In May 2024, design software company Figma launched a simple yet powerful addition to their website: the Color Meanings Section. The results were incredible. Within just 90 days, this new section was attracting 274,000 visits per month. But how did a collection of pages about colors generate such massive traffic?
The secret lies in Figma's clever use of programmatic SEO. They created 48 detailed color pages, each answering specific questions that designers and color enthusiasts frequently search for online. For instance, their page on dark pink now ranks second on Google for the query "what color is dark pink?"
This strategy not only improved Figma's website traffic but also strengthened their position as a go-to resource in the design world. In the following sections, we'll break down their strategy step by step. You'll see exactly how Figma used SEO to boost their visibility and grow their user base.
Figma's Color Meanings Section
Figma's Color Meanings Section is a comprehensive resource designed to educate and inform users about various aspects of color. Here's a detailed breakdown of its structure and content:
1. Seven main color categories: The section is organized into seven primary color groups: Reds, Oranges, Yellows, Greens, Blues, Purples, and Neutrals. This categorization aligns with the color wheel concept, a fundamental tool in color theory and design.
2. 48 detailed color pages: Within these categories, Figma created 48 individual pages, each dedicated to a specific color shade. For example, within the "Reds" category, you might find pages for colors like "dark pink," "burgundy," or "crimson." (https://www.figma.com/colors/dark-pink/)
3. Comprehensive color information: Each color page is packed with valuable information. This typically includes:
- The color's hex code and RGB values
- A brief history or cultural significance of the color
- Common uses in design and branding
- Psychological associations and emotional responses to the color
- Complementary and analogous colors
- Examples of the color in use
4. Expandable content sections: To make the pages more user-friendly and SEO-optimized, Figma implemented expandable sections. Users can click to reveal more detailed information on specific aspects of each color. This structure allows for in-depth content without overwhelming the user at first glance.
Figma Color Meanings Section
Figma Color Meanings Section - Red color
Figma Red Color - Dark Pink
5. Visual examples: Each page likely includes visual examples of the color in use, such as in logos, websites, or product designs. These examples help users understand how the color works in practical applications.
6. Related colors: Pages often include suggestions for related colors or color palettes, helping users explore color combinations and expand their design options.
By creating this extensive color resource, Figma positioned itself as an authoritative source on color theory and application in design. This aligns perfectly with their product offering – a design tool where color selection and manipulation are key features.
SEO strategy
Figma's SEO strategy for the Color Meanings Section is a textbook example of effective programmatic SEO. Here's a detailed look at their approach:
1. Keyword targeting: Figma identified and targeted a wide range of color-related search queries. These likely included:
- Basic color information (e.g., "what color is dark pink?")
- Color combinations (e.g., "colors that go with dark pink")
- Color psychology (e.g., "meaning of dark pink in design")
- Specific use cases (e.g., "using dark pink in logo design")
Figma Red Color - (https://www.figma.com/colors/dark-pink/ )
Figma - "What Color is Dark Pink?" Ranks #2 on Google
2. Long-tail keywords: By creating individual pages for specific color shades, Figma tapped into long-tail keywords. These are longer, more specific phrases that, while searched less frequently, often have higher conversion rates.
3. Featured snippets: Figma structured their content to capture featured snippets on Google. For instance, their page ranks #1 as a featured snippet for "similar colors to dark pink." This prime position significantly increases visibility and click-through rates.
Figma - "Similar Colors to Dark Pink" Ranks #1 on Google
4. Content structure: The use of expandable sections allows Figma to include a large amount of content without cluttering the page. This improves user experience while still providing search engines with plenty of relevant text to index.
5. Internal linking: Figma likely implemented a strong internal linking strategy, connecting related color pages and other relevant sections of their website. This helps distribute page authority and keeps users engaged on the site.
6. Mobile optimization: Given Google's mobile-first indexing, Figma undoubtedly ensured that their Color Meanings pages were fully optimized for mobile devices.
7. Page speed: Fast-loading pages are crucial for both user experience and SEO. Figma likely optimized their pages for quick loading times, especially considering the potential inclusion of color swatches and images.
8. Metadata optimization: Each page's title tags, meta descriptions, and header tags were likely carefully crafted to include relevant keywords while accurately describing the page content.
