Trivera Client Success Study - Midland Plastics Boosts Their Leads by Double Digits

In this episode of the Trivera Deep Dive, Chip and Nova unpack the strategic decisions behind Trivera’s website overhaul for Midland Plastics. From uncovering hidden UX obstacles to elevating SEO value and creating a seamless content structure, they walk through the journey that led to a 30% increase in leads—and explain how it can work for other manufacturers too.

Key Takeaways:

• Why strategy should always drive design decisions
• The impact of simplifying complex product structures
• How better content and intuitive navigation increased conversions
• The measurable results that made this project a success

👉 Read the case study for more on Midland’s transformation.

Transcript

00:00:00,079 --> 00:00:08,599 [Chip]
Ever wonder how a really solid partnership can take a business' online game from kinda meh to, well,
totally turbo-charged? 

00:00:08,599 --> 00:00:11,019 [Nova]
Yeah, like leading to some seriously impressive growth. 

00:00:11,019 --> 00:00:18,739 [Chip]
Exactly. We're talking website makeovers, security you don't lose sleep over, uh, a user experience
that's just smooth. 

00:00:18,739 --> 00:00:22,180 [Nova]
Like butter, yeah. And just getting seen way more online. 

00:00:22,180 --> 00:00:28,359 [Chip]
Stick with us, because that's exactly what we're diving into today. [upbeat music] 

00:00:28,359 --> 00:00:45,439 [Narrator 1]
Welcome to Trivera's AI Deep Dive Podcast, hosted by Chip and Nova, our AI co-hosts. Together, they
transform top marketing insights from our blogs, articles, and events into actionable strategies you
can use. Ready to dive in? Let's get started. 

00:00:45,439 --> 00:00:47,559 [Chip]
Welcome to this Trivera Deep Dive. I'm Chip. 

00:00:47,559 --> 00:00:48,279 [Nova]
And I'm Nova. 

00:00:48,279 --> 00:00:55,659 [Chip]
And today, we're basically pulling back the curtain on a real success story. It's a published case
study, uh, showing what our team here does. 

00:00:55,659 --> 00:01:01,379 [Nova]
That's right, Chip. We're gonna unpack how we helped Midland Plastics. They had some pretty big
digital hurdles to clear. 

00:01:01,379 --> 00:01:01,959 [Chip]
Mm-hmm. 

00:01:01,959 --> 00:01:05,899 [Nova]
And we'll show you the, frankly, remarkable improvements they achieved. 

00:01:05,899 --> 00:01:11,479 [Chip]
So if you've ever thought, "You know, maybe our website needs a refresh," or, "How do we get more
impact online?" 

00:01:11,479 --> 00:01:15,179 [Nova]
Then, yeah, this Deep Dive is definitely for you. Lots of insights you can actually use. 

00:01:15,179 --> 00:01:22,439 [Chip]
Okay, so let's set the scene. Midland Plastics, they joined the Trivera family, uh, back in 2024. 

00:01:22,439 --> 00:01:28,659 [Nova]
Right, and these guys, they do pretty much everything plastics. Seriously, stock parts, totally
custom stuff. 

00:01:28,659 --> 00:01:33,219 [Chip]
They know their materials too. High-performance plastics, precision cutting, vacuum forming. 

00:01:33,219 --> 00:01:38,059 [Nova]
Even custom extrusions for all kinds of industries. Super knowledgeable. 

00:01:38,059 --> 00:01:42,459 [Chip]
But the challenge was their digital side, their website and online presence. 

00:01:42,459 --> 00:01:43,399 [Nova]
Yeah. 

00:01:43,399 --> 00:01:45,599 [Chip]
I- it wasn't quite keeping up with how good they were offline. 

00:01:45,599 --> 00:01:51,819 [Nova]
Exactly. Uh, their website was on an older version of Concrete CMS and old PHP. 

00:01:51,819 --> 00:01:55,139 [Chip]
Oof. Yeah, anyone in web development knows that's not ideal. 

00:01:55,139 --> 00:02:01,419 [Nova]
Right. It's like driving an old car. Gets harder to maintain, and you're just, well, more
vulnerable. Security risks, definitely. 

