Revamping a digital presence to connect with over 500 independent squash clubs and engage new audiences.
Client overview
England Squash serves as the national governing body of squash, supporting a vibrant community of over 200,000 players. Focused on grassroots development, they provide essential resources for over 500 affiliated clubs, driving participation and elevating the profile of squash nationwide.
The challenge
England Squash came to us seeking assistance in enhancing their online content to cultivate lasting interest and increase participation in the sport. They had made significant investments in their Squash Finder tool, which facilitates users’ access to clubs, classes, and coaches across England. However, the broader online content surrounding this tool did not reflect the same standards, leading to a disconnect for users.
They aimed to encourage affiliated clubs to embrace digital opportunities to enhance user experiences beyond the national site. With the Commonwealth Games approaching, time constraints compounded the challenge, as did the necessity to devise a budget-friendly solution to support numerous independent club websites.
They aimed to encourage affiliated clubs to embrace digital opportunities to enhance user experiences beyond the national site. With the Commonwealth Games approaching, time constraints compounded the challenge, as did the necessity to devise a budget-friendly solution to support numerous independent club websites.
The approach
Our focus was on empowering the internal team and affiliated clubs with the knowledge and tools they needed to manage their content, ensuring sustainability and ongoing engagement independently.
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Expert training for the in-house team:
We conducted workshops and created detailed training resources, empowering the England Squash team with insights on content creation, audience engagement, and best practices for updating the national website. This equipped them to adapt strategies in response to user feedback and trends. -
Keyword research to inform content strategy:
We performed comprehensive keyword analysis to uncover user search intentions, mapping primary and secondary keywords to each page. This targeted approach helped reduce duplicate content and improve overall site performance, ensuring each page served a distinct purpose. -
Priority content optimisation:
We centred our optimisation efforts on the 'Squash Stars' initiative, delivering strategic guidance and specific recommendations to enhance key pages. This approach enabled the England Squash team to craft compelling content that effectively attracts and engages younger audiences. -
Engagement for external team members:
We created an engaging series of six two-minute training videos, each focusing on a specific SEO technique, such as optimising metadata and leveraging Google Business profiles. This format made it easy for volunteers at over 500 clubs to implement practical improvements to their websites quickly.
The results
By prioritising content optimisation and comprehensive training, we successfully enabled England Squash to engage its target audience during a pivotal period for the sport. Key outcomes included:
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Enhanced user engagement:
The website experienced a marked increase in traffic, with more users accessing essential information about clubs, classes, and coaches, leading to a rise in participation rates. -
Improved content clarity:
Our keyword mapping and content optimisation resulted in better search engine visibility and reduced duplicate content issues, allowing users to find relevant information more efficiently. -
Empowered internal team and clubs:
The training sessions and resources provided to the England Squash team and affiliated clubs equipped them with the skills needed to maintain consistent content improvements, ensuring a sustainable digital presence. -
Increased club involvement:
The training videos facilitated widespread engagement among volunteer-run clubs, resulting in numerous clubs implementing the SEO techniques shared, which enhanced their online visibility.
