PT Toffin Indonesia is one of those brands that pretty much everyone in the Indonesian coffee industry already knows. They've been around since 2007, distributing premium coffee machines, F&B equipment, and beverage ingredients to hotels, restaurants, and cafes across 29 cities in Indonesia. Their product catalog runs deep, over 1,000 SKUs from brands like Nuova Simonelli, Victoria Arduino, SMEG, and DeLonghi. They even have a manufacturing facility in Milan and a branch office in Vietnam.
But here's the thing. Despite being a market leader offline, Toffin's online presence was a completely different story. Their website was underperforming across the board, their search engine rankings weren't reflecting their real-world dominance, and they had almost zero visibility on AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Overview, and Perplexity.
That's where Arfadia came in. What started as a 6-month SEO engagement eventually turned into a 12-month campaign after Toffin saw the results by the halfway mark. The client voluntarily extended the contract, which honestly tells you everything you need to know about the ROI.
Let's walk through the full story.
The Starting Point: Toffin's Digital Health Before Arfadia
Before any optimization work began, Arfadia ran a comprehensive audit of toffin.id. And the numbers were, well, not great.
Authority and Trust Metrics
The site had a Domain Rating of just 27 (industry benchmark is 40+). The Domain Authority sat at 48, which sounds decent until you realize that for a brand of Toffin's caliber, it should have been well above 55. URL Rating was a low 12. And the Trust Flow? Literally zero. That's not a typo. Zero.
| Metric | Before | Industry Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Rating (DR) | 27 | 40+ |
| URL Rating (UR) | 12 | 20+ |
| Domain Authority (DA) | 48 | 55+ |
| Page Authority (PA) | 35 | 40+ |
| Trust Flow (TF) | 0 | 15+ |
| Citation Flow (CF) | 5 | 20+ |
Organic Search Performance
Monthly organic traffic was hovering around 7,900 visitors. For a brand with national recognition, that number should have been significantly higher. The site was ranking for about 2,200 keywords, but only 363 of those were in the top 3 positions. Traffic value was just $542 per month, with 318 total backlinks from only 86 referring domains.
| Metric | Before Value |
|---|---|
| Total Organic Keywords | 2,200 |
| Top 3 Keywords | 363 |
| Monthly Organic Traffic | 7,900 |
| Traffic Value | $542/mo |
| Total Backlinks | 318 |
| Referring Domains | 86 |
Website Health
The SEOptimer audit came back with an overall grade of D+. Let that sink in for a second. A market-leading brand in the F&B equipment space, grading at D+ for their web presence.
On-Page SEO scored a C. Links scored an F. Usability also scored an F. Performance got a C+, and Social came in at C-. The SEO Site Checkup tool flagged 20 failed checks and 4 warnings. Put simply, the website had serious technical and structural issues that needed immediate attention.
Social Signals
The social footprint was minimal. Facebook had 1,145 signals, while Pinterest and Reddit both showed zero. Total social signals across all platforms: 1,145. For a brand with Toffin's market position, this was a huge missed opportunity for social media amplification.
The Strategy: How Arfadia Approached the Challenge
Arfadia designed a multi-layered digital marketing strategy that combined traditional SEO best practices with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). The campaign was structured around what Arfadia calls the "Investment Marketing" philosophy, a model where you front-load the heavy lifting in backlink acquisition during the early months and then let organic traffic compound as the domain authority matures.
Think of it like planting a tree. You water it heavily at the beginning, build up the roots, and eventually it sustains itself. Same principle, just applied to SEO.
Phase 1: Foundation Building (Months 1 to 3)
The first three months focused entirely on fixing what was broken and building a solid base.
Technical SEO Overhaul. Every single one of those 20 failed SEO checks from the initial audit? Resolved. Page speed optimization, schema markup implementation, crawl budget fixes, the works. The technical infrastructure had to be rock solid before any content or link building could deliver results.
On-Page Optimization. Meta tags were rewritten across the board. Heading structures were reorganized. Internal linking architecture got a complete overhaul, connecting toffin.id, shop.toffin.id, and insight.toffin.id in a way that made sense for both users and search engine crawlers. Keyword mapping was done for every major page.