00:02:01,419 --> 00:02:02,899 [Chip]
And not very flexible either of it. 

00:02:02,899 --> 00:02:10,699 [Nova]
Not at all. Plus, they knew they needed more, a proper digital marketing strategy, SEO, PPC, better
design, better UX. 

00:02:10,699 --> 00:02:13,739 [Chip]
And just keeping it all updated and secure without pulling their hair out. 

00:02:13,739 --> 00:02:15,199 [Nova]
That constant worry, yeah. 

00:02:15,199 --> 00:02:21,379 [Chip]
Okay, so Midland comes to us with these challenges. And our plan, it wasn't just one thing, right?
We tackled it from a few angles. 

00:02:21,379 --> 00:02:23,399 [Nova]
Definitely multifaceted. 

00:02:23,399 --> 00:02:26,379 [Chip]
Okay, let's get into it. Phase one, where did we start? 

00:02:26,379 --> 00:02:31,299 [Nova]
Right at the foundation. The very first, most critical step was moving their website. 

00:02:31,299 --> 00:02:32,299 [Chip]
Moving it where? 

00:02:32,299 --> 00:02:36,199 [Nova]
To Trivera's secure, fully managed hosting environment. 

00:02:36,199 --> 00:02:38,379 [Chip]
Ah, okay. Getting it onto our platform. 

00:02:38,379 --> 00:02:44,619 [Nova]
Yes, and a key part of that is the security aspect. We're talking 24/7 security monitoring. 

00:02:44,619 --> 00:02:45,339 [Chip]
That's huge. 

00:02:45,339 --> 00:02:45,679 [Nova]
Mm-hmm. 

00:02:45,679 --> 00:02:49,199 [Chip]
So that move immediately tackled those security worries they had. 

00:02:49,199 --> 00:02:57,579 [Nova]
Instantly. It addressed the vulnerabilities, and just as importantly, gave us a stable, reliable
base to work from. 

00:02:57,579 --> 00:03:01,619 [Chip]
It really is like sorting the foundations of a house, isn't it, before you do anything else? 

00:03:01,619 --> 00:03:04,879 [Nova]
Couldn't have said it better. You need th- that solid ground first. 

00:03:04,879 --> 00:03:08,199 [Chip]
Okay, foundation secured. What was next? 

00:03:08,199 --> 00:03:11,379 [Nova]
Phase two was upgrading the website platform itself. 

00:03:11,379 --> 00:03:16,059 [Chip]
So bringing that Concrete CMS and PHP up to the latest versions? 

00:03:16,059 --> 00:03:18,259 [Nova]
Precisely, getting everything current. 

00:03:18,259 --> 00:03:21,219 [Chip]
And the benefits of doing that are... 

00:03:21,219 --> 00:03:22,299 [Chip]
Well, they're pretty significant, right? 

00:03:22,299 --> 00:03:27,319 [Nova]
No, absolutely. It's not just about having the newest thing. It means increased stability, for
starters. 

00:03:27,319 --> 00:03:28,699 [Chip]
Fewer crashes, that sort of thing. 

00:03:28,699 --> 00:03:33,879 [Nova]
Yeah, and enhanced security, building on the secure hosting. Better defenses. 

00:03:33,879 --> 00:03:37,659 [Chip]
Makes sense. And improved functionality too. New features become possible. 

00:03:37,659 --> 00:03:41,919 [Nova]
Definitely, and overall performance speed, responsiveness, it all gets a boost. 

00:03:41,919 --> 00:03:45,799 [Chip]
So it's like giving the website engine a proper tuneup. Makes it run much better. 

00:03:45,799 --> 00:03:50,999 [Nova]
That's a great analogy. Okay, so the tech side is now solid and modern. Where do we go from there? 

00:03:50,999 --> 00:03:55,559 [Chip]
This is where we move into phase three, focusing on maximizing their online presence. 

00:03:55,559 --> 00:04:02,479 [Nova]
That's where the retained services agreement came in. Basically, we became their ongoing digital
partner, like an extension of their team. 

00:04:02,479 --> 00:04:03,999 [Chip]
Continuously improving things. 

