Richmond Digital Marketing Case Study: Vocational School

Background

Xponent21 helped EPD University strengthen its visibility and boost training enrollment through a strategic blend of SEO, content optimization, and targeted advertising.

The Need

EPD aimed to increase awareness of EPD University, their window film installation training program, and address the industry’s growing demand for skilled installers. The labor shortage in the industry prompted the need for strategic marketing to attract, train, and place individuals interested in becoming installers.

ESP Window Tinting and Graphics, a premier window film dealer, serves commercial and residential clients throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana with high-quality sun control films, security films, decorative window treatments, wall graphics, and architectural finishes. Their reputation for craftsmanship was well established. What they needed next was stronger digital visibility to match.

In an increasingly search-driven world, discoverability is a key differentiator. ESP’s challenge wasn’t service—it was search. Their website lacked targeted, SEO-optimized content aligned with the real-world queries of their most valuable prospects. They needed to capture more qualified traffic, rank for high-intent keywords, and ensure that prospective clients could quickly find the right solutions for their comfort, visual, privacy, and branding needs.

That’s where Xponent 21 came in. Our ability to combine deep SEO expertise with an AI-enabled content engine meant we could deliver what ESP needed most: speed, precision, and brand consistency across a large-scale content build.

Supporting these pillars, we developed targeted subpages focused on specific product types and brand offerings—assets designed to capture traffic from high-intent users. This structure allowed us to guide both visitors and search engines through a logical path of discovery, education, and conversion.

We then implemented an internal linking strategy that reinforced these relationships across the site, improving navigation, boosting indexability, and enabling a more intuitive user experience.

Our content production workflow allowed us to scale this structure efficiently while maintaining quality and brand alignment. From strategy through to design and deployment, our cross-functional team ensured every content asset was fully optimized, visually polished, and seamlessly integrated into the site experience.

The Result

Qualitative:

Reduced support phone calls and emails to program administrators through enhanced online self-service capabilities.

Increased user confidence in class registration due to comprehensive online class information.

Quantitative:

Through implementing campaign optimizations in Google Ads, we improved the campaign conversion rate by 60% from 2022 to 2023.

Training inquiries saw a 40% increase.

We increased organic traffic to the pages by 266% in a six-month period.

Percent of Training Traffic from Organic Search

Financial Impact:

EPD University revenue increased by 108% in 2023 compared to 2022.

Thanks to Xponent21, EPD University has seen a surge in attendance and trainee retention. It is due to a variety of digital components that comprise a well-planned and executed strategy.

- Manny Hondroulis, Vice President at Energy Products Distribution

Closing Reflections

EPD continues to maintain relationships with former trainees by providing valuable resources and consistent communication. This program also deepens relationships with dealers in EPD’s network by providing a solution to a major industry need. Their EPD University course trains installers and EPD’s Career Connect program supports graduates in finding job opportunities with prospective employers.

In summary, our strategic digital marketing efforts not only addressed EPD’s immediate needs but also positioned EPD University as a leading training provider and valuable partner to dealers.

EPD University Marketing Case Study

Project Manager:

Client:

266% Increase in Organic Traffic and 108% Growth in Revenue