Creating a site for a landscape designer, your thoughts appreciated

[Karen Newton]

Hi,
I'm going to create a site for my sister-in-law, who is a landscape designer servicing the local area she lives in. I'm already formulating a plan for all of the content on the site after meeting with her, and will help to promote her site with articles and backlinking.

What I'm still toying with is whether or not I will go with a Wordpress theme or a static site template. Either way I'm getting something free, not unique. I'm not charging her for building and promoting her site. Down the road when her client base picks up, I'll work with her to get custom graphics and perhaps even a custom theme designed.

I think I'm going to end up using a Wordpress theme, simply due to the abilities that Wordpress has for SEO purposes. What are your thoughts?

Karen

[Dana_W]

I personally have found that wordpress themes designed to look like static sites get ranked super fast and are really good for SEO purposes. I don't completely understand why, but I've found that again and again.

Originally Posted by Karen Newton

Hi,
I'm going to create a site for my sister-in-law, who is a landscape designer servicing the local area she lives in. I'm already formulating a plan for all of the content on the site after meeting with her, and will help to promote her site with articles and backlinking.

What I'm still toying with is whether or not I will go with a Wordpress theme or a static site template. Either way I'm getting something free, not unique. I'm not charging her for building and promoting her site. Down the road when her client base picks up, I'll work with her to get custom graphics and perhaps even a custom theme designed.

I think I'm going to end up using a Wordpress theme, simply due to the abilities that Wordpress has for SEO purposes. What are your thoughts?

Karen

Don't just follow what everybody does. Why have a "normal" site when you can build a simpler landing page which can convert prospects into customers.

A basic site with Home, Contact us, Services, About pages is old fashioned and proven to be ineffective.

[Bev Clement]

My experience is the opposite a good static site built using XSP gets indexed fast and ranks well.

I think it depends on the niche and what the competitors sites are.

[Melody]

Originally Posted by Dana_W

I personally have found that wordpress themes designed to look like static sites get ranked super fast and are really good for SEO purposes. I don't completely understand why, but I've found that again and again.

That's very true, Dana - I create small networks of 3 to 5 'related' topic sites with WP - a few original posts and feeds for content - stripped of all 'bloggy' features such as date, author, and often even content - and they usually are not only indexed but have a PR 2 within a few weeks.

I don't know why either, I am sure it's the combination of original content and WP - but it sure works quickly for about 90% of my sites done this way!

Melody

[Karen Newton]

I like all of the feedback so far, thank you. I think I might lean more towards a static site but with a blog attached (to leverage the SEO aspects of Wordpress). Design it such as:

www.herdomainnamehere.com - main site, static
www.herdomainnamehere.com/blog - Blog

What do you think?

I'm still on the fence especially reading what Melody and Dana posted. Stripping all of the 'normal' blog-type stuff from the blog, so it appears 'static' but still maintains the power of SEO... hmmm...

Bev - is there any reason to use XSP? With my technical background I have no problem in designing and coding html but am curious about XSP.

@Creative Thinker - I like how you think Yeah I'm not interested in throwing up a plain jane vanilla site in this case. I have some unique ideas to help her site stand out from the competition

Keep the feedback coming - really appreciate it!
Karen

[Bev Clement]

Karen, the only reason I use XSP is I bought it many years ago, and have continued to use it, nothing more than that. If you use dreamweaver or something else go for it.

I find because I know XSP I can get a site up very quickly. Go with what you know

[Karen Newton]

Originally Posted by Bev Clement

Karen, the only reason I use XSP is I bought it many years ago, and have continued to use it, nothing more than that. If you use dreamweaver or something else go for it.

I find because I know XSP I can get a site up very quickly. Go with what you know

Yeah, I see what you're saying. I typically open up Notepad! But that's not always a very smart or efficient way to get things done, when there are so many great programs out there to help you create fantastic sites.

I think I'm going to start with Open Source Web Design - Download free web design templates. and look at some simple templates, that will be easier for me to customize down the road.

[Karen Newton]

Oh one more question - do you think it's best to go with a ".ca" domain name versus a ".com" domain name? Her area of service is definitely in Canada (much more localized of course). I found a great keyword domain for her with a ".ca" extension.

[lstoops]

Originally Posted by Creative Thinker

Don't just follow what everybody does. Why have a "normal" site when you can build a simpler landing page which can convert prospects into customers.

.

Yes, I totally agree!! Why not set up a simple squeeze page - even a video squeeze page and build a list of interested local people. Give them great info delivered to their email
and she can sell her services to them and even create and sell info/digital products plus physical how to products to them. She could easily build relationships with the local people doing this.

[Tyrus Antas]

There isn't any practical difference between what CMS package you're using or whether you're doing a static website and the SEO outcome you'll get. As long as url's are structured the same way, you're safe.

As a suggestion don't forget to check out Google Local. Lots of business are doing a killing through there. Specially important for someone like a landscape designer.

Tyrus

[Shrinivas]

Hi,

I am having two sites in the landscaping niche. (I am a landscape architect myself ). I strongly recommend SEO wordpress theme for this. Landscaping is visual medium so most people are interested in actual results than some boring theory on landscaping. SO here is the most important tip.

Spend some money on buying images on landscping or take photographs of live already complted projects and drip feed them on your blog. I gaurantee your blog will get massive traffic from Google Images. otential clients will always use real life photographs as a starting point for selecting a landscape architect for their real estate sites.

All the best with your blog....

[BettyM]

I helped my hardscaper/landscaper put together a site. He is swamped with work in this bad economy and his site contributes to getting customers.

1. Use a WordPress SEO template with SEO plugins
2. Stay keyword rich and make sure you include the area served on every page. People will search for city+landscaper.
3. Take lots of beautiful pictures of landscape work done. Always include flowers and lots of breathtaking color. Make sure you put your copyright with your domain at the bottom of each photo. At least if people rip you off . . . sometimes you will at least get some free advertising.
4. Include lots of customer testimonies. Some of the articles on my hardscaper's site are even written by customers with a photo of their project.
5. If you can do fixed prices to give people a general feel for the cost . . . it will help to prequalify.
6. Use a .com domain. Do NOT use domain.com/blog. Put everything under the domain.com/. Integrating everything is easy.
7. Make a YouTube video slideshow of landscape examples with a link back to your site
8. Write informative articles about gardening and pitch these articles to the media for free publicity. If you include links to photos, many magazines need filler. When you get picked up, add the article to the site.

Hope this helps.

[Karen Newton]

@Lisa
I love your idea. I think it's something I'll do down the line though, not prepared to do the whole email marketing thing yet for this project (timewise that is).

@Tyrus
Appreciate those points definitely. And certainly will be focusing on Google Local!

@Shrinivas
Great points about images!

@BettyM
Thanks for that great checklist, I agree wholeheartedly with it except for point #6 where you say "Use a .com domain. Do NOT use domain.com/blog. Put everything under the domain.com/. Integrating everything is easy.". Depending on how one has their main site structured, adding a blog off the root domain can help tremendously. I'd be interested to know what experiences have made you think otherwise?

@Gina
Gorgeous site there. A bit graphic intensive (was slow to load a bit) but definitely eye popping. I love the coupon idea, one of the things I plan on doing as well.

This is turning out to be a great conversation, glad I decided to post about it!

Karen