00:04:03,999 --> 00:04:04,099 [Nova]
Yeah. 

00:04:04,099 --> 00:04:05,019 [Chip]
Staying ahead of the curve. 

00:04:05,019 --> 00:04:10,859 [Nova]
Exactly. So all right, let's dig into how we boosted things. Maybe start with SEO, search engine
optimization. 

00:04:10,859 --> 00:04:11,819 [Chip]
Yeah, let's do it. 

00:04:11,819 --> 00:04:11,899 [Nova]
Hm. 

00:04:11,899 --> 00:04:15,219 [Chip]
Because you can have the best website, but if no one finds it... 

00:04:15,219 --> 00:04:23,819 [Nova]
Right. So with SEO, the goal is simple. When people search for plastic solutions, Midland needs to
show up prominently. 

00:04:23,819 --> 00:04:24,739 [Chip]
How we do that? 

00:04:24,739 --> 00:04:30,859 [Nova]
Well, we started with ongoing technical audits, like regular checkups for the website's health, you
know? 

00:04:30,859 --> 00:04:31,179 [Chip]
Yeah. 

00:04:31,179 --> 00:04:33,859 [Nova]
Fixing anything, holding it back in search rankings. 

00:04:33,859 --> 00:04:34,959 [Chip]
Finding those little gremlins. 

00:04:34,959 --> 00:04:43,459 [Nova]
Finding the gremlins. And then a really focused keyword strategy, not just guessing what people type
in. 

00:04:43,459 --> 00:04:44,579 [Chip]
No, it's gotta be strategic. 

00:04:44,579 --> 00:04:51,019 [Nova]
Totally. Understanding the exact words their ideal customers use, then making sure the site uses
those words effectively. 

00:04:51,019 --> 00:04:54,019 [Chip]
And tweaking the site itself too, right? Optimizing pages. 

00:04:54,019 --> 00:04:59,159 [Nova]
Constantly. Little adjustments here and there based on data, boosting that organic visibility. 

00:04:59,159 --> 00:05:03,219 [Chip]
Okay, so that covers people finding them through regular search. What about paid ads? 

00:05:03,219 --> 00:05:07,579 [Nova]
Ah, yes, PPC, pay per click. We set up targeted campaigns for that too. 

00:05:07,579 --> 00:05:09,619 [Chip]
So these are the ads you see at the top of Google sometimes. 

00:05:09,619 --> 00:05:15,259 [Nova]
Exactly. The idea is immediate visibility, right in front of people who are actively looking for
what Midland offers. 

00:05:15,259 --> 00:05:18,879 [Chip]
Drives qualified traffic fast, people who are already interested. 

00:05:18,879 --> 00:05:22,479 [Nova]
Precisely. High-quality traffic straight to the site. 

00:05:22,479 --> 00:05:26,539 [Chip]
But getting them there is only half the battle, isn't it? You gotta keep them there, make it easy
for them. 

00:05:26,539 --> 00:05:34,479 [Nova]
Oh, absolutely, which brings us to UI/UX user interface and user experience. That was a huge focus. 

00:05:34,479 --> 00:05:38,219 [Chip]
Making the site easy and, dare I say, pleasant to use. 

00:05:38,219 --> 00:05:45,219 [Nova]
Pleasant is good. Our UI/UX team was constantly digging into the analytics. How are people really
using the site? 

00:05:45,219 --> 00:05:46,739 [Chip]
Where are they clicking? Where are they getting stuck? 

00:05:46,739 --> 00:05:51,479 [Nova]
Exactly. We used heat maps too, which visually show user activity. 

00:05:51,479 --> 00:05:51,559 [Chip]
Yeah. 

00:05:51,559 --> 00:05:54,719 [Nova]
All that data helped us make smart changes to the design and flow. 

00:05:54,719 --> 00:05:56,379 [Chip]
Like what? Any examples? 

00:05:56,379 --> 00:06:02,179 [Nova]
Um, yeah. We noticed, for instance, the contact form wasn't converting as well as it could. People
were dropping off. 

00:06:02,179 --> 00:06:04,174 [Chip]
Mm-hmm.Too complicated. 