Content Production Launch. The team kicked off a 103-article content plan in both Bahasa Indonesia and English. Topics ranged from product guides and industry insights to barista training resources and F&B business consultation content.
Blog 2.0 Network. Twenty satellite blog properties were set up across platforms including Medium, WordPress, Blogspot, Weebly, Strikingly, and Behance. This created a diverse content ecosystem that supported the main domain's authority growth.
Heavy Backlink Investment. This is where the Investment Marketing model really kicked in. The original target was 600 guest postings. Arfadia delivered 3,600, six times the initial goal. These weren't low-quality, spammy links either. Each placement was on a high-quality, relevant website.
Phase 2: Authority Amplification (Months 4 to 6)
With the foundation in place, months 4 through 6 shifted toward amplifying authority and building brand credibility across multiple channels.
Media Distribution. Arfadia secured 19 premium media placements across Indonesia's top news outlets, all with Domain Authority above 50. We're talking Kompas, Tribunnews, Grid.id, Kompas TV, Viva, Republika, Suara Merdeka, NusaBali, and President Post, among others. This kind of media coverage doesn't just build backlinks, it builds trust and brand recognition.
Local Citation Building. The team submitted 211 local citations across business directories, review platforms, and local listing sites. These citations help search engines verify business information and improve local search visibility.
Social Signal Amplification. A multi-platform social media sharing campaign was executed across Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Twitter, and Reddit. Social signals grew from 1,145 to over 22,200, a 1,840% increase.
Google Reviews Optimization. Starting from zero, the team built the Google Reviews profile to 41 verified reviews. This was critical for Google Maps optimization and local discovery.
Google Drive Stacks. The campaign leveraged Google's own domain authority through Google Sites, Google Docs, and Drive stacks. These assets create additional ranking signals that search engines trust because they sit on google.com subdomains.
Phase 3: Growth Compounding (Months 7 to 12) - Contract Extension
By month 6, the results were already compelling. Organic traffic had grown from 7,196 to 19,321 monthly visitors, a 168% increase. Toffin was clearly satisfied, and they extended the contract for another 6 months without hesitation.
GEO Optimization. This phase introduced a forward-looking approach that most agencies still haven't adopted. Content was structured specifically for AI readability, with entity-based optimization and fact-dense pages designed so AI models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini could easily parse and cite them. Arfadia is recognized as Indonesia's pioneer in Generative Engine Optimization, and this campaign demonstrated exactly why that distinction matters.
Keyword Expansion. The focus shifted to long-tail and high-intent commercial keywords. Terms like "jual mesin kopi," "jual coffee maker," and "jual paper filter v60 terdekat" became priority targets, capturing users at the exact moment they're ready to buy.
ASO (App Store Optimization). The Toffin App received featured coverage as "App of the Week" and "App of the Month" on MSN, Benzinga, and TechBullion, three international publications that boosted app downloads and brand visibility globally.
Link Velocity Management. Here's where the Investment Marketing model shows its brilliance. As the domain authority reached a self-sustaining level, Arfadia strategically reduced new backlink acquisition. The traffic generated in months 8 through 12 came at a fraction of the cost per visitor compared to months 1 through 3.
The chart above illustrates the core principle beautifully. The referring domains line (shown in cyan) peaks around month 5 to 6 at approximately 580 domains, while the organic traffic line (shown in orange) continues climbing long after the link building has tapered off. By month 12, traffic reached 25,900 monthly visitors, even though the backlink investment had been scaled back significantly. That's compounding growth in action.
The Results: Complete Transformation
Now let's get into the numbers. Because this is where it gets really interesting.
Authority and Trust Metrics - After
| Metric | Before | After | Growth | KPI Target | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domain Authority (DA) | 48 | 54 | +12.5% | >30 | Exceeded |
| Domain Rating (DR) | 27 | 42 | +55.6% | >40 | Exceeded |
| URL Rating (UR) | 12 | 45 | +275% | >20 | Exceeded |
| Trust Flow (TF) | 0 | 30 | From zero | >20 | Exceeded |
| On-Page SEO Score | 61 | 95 | +55.7% | >90 | Exceeded |
The URL Rating improvement deserves special attention. Going from 12 to 45, that's a 275% jump, is significant because URL Rating has one of the strongest correlations with actual Google ranking positions. And Trust Flow moving from literally zero to 30? That's a complete transformation of the backlink quality profile.
