From Invisible to Page One: How R.J. Classics Grew Market Visibility by 354% in Just 24 Months

Client Overview

R.J. Classics is a respected equestrian brand with a 25-year legacy in the riding community. Historically, the company focused on wholesale and retail sales, relying on traditional marketing efforts. However, as the industry evolved, direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies became essential for sustained growth.

The Challenge

When R.J. Classics approached our agency, they had no prior experience with SEO or performance marketing. We started with extensive front-end education to align on how SEO could impact their business over the long term.

At the start of our engagement:

• Baseline visibility was just 11% across target keywords.
• The brand needed to expand into D2C without disrupting wholesale relationships.
• The technical foundation of their website was unstable, struggling under increased traffic.
• Their e-commerce platform was outdated, lacking the functionality needed for effective optimization.

The stakes were high—competitors were aggressively ramping up D2C efforts. To remain competitive, R.J. Classics had to adapt or risk losing market share.

Our Strategy

We focused on building a strong SEO foundation while strategically expanding visibility in a way that complemented, rather than disrupted, their existing sales channels.

Phase 1: Laying the Technical and Content Foundation

• Stable site structure and optimized functionality: Strengthened the site’s foundation and technical performance.
• E-commerce pillar and content cluster strategy: Established category pages as commercial pillars, reinforcing them with supporting content.
• Authoritative buyer’s guides and educational content: Created in-depth guides that directed users to commercial pages, boosting rankings for both transactional and informational intent.

Phase 2: Crisis Management & Shopify Migration

As traffic scaled, the website collapsed under peak seasonal demand—right before their biggest selling window.

• We immediately connected R.J. Classics with a trusted web development partner to rebuild the site on Shopify.
• SEO influenced the new site’s structure, landing pages, navigation, and copy to ensure maximum performance.
• The relaunch positioned R.J. Classics for rapid organic growth, improving user experience while retaining brand authenticity.

The Results

Our SEO strategy delivered transformational results:

• Market visibility surged from 11% to over 50%.
• Organic traffic increased by 114% year-over-year.
• Site revenue doubled, growing by over 100%.
• R.J. Classics achieved top rankings for competitive keywords, outpacing key D2C competitors while maintaining wholesale and retail relationships.

The Takeaway

For brands looking to expand D2C without alienating retail partners, SEO can be a powerful bridge. R.J. Classics successfully navigated this transition—growing its direct sales without compromising relationships with distributors.