Material Things

The challenge

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Material Things has been helping people make their houses feel like homes since 1975. And they're rather good at it. From humble beginnings reupholstering furniture in a garage, the family-run business has grown into one of the South Coast's established independent furniture retailers, with a 12,000 sq ft showroom, its own upholstery workshops and an impressive collection of premium furniture brands.

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With names including Stressless, G Plan, Parker Knoll and Ercol alongside its own handcrafted Bowes & Hill furniture, Material Things offers something increasingly difficult to find: genuine expertise, traditional craftsmanship and a truly personal service.

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But having a fantastic showroom is one thing. Making sure customers find it is another.

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In an increasingly competitive furniture market, the challenge is ensuring Material Things remains visible when potential customers begin researching their next furniture purchase, whether they're searching for a particular brand, a bespoke sofa or a specialist upholstery service.

Getting the right people through the door

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For almost two years, SONDR has worked alongside Material Things to strengthen its digital presence through a combination of SEO and PPC. Both channels play a different role, but share the same commercial objective: connecting Material Things with customers actively looking for the products and services they offer.

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SEO: Building Long-Term Visibility

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Organic search provides an opportunity to reach customers throughout their furniture-buying journey. From searches for leading furniture brands to more specific enquiries around bespoke sofas, reupholstery and furniture retailers in Hampshire, SEO helps position Material Things in front of relevant audiences.

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Our ongoing work focuses on strengthening the website's presence in search engines and supporting visibility for the products, brands and specialist services that make the business distinctive.

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PPC: Reaching Customers Ready to Buy

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Alongside organic search, Google Ads provides an additional opportunity to connect with customers demonstrating purchasing intent. Paid search allows Material Things to compete for valuable furniture-related searches, promote relevant product ranges and reach potential customers who may be unfamiliar with the business.

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For a retailer offering everything from premium branded furniture to bespoke upholstery, this creates opportunities to reach different audiences with relevant messaging.

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Together, SEO and PPC provide complementary routes for customers to discover Material Things.

More than just an online sale

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Furniture isn't always something you add to a basket and buy in five minutes. Particularly when you're considering a premium sofa, a bespoke piece of furniture or a complete living room transformation. Customers want to compare options, explore fabrics, understand the differences between brands and, quite often, sit on the sofa before making a decision. That's where the physical showroom becomes such an important part of the customer journey.

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For Material Things, digital marketing needs to do more than encourage online transactions. It also needs to introduce customers to the business, communicate its expertise and help turn online research into showroom enquiries and visits. It's about making sure the quality of the digital experience reflects the quality of the business behind it.

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Bringing traditional retail and digital together

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For almost two years, SONDR has supported Material Things with ongoing SEO and PPC, helping the business connect its traditional retail expertise with the way customers discover and research furniture today. What makes Material Things special isn't simply the furniture it sells. It's the knowledge of its team, the craftsmanship behind its bespoke products and the personal service that has helped build its reputation over five decades. Our role is to help more people discover those qualities.

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Because while the way customers find furniture continues to evolve, the value of quality, comfort and expert advice never goes out of style.

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Looking to grow your furniture retail business?

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From reaching new customers through paid search to building stronger relationships through SMS and email marketing, SONDR helps independent furniture retailers connect their marketing activity with real commercial opportunities.

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Let's talk furniture retail.

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