00:06:04,174 --> 00:06:11,153 [Nova]
Maybe a bit. So we streamlined it, made it faster, simpler to just get in touch. And guess what?
More inquiries started coming through. 

00:06:11,153 --> 00:06:12,393 [Chip]
Makes sense, remove the friction. 

00:06:12,393 --> 00:06:18,093 [Nova]
Remove the friction, ensure it's intuitive, engaging, easy to find stuff, and, you know, take the
next step. 

00:06:18,093 --> 00:06:20,613 [Chip]
And all these changes, they were based on data, right? 

00:06:20,613 --> 00:06:20,693 [Nova]
Yeah. 

00:06:20,693 --> 00:06:21,794 [Chip]
Not just guesswork. 

00:06:21,794 --> 00:06:25,013 [Nova]
Absolutely not. That's where the monthly analytics and reporting were key. 

00:06:25,013 --> 00:06:27,733 [Chip]
Giving Midland a lowdown on what's working. 

00:06:27,733 --> 00:06:37,413 [Nova]
Clear, data-driven insights, not just numbers, but, like, actionable intelligence. Here's what we're
seeing, here's an opportunity, let's refine this. 

00:06:37,413 --> 00:06:40,974 [Chip]
Always tweaking, always improving, based on real performance. 

00:06:40,974 --> 00:06:43,773 [Nova]
Keeps everyone aligned and ensures we're hitting their goals. 

00:06:43,773 --> 00:06:46,273 [Chip]
And look, it's one thing for us to say it worked. 

00:06:46,273 --> 00:06:53,474 [Nova]
Ha, yeah. But we actually got some great feedback directly from Midland, from Terry Stephens, their
director of sales and marketing. 

00:06:53,474 --> 00:06:54,833 [Chip]
Oh, yeah? What did Terry say? 

00:06:54,833 --> 00:07:06,933 [Nova]
He said, and I'm quoting here, "Partnering with Traveria has been a tremendous advantage for Midland
Plastics. Their expertise in website development, security, and digital marketing has transformed
our online presence." 

00:07:06,933 --> 00:07:08,493 [Chip]
Transformed, strong word. 

00:07:08,493 --> 00:07:19,793 [Nova]
"It is," he went on. "Making our site more secure, user-friendly, and visible to the right audience.
With Traveria's ongoing support, we are confident in our digital strategy and future growth." 

00:07:19,793 --> 00:07:23,373 [Chip]
Wow, that really sums it up, doesn't it? It's all the points we just talked about. 

00:07:23,373 --> 00:07:29,413 [Nova]
Perfectly. Security, usability, visibility, confidence. 

00:07:29,413 --> 00:07:33,593 [Nova]
It shows how that multi-pronged approach really delivered for them. 

00:07:33,593 --> 00:07:36,053 [Chip]
Okay, that's a fantastic place to pause for a second. 

00:07:36,053 --> 00:07:43,973 [Nova]
Absolutely, Chip. And when we come back, we're getting into the really juicy stuff, the numbers, the
actual measurable results. 

00:07:43,973 --> 00:07:54,433 [Chip]
You won't want to miss this. Seriously impressive figures coming up. We'll be right back. 

00:07:54,433 --> 00:08:54,533 [Webster]
Hi, I'm Webster, Trivera's AI assistant, here to help businesses like yours thrive in the
ever-changing digital landscape. At Trivera, we're celebrating 29 years of delivering digital
marketing that drives measurable results. Since 1996, we've partnered with Southeastern Wisconsin's
strongest brands, blending creativity, strategy, and cutting-edge technology, like me, to produce
success you can measure. From SEO-optimized websites and ROI-driven marketing campaigns, to
leveraging AI tools to analyze data and refine strategies, Trivera is the partner you can trust to
help your business grow. Now, as we enter our 30th year, we're more committed than ever to pushing
boundaries and redefining what's possible in digital marketing. With decades of experience and the
power of AI on the team, we're ready to help you tackle whatever's next. Visit traveria.com today,
and let's make 2025 the year your business thrives. Trivera, where nearly three decades of
expertise meet the latest in technology to deliver digital marketing that converts. 

