Swaledale started out as suppliers of sustainably sourced, high quality meat products. The business was built on a passion for the return of native breed livestock, ethically and organically farmed - and from their base in the Yorkshire Dales they’d seen evident success, with cattle breeds like Highland, Dexter and the Belted Galloway an increasingly familiar sight.
But like so many, business was hit hard by the pandemic. Their market had traditionally been high end restaurants across the UK, so when those restaurants closed, they needed a new revenue stream. Unsure of their options but eager to learn, they turned to SALT.agency, a specialist SEO agency that blends technical expertise with organic growth strategies.
From this partnership, Swaledale retained their passion, applying the same values, quality care and traditional butchery as a direct to consumer brand - a passion mirrored in the feedback they’ve collected through customer reviews.
What SALT.agency found in Swaledale was an enthusiastic team happy to explore all opportunities for growth:
They are willing to do whatever it takes to scale their business.
With the agency’s expertise behind them, they reposition themselves as premium online butchers, making their quality produce available to the consumer market through a new eCommerce site.
In addition to online visibility in this emerging market, SALT.agency knew social proof would be key, so introduced Swaledale to REVIEWS.io and the significant benefits review collection would have for their business.
Swaledale’s target demographic is specific, albeit one growing at a rapid rate. Their products are aimed at those willing to pay more for fresh, quality meat that’s fully traceable in its traditional livestock origin.
Of course, when you’re paying a premium price, you want evidence of premium quality, and customer reviews have played a pivotal role in communicating that key message:
The inclusion of reviews on Swaledale’s website has helped reduce bounce rate by 5%. Users spend more time on the page and are reassured that the meat is of high quality and worth the purchase price.
This increased dwell time has given Swaledale’s SEO a boost, whilst their growing conversion rates are evidence that reviews are one of the major factors influencing consumer purchase decisions. This is particularly true in cases of a considered purchase, where the price point is higher than the average buy and the customer needs that authentic endorsement to push them over the line:
With the addition of publishing reviews, and some new product lines, Swaledale’s conversion rates have increased by 48%.
Our team worked closely with Swaledale to get reviews integrated into their eCommerce site. Now they’re up and running, they’re next step is to work with both us and SALT.agency to really harness the power of review content.
Our review attributes feature is an ideal fit here. It gives Swaledale the ability to add real depth to customer feedback by asking questions specific to their products and service. Not only will this help increase consumer trust, it’ll also give the brand the insight needed to further develop this new business model based on the wants and expectations of their target market.
We’re all about enabling agencies and the brands they support to do more with review content. We’ve got a host of innovative tools for publication and review management, and integrate seamlessly with platforms like Shopify Plus and Klaviyo for a best of breed tech stack.
Sign up for a contract free REVIEWS.io account today, or if you’re an agency, check out our agency partner program.
