SEO Case Study: How a Supplements Brand Increased Subscription Sales by 315%
In July 2025, a supplements brand based in Carlsbad, California partnered with Goforaeo because their website was selling, but subscription growth was slow and inconsistent. They had good products, repeat buyers, and strong customer feedback, yet organic search was not bringing enough shoppers who were ready to subscribe. They wanted more predictable recurring revenue, not just one time orders.
This case study explains what we changed, why it worked, and how subscription sales from organic search grew month by month. You will see clear dates, real metrics, and simple strategy steps that made the results feel genuine and repeatable.
Project overview: Location, timeframe, and what we tracked
The client is a DTC supplements brand headquartered in Carlsbad, California, selling online across the United States. Their best products were daily use supplements that naturally fit subscriptions, like vitamins, minerals, and wellness blends. Their site was built on Shopify, with subscriptions handled through a dedicated subscription app.
The project started on July 15, 2025, and the measurement window in this case study is July 2025 through December 2025. The primary conversion we tracked was subscription sales from organic search, meaning a customer purchased using the subscribe option at checkout. We also tracked supporting signals like organic sessions, product page conversion rate, and add to cart rate.
How we defined a subscription sale and kept tracking clean
We did not count clicks on “Subscribe” as a sale. We only counted a subscription sale when the purchase was completed and confirmed. This matters because eCommerce sites can look better on paper if they track only button clicks.
Tracking rules used in this project:
- A subscription sale counted only when an order was completed with the subscription option.
- Organic traffic counted only when the source was organic search, not email, paid ads, or referrals.
- Subscription conversion rate was measured as subscription orders divided by organic sessions.
Tools and tracking setup:
- GA4 purchase events with subscription status captured through ecommerce parameters.
- Shopify analytics to validate order counts and revenue.
- Google Search Console to track queries, clicks, and page level performance.
Baseline in July 2025: What was happening before the main SEO work
When we started in July 2025, the brand already had traffic and sales, but most organic buyers were choosing one time purchases. Many visitors landed on blogs, read a bit, and left. Some landed on product pages, but the copy did not answer common questions fast enough, so people hesitated.
July 2025 baseline metrics from organic search:
- Organic sessions: 9,600
- Subscription sales: 40
- Subscription conversion rate: 0.42%
- Add to cart rate from organic sessions: 3.8%
- Top non branded keywords in top 3 positions: 2
That baseline told us something important. We did not need to “create demand,” demand already existed. We needed to match buyer intent better, improve product page strength, and make the subscription choice feel clear and valuable.
What was holding growth back in simple terms
The first issue was page coverage. The site did not have strong pages for many high intent searches like “vitamin subscription,” “daily supplement subscription,” and ingredient based searches that shoppers use before buying. They had products, but the website was not explaining them in a search friendly way.
The second issue was technical and structure related. Shopify sites often create duplicate URLs through filters, tags, and variants, and this site had some of that. It made indexing less clean and diluted page strength.
The third issue was conversion clarity. The subscription option existed, but the pages did not explain why subscribing is better, how often shipments happen, and how easy it is to pause or cancel. People usually subscribe when they feel safe and informed.
SEO strategy: What we focused on to grow subscription sales
We built the strategy around one simple idea: subscription sales grow when SEO brings the right visitor and the page reduces doubt quickly. That means ranking for buyer intent terms, improving product and collection pages, and creating content that helps shoppers decide.
We executed the strategy in five parts, in a clear order. Each part supported the next, so results compounded month by month instead of jumping once.
Part 1: Technical SEO and site structure improvements
We started by cleaning technical issues that quietly limit growth. This is not glamorous work, but it prevents SEO from stalling when content starts to scale. It also improves user experience, which supports conversion.
Key technical actions:
- Cleaned duplicate indexing signals by tightening canonicals and noindex rules for low value filter pages.
- Improved internal linking so collection pages and top products received more support.
