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The Sill Marketing Breakdown: How They Grew into a Leading DTC Plant Brand

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Buying plants online wasn’t always the norm, but The Sill changed that.

Founded in 2012 by Eliza Blank, this DTC plant brand turned houseplant shopping into an accessible, curated experience.

How? Through a sharp marketing strategy that blends SEO, community-building, and conversion rate optimization.

Here’s a breakdown of the key marketing moves that helped The Sill grow into a household name in the plant space.

1. Robust content and SEO strategy

The company ranks for over 84,000 keywords, thanks to a content strategy built around valuable, SEO-optimized articles.

The Sill ranks for over 84,000 keywords

Wondering what makes their content work?

While they do compete for generic terms like “indoor plants,” they also target more specific long-tail keywords with their articles like “are coffee grounds good for plants.” 

The Sill organic keywords

This educational top-of-funnel content attracts highly interested traffic and helps establish The Sill as an industry authority. 

Their blog is packed with expert-backed plant care guides, troubleshooting tips, and how-to articles that genuinely help customers.

The Sill blog is packed with expert-backed plant care guides, troubleshooting tips, and how-to articles

Plus, every blog post subtly promotes relevant products. For example, an article on “5 Causes for Your Plant’s Yellow Leaves” conveniently links to Plant Care Essentials, guiding readers toward a purchase.

The Sill blog relevant product recommendation

By focusing on both search intent and user experience, The Sill turns educational content into a major revenue driver.

2. Community engagement through workshops

Plants aren’t just décor—they’re a lifestyle. The Sill understands this, and they’ve built a thriving community through in-store and online workshops.

The Sill online workshops

These workshops accomplish several things:

  • They provide plant care education, making customers feel more confident in their purchases.
  • They reinforce The Sill’s authority in the plant space.
  • They encourage repeat engagement, boosting customer lifetime value.

From beginner-friendly “Plant Parent 101” or “Gardening 101” sessions to advanced propagation classes, The Sill’s workshops do more than just teach—they cultivate a loyal customer base.

3. Thoughtful product categorization

Shopping for plants can feel overwhelming, especially for beginners. The Sill simplifies the process with intuitive product categorization, making plant selection a breeze.

The Sill product categorization

Their categories include:

  • Pet-Friendly Plants: Ideal for cat and dog owners who need non-toxic options.
  • Low-Light Plants: Perfect for apartments and offices with limited sunlight.
  • Easy-Care Plants: For those who want greenery without the maintenance hassle.

This thoughtful approach reduces decision fatigue and enhances the shopping experience, leading to more conversions and fewer returns.

4. Strategic upselling

The Sill suggests complementary products to customers, effectively increasing the average order value.

For example, on their product pages, they use “Grows Well With” recommendations to suggest complementary items.

The Sill upselling on product pages

They also have “Don’t Forget These” product recommendations in the cart. This encourages last-minute add-ons before checkout.

The Sill upselling in the cart

These subtle but effective nudges encourage customers to spend more while enhancing their overall experience.

5. Website popups

The Sill uses website popups effectively to capture leads and boost conversions. Their current strategy includes a multi-step welcome popup. 

This popup appears immediately after arrival, offering 10% off in exchange for visitors’ email addresses. After visitors provide their email, the second step asks for a phone number.

The Sill website popup

The multi-step popup strategy works well. However, it would be even more effective if they offered an extra incentive in the second step or a message like “We’ll send the deal to your phone for easy access.”

Another area for improvement?

A more visually appealing design might convert better. Take a look at our ready-to-use templates: 

They also use a seasonal promo popup: “Spring Into Savings!” This popup features a tiered sale with a countdown timer, creating urgency.

The Sill website popup

While using these kinds of popups is an excellent strategy, having two popups appear back-to-back may annoy users and drive them away. For a better experience, try segmenting your visitors. We also recommend using OptiMonk and its User Experience Protector to reduce disruption.

They also use a teaser and side message on category pages to promote their quiz and help visitors find the right product.

The Still teaser promoting their quiz on category pages
The Still sidemessage promoting their quiz on category pages

After answering a few questions in the quiz, customers are redirected to a relevant product page based on their answers—but only after providing their email. 

The Sill quiz

Right now, customers have to visit a separate page to complete the quiz. A popup format (see the templates below) could increase engagement.

6. Subscription services to enhance customer retention

One-time plant sales are great, but subscription services ensure long-term customer retention.

The Sill offers monthly plant subscriptions, delivering curated selections straight to customers’ doors.

Why this works:

  • Encourages repeat purchases and builds habit-based buying behavior.
  • Creates a predictable revenue stream.
  • Strengthens brand loyalty through continuous engagement.

By making plant care effortless, The Sill keeps customers coming back month after month.

Wrapping up

🌿 Content marketing & SEO are major traffic drivers.
🌿 Community-building workshops foster customer loyalty.
🌿 Smart product categorization improves the shopping experience.
🌿 Upselling tactics boost average order value.
🌿 Website popups effectively grow their email list and drive sales.
🌿 Subscriptions encourage repeat business and predictable revenue.

By implementing these strategies, The Sill has successfully transformed plant shopping into an experience—one that keeps customers engaged, educated, and coming back for more.

Would these strategies work for your brand? If so, it’s time to take some inspiration from The Sill’s marketing playbook and start growing your own DTC success!

Learn more

Looking for more marketing breakdowns? Check out these articles:

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Written by
Picture of Nikolett Lorincz

Nikolett Lorincz

Nikolett is the Head of Content at OptiMonk. She is obsessed with content marketing and loves creating educational content for ecommerce store owners. She truly believes in the importance of quality over quantity.
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