00:08:54,533 --> 00:09:57,853 [Narrator 2]
Since 1945, Midland Plastics has helped companies turn big ideas into custom plastic solutions.
Whether you need stock materials or a highly complex part, Midland brings unmatched experience,
high-performance materials, and cutting-edge CNC technology to every project. From food processing
to medical devices, defense to DIY, no job is too big, too small, or too technical. Their team works
with you to choose the right material and process, even in extreme environments where metal or
fiberglass used to be the only option. Need help shaping your vision? Midland offers technical
services, in-house fabrication, and rigorous quality control that ensures your components exceed
expectations. And if you're a hands-on problem-solver, check out their retail locations across the
Midwest. Explore the possibilities at midlandplastics.com. Midland Plastics, partners, innovators,
leaders. 

00:09:57,853 --> 00:10:04,613 [Narrator 1]
Welcome back to Trivera's AI Deep Dive. Now, back to our conversation with Chip and Nova. 

00:10:04,613 --> 00:10:14,193 [Nova]
Okay, welcome back to our Trivera Deep Dive. Before the break, Chip and I walked through the
challenges Midland Plastics had and, uh, the solutions we put in place. 

00:10:14,193 --> 00:10:17,553 [Chip]
Right, the hosting, the website upgrade, the ongoing marketing stuff. 

00:10:17,553 --> 00:10:23,593 [Nova]
Exactly. Now, let's get to the payoff. The part that shows the real impact of all that work, the
results. 

00:10:23,593 --> 00:10:25,533 [Chip]
This is where the rubber meets the road, as they say. 

00:10:25,533 --> 00:10:25,973 [Nova]
Yeah. 

00:10:25,973 --> 00:10:29,733 [Chip]
Because all that effort, it translated into some big wins for Midland. 

00:10:29,733 --> 00:10:36,973 [Nova]
Huge wins. I mean, bottom line, they got a secure, high-performing website, much better user
experience, way easier for them to manage, too. 

00:10:36,973 --> 00:10:42,093 [Chip]
And critically, much more visible online, which led to more engagement, more leads- 

00:10:42,093 --> 00:10:44,133 [Nova]
And more conversions. Let's break down some numbers. 

00:10:44,133 --> 00:10:45,253 [Chip]
Lay 'em on us. 

00:10:45,253 --> 00:10:50,913 [Nova]
Okay, first up, a 17% increase in active users on their site. 

00:10:50,913 --> 00:10:54,033 [Chip]
17% more people actively using the site. That's solid. 

00:10:54,033 --> 00:10:57,953 [Nova]
Definitely. And closely related, an 18% increase in new users. 

00:10:57,953 --> 00:11:02,253 [Chip]
18%, so reaching a wider audience, finding people who hadn't found them before. 

00:11:02,253 --> 00:11:04,193 [Nova]
Exactly, expanding their reach. 

00:11:04,193 --> 00:11:06,433 [Chip]
Okay, more visitors, new visitors. 

00:11:06,433 --> 00:11:07,373 [Nova]
Yeah. 

00:11:07,373 --> 00:11:09,453 [Chip]
But did they do anything? 

00:11:09,453 --> 00:11:14,753 [Nova]
Ah, the crucial question. Yes. A 17% increase in conversions. 

00:11:14,753 --> 00:11:21,913 [Chip]
Okay, that's the money metric, right? 17% more people taking that desired action, filling out a
form, making a call, whatever it was. 

00:11:21,913 --> 00:11:25,433 [Nova]
That's the real business impact right there, turning visitors into leads or customers. 

00:11:25,433 --> 00:11:28,333 [Chip]
Fantastic. But you saved the best for last, I have a feeling. 

00:11:28,333 --> 00:11:29,833 [Nova]
I think so. You ready for this one? 

00:11:29,833 --> 00:11:30,393 [Chip]
Hit me. 

00:11:30,393 --> 00:11:33,693 [Nova]
A 363% increase in organic traffic. 

00:11:33,693 --> 00:11:36,353 [Chip]
Whoa. Hang on, 363%? 

00:11:36,353 --> 00:11:37,053 [Nova]
Yes, you heard that right. 

00:11:37,053 --> 00:11:37,933 [Chip]
It's massive. 

