From 2 inquiries a week to 25, how NorCal Shiba Rescue built a national adoption pipeline.
An all-volunteer 501(c)(3) rescuing Shiba Inus across Northern California. SEOD rebuilt their digital presence in 2021, approved them for $10K/month in free Google Ad Grants, and quadrupled recurring donor retention. All without paying a dollar for ads.
The client.
NorCal Shiba Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit staffed entirely by volunteers, rescuing Shiba Inus from Bay Area shelters and private surrenders. They adopt out approximately 60 to 80 dogs a year. No paid staff. No marketing budget.
What was broken.
Finding a reputable Shiba rescue is hard, prospective adopters default to breeders because breeders SEO their hearts out. NorCal Shiba was getting 2 to 3 application inquiries a week, most from word-of-mouth or Instagram. The website had a "Donate" button that didn't work on mobile. Their adoptable-dog pages didn't have schema markup, so Google had no idea there were dogs available.
What we changed.
1. Local-SEO-first rebuild.
Full WordPress rebuild with structured content types for each adoptable dog. Every dog page = its own URL, its own schema (Product + Service), its own social-share card. Google started indexing individual dog listings like product pages.
2. Content targeting breed-searchers.
We researched what people search when they're thinking of getting a Shiba. "Are Shibas good apartment dogs?" "Shiba Inu shedding." "Shiba Inu temperament with kids." We wrote honest, expert answers, with a soft ending that pointed toward rescue as an option. Content ranked within 60 days.
3. Google Ad Grant, $10K/mo free.
Most nonprofits don't know about (or can't keep compliant with) Google Ad Grants. We handled the application, built compliant campaigns, and maintained the required 5% CTR. The rescue now gets the equivalent of a $10K/month ad budget, for free, driving adoption applications.
4. Donation funnel rebuild.
Mobile-first donation page, one-click recurring giving, branded thank-you email automation. Recurring donors grew 4× in twelve months.
The tactical list.
- WordPress site rebuild with structured dog-listing schema
- Google Business Profile fully optimized
- 18 breed-focused SEO articles targeting 40+ keywords
- Google Ad Grant approved and running at full $10K/mo compliance
- Donation page rebuild + recurring-giving automation
- Application form redesigned (conversion rate up 3×)
We went from 2-3 calls a week to 25 potentials a week in just a year. We started seeing results in 3 months of SEO.
, Rescue Coordinator, NorCal Shiba Rescue
The takeaway.
Small nonprofits have access to some of the most powerful digital-marketing tools on earth, they just need someone to set them up and keep them running. One year, 10× inquiry volume, zero paid ad spend.
Let's talk about your business.
Ten-minute call. Free. If SEOD isn't the right fit for you, Eric will tell you straight.
87% of clients renew at month 6. Most see traction inside 90 days.