Have you ever wondered what CeraVe does to improve SEO search results in the competitive skincare market?
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Over the past year, I’ve studied CeraVe’s SEO strategy in detail.
I looked at their content, keywords, and technical setup to see what drives their success. The results are impressive: CeraVe grew their organic traffic by 40% between January 2023 and November 2024.
Why does this matter? Because CeraVe is competing in a tough market. Skincare is crowded with big brands fighting for attention. Yet, CeraVe stands out. Their growth isn’t luck—it’s smart strategy.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- How CeraVe writes content that ranks high and connects with readers.
- The SEO tricks they use to keep their website fast and user-friendly.
- How they build backlinks to boost authority and trust.
- The way they target customers at every stage of the buying journey.
Want to know how CeraVe did it? Let’s break it down step by step, with clear examples you can use for your own site.
Inside CeraVe’s SEO Strategy: Winning in Skincare Markets

First of all, what is CeraVe?
CeraVe is a skincare brand that focuses on products for healthy and hydrated skin. Their formulas are developed with dermatologists and contain key ingredients like ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide.
Founded in 2005, CeraVe offers a wide range of skincare solutions, including cleansers, moisturizers, and treatments for conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Their mission is simple: to provide affordable, dermatologist-recommended skincare for everyone. By combining effective ingredients with science-backed formulas, CeraVe has become a trusted name in the skincare world.
Through a smart SEO and content strategy, CeraVe has built strong visibility in search engines. They rank highly for popular skincare topics, drawing in a wide audience of people looking for skincare advice, solutions, or product recommendations.
Let’s start by looking at CeraVe’s organic traffic growth from January 2023 to November 2024.

In this organic traffic graph, we can see that CeraVe’s organic traffic has grown significantly over the years, especially in 2021. However, in January 2023, their monthly organic traffic was already strong, but by November 2024, it has reached an incredible 3,059,213 monthly users.
As you can imagine, this growth is no accident. Behind it lies a powerful and well-thought-out SEO strategy. From content creation to technical optimisations, every step plays a role in this success.
This kind of growth is truly impressive, especially in the highly competitive skincare market, where countless brands vie for the same audience.
Next, let’s dive deeper and explore the key factors behind this growth. We’ll start by analysing the keywords CeraVe has indexed and how they’ve contributed to their success.

The growth in CeraVe’s indexed keywords mirrors their rise in organic traffic. This makes sense—more relevant keywords mean more opportunities to attract users to your website. But it’s not just about quantity; it’s about the quality of those keywords.
Now, I want to pause and address a common misconception about SEO. Many low-cost agencies or self-proclaimed SEO specialists claim that simply increasing the number of indexed keywords will guarantee traffic. They focus on indexing keywords with high search volumes but low difficulty, regardless of their relevance to your brand.
Here’s the problem: these irrelevant keywords often have nothing to do with your target audience. For instance, imagine a skincare brand targeting keywords like “celebrity gossip” or “funniest memes.” These might get traffic, but they won’t bring in the right kind of visitors who are looking for solutions to their skin concerns.
CeraVe, however, has taken a smarter approach. They’ve focused on keywords that align with searcher intent. Their strategy ensures that users searching for terms like “best moisturizer for dry skin” or “how to treat eczema” land on their pages. These are users with real needs that CeraVe can fulfill, which builds trust and authority in their niche.
This focus on intent—not just volume—is what separates successful SEO strategies from ineffective ones. It’s also why CeraVe’s keyword growth is driving meaningful traffic, not just numbers.
Now, let’s continue the analysis and take a closer look at how CeraVe is performing on the first two pages of Google.

