During Covid, the desire for outdoor activities, especially boating, surged. However, strict isolation rules meant that physical visits to the Boats.co.uk boatyard were severely limited, making traditional sales approaches challenging.

We proposed a strategic shift: James Barke, the charismatic figure behind Boats.co.uk, would begin filming authentic and engaging boat reviews, showcasing both the vessels and his unique, humorous expertise on YouTube. This digital outreach was reinforced by targeted email campaigns to customers, ensuring continuous engagement even when in-person interactions were impossible.

With our ongoing support, the channel rapidly gained momentum. We assisted James in refining his filming techniques, developing diverse video formats, enhancing editing, and integrating clear explainer graphics. Optimised thumbnails, thoughtful descriptions, and a carefully managed advertising budget further amplified visibility and consistency.

This collaborative effort yielded remarkable results: the Boats.co.uk YouTube channel now boasts over 50,000 subscribers, with individual videos regularly achieving 250,000 – 1 million views . James’s warm, self-deprecating humour and profound knowledge have transformed him into a trusted voice and a genuine celebrity within the boating community. Customers now often arrive at the yard pre-informed and pre-convinced, having already connected with James and the boats through his channel. This simple yet powerful strategy turned a pandemic-induced challenge into a thriving digital marketing engine, proving the enduring power of personality and persistence in sales.