Case Study: CarMax achieves $56M in content value and SEO dominance with Contently

How CarMax Drove $56 Million in Content Value Through the Art & Science of SEO

CarMax, the nation’s largest used-car retailer, needed to build a scalable content program that would win organic search, educate high-consideration car shoppers, and stand out in a crowded automotive content landscape. After proving a small experiment in 2016 and securing executive buy-in, the team faced the challenge of producing high-volume, high-quality content that answered buyer questions and drove measurable business value.

CarMax implemented a Hero–Hub–Help content framework that pairs SEO analytics with editorial storytelling, customer and product data, and Contently’s platform and freelance network, while expanding video content through a partnership (and later acquisition) with Edmunds. The approach—including data-driven pieces like the 4WD/AWD index and weekly collaboration between teams—now ranks for about five million keywords worldwide, attracts millions of monthly readers (75% from search) and delivers an estimated $56 million in content value.

CarMax

Malissa Mackenzie

Director of Creative Services