GEO GUIDE
Writing Case Studies: Success Stories with Evidence
Updated 2026-10-19 · this page makes no search or citation promises
The direct answer: a persuasive case study = a concrete starting point + your approach + a verifiable change + the customer's own words. Missing any one slides into advertising — especially without the customer's permission and data scope; then write “how we solve a typical problem” instead.
The direct answer: a persuasive case study = a concrete starting point + your approach + a verifiable change + the customer's own words. Missing any one slides into advertising — especially without the customer's permission and data scope; then write “how we solve a typical problem” instead.
The four-part structure
- Background: who the client is (to the disclosable degree) and the specific problem.
- Approach: what you did — concrete enough to replicate.
- Result: the verifiable change (numbers with scope and dates).
- Quote: the customer's own words (with permission) — better than any paraphrase.
Handling the data
- State the scope: “conversion up 32% (30 days before vs after the redesign)”.
- Permission: client names, logos, and data need written approval; otherwise write “a client in [industry]”.
- Fair comparisons: same-period comparison, seasonality accounted for — unfair comparisons get spotted.
When you have no glowing case
- Write “how we solve a typical problem” — show the method, not the client name.
- Use a demo sample clearly labelled as illustrative (this site's demo does exactly that).
- Never dress an internal project as a customer story — being caught costs all the trust.