How Case Studies Elevate a Brand

In today’s consumer world, there’s a seemingly endless number of products on the market. So, how do you know which ones are legit and which ones are all smoke and mirrors? In this scenario, many of us turn to the facts. Whether you’re looking up customer reviews and photos or trying to hunt down more information, research is what ultimately drives us in the direction of narrowing down what to buy. In the marketing world, that research takes the form of case studies.

The Case for Case Studies

To go about building them, you should first understand what they look like! A case study analyzes one or more specific instances and includes a variety of information related to them. In most cases, they break down one or more campaigns to show how effective they were and what results they produced. A good case study will first dive into the overall goal of the campaign. Maybe there was a new product launch that needed to get noticed, or a brand wanted to see an increase in their website traffic. Either way, the desired outcome of the campaign should be made clear at the very beginning.

Next, it should describe how the strategy to achieve that goal came to fruition! The case study should break down how the idea started, how it was executed, and how it reached its final form. It’s important to note where the campaign took place: on the website, through email, on social media, or a combination of the three. During the creative process, it’s also likely that new ideas were added. The case study should include how these changes shaped the look of the campaign along the way, and how these new ideas were planned out to boost the results of the campaign.

Finally, it’s what everyone came for… the results! Inarguably the most important part of the case study, the results put the true numbers on display to show just how effective a campaign was. Did the campaign show an increased in ROI? A boost in customer engagement? More customers joining the loyalty program?  The outcome of the process should be made clear, even if it produced some unexpected results.

When and Where to Use Them

Just simply having case studies isn’t enough, you also need to know where to display them! Visible case studies get potential buyers involved with a brand right away by providing an inside scoop on how the campaigns were built from the ground up. When customers can easily access a brand’s proof of success, they can feel confident about making purchases. Here are some possible ways to do that:

Directly on the Website

What better way to display your hard work than directly on the website? A potential buyer scouring the website may also be looking to find proof that the brand can back up their claims. Putting case studies on a brand’s website also adds room for versatility, since it’s possible to create a separate landing page just for case studies. This is especially helpful when a brand plans to post case studies on a consistent basis, and confusion is avoided by storing them all in the same place. Another option is to feature quotes from the case study directly on the home page. With this option, the proof is front and center, and a customer has the ability to get some of the information without reading the entire thing.

Utilizing Social Media Platforms

Using social media is another foolproof way to get your case studies seen, especially if there is more than one platform involved! This expands the audience and allows more people to come across a brand that they may not have been searching for already. Eye-catching captions and graphics can be used to draw a potential customer to the landing page, where they can then go to read the study more in-depth. Social media is also a great tool because it’s customizable, and each photo or caption can be tailored specifically to the type of platforms it’s being posted on.

Writing Blog Posts

Writing two separate pieces on the same campaign may sound unnecessary, but this is actually another notable way to widen your audience! For those that are drawn to more focused content that may relate to them, blog posting is the way to do it. Instead of copying the case study word for word, focus on one specific challenge your creative team had to overcome in the process of the campaign. The audience may be more interested in reading about how a problem was solved if they can relate to it. By learning about a relatable challenge, they will feel more connected to the brand. Blog posts about case studies can also be shared on social media, which increases the chances for them to get noticed.

Sending through Nurture Emails

If you’re looking for content to spike customer engagement, you may want to include parts of a case study through routine nurture emails! Sending emails directly to the inboxes of both past and future customers can encourage them to revisit the brand. This also makes it easy to customize the content in the emails and tailor it to different audiences. Emails are also a good way to increase sales; anyone interested in reading the case study may also feel compelled to purchase a brand’s product.

Creating Video Case Studies

Depending on the brand, using videography as a resource may help take your case studies to the next level! With the right expertise, videos can be used to draw in almost every type of audience. Dynamic visuals and interviews add a more exciting element to case studies and can entice your audience to learn even more. Since they can be posted on almost every platform imaginable, it’s even easier to garner attention. Videos also add a whole new sense of professionalism to a brand, given the extra expertise needed to plan, shoot, and edit each one in an engaging way.

Why Case Studies Add Value

Because they show solid proof of past work, case studies are an incredibly important tool to utilize. Case studies focus on the facts, which in turn boosts a brand’s credibility. They work to drive sales by building trust with the customer through their focus on honest results. With full transparency on the table, it helps to strengthen customer relationships and increase return on investment!

In addition, case studies have the power to showcase your creative team’s versatile skills to the public. Depending on the campaign, a specific skill may be brought to the forefront. For example, if the goal of a campaign is to drive more website traffic by using brand new pictures or logos, readers will quickly understand how strong a team’s design skills are. If a campaign creates trivia quiz or other interactive material, it’s likely a team’s writing and coding skills played a major part in the campaign. No matter what the campaign entails, highlighting the talent used to execute the strategy shows a lot about the integrity of the team.

We Rest Our Case

If you’re interested in the successful campaigns Roger West has worked on, you can see the results for yourself! Every case study from Roger West is a great representation of how our experts bring each campaign to life and create results both our team and our clients are proud of. Are you ready to let Roger West elevate your brand? Get in touch with us.