Background

Trees.com (formerly Fast Growing Trees) is the leading online tree and plant nursery in the United States, founded in 2005. The company ships trees and houseplants nationwide and supports customers with plant experts and quality guarantees.

After years of substantial growth, the team expanded beyond paid search and social and began investing heavily in upper-funnel channels. Audio was a key part of that shift, with podcasts standing out for their strong engagement and trusted voices.

Challenges

Historically, Trees.com relied on surveys, promo codes, “How did you hear about us?” (HDYHAU) responses, and UTM visits to understand audio performance. Each method offered useful signals, but none gave the team a complete view on its own. Promo codes didn't work well because the site already offered many on-site promotions, and surveys inflated the value of certain shows that weren't actually driving conversions.

With seasonal demand and episodic buying cycles, the team needed accurate attribution to understand which shows performed, where to scale, and how to avoid oversaturating listeners. They also wanted a way to validate when and where to stay active during the off-season.

Results

• 96% improvement in overall efficiency year over year, driven by cutting spend from underperforming placements and reallocating budget to shows that converted
• A vetted list of 4,500+ potential shows surfaced placements and genres the team wouldn't have tested on instinct alone, with several new shows delivering well above expectations
• Reach and frequency data set show-level saturation targets, replacing guesswork on how often to run
• Trees.com stayed active through year-end for the first time, shifting from peak-season bursts to always-on