(SERPs refer to Google’s enhanced results, like the People Also Ask section, Featured Snippets, Images, and Top Stories. These features make it easier for users to find answers directly on the search results page).
As we can see, the growth across all lines—Top 3 positions, 4–10, and SERP features—is remarkable. This upward trend highlights CeraVe’s consistent ability to secure high-ranking positions for valuable keywords.
If we combine the Top 3 keywords with those ranked 4–10 and SERP features, we see a significant overall increase. From January 2023 to November 2024, these indexed keywords grew by an impressive 244%. This sharp rise in first-page visibility aligns perfectly with the 40% increase in organic traffic during the same period.
But keywords alone don’t explain this success. CeraVe’s achievements are backed by more than just ranking well. Their strategy also includes:
- Meticulous keyword research to target terms with strong user intent.
- A solid technical SEO foundation, ensuring fast, mobile-friendly performance.
- A smart backlink strategy to build authority.
- High-quality, engaging content that keeps users on the page.
Now, let’s explore which specific keywords are driving most of this traffic.

In the table above, we can see the keywords driving traffic to CeraVe’s website. These are the main keywords, sorted by organic traffic, that highlight their SEO priorities.
It’s worth noting that many similar and related keywords have been excluded for simplicity. The goal here is to understand the broader topics and themes that CeraVe focuses on to attract and engage users.
Looking at the data, we can see that most of the keywords have an informational intent. This is a deliberate strategy.
Informational keywords, like “what does niacinamide do” or “how to apply toner,” help CeraVe attract users who are in the early stages of their journey. These users are researching solutions, not necessarily looking to buy immediately.
By answering these questions, CeraVe establishes itself as a trusted source for skincare advice. This builds credibility and lays the foundation for converting visitors into customers later.
Another important observation is the focus on pain points and common concerns in their target audience. For example:
- “Acne face wash” and “benzoyl peroxide face wash” cater to users dealing with acne concerns.
- “Best moisturizer for oily skin” targets those struggling to find the right product for their skin type.
- Keywords like “niacinamide uses for skin” and “lactic acid for skin” focus on ingredients, showing their audience’s growing interest in understanding skincare formulations.
These keywords align with moments when users are actively seeking answers, making them more likely to engage with CeraVe’s content.
The longer users spend exploring your site, the more trust you build. This positions you as a leader and reliable resource in your niche.
Now that we’ve explored the keywords driving traffic, let’s look at how CeraVe maps these topics to the different stages of the user journey.

CeraVe’s choice of topics is carefully designed to align with different stages of the customer journey.
This approach creates a smooth path that guides users from initial curiosity to deeper engagement with the brand.
For example, articles like “How to Identify Your Skin Type, According to a Dermatologist“ focus on users searching for basic skincare information. This is an entry point for people who may be new to skincare routines or unsure about which products suit their needs.
By addressing these high-interest questions, CeraVe positions itself as a reliable and trustworthy source of information. This is a crucial first step in building credibility and trust.
Once users land on these informational pages, they are gently guided toward more product-specific content. For instance, someone learning about their skin type might navigate to articles like “What Are Ceramides?“ or product recommendations for moisturizers and cleansers.
This strategic mapping of topics ensures that user needs are matched with CeraVe’s resources. It’s not just about answering questions—it’s about creating a seamless journey from information to action.

It is also worth mentioning a feature of CeraVe’s website: Skincare Solution Finder.
This interactive tool is designed to guide users toward a dermatologist-backed skincare routine tailored to their needs.
Why is this important? It enhances the user experience by providing immediate, personalised recommendations.
Instead of overwhelming users with too many product options, CeraVe simplifies the decision-making process.
This makes it easier for visitors to find solutions that match their skin type and concerns, whether they’re dealing with dryness, acne, or sensitive skin.
The tool also builds trust. By emphasising dermatologist expertise, CeraVe positions itself as a brand that prioritises customer care and professional guidance.
This is particularly impactful in the skincare niche, where customers are often looking for reliable, science-based solutions.
But there’s more to this strategy. Establishing authority goes beyond great content. CeraVe also employs a smart backlink strategy to reinforce its credibility and boost its rankings. Let’s explore that next.