Organic Traffic Growth
Monthly organic traffic grew consistently across the entire 12-month campaign. There were a couple of small dips along the way (April and August showed slight month-over-month declines), but the overall trajectory was unmistakably upward.
| Month | Organic Traffic | MoM Growth |
|---|---|---|
| October 2023 (Baseline) | 7,196 | - |
| November 2023 | 9,880 | +37.3% |
| December 2023 | 9,185 | -7.0% |
| January 2024 | 11,505 | +25.3% |
| February 2024 | 12,049 | +4.7% |
| March 2024 | 14,565 | +20.9% |
| April 2024 | 13,993 | -3.9% |
| May 2024 | 15,244 | +8.9% |
| June 2024 | 19,321 | +26.7% |
| July 2024 | 20,345 | +5.3% |
| August 2024 | 19,424 | -4.5% |
| September 2024 | 25,900 | +33.3% |
The bottom line: 7,196 monthly users grew to 25,900, a 260% increase over the campaign period. Cumulative organic traffic across all 12 months reached over 116,000 total users, which was 132% above the 50,000 target. The contract extension after month 6 was clearly the right call.
Backlink Profile Transformation
| Metric | Before | After | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Backlinks | 318 | 2,100 | +561% |
| Referring Domains | 86 | 771 | +796% |
| Backlinks (All Time) | 8,000 | 18,800 | +135% |
| Ref. Domains (All Time) | 387 | 5,300 | +1,270% |
What really stands out here is the quality of the referring domain profile. The backlink portfolio now includes links from extremely high-authority websites: YouTube (DR 99), Apple (DR 97), Wixsite (DR 94), Bing (DR 93), Yale.edu (DR 91), Crunchbase (DR 91), Kompas.com (DR 88), Tribunnews (DR 86), IPB (DR 76), and UGM (DR 80). These aren't the kind of links you get from a bulk link-building tool. They're earned through quality content and strategic outreach.
Keyword Rankings
As of February 2026, toffin.id ranks for 2,510 organic keywords on Google. The distribution across positions is impressive:
- Position 1 to 3: 956 keywords (38.1%)
- Position 4 to 10: 1,101 keywords (43.9%)
- Position 11 to 20: 219 keywords (8.7%)
- Position 51+: 234 keywords (9.3%)
That means 82% of all ranked keywords are sitting within the top 20 positions on Google, and nearly 38% are in the top 3. For a B2B F&B equipment brand, these are strong numbers.
Organic Search Growth Overview
| Metric | Before (Oct 2023) | After (Feb 2026) | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Keywords | 2,200 | 2,510 | +14% |
| Top 3 Keywords | 363 | 956 | +163% |
| Monthly Organic Traffic | 7,900 | 27,300 | +246% |
| Traffic Value (Monthly) | $542 | $975 | +80% |
High-Intent Keyword Performance
The real commercial value shows in the specific keywords that Toffin now ranks for. These aren't just vanity rankings, they cover the full buyer journey from informational queries all the way through to purchase-ready searches.
| Keyword | Language | Monthly Volume | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| toffin | Indonesian | 1,700 | 1 |
| mesin espresso | Indonesian | 4,800 | 4 |
| mesin kopi espresso | Indonesian | 4,100 | 4 |
| grinder kopi | Indonesian | 4,000 | 4 |
| espresso machine | English | 1,600 | 4 |
| coffee machine | English | 1,700 | 4 |
| victoria arduino | English | 2,100 | 5 |
| nuova simonelli | Indonesian | 2,100 | 4 |
| jual mesin kopi | Indonesian | 150 | 3 |
| mesin gelato | Indonesian | 200 | 2 |
When someone searches "mesin espresso" (4,800 monthly searches) and lands on shop.toffin.id at position 4, that's a high-intent visitor who's actively looking to buy. Multiply that across dozens of similar keywords, and the commercial impact is substantial.
