--- title: How to Write a Case Study | Northline description: Most case studies read like press releases. Here is a simple structure, the interview questions we ask clients and an example you can copy. image: https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/northline-blog/northline-blog-casestudy.jpeg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/how-to-write-a-case-study#main-content) [![Northline](https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/studionope-northline/images/brand/northline-logo-light.svg)](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage) - Home - Pages - Resources - Landing Pages - [Pricing](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/pricing) [Book Demo](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) [Homepage Main landing page](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage) [Homepage 2 Alternative layout](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage-2) [Homepage 3 Minimal design](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage-3) Company [About Us Our story](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/about) [Team Meet the team](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/team) [Careers Hiring Join us](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/jobs) [Press News & media](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/press) [Partners Our partners](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/partners) [Changelog Product updates](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/changelog) Products & Services [Features All features](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/features) [Product Product details](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/product) [Services Our services](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/services) [Integrations Connect tools](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/integrations) [Comparison Compare plans](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/comparison) Social Proof [Case Studies Success stories](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/case-studies) [Testimonials What clients say](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/testimonials) [Portfolio Our work](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/portfolio) Contact [Contact Us Send a message](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/contact) [Book a Demo Schedule a call](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) [Appointment Book time](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) [Events Upcoming events](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/events) Learn [Blog Articles & insights](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog) [Documentation Guides & API docs](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/documentation) [FAQs Common questions](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/faqs) [Courses New Video training](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/course) Media [Video Library Watch tutorials](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/video-library) [Resources eBooks & guides](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/resources) [Pillar Page In-depth guides](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/pillar) Legal [Privacy Policy How we handle data](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) [Terms of Service Usage terms](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) [Cookie Policy Cookie usage](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) From the Blog [Product Announcing our latest feature updates](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog) [Tutorial Getting started with integrations](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog) Lead Generation [eBook Download Gated content](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/ebook) [Webinar Signup Event registration](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/webinar) [Waitlist Pre-launch signup](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/waitlist) Conversion [Free Trial Start free](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/free-trial) [Conversion 1 Simple layout](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/conversion-1) [Conversion 2 With features](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/conversion-2) More Templates [Conversion 3 Bold design](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/conversion-3) Search... - Home [Homepage](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage) [Homepage 2](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage-2) [Homepage 3](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage-3) - Pages Company [About Us](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/about) [Team](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/team) [Careers Hiring](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/jobs) [Press](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/press) [Partners](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/partners) [Changelog](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/changelog) Products & Services [Features](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/features) [Product](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/product) [Services](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/services) [Integrations](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/integrations) [Comparison](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/comparison) Social Proof [Case Studies](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/case-studies) [Testimonials](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/testimonials) [Portfolio](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/portfolio) Contact [Contact Us](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/contact) [Book a Demo](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) [Appointment](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) [Events](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/events) - Resources Learn [Blog](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog) [Documentation](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/documentation) [FAQs](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/faqs) [Courses New](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/course) Media [Video Library](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/video-library) [Resources](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/resources) [Pillar Page](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/pillar) Legal [Privacy Policy](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) [Terms of Service](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) [Cookie Policy](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) - Landing Pages Lead Generation [eBook Download](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/ebook) [Webinar Signup](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/webinar) [Waitlist](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/waitlist) Conversion [Free Trial](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/free-trial) [Conversion 1](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/conversion-1) [Conversion 2](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/conversion-2) More Templates [Conversion 3](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/conversion-3) - [Pricing](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/pricing) [Book Demo](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) [Content](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/tag/content) [Growth](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/tag/growth) # How to write a case study people actually finish [![James Carter](https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/studionope-northline/images/v2/team-james.jpg) James Carter Nov 10, 2026](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/author/james-carter) 5 min read ![Smiling coffee shop owner standing with arms crossed in her shop](https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/northline-blog/northline-blog-casestudy.jpeg) On this page Case studies are the most persuasive page on many small-business websites, and the most neglected. Owners know they should have them. They write one in a rush after a good project, it reads like a press release, and nobody finishes it. It does not have to be that way. A strong case study is short, specific and told from the customer's side. Here is how we write them for our clients, and for ourselves. ## What a case study is for A case study answers one question a buyer has: **has this business solved a problem like mine before, and how did it go?