Black River
- Industry: Automotive
- Business Model: DTC, E-Commerce
- Services Used: SEO
+288%
Revenue
+464%
Sessions
+3110%
Keywords
Overview
Based in Altoona, Iowa, Black River designs rugged, reliable roof racks and truck toppers that make hauling gear a breeze. Built for outdoor enthusiasts, off-roaders, and gearheads, Black River blends innovation and durability to make adventure more accessible. From truck toppers and UTV accessories to all-weather storage solutions, Black River helps customers roam farther, carry smarter, and explore tougher.
This case study explores how focusing on organic rankings in the search engine results page helped Black River differentiate its product offering with customer-focused content and used targeted campaigns to build a new audience from scratch.
Objective
The goal was to drive targeted traffic, but Black River needed to directly engage a new consumer audience and establish a national brand identity. Without the help of traditional retail, it required rethinking conventional strategies and setting new expectations with a digital-first approach.
The team at LP has been instrumental in bringing our vision for the Black River product line to consumers. From fine-tuning the messaging to identifying our key differentiators, it’s been a collaborative effort that’s been educational for our staff and impactful to the business.
Marshall Allen
Director of Marketing, Summit Products
Strategy
From an SEO perspective, our team focused on optimizing two main site pillars: category pages and individual product pages. The former aimed to rank for broad keywords (e.g., “Truck Bed Toppers”) to capture attention in the awareness/discovery phase of the buying journey. Alternatively, product pages covered users in the conversion phase with specific keyword targets (e.g., “Matrix ST Truck Topper”) to ensure Black River ranked for a wide range of search terms throughout the shopping/buying process.
Additionally, we developed a blog content calendar to address common customer questions and drive visibility. This content established Black River as a resource for users in the buying journey, drove organic traffic, and positioned the brand as an authority in its niche.
December 2024 Performance (12-month comparison)
+464%
Sessions
+325%
Purchases
+288%
Revenue
+3k%
Organic Keyword Ranking (Top 10)
+2k%
Organic Keyword Ranking (Top 100)
Impact
This shift from traditional sales to digital marketing exemplifies how even well-established companies can evolve to meet the demands of the digital marketplace, ensuring continued growth and success.
Tips For Achieving Similar Results
Conduct regular website and SEO audits
Invest in organic rankings to support paid media campaigns
Target top converting keywords in paid search for organic rankings
Cater to shoppers throughout each stage of the buying journey
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