In May 2019, Canva made a strategic move that, on the surface, appeared to be about expanding its image library. However, a closer look reveals a brilliantly crafted SEO strategy. By purchasing Pexels and Pixabay, two of the largest free stock content platforms, Canva ingeniously tapped into a goldmine of organic traffic and high-quality backlinks.

Canva’s acquisition strategy: user experience is just the tip of the iceberg 

On the surface, Canva's acquisition strategy appeared to be a straightforward move to enhance user experience. By integrating over 1 million additional images from Pexels and Pixabay, Canva significantly expanded its content library. Through this acquisition, users could access even more free, high-quality visuals without leaving the Canva ecosystem. As Canva's CEO Melanie Perkins stated, "We believe everyone should have access to great design ingredients for their visuals; this is why free content will always play a central role in Canva's vision of democratizing design."

However, this user-centric improvement was merely the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface lay a strategic SEO and growth play.

The hidden SEO goldmine: leveraging Pexels and Pixabay's digital authority

The real SEO genius of these acquisitions lay in Canva's decision to maintain Pexels and Pixabay as separate brands. Both platforms are SEO powerhouses, boasting millions of backlinks and high search engine rankings. 

Pexels (Ahrefs data):

• Domain Authority: 92 (out of 100)

• Monthly Organic Traffic: 29.3 million visits

• Ranking Keywords: 2.6 million (200k in the top 3)

• Top Ranking Keywords: "free stock photos", "stock photos", "free images"

Pixabay (Ahrefs data): 

• Domain Authority: 92

• Monthly Organic Traffic: 24.2 million visits

• Ranking Keywords: 5.3 million (400k in the top 3)

• Top Ranking Keywords: "free images", "free photos", "royalty-free images"

Together, Pexels and Pixabay drive over 53 million monthly organic visits and rankings for nearly 8 million keywords. They also earn over 111 million high-authority backlinks from reputable design and photography websites, further cementing their strong presence in image-related search engine results pages (SERPs). By maintaining these sites as separate entities, Canva preserved their established SEO value.

Clever integration: funneling traffic to Canva

Canva didn’t stop at mere acquisition. They implemented a clever integration strategy by adding “Edit in Canva” buttons to Pexels and Pixabay user interfaces. This subtle addition creates a seamless funnel, directing users from these high-traffic sites directly to Canva’s platform. 

By integrating these buttons, Canva established a connection between image discovery on Pexels and Pixabay and Canva's design tools. Users can now easily transition from searching for free stock images on Pexels and Pixabay to editing them within Canva.

The strategy is paying off. According to Ahrefs, Pexels and Pixabay collectively bring in millions of backlinks to Canva. For example, Pexels alone brings in 1.8 million backlinks to Canva. 

Capturing valuable keywords: an indirect approach with powerful results

The acquisition of Pexels and Pixabay enabled Canva to compete indirectly for keywords where it might have struggled to rank previously. These acquisitions gave Canva instant access to high-ranking positions for high-value search terms in the design and image space. 

Pexels and Pixabay had already established solid rankings for highly competitive keywords such as "free stock photos," "royalty-free images," and "free images." These terms are notoriously difficult to rank for due to intense competition from established players in the stock image industry like iStock and Adobe. Instead of spending years and significant resources trying to outrank these sites, Canva simply acquired their competitors.

By owning these platforms, Canva effectively gained top positions in search engine results pages (SERPs) for these valuable keywords without competing directly for them. This approach offers several advantages:

1. Immediate visibility and traffic funneling: By integrating "Edit in Canva" buttons on Pexels and Pixabay, Canva instantly gained exposure to users searching for free images, a key demographic for their design platform.

2. Diverse keyword coverage: Pexels and Pixabay collectively rank for millions of keywords, giving Canva broad visibility across various search intents related to images and design.

3. Reduced competition: By owning these platforms, Canva effectively removed two major competitors from the market while benefiting from their established search presence.

Applying Canva’s acquisition strategy to your own business

Canva's acquisition strategy proved to be a brilliant SEO tactic. By acquiring Pexels and Pixabay, Canva effectively piggybacked on these platforms' established brand equity and organic traffic and created a seamless funnel to their own service.

This approach demonstrates the power of strategic acquisitions in boosting SEO and user acquisition. Here's how you can apply similar principles to your own business:

• Acquire and integrate within your niche: Look for tools in your niche that do something your company doesn’t do and have high domain authority or organic traffic. For example, Spotify, a music streaming service, could acquire Calm, a meditation and mindfulness app (domain rating of 86 and 1.5 million organic monthly visits per Ahrefs data). Many Spotify users might be interested in listening to wellness and mindfulness content, making this acquisition a natural extension that bolsters Spotify’s library. Spotify could then integrate “listen now” buttons within the Calm site to direct people to listen to Calm’s free meditations on the Spotify platform. 

• Expand beyond your niche: Look for opportunities in adjacent spaces that align with your user's workflow. Consider tools your target audience might use before or after engaging with your product. For example, LinkedIn, the professional networking platform, could acquire Coursera, a leading online learning platform (domain rating of 91 and 12 million organic monthly visits per Ahrefs data) that engages with individuals at a separate point in their career journey. LinkedIn could then integrate buttons on Coursera course completion pages that enable users to instantly share their new certifications on LinkedIn. 

The key to success is ensuring strong value alignment between your company and the potential acquisition. With this principle at the forefront, you can create seamless, one-click integrations to funnel users to your platform, and focus on acquisitions that enhance your core offering while expanding your reach. 

If you’re interested in discovering new avenues to grow traffic with SEO, email us at [email protected] to start the conversation.