The Ahrefs organic positions chart above shows the historical growth pattern for toffin.id's keyword rankings. The upward trend is clear and sustained, with particularly strong acceleration visible from September 2024 onward, which coincides perfectly with the compounding effects of the Investment Marketing strategy.
GEO Results: Winning in AI Search
This is where the story gets truly forward-looking. Traditional SEO is essential, but it's not the whole picture anymore. More and more consumers are turning to AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Google AI Overview to find recommendations, compare products, and make purchasing decisions. If your brand isn't showing up in those AI-generated answers, you're invisible to a growing segment of your potential customers.
Arfadia's Generative Engine Optimization work for Toffin tackled this head-on.
AI Platform Citations
| AI Platform | Citations | Pages Cited |
|---|---|---|
| Google AI Overview | 219 | 166 |
| ChatGPT | 67 | 92 |
| Perplexity | 39 | 35 |
| Copilot | 9 | 8 |
| Gemini | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 334 | 301 |
Toffin.id has been cited 334 times across AI platforms, with 301 unique pages referenced. Google AI Overview leads with 219 citations, followed by ChatGPT at 67 and Perplexity at 39.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Here's the real-world impact. When someone opens ChatGPT and asks "jual mesin kopi dimana" (where can I buy a coffee machine), ChatGPT recommends Toffin Bali as a top supplier, including specific mentions of their Denpasar and Kuta locations. That's not a paid ad. That's AI-generated trust.
On Google Gemini, when users search "jual mesin kopi di Jakarta?" (where to buy coffee machines in Jakarta), Toffin Indonesia appears as the #2 recommended store. Gemini specifically describes Toffin as a large distributor for world-renowned coffee machine brands like Victoria Arduino and Nuova Simonelli.
This dual visibility, being present on both traditional Google search results AND AI-powered search platforms, creates what we call a compounding discovery effect. No matter how potential customers search, Toffin is there. Whether they type a query into Google, ask ChatGPT for recommendations, or use Perplexity for research, the brand shows up consistently. That's the power of combining SEO with GEO.
Every Single KPI Target Was Exceeded
This isn't a case where some metrics hit and others missed. Every. Single. Target. Was. Exceeded.
| KPI | Target | Actual | Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-Page SEO Score | >90 | 95 | 106% |
| Domain Authority (DA) | >30 | 54 | 180% |
| Domain Rating (DR) | >40 | 42 | 105% |
| URL Rating (UR) | >20 | 45 | 225% |
| Trust Flow (TF) | >20 | 30 | 150% |
| Articles Produced | 100 | 103 | 103% |
| Blog 2.0 Websites | 20 | 20 | 100% |
| Google Drive Stacks | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Premium Media (DA >50) | 5 | 19 | 380% |
| Guest Postings | 600 | 3,600 | 600% |
| Social Signals | 6,000 | 22,200 | 370% |
| Social Bookmarks | 100 | 100 | 100% |
| Google Reviews | 30 | 41 | 137% |
| Local Citations | 200 | 211 | 106% |
| ASO Features | 3 | 3 | 100% |
| Cumulative Organic Traffic | 50,000 | 116,000 | 232% |
| App Downloads | 1,000 | 1,000 | 100% |
A few standout numbers worth highlighting: Guest Postings hit 600% of target (3,600 vs. 600 planned). Social Signals reached 370% of target. Premium Media placements came in at 380%, with 19 secured against a target of 5. And cumulative organic traffic reached 232% of the original goal.
Social Signals and Community Building
Social engagement was transformed through a structured social media management approach covering multiple platforms.
| Platform | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| 1,145 | 15,000+ | |
| 0 | 3,200+ | |
| 0 | 2,000+ | |
| Social Bookmarks | 0 | 100 |
| Google Reviews | 0 | 41 |
| Total | 1,145 | 22,200+ |
The 1,840% growth in social signals wasn't accidental. It came from consistent content distribution across five social bookmark platforms (Pinterest, Medium, Tumblr, Behance, and Scoop.it), 211 local citations, and building the Google Reviews profile from scratch to 41 verified reviews for Google Maps optimization.
