Marketing Custom Built Shepherd Huts across the UK and Ireland
Over the course of the past year, we have had the pleasure of working with Black Sheep Shepherd Huts on multiple projects. Let us introduce them to you. Mick Lowe and Ian Anderson, business partners and entrepreneurs, saw a gap in the market for affordable shepherd huts that didn’t compromise on quality – and not just here in the UK, but all over Europe. The huts themselves are stunning. Rustic and quaint, coming in a range of sizes and custom features. You can have them off-grid or in your back garden, making great little guest lodgings and holiday homes.
THE GOAL
With a busy workshop based in Wymondham and an ambition to show the industry how it’s done, Black Sheep came to us with a list of next steps that all pointed to one thing: growth.
WHAT WE DID
As we continually say, there is not just one way to grow a business, so it’s important to listen, learn, and leverage any information that our clients can offer at this early stage. So, as always, strategy came first.
To scale effectively, particularly on an international level, it’s essential to create a versatile logo that can endure over time. We designed a modern and simple emblem that is easy to recognise, easy to remember, and adaptable across various mediums. By using a fine outline for the sheep’s wool and a cross-section of a bespoke hut to form the head, we created a sophisticated, humble, and friendly face for the Black Sheep Brand.
THE BUILD
Our second task was to build Black Sheep a new website to support the expansion of the business and launch the new branding. It’s no secret that although Black Sheep pride themselves on offering a far more accessible price bracket than their competitors, a quality, handbuilt shepherd hut is still a big investment. That being said, how we presented the information was a big consideration. We led with beautiful, scenic imagery to emphasise the lifestyle that comes with the huts. Each type of hut in their ‘flock’ of products was given their very own page, with a downloadable spec sheet. Later on, we added a ‘customise’ button and price configurator functionality for users to get live feedback on how customisable and additional features affect the cost. Quite a complex bit of development mastery there from one of our developers, Harry, and a clever conversion tool to boost sales. It’s true that people are more likely to buy something when they know exactly what they’re in for. Instil trust, maximise conversions.
SEO and Beyond…
There’s a common misconception that once a site goes live, we can take our foot off the gas. Nope, wrong. A launch is only the beginning of your digital adventure. Rather than a finished article, see your website as more of a marketing tool; it’s not something static. You could have the prettiest website in all the land, but if no one can find it or use it, it’s about as useful as a hammer made of glass.
Enter Mia, our expert digital marketer who’s been working her magic with Black Sheep. Mia’s been laser-focused on a dual strategy: ramping up traffic and boosting growth through SEO and conversion optimisation. And let’s be clear, folks—those two are like peanut butter and jelly. You can’t have one without the other, so if you want to achieve real, tangible growth, you need to consider strategy for both. If anyone tells you otherwise, it sounds like they’ve never experienced the harmonious taste sensation of a PB and J sandwich?
Now, let’s talk results. Since launching the Black Sheep site last summer, we’ve seen organic traffic skyrocket by a whopping +40%. Thanks to Mia’s hard work and the clients never ceasing ambition and faith in us, we’ve come on leaps and bounds enhancing both onsite and offsite performance. Google’s latest search algorithm updates have put a spotlight on content value, so Mia’s taken this in her stride, driving out credible, relevant blog articles that showcase Black Sheep’s expertise and elevate their visibility.
The growth we have achieved in just under a year is something that we feel very proud of. They’ve recently been approached by some very exciting media opportunities too (can’t say too much on that one just yet 👀) but it just goes to show that when you play to your websites strengths and pick up some momentum with SEO, the payoff is worth the investment.
Related Projects
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