A One Year Journey in Website Redesign, Social Media Marketing, and SEO

The client

https://europeanstayers.com/

### Case Study: Complete digital  solution for the client 

Client Overview

European Stayers is a premier bloodstock agency headquartered in Newmarket, UK – the heart of global horse racing. Founded and led by David Baker, an Australian Thoroughbred consultant with over two decades of hands-on experience as an owner, breeder, trainer, and agent, the agency specializes in sourcing elite Thoroughbred horses for clients across Europe, South East Asia, and beyond. David's expertise lies in navigating the high-stakes world of racing seasons, breeding programs, and auctions, ensuring clients secure top-tier "stayers" – durable, high-performance racehorses built for endurance.

Prior to our engagement, European Stayers operated with a basic online presence: a minimalistic website that highlighted David's services and provided a simple WhatsApp contact link. While effective for personal referrals, it lacked the digital sophistication needed to compete in a niche market dominated by established agencies like DGR Thoroughbred Services and Australian Bloodstock. The agency's target audience – affluent horse owners, breeders, and syndicate investors – demanded a professional, accessible platform that showcased expertise and built trust at scale.

The Challenge

In early April 2025, European Stayers approached our digital agency seeking a comprehensive digital transformation. Their pain points were clear:

• Outdated Website: The existing site was a single-page setup with limited navigation, no dedicated "About," "Services," or "Portfolio" sections, and zero mobile optimization. User experience (UX) was functional but uninspiring, leading to high bounce rates and missed opportunities for deeper engagement.
• Negligible Social Media Presence: With no active profiles on platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter), the agency relied solely on word-of-mouth and industry events. This isolated them from a global network of racing enthusiasts and potential clients who increasingly discover services via social channels.
• Poor SEO Visibility: Searches for terms like "bloodstock agent Newmarket," "European Thoroughbred sourcing," or "stayer horse consultancy" yielded competitors at the top of Google results. European Stayers ranked outside the top 50, resulting in near-zero organic traffic and only sporadic inquiries.

The goal? Position European Stayers as the go-to authority for European stayer sourcing within six months, driving a 300% increase in qualified leads and establishing thought leadership in the Thoroughbred industry.

Our Solution

We crafted a holistic 6-month strategy blending website redesign, targeted social media marketing (SMM), and SEO best practices. The project kicked off on April 15, 2025, with a discovery phase involving stakeholder interviews, competitor analysis, and audience personas (e.g., "The Syndicate Investor" seeking auction-ready stayers).

1. Website Redesign: From Minimalist to Market Leader

We rebuilt the site from the ground up using WordPress for scalability and ease of updates, launching the new version on May 20, 2025.

• Key Features Implemented:
  • Intuitive Navigation: Added dedicated pages for About (detailing David's 20+ years of experience), Services (sourcing, consultancy, auction bidding), Portfolio (case studies of successful horse placements), Blog (industry insights on stayers vs. sprinters), and Contact (integrated form + WhatsApp/LinkedIn links).
  • Visual Storytelling: Incorporated high-res imagery of Newmarket tracks, stud farms, and sourced horses, with a clean, equestrian-inspired design using earth tones and sans-serif fonts for professionalism.
  • UX Enhancements: Mobile-first responsive design, fast-loading pages (under 2 seconds), and interactive elements like a "Horse Sourcing Quiz" to qualify leads.
  • Technical Upgrades: Integrated SSL security, schema markup for rich snippets, and analytics tracking via Google Analytics 4.

The result? A site that not only informed but converted visitors into clients, with clear calls-to-action (CTAs) like "Book a Consultation" on every page.

2. Social Media Marketing: Building a Racing Community

Launching profiles on LinkedIn (primary for B2B networking) and Instagram (for visual storytelling) in late May 2025, we executed a content calendar aligned with the racing calendar (e.g., Royal Ascot, Tattersalls auctions).

• Content Strategy:
  • LinkedIn: Weekly posts on market trends (e.g., "Why European Stayers Are Outpacing Imports in 2025"), client success stories, and David's expert commentary. We ran targeted ads to 5,000+ racing professionals, achieving a 4.2% click-through rate.
  • Instagram: Bi-weekly Reels and Stories showcasing behind-the-scenes at auctions, horse spotlights, and tips for breeders. Hashtags like #BloodstockAgent #EuropeanStayers drove organic reach.
  • Engagement Tactics: Collaborations with influencers like Thoroughbred Daily News, live Q&A sessions during sales seasons, and user-generated content prompts (e.g., "Share your stayer success!").

By August 2025, we grew followers from 0 to 1,200 on LinkedIn and 800 on Instagram, fostering a community that amplified referrals.

3. SEO Optimization: Climbing to the Top of the Paddock

Our SEO roadmap focused on on-page, off-page, and technical optimizations, with monthly audits to adapt to algorithm updates.

• Keyword Research & On-Page SEO: Targeted high-intent terms like "Newmarket bloodstock agent" (monthly searches: 1,200) and "Thoroughbred stayer sourcing" (800). Optimized meta titles, descriptions, and headers; created 12 blog posts (e.g., "Top 5 Stayers to Watch at Tattersalls October 2025") with 2,000+ words each, incorporating LSI keywords.
• Technical SEO: Improved site speed, fixed crawl errors, and submitted an updated sitemap to Google Search Console. Implemented internal linking to boost dwell time.
• Off-Page SEO: Secured 15 backlinks from authoritative sites like ANZ Bloodstock News and Racing Post through guest posts and PR outreach. Local SEO efforts targeted "Newmarket" with Google My Business optimization.

We monitored progress via tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush, adjusting for voice search trends (e.g., optimizing for "best bloodstock consultant in UK").

Implementation Timeline

Our agile approach included bi-weekly check-ins with David, ensuring alignment with peak auction periods.

Results: Racing to the Top

Six months in (as of October 27, 2025), the transformation has been nothing short of a Triple Crown winner:

• Website Traffic Surge: Organic sessions up 450% (from 150/month to 825/month), with a 65% reduction in bounce rate and average session duration increasing to 3:45 minutes.
• SEO Dominance: European Stayers now ranks #1 for "bloodstock agent Newmarket" and top 3 for "European Thoroughbred consultancy," driving 70% of traffic. Google indexed 25 new pages, with featured snippets on 4 queries.
• Social Media Momentum: 2,000+ total followers, 15,000 impressions/month, and 120 engagements per post. LinkedIn generated 45 qualified leads, including two major syndicate partnerships.
• Business Impact: Inquiries jumped 320% (from 5 to 23/month), leading to £150,000 in new sourcing contracts. Client testimonials highlight the "professional edge" the digital presence provided during the Tattersalls October Sale.

Conclusion: A Winning Partnership

What started as a modest agency in Newmarket's shadows has galloped into the spotlight, thanks to a synergistic blend of design, marketing, and SEO. By listening to David's vision and leveraging data-driven tactics, we didn't just build a website – we crafted a digital stable that attracts champions. European Stayers is now the undisputed leader in stayer sourcing, proving that in the Thoroughbred world, the right digital strategy can turn prospects into pedigreed successes.

Ready to saddle up your business? Contact us to discuss how we can put you on top.