Case Study: Baby Republic — Explosive eCommerce Growth Through SEO, Content, YouTube & Affiliate Marketing

Client: Baby Republic · Toy & Gift Wholesaler
Services: Technical SEO · Content Creation · YouTube Channel Launch · Wholesale & Retail Web Builds · Google Ads · Affiliate Program Management
Websites: www.babyrepublic.co.uk · www.simplytoys.co.uk · shop.elfontheshelf.co.uk
Location: United Kingdom

Client Overview

Baby Republic is a fast-growing toy wholesaler supplying retailers nationwide. They also operate consumer-facing brands — Simply Toys and the official Elf On The Shelf UK store — serving both B2B and B2C audiences. They approached Milton Keynes Marketing to consolidate their digital strategy across SEO, content, paid media and affiliate channels.

The Challenge

Limited organic visibility and technical SEO issues on legacy sites.
Weak ranking for the competitive keyword “Elf On The Shelf”.
Separate wholesale and retail sites lacking coherent branding or analytics integration.
High Google Ads CPL (cost per lead) and no structured remarketing.
No centralised affiliate program to leverage influencer reach.
Under-utilised YouTube and content potential in a visual, seasonal market.

Objectives

Fix technical SEO and indexation issues across all domains.
Achieve top-3 ranking for “Elf On The Shelf” within 12 months.
Build distinct wholesale (Baby Republic) and retail (Simply Toys) websites.
Reduce Google Ads CPL by > 75 %.
Launch an affiliate program to recruit 2 000 + publishers and influencers.
Grow organic traffic and brand awareness via YouTube and content.

Strategy & Approach

Complete crawl and technical audit for Elf On The Shelf site.
Fixed indexation, canonical, schema and internal link issues.
Created a content calendar covering gift guides and seasonal keywords.
Added rich media content and structured data for products and FAQs.
Achieved page-2 to page-1 movement on core keywords within 3 months.

2️⃣ Website Development (Wholesale & Retail)

Built a bespoke B2B wholesale portal for Baby Republic — complete with tiered pricing and bulk ordering.
Designed a user-friendly retail store under the Simply Toys brand for direct sales.
Implemented cross-site tracking and data layer integration for analytics.

3️⃣ Google Ads Optimisation

Re-structured search campaigns by intent and product line.
Introduced shopping ads and dynamic remarketing for seasonal peaks.
Implemented conversion tracking and negative keywords to cut waste spend.
Reduced Cost Per Lead by 80 % within six months.

4️⃣ YouTube Channel Launch

Developed the official Baby Republic YouTube channel featuring short-form toy demos and seasonal videos.
Integrated videos into retail pages and ads for enhanced engagement.
Reached thousands of target parents and retailers in the first quarter.

5️⃣ Affiliate Program Build & Management

Set up affiliate tracking software and landing pages.
Recruited and onboarded 2 500 + affiliates across the UK and Europe.
Designed automated email flows for recruitment and promotion.
Delivered steady monthly referral sales from partners and bloggers.

Results

Organic traffic up 400 % year-on-year.
Elf On The Shelf ranked # 2 UK for target keyword within 12 months.
Cost Per Lead down 80 % through Google Ads optimisation.
Successful launch of Baby Republic (wholesale) and Simply Toys (retail) websites.
Over 2 500 active affiliates recruited and managed.
Rapid growth of YouTube channel and brand visibility.

Tech Stack & Tools

WordPress / WooCommerce · GA4 · Search Console · Google Ads · YouTube Studio · Affiliate Platform (SaaS)
SEO schema and structured data · Retail & Wholesale site integrations
Cross-domain tracking · High-performance hosting stack

What We Delivered

Technical SEO foundation that quadrupled traffic.
Dual-brand web architecture for wholesale & retail sales.
Drastically improved Google Ads performance and ROI.
Multi-channel content & video strategy driving awareness.
Scalable affiliate marketing ecosystem with thousands of partners.

Want Results Like This?

If you’re a wholesale or eCommerce brand looking to scale SEO, PPC and affiliate growth, book a free marketing audit or learn more about our SEO, PPC and Affiliate Marketing services with Milton Keynes Marketing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is your agency a good fit for UK wholesalers and manufacturers?

We specialise in UK wholesalers and manufacturers, offering technical SEO, wholesale web builds and channel strategies that support both B2B and B2C sales.

We’re a small high‑street retailer in Milton Keynes — can you help with local and online sales?

We work with small high‑street retailers in Milton Keynes and beyond to combine local SEO, PPC and eCommerce improvements that drive both footfall and online revenue.

Do you only work with toy and gift retailers or other industries too?

While we have strong experience with toy and gift retailers, our services apply to eCommerce, B2B and service sectors across the UK.

How long before I see SEO improvements for an ecommerce site?

Most clients see measurable SEO improvements within three to six months, with stronger gains by six to twelve months depending on competition and site health.

How long does it take to launch a new YouTube channel and start getting views?

You can launch a structured YouTube channel in four to eight weeks, with meaningful view growth typically appearing after consistent publishing over three to six months.

How quickly can you set up an affiliate program and recruit partners?

Setting up an affiliate program usually takes four to eight weeks, with partner recruitment and measurable performance often developing over the following two to four months.

What budget should I expect for ongoing SEO and content for a national eCommerce site?

For national eCommerce sites, ongoing SEO and content programs commonly start around £1,000–£3,000 per month depending on scale and objectives.

Do you charge a setup fee for Google Ads and how much does monthly management cost?

We typically apply a one‑off setup fee for Google Ads and management fees that are either a percentage of ad spend or a fixed monthly retainer, commonly ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds depending on campaign complexity.

Can you share results from similar UK eCommerce projects or customer references?

We provide case studies, performance metrics and client references from UK eCommerce and wholesale projects, including recent work for national and Milton Keynes clients upon request.

What qualifications or certifications do your team have for SEO, PPC and analytics?

Our team hold industry certifications such as Google Ads and Google Analytics and maintain up‑to‑date training in technical SEO, content strategy and marketing automation.