Case Study: Transforming
Sheffield Credit Union's
Digital Presence

In just one year, Storyboard Digital partnered with Sheffield Credit Union to overhaul their digital strategy. We moved them from a brand that relied on existing members knowing their URL to a search engine powerhouse that attracts new audiences daily.

The Challenge: Breaking Dependency on Direct Traffic

In 2024, Sheffield Credit Union faced a common hurdle: their website was heavily reliant on Direct traffic, which accounted for 51–82% of sessions depending on the month. This meant visitors were almost exclusively existing members who already knew the website address. Their organic search presence was secondary, accounting for as little as 8.64% of total traffic in months like February. While they had a loyal base, they were missing out on a massive audience of prospects searching for financial services online.

The Solution: A Strategic SEO Transformation

Storyboard Digital implemented a comprehensive SEO investment focused on capturing high-intent search traffic and improving content relevance. Our strategy shifted the focus from simple volume to high-quality engagement, ensuring that when new prospects found the site, they found exactly what they needed.

The Results: Growth That Compounds

The transformation was immediate and sustained, resulting in a fundamental shift in how the organisation connects with its community.

1. Explosive Organic Growth

We didn't just grow traffic; we revolutionised its source.

Organic Search Dominance: Organic search rose from a minority share to commanding 49–62% of all sessions in 2025.

  • Peak Performance: In March 2025, we achieved a staggering 240% year-on-year growth in organic sessions.

  • February Momentum: Total sessions in February grew by 80%, nearly doubling the previous year's performance.

2. Superior Engagement Quality

More visitors only matter if they stay. By optimising content for the user, we saw engagement skyrocket.

  • Engagement Lift: Engagement rates climbed from an average of 55% in 2024 to consistently above 65% in 2025.

  • Record Highs: June 2025 saw a peak engagement rate of 70.6%, proving that seven out of ten visitors were actively interacting with the site.

  • Strategic Maturation: By October, even with a focus on quality over raw volume, we tracked 955 key conversion events, shifting the focus to real business outcomes.

3. A Resilient, Multi-Channel Portfolio

We helped Sheffield Credit Union move away from single-source dependency.

  • Referral Success: Partnership development led to a 147% surge in referral traffic by September.

  • Balanced Growth: The traffic profile is now a healthy mix of Organic Search, Direct, Paid Social, and Referrals.

Executive Summary

Average Monthly Traffic Growth

+49.2% (YoY)

Average Engagement Improvement

+12.3 Percentage Points

Primary Traffic Driver

Organic Search (Replacing Direct)

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Curious About Your Own Growth Potential?

If these results have inspired you to look closer at your own digital presence, we would love to chat. Whether you are looking for a complete channel transformation or just want to improve your current engagement, we will find a solution that is guaranteed to work for you!

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