News Article ————

Garanti BBVA x GroupM Turkey Make the Final Cut at the 2024 Global Search Awards!

Author image Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 23.07.2024

About GroupM Turkey:

GroupM Turkey offers a wide range of services across the communication spectrum, from technological solutions to crisis management, with a team of approximately 650 experts. Our creative ideas, data-driven solutions, and sustainable strategies center around digital transformation.

GroupM Turkey is a leader with three out of the top five global media agencies, boasting an annual media spend exceeding $53 billion. We provide smart and creative services in collaboration with leading technology partners such as Google, Meta, and Amazon, offering clients worldwide access and scalability. Our customer-centric approach contributes to award-winning campaigns, supporting our clients’ success stories.

We continuously invest in the development of technical and social competencies, designing specialized programs to nurture new talents in the industry. Embracing contemporary management models beyond traditional career planning, we prioritize internal talent at GroupM, fostering a work culture where everyone feels valued and essential.

About Garanti BBVA:

Garanti BBVA is a financial institution formed through the partnership of BBVA (Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria), a global bank operating in many countries worldwide, and Garanti Bank, one of Turkey’s leading banks. BBVA played a significant role in the establishment of Garanti BBVA, known as Garanti Bank in Turkey, which serves a broad customer base with services including retail banking, corporate banking, investment banking, credit cards, and other financial solutions. With a robust capital structure and international experience, Garanti BBVA is a key player in Turkey’s economy and financial sector.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the client and award they’ve been nominated for:

  • GroupM Turkey x Garanti BBVA Project has been nominated for the following awards: Best Use of Search – Finance (SEO) – Large

Strategy and Objectives: Garanti BBVA aimed to gain a competitive advantage in the financial sector by improving its rankings and enhancing organic visibility through technical and content optimizations of main category pages such as Deposits, Cards, and Loans, thereby supporting digital transformation.

Target Audience: Garanti BBVA targets a wide range of potential customers across various age groups, from young adults to retirees, addressing their financial needs with tailored solutions.

Achievements: Through SEO initiatives, Garanti BBVA significantly increased its visibility and rankings in key search terms. It achieved a 134% increase in impressions to 471 million and a 164% increase in clicks to 49.4 million. Additionally, it enhanced overall visibility in all key terms by 136% to reach 340.9K.

Let’s now explore in detail the team at GroupM Turkey that contributed to this successful project for Garanti BBVA and its sub-projects:


Banu Bircan Kartal:

I graduated from the Management Information Systems department in 2014. Then, I completed my thesis on Brand Identity and Image and completed my master’s degree in Business Management. With this thesis on marketing, I turned my way to digital marketing.

I have provided SEO Consultancy to many local and global brands in different sectors within different agencies and GroupM. In addition to my main expertise, I’m responsible for the management of brand teams that are supported within the scope of SEO and Digital Analytics, CRO and UX.

At the same time, in order for brands to offer the best experience to their users; I continue to work as a team manager as SEO & Account Director to continue working with performance, programmatic, e-com and social media teams and to grow brands with a holistic perspective.

Eren Çolak:

Hello, I’m Eren. In 2017, I took a significant step into the world of blogging and web development, an interest I cultivated during my high school years. After successfully completing my undergraduate studies in Industrial Engineering at Kocaeli University, I ventured into not just the SEO realm but all aspects of digital marketing.

I don’t view SEO simply as a career path influenced by trends; I approach it with detailed strategies aimed at fostering organic growth and delivering added value to every brand I consult with. Beyond my professional life, I’m passionate about reading, watching films, and writing, with writing about my readings and viewings being one of my greatest pleasures.

Serenay Hançer:

My name is Serenay. I ventured into the world of blogs and websites, an interest I developed during my childhood, during my third year studying Advertising at Ege University. I discovered during those years that blogging, initially a childhood hobby for me, hinted at my future professional career.

Currently in my 4. year in the industry, I have been serving as a Sr. SEO Executive at GroupM Turkey for over a year, leading projects under the Garanti BBVA brand. The Garanti BBVA project has held a special place for me since I started in this role. Seeing the success brought by specific organic strategies throughout this journey has been particularly meaningful, especially being shortlisted in the Finance SEO category at the Global Search Awards.

Neşe Can Sayın:


I have been in the field of SEO for over 3 years now, and for the past 9 months, I have been working as an SEO Executive at GroupM. During this time, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with a great team and contribute to some exciting projects.


SEO continues to captivate me due to its dynamic and constantly evolving nature. Developing new strategies and adapting to search engine algorithms provides a work environment that is far from monotonous, offering fun and exciting challenges. These experiences continue to contribute to both my personal and professional growth.

Büşra Çimen:

Before graduating from the Business Administration department at Akdeniz University in 2021, I discovered the digital marketing industry, with SEO becoming the most intriguing area due to its strategic importance and constant evolution. In my first year of career, e-commerce SEO provided me with deep and technical expertise.

Subsequently, exploring Off-Page SEO enabled me to develop a more research-oriented and strategic approach. Currently, I focus on expanding my SEO perspective by developing blog and backlink strategies tailored to specific brands. Keeping my individual growth dynamic, I actively engage in analyzing different cases and sectors. Outside my professional life, photography and cycling are my most enjoyable hobbies.

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