00:11:37,933 --> 00:11:38,313 [Nova]
Yeah. 

00:11:38,313 --> 00:11:41,033 [Chip]
More than three and a half times the organic traffic they were getting before. 

00:11:41,033 --> 00:11:46,573 [Nova]
More than three and a half times the number of people finding their website just through regular
unpaid search results. 

00:11:46,573 --> 00:11:53,693 [Chip]
Wow. Think about what that means. Just exponentially more visibility to people searching for exactly
what they do. 

00:11:53,693 --> 00:12:00,973 [Nova]
It's a total game-changer. It just underlines the power of getting that SEO strategy right and
executing it consistently. 

00:12:00,973 --> 00:12:03,873 [Chip]
No kidding. A 363% jump. 

00:12:03,873 --> 00:12:04,193 [Nova]
Yeah.

00:12:04,555 --> 00:12:05,395 [Chip]
Wow. That's incredible. 

00:12:05,395 --> 00:12:07,715 [Nova]
It really shows what's possible. 

00:12:07,715 --> 00:12:12,416 [Chip]
And this isn't just a job done, see you later situation, is it? Our support continues? 

00:12:12,416 --> 00:12:23,055 [Nova]
Oh, definitely. It's an ongoing partnership. We continue with proactive website maintenance,
constant security monitoring, and always looking for ways to refine and improve their digital
marketing. 

00:12:23,055 --> 00:12:24,335 [Chip]
So continuous improvement? 

00:12:24,335 --> 00:12:33,356 [Nova]
That's the name of the game. By combining that technical foundation with smart marketing strategy,
Midland Plastics is just really well set for continued online growth. 

00:12:33,356 --> 00:12:35,276 [Chip]
It really is a fantastic case study. 

00:12:35,276 --> 00:12:35,395 [Nova]
Mm-hmm. 

00:12:35,395 --> 00:12:40,956 [Chip]
It shows how that strategic partnership approach can drive real, measurable business results. 

00:12:40,956 --> 00:12:48,755 [Nova]
Couldn't have said it better. It proves the value of looking beyond just the immediate website
fixes, and building a long-term plan for digital success. 

00:12:48,755 --> 00:12:54,695 [Chip]
So okay, if you've been listening to this deep dive, hearing about the Midland Plastic story- 

00:12:54,695 --> 00:12:54,975 [Nova]
Mm-hmm 

00:12:54,975 --> 00:13:07,475 [Chip]
... and if maybe some of those challenges they faced, like, uh, you know, an outdated website,
worries about security, needing more online visibility, wanting a real digital marketing strategy. 

00:13:07,475 --> 00:13:08,995 [Nova]
If any of that sounds familiar. 

00:13:08,995 --> 00:13:15,135 [Chip]
Yeah, if that resonates with what your own company might be experiencing, well we should probably
mention how Travera might be able to help you too. 

00:13:15,135 --> 00:13:21,915 [Nova]
Absolutely. If you're looking to tackle similar digital hurdles and achieve the kind of measurable
results we saw with Midland Plastics... 

00:13:21,915 --> 00:13:23,915 [Chip]
Then the Travera team is definitely here to chat. 

00:13:23,915 --> 00:13:26,595 [Nova]
We're ready to help you explore the options for your business. 

00:13:26,595 --> 00:13:29,715 [Chip]
Contact us at traversa.com or the links in the show notes. 

00:13:29,715 --> 00:13:31,095 [Nova]
We'd love to hear from you. 

00:13:31,095 --> 00:13:35,995 [Chip]
And that wraps up this Deep Dive. Thanks for listening, and be sure to join us next time. 

00:13:35,995 --> 00:13:37,936 [Nova]
Yeah, thanks everyone. 

00:13:37,936 --> 00:14:10,075 [Narrator 1]
Thanks for joining us on Trivera's AI Deep Dive with Chip and Nova. If you enjoyed this episode, you
can find more and stay up to date with new episodes wherever you listen to podcasts, or find them on
our website and our social media channels. And don't forget to visit us at traversa.com to learn how
we can help take your marketing to the next level. Ready to talk? Reach out, we'd love to hear from
you. See you next time.