Case study
From Brand Reliance to Broad Reach: Academy Brand's SEO Overhaul.
The Academy Brand is a leading fashion label in Australia, known for its commitment to timeless and classic clothing for men, women, and kids. Offering a wide range of apparel, including shirts, pants, knitwear, and sweats, Academy Brand focuses on quality materials and enduring styles. Their dedication to creating sophisticated and versatile pieces has established them as a trusted name in the fashion industry, providing customers with stylish options that stand the test of time.
159%
27%
35%
Increase in non-brand clicks in 2024.
Increase in revenue in 2024.
Increase in online sessions in 2024.
01 The challenge
In a fiercely competitive market, Academy Brand faced significant challenges in gaining visibility for non-brand keywords, making it difficult to attract new customers and tell their story. Their organic visibility was driven by brand-only terms, resulting in a limited reach beyond their established audience. This reliance on brand terms meant that potential new customers searching for related products or generic terms were unlikely to discover Academy Brand. Consequently, their online growth was limited as they struggled to expand their market presence and drive traffic from broader search queries.
Additionally, the brand grappled with optimising their digital strategy to enhance user acquisition and engagement. The existing approach did not fully leverage the potential of search engine optimisation, leading to missed opportunities in capturing a wider audience. As a result, Academy Brand needed a comprehensive overhaul of their keyword strategy and digital presence to break through the competition and achieve sustainable growth.
To elevate Academy Brand's online presence and drive growth, MindArc implemented a multi-faceted strategy focused on building deeper awareness of their unique selling propositions (USPs) and enhancing their credibility as a premium fashion brand rooted in timeless styles and quality materials. Our approach included the following key initiatives:
Highlighting USPs and Credibility
We crafted targeted content and campaigns to emphasise Academy Brand's commitment to quality and timeless fashion. By showcasing their unique offerings and the high standards of their materials and craftsmanship, we aimed to build a stronger brand identity and trust among potential customers.
Leveraging Paid Media
Recognising the limitations of their current SEO strength, we utilised paid media to increase the brand's visibility in competitive spaces. This ensured that Academy Brand could reach a wider audience and gain traction where organic search efforts were not yet effective.
Targeting Qualified and Long-Tail Keywords
We focused on honing in on more qualified and long-tail search terms that aligned closely with Academy Brand’s products and customer interests. This strategy allowed us to capture more relevant traffic and gradually build a foundation to compete for broader, more competitive keywords in the future.
Expanding the Blog
To attract unaware audiences and drive organic traffic, we expanded Academy Brand's blog with engaging and informative content. By addressing topics of interest and providing valuable insights, the blog served as a tool to introduce new users to the brand and foster engagement.
Through these combined efforts, we aimed to enhance Academy Brand's digital footprint, attract new customers, and position them as a leading fashion brand in a highly competitive market.
02 Our approach
Brand Repositioning Through Keyword Reviews
We conducted detailed keyword reviews and SERP analysis to reposition Academy Brand towards more relevant audiences. This involved identifying and targeting keywords that aligned better with the brand's offerings and audience interests.
Collection Page Optimisation
We optimised collection pages by refining meta descriptions, enhancing collection summaries, and building out comprehensive FAQs. This improved the overall searchability and user experience on these pages.
Creation of New Collections and Content
To address keyword gaps, we created new collections and content. This strategy helped fill in areas where the brand was previously underrepresented, attracting a broader audience. The content created sought to showcase Academy Brand’s knowledge and focus on quality materials.
Targeted Blog Strategy
We developed a targeted blog strategy focusing initially on relevant low-competition keywords while it built authority. This approach aimed to attract organic traffic by addressing topics of interest to Academy Brand's potential customers, and was then expanded out to bigger, more competitive topics.
Product Meta Optimisation
We optimised product metadata to better surface individual product details in search results. This increased the visibility of specific products and improved their discoverability.
Cohesive Paid Media and Organic Search Strategy
We implemented a cohesive strategy across paid media and organic search to prevent keyword cannibalisation and leverage free traffic. This involved monthly keyword adjustments, selectively targeting keyword groups (e.g., shopping ads vs. search), and closely monitoring competitor bidding to maintain a competitive edge while SEO efforts matured.
These actions collectively enhanced Academy Brand's visibility, attracted new customers, and solidified their position in the competitive fashion market.
03 Actions taken
04 The result
We started working with Academy Brand in July 2022 and it took persistent effort over the first 6 months to achieve incremental gains. However, since early 2023 we have seen strong growth, particularly in the organic channel.
Over the past three quarters for organic search:
Non-brand clicks
Oct-Dec (2023 vs 2022): +588%
Jan-Mar (2024 vs 2023): +210%
Apr-Jun (2024 vs 2023): +159%
Sessions
Oct-Dec (2023 vs 2022): +135%
Jan-Mar (2024 vs 2023): +87%
Apr-Jun (2024 vs 2023): +35%
Revenue
Oct-Dec (2023 vs 2022): +115%
Jan-Mar (2024 vs 2023): +71%
Apr-Jun (2024 vs 2023): +27%
Source: Google Search Console & Google Analytics
Blog performance YoY from organic search:
Clicks
Jan-Mar 2022: 220
Jan-Mar 2023: 4550
Jan-Mar 2024: 6240
YoY Growth
Jan-Mar 2023: +1968%
Jan-Mar 2024: +37%
Source: Google Search Console
This significant growth highlights the successful strategies implemented by MindArc, resulting in increased organic search performance and enhanced blog engagement for Academy Brand.
Focusing on Academy Brand's core selling points and positioning them as an authority in timeless fashion has brought significant benefits. This strategy has not only improved their Google rankings but also driven more qualified traffic. While the approach required about four months to start showing substantial results, the outcomes are promising. With numerous opportunities still ahead, we are excited to see the impact of the upcoming quarter's initiatives.
05 Conclusion
Nicholas Taylor-Pitcher
E-Commerce Manager at Academy Brand
Before working with Mindarc we had struggled to get traction on our non-branded keywords, and most of our organic traffic was driven by our established audience. This meant that there was a massive opportunity for growth through new customers that was being left on the table.
MindArc have unlocked this potential for us through their multifaceted strategy which has had a hugely positive impact on our session, non-brand click & revenue data through our Organic channel.
With their proactive and methodical approach to strategy & execution, we’ve always had the utmost confidence in their ability to deliver big YOY growth, and we look forward to what we can achieve together in the future.
Fiona Mellik
Senior SEO Manager at MindArc
It was quite a grind at the start trying to get a foothold in the market - it took 4 months before we even saw the slightest hint of movement! - but the team at Academy have been steadfast in their support. It’s been so rewarding to see our work pay off and we’ve got an exciting roadmap ahead to try and keep the momentum going.
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