Case study

What is a case study?

A case study is a detailed account of how one customer used a product or service to solve a specific problem, and what happened as a result. It usually follows a clear structure: the customer, the challenge, the solution and the results, ideally with numbers and quotes. It goes deeper than a testimonial.

Case studies are most common in B2B and in services with a considered purchase, such as agencies, software, consultants and contractors. They work in many formats: a web page, a PDF, a short video, a carousel or a LinkedIn post.

A good case study is a story, not a brochure. It shows the customer as the hero, includes the messy parts (what was hard, what was tried first) and uses real results the customer has agreed to share.

Why a case study matters

Case studies answer the question every serious buyer has: "Has this worked for someone like me?" They sit in the middle and bottom of the marketing funnel, helping people who are already interested decide.

They also give sales and social teams lots of material. One case study can produce quote graphics, a short video, a results carousel and talking points for calls.

How to write a case study

1. Pick a customer with a clear problem, a clear result and willingness to be featured.
2. Interview them about the situation before, why they chose you and what changed.
3. Write it as before, during and after, keeping their own words in quotes.
4. Include specific results (time saved, sales, bookings) that the customer has confirmed.
5. Add a headline that states the result and a call to action at the end.
6. Get the customer’s approval before publishing.

Case study example

Headline: How a two-location cafe cut morning queues by moving orders online
Customer: Corner Cup, two cafes, 14 staff
Challenge: 8 a.m. queues out the door, lost walk-away customers
Solution: pre-order app with pickup shelf
Results: (figures confirmed by the customer)
Quote: owner on what changed for staff
CTA: Book a demo