Executive Summary
Nestled in the rolling hills of southeastern Pennsylvania, Black Rock Christian Camp & Retreat Center has served as a peaceful, Christ-centered getaway for over 70 years. With a reputation for warm hospitality and immersive outdoor experiences, they’ve long been a trusted host for church retreats, outdoor education programs, and summer camps.
But while camps and fundraising remained strong, retreat bookings—their primary source of revenue—were slipping. A few key group clients had moved on, and the website they relied on wasn’t helping them recover. It was built on a rigid, proprietary platform that limited their visibility in search and didn’t allow for conversion tracking. Meanwhile, their Google Ads campaigns—run under the Google Grant program—were active but underperforming.
Black Rock needed more than quick fixes. They needed a strategy to restore momentum and reestablish a predictable flow of qualified retreat leads.
That’s when they partnered with Improve & Grow. Over the next three years, we implemented a full-funnel strategy—rebuilding their website, restructuring their ads, and executing a focused SEO program. The results were clear: website traffic to retreat pages more than doubled, retreat inquiries increased by over 600%, and the organization regained control of its most important growth channel.
The Challenge
When Black Rock came to us, their challenges weren’t just about visibility—they were about control. Their website, though serviceable, was built on a proprietary platform that made even basic SEO optimization difficult. Key elements like metadata, headings, and internal linking were either inaccessible or too cumbersome to adjust. Worse yet, they had no way of accurately tracking conversions, so they couldn’t see which marketing efforts were working—or if any were working at all.
At the same time, they were running Google Ads through the Google Grant program but seeing minimal returns. The campaigns weren’t structured for success. Coverage was limited, targeting was broad, and performance was hard to measure. The result was a sense of stagnation.
Despite their reputation and dedicated team, retreat bookings weren’t keeping pace—and the uncertainty was starting to show.
Their goal was clear: reverse the decline and build a steady flow of qualified retreat inquiries that could support long-term growth.
The Solution
We approached the challenge in phases, building momentum over time.
In the first year, we worked within the constraints of the existing site. That meant carefully configuring conversion tracking to begin capturing lead data and establishing a baseline.
Simultaneously, we applied targeted on-page SEO improvements to the retreat section of the site, fine-tuning copy, adjusting titles and headings, and enhancing how content appeared to search engines. Even with those limitations, the impact was noticeable: website traffic and inquiries both climbed significantly.
But the real shift came with the launch of a new website.
Working closely with their team, we designed and developed a modern, WordPress-based site that addressed both function and form. It was built not just to look good—but to perform. Faster load times, mobile responsiveness, and streamlined navigation made the user experience more intuitive. Behind the scenes, the new content management system gave Black Rock the ability to create, update, and expand their online content with ease.
For the first time, their team could promote upcoming events, build new landing pages, and manage important updates—without needing outside support.
We also gave special attention to visibility. The new site was structured to be SEO-friendly from the ground up, with optimized URLs, clean code, and thoughtful keyword integration throughout. It was more than a facelift—it was a strategic rebuild designed to drive organic growth.
Parallel to the website work, we revamped their PPC strategy. We completely restructured their Google Ads account, aligning campaigns with each of their key services: retreats, summer camps, outdoor education, outdoor activities, and fundraising events. By applying best practices to campaign setup, refining keyword targeting, and expanding coverage where needed, we were able to unlock more value from the Google Grant budget.
To supplement these ongoing campaigns, we also launched short-term Facebook ad efforts to promote special events. This helped increase visibility in the local community and supported their broader fundraising goals.
On the SEO side, we continued to build momentum through a consistent program of content optimization, online presence enhancement, and link building. Each element was designed to reinforce authority in their niche, especially for faith-based group retreats and educational programs.
The Results
In the year before we began working together, Black Rock Retreat’s website generated 12,749 annual visits to their retreat pages and received just 101 retreat inquiries. These numbers reflected a concerning downward trend for the organization’s primary revenue stream.
But once we put a comprehensive digital strategy in place—including SEO, PPC, and a website rebuild—the traffic to the retreat section of their website and retreat inquiry submissions began to climb steadily each year.
- After one year, retreat page traffic jumped to 24,170 visits—a 90% increase—and inquiries rose to 364, up 260%.
- In the second year, traffic climbed slightly to 25,232 (+4%), while inquiries continued to surge, reaching 481 (+32%).
- By the end of the third year, retreat traffic had grown to 28,600 total visits, more than doubling the original volume (+124%). Inquiries reached 732, a 624% increase from where they started.
This wasn’t short-term success—it was sustained, measurable growth. What began as an effort to recover lost retreat bookings turned into a long-term system for attracting, engaging, and converting prospective guests. And those leads translated directly into new bookings, increased revenue, and renewed momentum for the organization.
What Changed
But the transformation wasn’t just about traffic or leads. It was about ownership—both figuratively and literally.
With their new website, Black Rock’s team could finally manage their digital presence with ease. They were no longer locked into a rigid platform or dependent on outside vendors for every content update. The new CMS empowered staff to build new pages, update event listings, and respond quickly to the needs of their audience.
The site also gave them tools they’d never had before. A new event calendar allowed them to more effectively promote public and community events, increasing awareness and participation in their fundraising efforts.
Meanwhile, the successful SEO and PPC strategies we developed for retreats were later adapted to support their summer camp programs, helping to boost attendance and broaden their reach. What started as a campaign to rescue retreat revenue became a holistic strategy for long-term growth across multiple areas of the ministry.
“Carl and his team are extremely knowledgeable and well versed in market trends and best practices,” said their Retreat Guest Services Manager. “They have been very helpful in building our online presence as well as creating a beautifully redesigned website. Improve and Grow lives up to their name.”
Final Word
Black Rock Christian Camp & Retreat Center’s journey is a reminder that even well-established organizations can hit growth plateaus—and that with the right partnership, it’s possible to break through. By aligning mission with marketing strategy, they regained momentum and laid the groundwork for continued success.
Looking to do the same? Let’s talk.