Website Technical Improvements
The transformation from a D+ to an A grade tells the technical story.
| Audit Category | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade (SEOptimer) | D+ | A |
| On-Page SEO | C | A |
| Links | F | A- |
| Usability | F | A- |
| Performance | C+ | A |
| Social | C- | B+ |
| SEO Checkup Score | 61/100 | 95/100 |
| Failed Checks | 20 | 0 |
All 20 failed SEO checks from the initial audit were resolved. Page load speed was improved, proper schema markup was implemented, crawl errors were fixed, and the site architecture was optimized across all three subdomains (toffin.id, shop.toffin.id, and insight.toffin.id).
Media Distribution and PR Impact
Establishing Toffin as a recognized authority in the F&B equipment space required strategic media distribution. Arfadia secured 19 placements across Indonesia's most authoritative news platforms, each with Domain Authority above 50. This was more than just link building, it was full-scale online reputation management.
National and Tier-1 Media Coverage
| Media Outlet | Topic |
|---|---|
| Kompas (money.kompas.com) | Toffin App helping F&B businesses |
| Tribunnews (jakarta.tribunnews.com) | Toffin markets world-class coffee machines |
| Grid.id | Toffin products and services for gelato and restaurant businesses |
| Kompas TV | Toffin Indonesia: Complete beverage industry solutions |
| Viva (olret.viva.co.id) | Toffin Insight: Most complete F&B business reference |
| Republika (retizen.republika.co.id) | Healthy vegan-friendly gelato |
| Suara Merdeka | Top 4 barista training recommendations |
Regional and Industry Media Coverage
| Media Outlet | Topic |
|---|---|
| NusaBali | Guide to choosing ovens for restaurant business |
| President Post | Unox oven recommendations from Toffin |
| Padang Ekspres | Top 10 advantages of Nuova Simonelli Appia Life |
| Jurnal Kata | Simonelli Appia Life vs. Aurelia Wave comparison |
| Dinaspajak.com | Nuova Simonelli pricing and distributor guide |
| World Politicus | SMEG affordable ovens from Toffin |
| Andalannews | Gelato machine maintenance tips from Toffin |
International ASO Coverage
| Media Outlet | Feature |
|---|---|
| MSN (US) | App of the Month: Toffin App's impact on F&B industry |
| Benzinga (US) | App of the Week: Mastering coffee business with Toffin App |
| TechBullion (Global) | App of the Month: Toffin App's smart F&B solutions |
Competitive Landscape
The campaign positioned toffin.id as a serious contender in its competitive space. Here's how Toffin stacks up against the top organic competitors in the Indonesian F&B equipment market:
| Competitor | Common Keywords | Keyword Overlap | Competitor's Total Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| delifru.co.id | 317 | 7.7% | 2,068 |
| ottencoffee.co.id | 855 | 7.2% | 9,746 |
| aeki-aice.org | 267 | 6.2% | 2,254 |
| bumibogalaksmi.com | 164 | 5.0% | 1,200 |
| santinocoffee.co.id | 147 | 4.6% | 1,146 |
An interesting observation here: ottencoffee.co.id has nearly four times the total keyword count (9,746 vs. 2,510). But Toffin competes effectively where it matters most, on high-intent commercial keywords where purchase intent is highest. This includes branded queries for premium machine brands like Victoria Arduino and Nuova Simonelli that Toffin exclusively distributes in Indonesia. The strategy was never about chasing sheer keyword volume. It was about owning the keywords that actually drive revenue.
Why This Campaign Worked
Several things made this engagement different from a typical SEO project. And they're worth calling out because these are the factors that turned a D+ website into a dominant digital presence.
The Investment Marketing philosophy. Instead of spreading the backlink budget evenly across 12 months, Arfadia front-loaded the authority-building work in months 1 through 6. This created a compounding effect that made the second half of the campaign exponentially more efficient. The traffic generated in months 8 to 12 came at a significantly lower cost per visitor than the early months.
Dual-channel optimization with SEO + GEO. Arfadia is recognized as the pioneer and only provider of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) services in Indonesia. This wasn't an afterthought, it was built into the strategy from the beginning. As AI-powered search continues to grow (industry data suggests over 70% of searches now involve zero-click results), having visibility on platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity is no longer optional. It's essential.