- Improved mobile speed on product pages by compressing images and reducing heavy scripts.
- Fixed broken links and redirect chains that wasted crawl budget.
Part 2: Product and collection pages rebuilt for search intent
Supplements shoppers rarely search for a brand name first. They search by ingredient, benefit, and product type, then compare options. We rebuilt key product pages so they answered those searches clearly and naturally.
Product and collection page changes:
- Updated titles and headings to match how people search, without sounding robotic.
- Added clear sections: what it is, who it is for, how to use it, what is inside, and common questions.
- Improved on page trust: quality standards, sourcing notes, and testing language without making medical promises.
- Built stronger internal links from blogs and ingredient pages into money pages.
Part 3: Subscription focused landing pages and clearer messaging
Many brands hide the subscription value behind small toggles. We made subscription benefits easy to understand in plain words. We also removed fear by explaining pause and cancel clearly.
Subscription improvements included:
- Created a dedicated subscription page explaining how subscriptions work, shipping timing, and flexibility.
- Added “why subscribe” sections on top products, placed near the buy box.
- Wrote simple, honest benefit statements like savings, convenience, and consistency.
- Reduced subscription confusion by clarifying frequency options and expected delivery windows.
Part 4: Content that matches ingredient and comparison searches
We avoided fluff blogs. We created content that supports buying decisions, then linked it to products and collections. For supplements, ingredient content often becomes a steady traffic source, especially when written responsibly.
Content focus areas:
- Ingredient explainers written in simple language.
- Comparison pages that help shoppers choose between similar products.
- “How to use” guides and routines that naturally lead to daily use products.
- FAQ pages that match real search questions and reduce hesitation.
Part 5: Authority and trust signals, including local brand credibility
Even though this is an online brand, trust matters a lot in supplements. We strengthened credibility signals across the site, and we supported the Carlsbad brand story in a natural way. This helped with trust for buyers and also helped search engines understand the business is real.
Trust and authority actions:
- Improved the About page with clear brand details, Carlsbad location context, and process transparency.
- Earned relevant backlinks from wellness directories, partner pages, and niche publications.
- Added structured data for products, FAQs, and reviews where appropriate.
- Encouraged review growth and showcased reviews in a clean, non spammy way.
Month by month work and results: July 2025 to December 2025
Below is the monthly timeline showing what we did and what changed in the numbers. Each month includes actions completed and the measurable result for subscription sales from organic search.
July 2025: Audit, tracking cleanup, and baseline lock
We started on July 15, 2025 by cleaning up analytics and confirming that subscription orders were tracked correctly. The site structure was audited, Search Console queries were reviewed, and product pages with the best chance to scale were mapped. We also identified technical issues that diluted indexing.
Work completed in July:
- GA4 ecommerce tracking validation for subscription purchases.
- Search Console audit for indexing, query gaps, and page performance.
- Technical crawl to find duplicates, broken links, and thin pages.
July 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 9,600
- Subscription sales: 40
- Subscription conversion rate: 0.42%
August 2025: Technical fixes and first round of product page upgrades
In August, we handled the biggest technical friction points and improved the pages that were already getting impressions. This month was about removing limits so later content could perform better. We also improved internal linking so key collections supported top products.
Work completed in August:
- Technical cleanup: indexing rules and canonical fixes on filtered URLs.
- Product page upgrades completed: 8 top selling products.
- Collection page improvements completed: 3 core collections.
- Internal links added from existing blogs into top products: 35 links.
August 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 10,450
- Subscription sales: 55
- Subscription conversion rate: 0.53%
September 2025: Ingredient content cluster and subscription messaging improvements
In September, we built content that matched ingredient searches and connected it directly to products. We also made subscription value clearer on the highest traffic product pages. The goal was to help shoppers understand what they are buying and feel comfortable subscribing.
Work completed in September:
- Ingredient pages published: 6
- FAQ blocks added to product pages: 10
- “Why subscribe” sections added to products: 12
- Top pages updated for better snippet clicks: 15 title and meta improvements.
