SEO Case Study – Paper Bag eCommerce Growth | iWebhacks
SEO Case Study · eCommerce · Australia

How I Helped an Australian Paper Bag eCommerce Brand Dominate Search & Scale Revenue

For over 15 years, I’ve helped Smartbag Australia (smartbag.com.au) grow using only digital — no TV, no radio, no flyers — just SEO + PPC and eCommerce industry solutions. Today, they attract 12K–15K organic visitors per month and generate around $100K–$200K in monthly sales.

12K–15K organic visitors / month
$100K–$200K monthly sales
15+ yrs digital-only growth
Client & Challenge

Becoming Australia's Go-To Paper Bag Brand — Without Old-School Advertising

Smartbag wanted to dominate the paper bag and packaging space across Australia using digital channels only — no TV, radio, print, or flyers. Everything had to come from search and paid media.

About the Client

Smartbag Australia (smartbag.com.au) is an eCommerce supplier of paper bags and packaging for retailers, events, food businesses, and national brands.

They compete nationally against big-box suppliers and importers. The differentiator: strong product range, reliable supply, and a web presence built to capture buyers at the exact moment they search.

Industry: eCommerce · Packaging · B2B/B2C
Location: Australia-wide
Model: Digital-only sales
Channels: SEO & PPC
Key Challenges
  • Competing in national SERPs for generic, competitive terms like "paper bags" and "wholesale paper bags".
  • No traditional advertising safety net — all growth needed to come from SEO and PPC performance.
  • Large catalog requiring structured category and product-level SEO.
  • Need to balance branded traffic with scalable non-branded demand across Australia.
  • Ensuring that paid campaigns and organic efforts supported each other instead of working in silos.
Strategy & Execution

SEO + PPC Working Together to Capture "Paper Bags" Demand Nationwide

Over 15 years, I built an integrated system: national keyword coverage, tightly-structured campaigns, and ongoing optimization using industry-specific strategies and AI-driven optimization.

eCommerce SEO Google Ads (PPC) Category & Product SEO Non-Branded Keyword Growth Conversion Optimization
Phase 1
SEO Foundations & Category Architecture

Structured the site around how customers search: paper bags by size, color, use case, and industry. Cleaned up technical SEO, optimized category pages, and ensured strong on-page SEO for core keywords like "paper bags" and "wholesale paper bags" while building internal links for depth and relevance.

Phase 2
Always-On PPC for High-Intent Searches

Launched and refined Google Ads campaigns targeting commercial-intent keywords across Australia. Used exact, phrase, and smart match variations, directing traffic to high-converting category and product pages. Organic and paid were treated as one system — not separate channels.

Phase 3
AI & Ongoing Optimization

Over time, layered in AI-enhanced optimization and marketing automation services: smarter bidding, content testing, search term mining, and landing page refinements. The result: more qualified traffic, better ROAS, and stable growth in monthly sales.

Results

From Simple Online Store to a High-Volume, Search-Driven Sales Engine

Smartbag evolved into a national player in the paper bag & packaging space — with every sale traceable back to SEO and PPC efforts.

Performance Snapshot
Metric Before Now
Monthly Organic Sessions Low starting baseline 12K–15K
Monthly Sales Much lower volume $100K–$200K
Core Keyword Positions Unstable / lower rankings Top visibility for "paper bags", "wholesale paper bags" and related terms
Offline Advertising Spend Not applicable $0 (no TV, radio, flyers)

All sales growth comes from digital — primarily SEO and PPC — with no traditional ad channels in play.

Business Impact
  • Smartbag became one of Australia's most visible brands for paper bags and related packaging online.
  • Reliable monthly sales in the $100K–$200K range purely from digital channels.
  • SEO and PPC together built a defensible position against competitors and marketplaces.
  • 15+ years of compounding digital growth — proving that a focused search strategy can replace traditional advertising.

"We've never used TV or radio. Our growth has come entirely from being found online. Jason's SEO and PPC work turned our website into the engine of the business."

— Owner, Smartbag Australia (smartbag.com.au)
Work With Me

Want Similar SEO & PPC Results for Your eCommerce or Supply Business?

I combine SEO services, industry-specific strategies, AI optimization and marketing automation to build digital-only growth systems for eCommerce brands.

If you run an eCommerce or product-based business and want to rely on digital instead of traditional advertising, I can design a system similar to what I built for Smartbag — tuned to your products, margins, and market.

  • SEO & PPC audit of your current performance and opportunities.
  • Keyword and campaign roadmap to capture non-branded and branded demand.
  • Recommendations for landing page, funnel, and automation improvements.
  • Clear, realistic next steps based on your budget and growth targets.

You get a practical, numbers-focused plan — not generic advice or random tactics.

Prefer email? Use the form and I'll reply with a tailored response and possible options.

Request an eCommerce SEO & PPC Plan
Share a bit about your store and goals, and I'll come back with a custom growth roadmap.

I'll review your details and reply with a tailored plan — usually within a few hours.

Digital Marketing Expert

  • Data & Attribution
  • Result Oriented
  • Brand Strategy
98%

Customers Satisfied

From AI systems to SEO, PPC, and web development.

80%

Campaigns Handled

In 15 yrs, we handled problematic campaigns from previous providers and resolved.

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