** It is not a portfolio piece or a thank-you note. It is evidence, and it works best when the reader sees themselves in the customer. That is why the choice of customer matters more than the size of the result. A dental practice considering you will be more convinced by a story about another two-dentist practice than by a story about a hospital network, even if the hospital project was bigger. ## Choosing the right project Pick projects that check most of these boxes: - The customer looks like the buyers you want more of - There was a clear problem at the start - You can show a result, ideally with a number - The customer is happy to be named and quoted - The work represents what you want to sell next year, not what you sold five years ago ## The interview The best material comes from a 30-minute conversation with the customer, not from your own memory of the project. Record it (with permission) so you can quote them accurately. These are the questions we ask: 1. What was going on in your business before we started working together? 2. What made you decide to do something about it then, and not six months earlier? 3. What else did you consider? Why did you choose us? 4. Was there anything you were worried about going in? 5. What was the project like from your side? Any moments that stood out? 6. What has changed since? Can we put a number on it? 7. What would you tell someone in your position who is thinking about doing the same? Question four is the one people skip, and it is often the most useful. The worry your customer had is the same worry your next buyer has. When a customer says "I was afraid it would take six months and it took seven weeks," that line does more work than a paragraph of your own reassurance. ## The structure We use the same five parts for every case study. Together they usually come to 600 to 900 words, which is plenty. ### 1. A headline with the result Lead with the outcome and the customer type. "How a Portland coffee roaster doubled online orders in four months" tells a reader immediately whether to keep going. "Project spotlight: Fernwood Coffee" does not. ### 2. The situation Two or three short paragraphs about the customer and the problem, told in their words where possible. Include details that make it real: the size of the business, where they are, what was not working. ### 3. What you did Describe the work in plain language, focused on decisions rather than tasks. "We moved the online shop from the footer to the main menu and cut checkout from five steps to two" is more interesting than "We implemented UX improvements across the e-commerce funnel." ### 4. The result Numbers first, then the human side. Orders, calls, bookings, time saved, revenue if they are willing to share it. Be honest about the time frame and avoid rounding up. If a number is small but real, use it. Readers trust "18% more booked consultations in the first quarter" more than "massive growth." ### 5. The quote and the next step End with the customer's best line from the interview, with their name, title and photo. Then a single link to start a similar project. ## A short example Here is a condensed version of one we wrote for Fernwood Coffee, a roaster and cafe in Portland's Sellwood neighborhood: **How a neighborhood coffee roaster doubled online orders in four months** Maria Delgado opened Fernwood Coffee in 2017. By 2025 the cafe was busy every morning, but online bean sales were flat at around 40 orders a month. "People would ask at the counter if they could buy our beans online," Maria told us. "We had a shop. They just could not find it." We moved the shop into the main navigation, added a subscription option and rewrote each product page around how the coffee tastes and how to brew it. Checkout went from five steps to two. Four months after launch, Fernwood was averaging 85 online orders a month, and 60 customers had signed up for a monthly subscription. "The subscriptions alone cover a barista's wages," Maria said. That is under 200 words, and it answers every question a similar business owner would have. ## Common mistakes - **Making yourself the hero.** The customer is the main character. You are the guide. - **Using vague results.** "Improved engagement" is not a result. Find a number or a concrete change. - **Writing it too late.** Interview the customer within a few months of the result, while the details are fresh. - **Hiding the page.** Link your case studies from the relevant services pages, not just from a portfolio menu. ## Get the first one done Pick one happy customer this month. Send them the seven questions, book 30 minutes and write it up using the five parts above. One honest, specific case study will do more for your site than a dozen logos. You can read the ones we have written about our own work on our [case studies page](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/case-studies). For the pages that should link to them, see our guide to [writing a services page](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/how-to-write-a-services-page). And if you want help telling your customers' stories, [get in touch](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/contact). Share this article: ![James Carter](https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/studionope-northline/images/v2/team-james.jpg) Written by ### [James Carter](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/author/james-carter) James Carter is co-founder and Head of Strategy at Northline. He runs the first call with every client and the customer interviews behind each page plan, and he has been doing it in Portland since 2014. ## You may also like [![Northline](https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/studionope-northline/images/brand/northline-logo-light.svg)](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage) Websites for service businesses that win on trust. Designed, built and improved every month. #### Company - [About Us](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/about) - [Team](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/team) - [Careers Hiring](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/jobs) - [Press](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/press) - [Partners](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/partners) - [Events](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/events) #### Product - [Features](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/features) - [Pricing](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/pricing) - [Comparison](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/comparison) - [Integrations](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/integrations) - [Changelog New](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/changelog) - [Case Studies](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/case-studies) #### Resources - [Blog](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog) - [Documentation](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/documentation) - [FAQs](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/faqs) - [Video Library](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/video-library) - [Courses Free](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/course) - [Testimonials](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/testimonials) #### Templates - [Homepage](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/homepage) - [Landing Pages](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/free-trial) - [Services](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/services) - [Portfolio](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/portfolio) - [Contact](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/contact) - [Demo Request](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) #### Support - [Contact Us](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/contact) - [Book a Demo](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) - [Appointment](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/demo) - [Free Trial](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/free-trial) #### Contact - [hello@northline.com](mailto:hello@northline.com) © 2026 Northline. All rights reserved. [Privacy Policy](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) [Terms of Service](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) [Cookie Policy](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) [Accessibility](https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/legal) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "James Carter", "url" : "https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/author/james-carter" }, "dateModified" : "2026-11-12T21:02:49.741Z", "datePublished" : "2026-11-10T14:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "How to Write a Case Study | Northline", "image" : [ "https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/northline-blog/northline-blog-casestudy.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.nopethemes.com/northline/blog/how-to-write-a-case-study", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.nopethemes.com/hubfs/studio-nope-themes-logo.png" } } } ```