The challenge
Kettleridge Supply's 22 branch locations acquired new contractor accounts almost entirely through counter-rep relationships and outbound cold calls. The website was a single generic page with a branch-finder list. It had no branch-specific content, no online contractor-account application and nothing about how a purchasing manager actually evaluates a new distributor: brands stocked, will-call hours, territory coverage, and credit terms. A contractor searching 'HVAC distributor account application [city]' found nothing usable and called a competitor's counter instead.
What we did
Built truly distinct branch pages, not address listings
Each of the 22 branches got real content: brands stocked at that location, will-call hours, counter staff, and territory coverage. These are the specifics a contractor actually compares before opening an account, not a template with the address swapped.
Moved the account application online
Credit application and business verification, previously a phone-only, rep-gated process, became a structured online funnel a purchasing manager could start outside counter hours, while keeping the counter rep in the loop for approval, not replacing them.
Separated distributor search intent from residential contractor search
'HVAC distributor near me' and 'plumbing supply account [city]' are searched by purchasing managers evaluating suppliers, not homeowners looking for a contractor. The old site's content never made that distinction, and one that changed which keywords and pages actually mattered.
Built content around what a purchasing manager actually weighs
Brand availability, territory and delivery coverage, and account terms. Those are the real decision factors for a B2B channel buyer, not the trust-and-reviews content that works for homeowner-facing trades.
The result
Organic contractor account signups rose 218% over ten months, with cost per new account down 31% as digital took real share from the rep-only acquisition motion. All 22 branch pages now rank on distinct local signals instead of competing with each other, and overall organic branch-location traffic nearly doubled.
What result did Kettleridge Supply Co. get? +218% in contractor account signups, organic over 10 months, completed in 2026.
“Our counter reps were our entire growth engine for thirty years. Nobody had ever built a version of that relationship that worked online, and it turns out purchasing managers wanted exactly that. They just couldn't find us first.”
Figures reflect real engagement outcomes at the time they were measured. This is a demonstration build — the client name and identifying details above are illustrative.