Transforming ZABA Therapy into a Digital Acquisition Engine
Kameron Adams
Executive Summary
ZABA Therapy, established in 2013, is a premier Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) provider led by a Doctoral-Level Behavior Analyst delivering evidence-based therapy for children with autism across home, center, and school settings. When they first approached us, they faced three primary challenges: stagnant client acquisition, the need to promote a newly acquired location, and a digital presence that wasn't effectively showcasing their expertise.
Over an 18-month engagement that evolved through three distinct phases, we transformed ZABA's digital strategy from a basic website redesign into a comprehensive digital marketing ecosystem. This case study details how we achieved remarkable growth metrics, including a 68.4% increase in organic search traffic, a staggering 1,239% growth in referral traffic, and a 194.9% increase in views to their new location page—all while implementing a sustainable content strategy that positions ZABA as an authority in ABA therapy.
Lead Content
Updated Service Cards
Client Background
ZABA Therapy operates in the competitive space of Applied Behavior Analysis, providing specialized therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders. Their target audience primarily consists of parents seeking evidence-based intervention options for their children, as well as schools and pediatricians making referrals.
What sets ZABA apart is their doctoral-level leadership and commitment to applying the science of behavior analysis in personalized therapy plans across various settings—home, center, and school environments. This customized approach resonates with families seeking flexible, comprehensive care.
Prior to our engagement, ZABA's digital presence consisted of a functional but outdated website with minimal engagement metrics, no content marketing strategy, and limited visibility in search results. Despite their clinical excellence, their digital footprint didn't effectively communicate their expertise or generate a consistent flow of qualified leads.
The client's original site w/ original logo
Project Evolution & Scope
Phase 1: Website Redesign
Our partnership began with what seemed like a straightforward website redesign project. The initial goal was simple: increase monthly client acquisition by creating a more engaging, user-friendly website that would convert visitors into consultation requests.
We began with a comprehensive website audit that revealed several critical issues:
Outdated visual design that didn't reflect ZABA's professional expertise
Poor mobile responsiveness limiting accessibility for on-the-go parents
Minimal content about specific therapy approaches
Lack of clear user pathways to request consultations
Weak technical SEO foundation
Our redesign strategy focused on creating a warm, child-friendly aesthetic while maintaining clinical professionalism. We rebuilt the site with a focus on:
Clearly defined service categories with detailed methodology explanations
Streamlined consultation request process
Enhanced mobile experience
Improved site architecture for better navigation
Implementation of basic SEO best practices
Phase 2: Location Expansion Campaign
As we were finalizing the website redesign, ZABA acquired a new therapy center in Waterbury, creating an immediate need to promote this expansion. This prompted the addition of a Google Ads campaign to our scope of work.
We developed a targeted campaign structure that included:
Separate ad groups for all services provided
Custom landing pages specific to the Waterbury location
Conversion tracking for both phone calls and form submissions
The Google Ads campaign generated immediate visibility for the new location, resulting in a 46% increase in location-specific inquiries within the first two months. However, we noticed that while paid traffic was performing well, there was a significant opportunity to complement this with organic growth strategies.
Phase 3: Content & SEO Strategy (September 2024-Present)
Based on the success of the website redesign and location campaign, ZABA expanded our engagement to include a comprehensive content and SEO strategy. This phase began with the launch of a blog in January 2025, initially using AI-assisted content with expert review to build a foundation of resources.
Our content strategy was designed to:
Establish ZABA as an authoritative voice in ABA therapy
Educate parents about autism interventions and developmental milestones
Create helpful resources for families navigating autism services
Target strategic keywords to improve organic search visibility
Build a foundation for original expert content written by ZABA clinicians
We implemented a consistent publishing schedule of three posts per month, complemented by ongoing SEO optimization of both new and existing content. This strategy included:
Comprehensive keyword research for the ABA therapy space
Content calendar development aligned with parent concerns and search trends
Technical SEO improvements to enhance site performance
Analytics implementation to track content performance
Progressive transition toward featuring original content written by ZABA's clinical team
Challenges & Solutions
Challenge 1: Declining Homepage Traffic Despite Overall Growth
By April 2025, we faced an interesting paradox: while overall site traffic was growing significantly (with organic search up 68.4% and referrals up 1,239%), the homepage was experiencing a 34.2% decline in views. Analysis revealed that users were increasingly landing directly on specialized content pages rather than entering through the homepage.
Solution: We recognized this as an opportunity to evolve the homepage from a simple entry point into a strategic content hub. Our approach included:
Creating a featured section showcasing ZABA's original expert content
Implementing a blog preview module highlighting recent articles
Enhancing service descriptions with clearer benefit statements
Improving internal linking between content pages and the homepage
This strategy leveraged the high-performing content to strengthen the homepage, rather than seeing the traffic shift as a problem.
Challenge 2: Balancing AI-Assisted and Original Content
While AI-assisted content allowed us to quickly build a substantial resource library, we recognized the need to showcase the unique expertise of ZABA's clinical team.
Solution: We developed a hybrid content approach:
Using AI assistance for foundational educational topics and research summaries
Reserving specific topics for original articles written by ZABA's clinical team
Creating a distinctive design for team-written content to highlight its premium nature
Implementing a transition plan to gradually increase the proportion of original content
Challenge 3: Technical Performance Constraints
As content volume grew, we encountered WordPress performance issues that affected site speed and user experience.
Solution: Our technical optimization strategy included:
WordPress theme enhancements to improve loading speed
Optimization of mobile experience with responsive design improvements
Implementation of dynamic blog layouts to improve content engagement
UI Style Guide
UI Style Guide + Logo Redesign
Results & Metrics (January-April 2025)
Since implementing our comprehensive strategy, ZABA Therapy has experienced significant growth across key performance indicators:
Organic Search: 68.4% increase in traffic from search engines
Referral Traffic: 1,239% growth in visitors from external websites
Location Page Growth: 194.9% increase in views to the Waterbury location page
Direct Traffic: 12.1% improvement in users directly accessing the site
Conversion Rate: 27% increase in consultation request submissions
Blog Engagement: Average time on blog pages exceeding site average by 1:45
These metrics demonstrate the effectiveness of our integrated approach, where each component of the digital strategy supports and enhances the others.
Ongoing Strategy
As we continue our partnership with ZABA Therapy, our focus has shifted to:
Blog Management: Following our blog posting strategy
Enhanced User Experience: Continuous refinement of site navigation and user pathways
Local SEO Enhancement: Strengthening presence for both existing and new locations
Client Success Stories: Figuring out a way to portray client success
Lessons Learned
This evolving engagement has provided valuable insights:
Digital Strategy Evolution: What begins as a website project often evolves into a comprehensive digital ecosystem when results demonstrate value
Content Authority Building: Establishing authority requires a balance of volume (through AI assistance) and expertise (through original content)
Traffic Pattern Analysis: Sometimes apparent negative metrics (like homepage decline) actually indicate positive user behavior shifts that can be leveraged
Multi-Channel Integration: The most effective digital strategy integrates paid, owned, and earned media rather than treating them as separate channels
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Posted Aug 29, 2024
Revitalized an ABA therapy provider through website redesign, targeted campaigns & content marketing, boosting organic search 68% & direct traffic 12%.
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