September 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 12,100
- Subscription sales: 76
- Subscription conversion rate: 0.63%
October 2025: Comparison pages, routine guides, and stronger internal linking
October focused on decision support content. In supplements, people compare a lot before buying, especially if they are subscribing. We published comparison pages and routine guides, then built strong internal links into product pages and subscription options.
Work completed in October:
- Comparison pages published: 5
- Routine and “how to use” guides published: 4
- Internal links added from new content into products and collections: 60
- Product pages refreshed based on on site behavior data: 10
October 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 14,300
- Subscription sales: 98
- Subscription conversion rate: 0.69%
November 2025: Authority building, trust upgrades, and conversion refinement
In November, we focused on trust and conversion. We improved proof sections on key pages and earned relevant mentions that supported competitive rankings. We also reviewed how shoppers moved through the site and reduced friction around subscription selection.
Work completed in November:
- Relevant backlinks earned: 9
- Review focused content sections added to product pages: 8
- Subscription FAQ page published and linked from key pages.
- Mobile buy box improvements rolled out on top products: 12
November 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 16,800
- Subscription sales: 128
- Subscription conversion rate: 0.76%
December 2025: Content refresh, holiday intent optimization, and peak month results
In December, we focused on keeping rankings stable and improving pages that already had high impressions. We refreshed top content, expanded FAQs using real customer questions, and improved internal links so the highest converting pages stayed supported. We also optimized for gift and bundle intent without pushing medical claims.
Work completed in December:
- Content refreshes completed: 18 pages updated using Search Console data.
- FAQ expansions added: 14 new Q and A sections across products and guides.
- Product schema and review schema checks completed sitewide.
- Internal link cleanup and strengthening across core pages.
December 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 19,500
- Subscription sales: 166
- Subscription conversion rate: 0.85%
Before vs after proof: How the 315% subscription sales increase was calculated
We used July 2025 as the baseline month because tracking was cleaned and stable at the start of the project. In July 2025, organic search drove 40 subscription sales. In December 2025, organic search drove 166 subscription sales.
Before vs after highlights:
- July 2025 subscription sales: 40
- December 2025 subscription sales: 166
- Net increase: +126 subscription sales per month
Percentage calculation:
- 126 divided by 40 equals 3.15
- That equals a 315% increase in subscription sales from organic search
Supporting proof signals that matched the subscription growth:
- Organic sessions grew from 9,600 to 19,500
- Subscription conversion rate improved from 0.42% to 0.85%
- More revenue came from product and collection pages, not just blogs
Tools used during the campaign
We used a practical tool stack focused on clean measurement, SEO research, technical audits, and conversion improvement. Each tool had a clear role, so decisions stayed based on data.
Tracking and ecommerce reporting:
- Google Analytics 4: subscription purchase tracking, landing pages, user paths
- Shopify analytics: subscription order validation and revenue checks
- Subscription app reporting: churn signals, frequency choices, and subscription share
SEO audits and research:
- Google Search Console: queries, impressions, clicks, indexing checks
- Screaming Frog: crawl audits, duplicates, redirects, internal linking checks
- Ahrefs or Semrush: keyword research, content gap checks, backlink monitoring
- PageSpeed Insights: mobile speed checks and Core Web Vitals monitoring
Content and conversion behavior:
- Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar: scroll depth, session recordings, drop off points
- Looker Studio: monthly dashboards for clear reporting and trends
Why this worked: Simple explanation
This worked because the site started matching what supplement shoppers actually search. Ingredient pages brought in the right traffic, product pages answered questions faster, and internal links guided visitors toward the right products. Once visitors trusted the brand and understood the subscription option, they were more willing to subscribe.
It also worked because we improved conversion while improving rankings. More traffic helped, but the bigger jump came from making subscription choices clear, easy, and low stress. That combination is what produced a 315% increase by December 2025.