9. Schema markup: Figma may have implemented schema markup to provide search engines with more context about their content, potentially improving how their pages appear in search results.
This comprehensive SEO strategy allowed Figma to capture a significant share of color-related search traffic, driving a large volume of potential customers to their website.
Aligning content with product
Figma's Color Meanings Section is a prime example of content marketing that aligns perfectly with their product offering. Here's how they achieved this alignment:
1. Relevance to core product: Figma is a design tool where color selection and manipulation are key features. By providing in-depth information about colors, Figma demonstrates their expertise in an area central to their product's functionality.
2. Target audience match: The Color Meanings Section appeals directly to Figma's target audience – designers and design enthusiasts. This content attracts the very people who are most likely to be interested in using Figma's design tools.
3. Practical application: Each color page likely includes examples of how the color can be used in design projects. This practical information naturally leads users to think about how they might apply this knowledge in their own work – potentially using Figma's tools to do so.
4. Educational value: By providing comprehensive information about color theory and application, Figma positions itself as an educational resource. This builds trust with users and establishes Figma as an authority in the design space.
5. Seamless user journey: Figma makes it easy to learn about a color and seamlessly apply that knowledge in a design project. The color information naturally leads to curiosity about how to use these colors in design, which Figma's tools can facilitate.
6. Brand reinforcement: The depth and quality of the Color Meanings Section reinforce Figma's brand as a comprehensive, user-focused design platform. It shows that Figma understands and caters to the needs of designers beyond just providing software tools.
7. Indirect product promotion: While the Color Meanings pages aren't direct advertisements for Figma's products, they subtly demonstrate the kind of design thinking and attention to detail that Figma brings to their tools.
By aligning their content so closely with their product offering, Figma created a powerful inbound marketing tool. The Color Meanings Section not only drives traffic but attracts highly relevant visitors who are more likely to be interested in Figma's design tools.
Results and impact
The results of Figma's Color Meanings Section strategy were impressive:
1. Rapid traffic growth: Within 30 days of launch, the section was receiving 50,000 monthly visits. After 90 days, this number had grown to 274,000 visits per month. This represents a 448% increase in just two months.
2. Improved search engine visibility: Figma achieved high rankings for numerous color-related search queries. For example, they ranked #2 for "what color is dark pink?" and #1 (as a featured snippet) for "similar colors to dark pink."
3. Increased brand awareness: By appearing in search results for a wide range of color-related queries, Figma significantly increased their brand visibility among designers and design enthusiasts.
4. Established authority: The comprehensive nature of the Color Meanings Section helped establish Figma as an authority on color theory and design, enhancing their reputation in the industry.
5. Potential user acquisition: While specific conversion data isn't available, it's likely that a portion of the traffic to the Color Meanings Section translated into new users for Figma's design tools.
6. Enhanced user engagement: The educational content likely increased time-on-site metrics, with users spending more time exploring color information and potentially other areas of Figma's website.
7. Organic link building: High-quality, informative content often attracts natural backlinks from other websites. This could have further boosted Figma's SEO performance across their entire site.
8. Cost-effective marketing: Compared to paid advertising, this content-driven SEO strategy likely provided a high return on investment, generating large volumes of targeted traffic at a relatively low cost.
9. Long-term benefits: Unlike one-off marketing campaigns, the evergreen nature of color information means this content can continue to drive traffic and provide value for years to come, with only occasional updates needed.
Potential next steps
Given the success of the Color Meanings Section, what might be next for Figma?
1. Expanded design topics: Figma could apply this strategy to other design-related topics, creating comprehensive resources on typography, layout, or UX principles.
2. Interactive tools: They might develop color-related tools or widgets to increase engagement and provide additional value to visitors.
3. Community integration: Figma could incorporate user-generated content or community discussions about color into their pages, further enriching the resource.
Conclusion
Figma’s approach can be adapted by businesses across various industries. Companies can identify topics closely related to their products or services that their target audience frequently searches for online. By creating in-depth, well-structured content on these topics, businesses can improve their search engine rankings, drive more targeted traffic to their websites, and establish themselves as industry authorities. The success of this strategy hinges on understanding the target audience's needs and search behaviors, creating genuinely helpful content, and optimizing it effectively for search engines.