In the table above, we can see that CeraVe has secured backlinks from some of the highest-authority domains on the web. For example, sites like CNN, Forbes, Healthline, and even Wikipedia link to CeraVe’s content or products.
What makes this particularly noteworthy is the significant number of backlinks from trusted health industry websites. Platforms like Mayo Clinic, Medical News Today, Verywell Health, and Health.com are not just high-authority domains—they are highly relevant to CeraVe’s niche.
This relevance is crucial for boosting credibility in the eyes of both users and search engines.
CeraVe achieves this by producing high-quality, science-backed content that earns links naturally. These links often come from articles discussing skincare advice, ingredient breakdowns, or dermatology recommendations, which align perfectly with CeraVe’s mission and offerings.
But it doesn’t stop there. Backlinks from prominent lifestyle publications like Elle, Good Housekeeping, and Vogue broaden CeraVe’s reach, reinforcing its reputation as both a dermatologist-recommended and consumer-loved brand.
These backlinks do more than just enhance SEO rankings. They also serve as additional traffic sources. Readers from trusted sites are likely to click through to CeraVe, further driving engagement and conversions.
By securing links from both health-focused and lifestyle platforms, CeraVe strengthens its position as an authoritative leader in the skincare market, proving that building relationships with trusted sources is key to a winning SEO strategy.

It is through these actions that CeraVe has established itself as one of the most trusted leaders in the skincare industry.
CeraVe has achieved an Authority Score of 63 with nearly 15,100 referring domains and 385,900 backlinks. This shows a strong link profile that supports their organic rankings.
Interestingly, CeraVe’s paid search traffic is minimal, with just 1,300 monthly visitors driven by PPC campaigns. This highlights their reliance on SEO as their primary traffic strategy.
Why does CeraVe avoid heavy spending on PPC? Because they, too, understand the value of the long game. Instead of relying on short-term traffic boosts, they’ve built a sustainable SEO strategy that delivers consistent and reliable traffic month after month.
This approach is particularly effective in the skincare niche, where trust is paramount. Organic rankings for queries like “how to identify your skin type“ or “what are ceramides“ feel far more credible than paid ads. Customers searching for skincare advice or solutions are more likely to trust a brand they find organically.
By focusing on SEO, CeraVe ensures that they’re present when users are actively researching skincare solutions. Whether someone is looking for “best moisturizer for oily skin“ or “how to treat eczema“, CeraVe is there with reliable and dermatologist-backed content.
This strategy is less about hard selling and more about educating and guiding. It builds loyalty over time, turning casual visitors into lifelong customers.
But none of this success would have been possible without a solid technical SEO foundation. Let’s explore the role of technical SEO in CeraVe’s growth.

First off, CeraVe keeps a healthy level of broken links, sitting at just 2%.
A lower percentage would be ideal, but for a site of this scale, it’s a solid indicator of good site maintenance and attention to detail.

They do not have any missing page titles. This indicates that all their pages are optimised for SEO and have been analysed.

They just have 7 missing meta description and 8 duplicated ones. Which is not concerning for their SEO score and will not affect their search rankings.

They are missing 16 H1 which would be a quick SEO win they could do.

They have 30 missing H2s, which is less than 10%.

Only 47 pages with poor content. This really points to the high value of all the content they publish and how well they target the user’s search intent.

It’s worth highlighting the good use of canonical URLs, effectively preventing duplicate content within the website.
This aspect is crucial for indicating to Google which page contains the original content among several similar pages.


And finally, page speed performance. The one they don’t successfully pass. Which could mean an opportunity to improve the loading speed of the website and avoid losing traffic.
That the website loads quickly is one of the most important factors to improve SEO scores and avoid losing incoming users.
If you would like me to analyse your website and see together possible ways to increase your organic traffic and improve your Google Rankings, book a free video call with me or contact me.
And if you think it can help more people, I’d love you to share it so that together we can go further. 🙌