The Partnership
NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) has been America's premier wilderness education organization for over 60 years, teaching leadership through expedition-based courses in the world's most remarkable wild places. From backpacking in the Rockies to sea kayaking in Patagonia, NOLS has shaped generations of outdoor leaders—including astronauts, executives, and educators.
Our ongoing partnership with NOLS combines technical infrastructure support with strategic growth marketing initiatives. This isn't a project with a defined endpoint—it's an evolving collaboration that adapts to NOLS's changing needs as the digital landscape shifts.
What We Do Together
Technical Infrastructure Support
NOLS runs on a complex WordPress-based platform that integrates with their course registration database, HubSpot CRM, and WooCommerce storefront. We provide ongoing technical support including:
- Platform Maintenance: WordPress updates, plugin management, and security monitoring
- Course Database Integration: Custom API connections between their course catalog and the website
- E-commerce Support: WooCommerce configuration for gear sales and course deposits
- Performance Optimization: Page speed improvements and caching strategies
Growth Marketing Strategy
Beyond technical support, we collaborate on marketing initiatives that connect prospective students with NOLS programs. Our work includes SEO strategy, content optimization, and conversion rate improvements.
Current Performance
NOLS's digital presence reflects their position as the leader in wilderness education:
- 160,749 monthly sessions with strong engagement across course pages
- 113,645 unique visitors exploring expedition options
- 59.2% engagement rate—significantly above industry benchmarks
- 495,053 pageviews monthly across course catalogs, blog content, and program information
Search Visibility
NOLS dominates organic search for wilderness education terms:
- Position #1 for "nols" and "national outdoor leadership school"
- Position #1-2 for "wilderness first responder"—their flagship certification program
- Position #4 for "wilderness first aid"
- Top rankings for wilderness medicine certifications (WEMT, WFR, WAFA)
Top-Performing Content
The pages driving the most traffic reflect NOLS's diverse offerings:
- Expedition Courses: 69,000+ monthly pageviews
- Wilderness Medicine: 49,000+ monthly pageviews
- WFR Certification: 7,800+ monthly clicks from organic search
- Course Catalog: 3,000+ monthly clicks
Why Long-Term Partnerships Matter
Organizations like NOLS don't need agencies that swoop in, execute a campaign, and disappear. They need partners who understand the nuances of their mission—connecting people with transformative wilderness experiences—and can support that mission across multiple touchpoints over time.
Our weekly support meetings ensure technical issues get resolved quickly. Our bi-weekly growth strategy sessions keep marketing initiatives aligned with enrollment goals. The continuity means we understand NOLS's seasonal patterns, their audience segments, and their organizational priorities at a level impossible in short-term engagements.
The Work Continues
As wilderness education evolves and digital platforms change, our partnership with NOLS adapts. New course offerings need landing pages. Platform updates require migration planning. Shifting search behaviors demand content strategy refinement.
That's what makes this kind of partnership valuable—not a single project deliverable, but an ongoing relationship that compounds in effectiveness over time.