Quality over quantity in backlink acquisition. All 3,600 guest posts were placed on high-quality, relevant websites. The referring domain profile speaks for itself, sites with DR 80 to 99 including YouTube, Apple, Crunchbase, UGM, and IPB. No spammy link farms, no shortcuts.
Comprehensive media distribution. The 19 premium media placements across DA 50+ Indonesian outlets, plus 3 international tech publications, established Toffin as an authoritative voice in the industry. This kind of online reputation management creates trust signals that both users and search engines value.
Holistic integration. From technical SEO to content marketing, social signals, Google Reviews, App Store Optimization, local citations, and GEO, every digital touchpoint was optimized as part of one integrated strategy. Nothing was siloed.
The Strongest Indicator of Success
You can look at all the metrics, charts, and data tables in this case study. But the strongest proof of campaign success is actually the simplest one: Toffin voluntarily extended the contract from 6 months to 12 months.
By month 6, organic traffic had already jumped 168% from baseline. High-intent keywords were ranking on Google's first page. The brand was showing up in AI-generated recommendations. For Toffin's leadership team, the ROI was clear enough to double down on the investment.
And that decision paid off. The second six months delivered even more growth, with organic traffic accelerating from 19,321 in month 6 to 25,900 in month 12, proving that the Investment Marketing model works exactly as designed.
About Arfadia
PT Arfadia Digital Indonesia was founded in 2008 and operates offices in Jakarta, Bandung, and Bali. The agency has served clients in over 50 countries and is recognized as Indonesia's pioneer in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Led by Tessar Napitupulu, Arfadia specializes in Search Everywhere Optimization, making sure brands are visible across Google, AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini), TikTok, and other emerging platforms.
Other notable client results include 1,200% organic traffic growth for SERA (Astra Group), 380% conversion improvement for Allianz Indonesia, and 1,764% traffic growth for JobStreet Express.
If your brand is ready for the same kind of transformation, get in touch with Arfadia to discuss how SEO and GEO can drive measurable results for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to see results from an SEO campaign like this?
Early indicators start showing up around months 3 to 4, mostly in the form of improved keyword indexing and technical health scores. But the real traffic growth? That usually kicks in around month 5 and accelerates from there. In Toffin's case, organic traffic had already jumped 168% by month 6. That was enough for the client to extend the contract from 6 months to a full year without hesitation. The Investment Marketing approach Arfadia uses is specifically designed for this kind of compounding effect, where the second half of a campaign delivers far more efficiently than the first.
What is the difference between traditional SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
Traditional SEO focuses on getting your website to appear in Google's organic search results, the familiar blue links. GEO takes it a step further by targeting visibility across AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Google AI Overview, Perplexity, and Gemini, which deliver direct answers instead of link lists. Industry data suggests over 70% of searches now involve zero-click results, meaning users get their answers without ever visiting a website. Brands that only invest in traditional SEO are missing a growing chunk of their audience. Arfadia combined both channels into a single integrated strategy for Toffin, which is how they achieved 334 AI citations alongside the 260% organic traffic growth.
Can these results be replicated in other industries?
The core principles behind this campaign, from investment marketing to dual-channel SEO+GEO and quality backlink acquisition, apply across virtually any industry. What changes is the timeline and investment level depending on competitive intensity in each sector. Arfadia has delivered similar results in finance (Allianz Indonesia, +380% conversion), automotive (SERA Astra Group, +1,200% traffic), and recruitment (JobStreet Express, +1,764% traffic). Every campaign gets customized to the competitive landscape and search behavior patterns of the target audience.
How much investment is required for an SEO and GEO campaign like this?
It depends on your website's starting point, how competitive your industry is, and what growth targets you're aiming for. Arfadia offers multiple tiers that can be tailored to different budgets, from mid-market to enterprise-level engagements. The important thing to understand is that SEO is a long-term investment, not a cost. In Toffin's case, traffic value increased from $542 to $975 per month, and the organic traffic generated keeps flowing even after the active campaign wraps up. The true ROI from SEO really shows itself over 12 to 24 months.
