TheBathOutlet.com is one of the most trusted online marketplaces for consumers seeking luxury home and bath furnishings, marrying the convenience of online shopping with the tactile experience of a brick-and-mortar store. The site’s customer-centric approach combined with features like extensive product videos and photos, real-time sales support, and an unprecedented 60-day hassle free return policy have made it the go-to resource for home improvement products.
Challenge
Despite steady growth, our client saw a need to further elevate the site’s presence in an increasingly saturated market. And with online giants such as Amazon launching platforms for home improvement services, TheBathOutlet.com knew it was essential to rise above the fray – highlighting the site’s products, solutions, and expertise to compete with the big box stores and cement its status as a one-stop-shop for home and bathroom remodeling products.
Approach
To achieve this goal, we launched a thought leadership campaign in the form of an infographic highlighting common considerations and best practices when it comes to hiring contractors. We knew that the PR appeal would ultimately boost the site’s search ranking and visitor volume, and ultimately convert more customers – all while underscoring the company’s dominance in the home improvement space.
We began by surveying nearly 700 homeowners and home improvement professionals (including general contractors, painters, electricians, plumbers, and interior decorators) regarding industry standards around common practices such as tipping, security, privacy, hospitality, and more. Participants were reached via targeted Facebook ads, social media posts, paid lists, and direct outreach to clients and partners.
Once the results were in, we created an infographic with our findings, and developed the million-dollar question: “What’s Your Home Improvement Etiquette I.Q.?” We wrote a press release with details on the survey results, sent it out over the wire, and reached out to a targeted list of local and national writers interested in home and real estate topics, as well as a handful of industry publications.
Results
Through our pitching efforts, we secured a feature story on Philly.com, which was then syndicated to outlets across the country, appearing in newspapers such as The Sioux City Journal, and The Florida Times-Union and reaching an aggregate readership of over 5 million. Remodeling Magazine also featured the infographic on its website.
Through analytics, we were able to track how many visitors came to TheBathOutlet.com through the infographic link. The Home Improvement Etiquette piece referred approximately 1,500 people (or referral users) back to website. Those referral users spent approximately two and a half minutes exploring other pages, including the Bathroom Vanities, Bathroom Accessories, and Pros Signup which tells us that the information in the infographic enticed users to learn more.
Ultimately, this coverage translated to more visibility, visits to the site, and an increase in sales.
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