand-controlled supporting-site network for HU. The goal was clear: we needed to shape the branded top results around assets the brand controls and push out competitors attempting to divert branded traffic.
What we implemented
- Registered EMD domains
- Connected analytics and tracking for continuous monitoring and faster response to SERP changes
- Built a design closely aligned with the main product site to keep the user journey consistent
- Launched 20 WordPress supporting sites
- Created a dedicated link approach: separate anchor plan and multiple link-building tactics (including more bold variants), with a focus on quality outreach
- Published SEO-optimized content so each site could consistently rank for branded queries
In short: we grew the core site with long-term, white-hat SEO, while the supporting-site network served as a controlled layer to defend branded SERPs and hold top positions.
Our SERM activities
Alongside SEO, we set up a reputation layer: analyzed competitor visibility and compiled a shortlist of relevant platforms (including Trustpilot) where consistent presence and feedback monitoring matter. This helped maintain a controlled information footprint and support trust signals in branded search.
With the core site strengthened, the network live, and reputation monitoring in place, we validated the key outcome: how the branded SERP changed in HU.
Key results of the first stage explained
At the time results were recorded:
- The entire Google Top 10 for branded queries in HU was successfully taken by our supporting sites and other brand-controlled assets
- Competitors attempting to divert branded traffic were pushed out of the branded SERP
Our main takeaway: Brand Protection in HU was delivered, creating a stable foundation for scaling into additional GEOs and expanding content and link activity. The time has come to move further!
Stage 2: Scaling into GE and SR
With a stable model in HU, we moved into Georgia (GE) and Serbia (SR). Rather than copying the HU setup one-to-one, we built market-specific strategies reflecting local SERP behavior.
Core site work (GE + SR)
Scaling into new GEOs is more than translation of your creatives, so we also planned resources for localization and link building activities per market.
We followed a standard, reliable workflow:
- Created two separate SEO strategies for GE and SR
- Did a keyword research and clustering per market
- We also prepared separate anchor plans aligned with local link profile specifics
- Localized briefs from Hungarian into Georgian and Serbian to cover target keyword clusters
Note: in these markets, the English subfolder often ranks as well – so we structured content to complement each other rather than compete
This gave us a market-ready SEO foundation for both GE and SR – covering structure, content, and links. Next, we’ll walk through how we scaled Brand Protection on the supporting-site network without launching new domains.
Supporting-site network: scaling without new domains
Brand Protection new GEOs also needed to scale quickly. Since the HU network was already live and had accumulated link equity, we did not launch new domains. Instead, we expanded the existing network via /sr/ and /ge/ subfolders – accelerating SERP entry by leveraging established domains.
Implementation included:
- Publishing translations and adapting content for GE and SR
- Strengthening the new GEO sections with links – both to the supporting-site network and to the localized versions of the product site
- Setting up internal linking across language sections
- Validating tracking and traffic distribution across the funnel
This gave us a growth foundation in the new GEOs – both for the product and for Brand Protection – before we moved on to results.
Key results of the second stage explained
With the rollout complete, we captured the branded SERP outcomes for each market.
Georgia (GE)
- The core product ranked Top 1 in Google for branded queries
- The remaining branded SERP positions were also occupied by brand-controlled supporting sites
Serbia (SR)
- The entire Google Top 9 was taken by our supporting sites
So the result: across all three priority GEOs – HU, GE, and SR – the Brand Protection objective was successfully delivered.
Additional metric: branded search growth from Ahrefs
Beyond SERP positions, we also reviewed branded search dynamics – how search volume for the core branded query changed over time. As a reference, we used Ahrefs data for HU and GE:
HU: search volume grew from 18 to 900 and continued trending upward
GE: search volume grew from 0 to 350+
Final Takeaway
This project shows how a synchronized model – core site SEO, a brand-controlled supporting-site network and SERM – can deliver a predictable Brand Protection outcome:
- The core site gets a strong SEO foundation: technical health, keyword strategy, content, and efficient white-hat link building
- The supporting-site network secures branded SERPs with assets the brand controls, reducing the risk of competitors diverting branded traffic
- SERM and monitoring strengthen trust signals through a stable, reputable search footprint
As a result, Brand Protection was delivered across three GEOs (HU, GE, SR), while branded search volume increased significantly – creating a strong base for scaling broader marketing activity.
Want to protect your branded SERP and strengthen your search visibility too? Message mr.Booster – we’ll review your goals and build a plan for your market!