Why did Toffin choose Arfadia over other digital agencies?
Toffin needed an agency that understood more than just technical SEO. They needed a partner capable of building brand visibility in the AI search era. Arfadia has been recognized as the pioneer and only provider of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) services in Indonesia since 2023, with a measurable framework called RoGEO (Return on Generative Engine Optimization). On top of that, Arfadia maintains a content distribution network of over 150 Indonesian media outlets and has a proven track record with enterprise clients including Allianz, SERA (Astra Group), Musim Mas.
How do you measure GEO success? Are there specific metrics?
Arfadia uses its proprietary RoGEO framework that tracks three core metrics. First is AI citation count, which measures how many times a brand gets mentioned by AI platforms. Second is citation coverage, meaning how many unique pages reference the brand in AI-generated responses. Third is platform spread, which tracks presence across different AI platforms. For Toffin, the results were 334 total AI citations across 301 unique pages, with visibility confirmed on 5 different AI platforms. These metrics are tracked through a combination of manual monitoring and Arfadia's proprietary automated tools.
What exactly is the Investment Marketing strategy in SEO?
Investment Marketing is an approach where link building and authority building efforts are concentrated in the first half of a campaign (months 1 through 6), then gradually reduced in the second half. The logic is similar to building a foundation. Once domain authority and trust signals are strong enough, a website naturally ranks for new keywords more easily without needing the same level of backlink investment. For Toffin, referring domains peaked around months 4 to 5 at roughly 610 domains, after which Arfadia scaled back link building intensity. The result was that traffic in months 7 through 12 actually grew faster while cost-per-visitor dropped significantly.
Is guest posting still effective for backlink building in 2024 and beyond?
Absolutely, as long as you maintain high quality standards. The key factors are relevance and authority of the placement sites. In Toffin's campaign, 3,600 guest posts were placed on quality websites, and the referring domain profile includes sites with DR 80 to 99 such as YouTube, Apple, Crunchbase, and top universities like UGM and IPB. What you need to avoid is bulk guest posting on low-quality sites or link farms, because that approach can actually trigger penalties from Google rather than help your rankings.
Sources and References
This case study is built on actual campaign data tracked through industry-leading tools. The following sources support the accuracy and credibility of the information presented.
SEO Data and Metrics
- Ahrefs - Domain Rating Explained - Official Ahrefs documentation on the Domain Rating metric used throughout this case study for backlink profile analysis.
- Moz - Domain Authority Guide - Comprehensive guide from Moz on how Domain Authority is calculated and why it matters as an SEO benchmark.
- Google Search Central - SEO Starter Guide - Official Google documentation on SEO best practices that formed the foundation of the technical optimization strategy for toffin.id.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
- Princeton University - GEO: Generative Engine Optimization Research Paper - Academic research paper from Princeton, Georgia Tech, The Allen Institute, and IIT Delhi that first defined Generative Engine Optimization as a discipline. This is the foundational research behind the GEO methodology applied in this campaign.
- Search Engine Journal - What Is Generative Engine Optimization - Industry publication covering the evolution of GEO and its implications for modern search strategy.
About the Client
- Toffin Indonesia Official Website - Official website of PT Toffin Indonesia, the client featured in this case study.
Digital Marketing Standards and Best Practices
- Google - Creating Helpful, Reliable, People-First Content (E-E-A-T) - Official Google guidelines on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness that shaped the content strategy for this campaign.
- Schema.org - Structured Data Vocabulary - The reference source for structured data markup implementation applied to Toffin's website to improve search result appearance and AI crawlability.
- Web.dev by Google - Core Web Vitals - Google's documentation on website performance metrics optimized as part of the technical SEO improvements that moved Toffin's site health from D+ to A grade.
Methodology and Frameworks
- SEMrush - Backlink Audit and Strategy Guide - Industry reference on backlink auditing and strategy that aligns with the quality-first approach used in the Toffin campaign.
- Ahrefs - How to Create an SEO Case Study - Ahrefs guide on SEO case study methodology and documentation standards followed in presenting these campaign results.