How Db Journey Increased Organic Sales by Over 60% and Gained Visibility in AI Search
Bonzer has been a strategic, structured partner for Db from day one. They've worked closely with us across technical SEO, international setup, content and visibility in AI search, across all our markets. What sets them apart is how clear they are about which content actually drives results. They don't stop at recommendations either, they help us get the content published. The result is a clear increase in organic traffic and a solid foundation for further growth. We're looking forward to continuing the partnership.
Db Journey, formerly known as Douchebags, is a Scandinavian brand that designs backpacks, luggage and travel gear for people with an active lifestyle. The company was founded in Norway in 2009 by Jon Olsson and Truls Brataas, with the goal of making travel easier through smarter gear. Since launching in 2012, Db has seen triple-digit growth and consistent profitability. The brand has received the Gazelle Award for high-growth companies six times and won several design awards at ISPO in Munich, the world's largest sports trade fair. Today, the company operates independently from its headquarters in Oslo, with 60 employees.
With a strong position in Europe, the next step was growth in the US. The challenge was that Db had almost no organic visibility in the American market. When potential customers searched for backpacks and travel luggage, Db rarely appeared. At the same time, technical issues on the website made it harder for Google to understand and rank the US version of the site.
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Key figures:
- +78% more keywords on page 1 in the US (July 2025 → August 2026)
- +69% more organic clicks (August 2026 vs. August 2025)
- +393% more AI traffic (August 2026 vs. August 2025)
- +60% more organic purchases in the US (July 2025–August 2026 vs. the same period the year before)
Results
+69% more organic clicks
The increased visibility has driven clear growth in traffic from Google. In August 2026, Db received 69% more organic clicks than in the same month the year before.
+393% more AI traffic
Db is now visible in AI-driven search. In the US, Db has 372 citations in Google's AI Overviews, 238 in AI Mode, 52 in Gemini and 20 in ChatGPT, experiences where Db was previously almost invisible. AI traffic to the website grew from 61 to 301 sessions in August, nearly a fivefold increase.
+60% more organic purchases in the US
The growth in visibility has had a clear impact on both traffic and sales. Compared with the same period the year before, Db has seen significantly more users from organic search in the US, and a larger share of them are converting. The share of users who complete a purchase has nearly doubled, from 3.0% to 5.9%. That shows the work hasn't only driven more traffic, but more relevant traffic too.
| Organic search, US | Increase |
|---|---|
| Purchases | +60% |
| Users | +61% |
| New users | +63% |
| Returning users | +95% |
| Share of users who purchase | +97% |
July 2025–August 2026, compared with the same period the year before.
Luggage and backpacks: +236% more keywords on page 1
Since the partnership began, the number of keywords on Google's first page in the US for luggage and backpacks has grown from 183 to 614, an increase of 236%. Backpacks account for the biggest growth at +302%, while luggage is up 162%. The number of keywords in the top 3 has grown even more, from 62 to 289, nearly a fivefold increase. The effect really took hold from spring 2026, and the increased visibility has had a clear impact on traffic. Organic clicks to the luggage category grew from 225 to 794 (+253%), and to the backpack category, from 260 to 655 (+152%).
Ski and snowboard: +49% in peak season
Many of Db's activity-based segments are highly seasonal. The work has therefore focused on positioning Db ahead of peak season for each segment, and results are measured during peak season, compared with the same period the year before.
For ski and snowboard, searches are concentrated between November and January. During this period, organic traffic grew from 3,073 to 4,568 clicks, an increase of 49%. The same work has been done for product categories such as duffel bags, tote bags, sling bags and accessories, as well as segments like skate and training.
Peak season November–January, compared with the year before:
How we did it:
The results are built on four focus areas that reinforce each other.
1. The foundation: Technical clean-up and an expanded category structure
Before working with Bonzer, dbjourney.com had several technical issues holding the website back in search results. A technical audit gave the site a health score of just 56 out of 100, partly because of broken images and hundreds of hreflang links pointing to pages that didn't exist. The website was also very slow, especially on mobile, where it could take more than 30 seconds before the main content became visible. The causes included heavy video files, numerous third-party tools and a cookie banner that delayed and shifted the content. On top of that, the site lacked important structured data that helps Google understand the content, and the blog posts weren't linked from the navigation, so neither visitors nor search engines could find them.
Based on these findings, we gave concrete recommendations for cleaning up the technical foundation, making it easier for Google to crawl, understand and rank the content. Today, the health score is 80. We then optimized existing category pages and expanded the category structure with more specific subcategories based on activity and use case, such as ski, snowboard, surf, photography, commuting and training. With pages like "Surf Travel Bags", "Camera Backpacks" and "Commuter Luggage", Db now matches more precise searches with clear purchase intent.
2. Content that stands out when AI shapes search
As more businesses turn to AI for content production, creating content that genuinely stands out has become essential. The goal is content that language models choose to cite, so the brand stays top of mind with the target audience. With zero-click search becoming more common, this is the only sustainable path to visibility.
3. Content strategy
The content strategy is built on a two-track model that ensures a steady stream of value. We create new, targeted content while maintaining and updating existing content where the data shows the greatest potential.
Track 1: Producing new content
The new content falls into two types: commercial and informational. The commercial content, such as category copy and buying guides for backpacks and luggage, targets searches with clear purchase intent. The informational content builds authority within Db's world. Examples include practical guides like "How to style a backpack" and "What to choose for work", plus seasonal guides tied to back-to-school. All content links through to relevant commercial pages, guiding customers from inspiration to purchase.
Track 2: Ongoing updates to existing content
By continuously monitoring performance and analyzing search intent, we identify which existing content benefits most from an update. This keeps valuable evergreen articles relevant over time. The updates strengthen E-E-A-T, improve rankings and defend positions against competitors. Together, this builds Db's authority in travel, luggage and backpacks, work that continues in the ongoing partnership.
4. Off-page: Visibility beyond the website
Visibility in search and AI tools isn't only about what happens on the website itself. Both Google and language models put significant weight on how a brand is discussed elsewhere online. That's why off-page work has been a fixed part of the partnership. We've provided ongoing advice on brand mentions, link building and affiliate partnerships, and report regularly on Db's visibility across the web, including platforms like Reddit.
Together, this strengthens Db's credibility and authority in travel, luggage and backpacks, work that continues in the ongoing partnership.
Conclusion
In just over a year, Db has gone from almost no organic visibility in the US to becoming a clear alternative when American customers search for backpacks and travel luggage. The combination of a solid technical foundation, a clear category structure and content that both Google and AI tools prioritize has driven growth in traffic, visibility and sales. The work continues, with the goal of strengthening Db's position in the US market even further.
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