GREAT OUTDOORS, MICHIGAN
Top MI landscape contractor experiences growth through SEO, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and professional videography.
OPTIMIZATION AND VIDEOGRAPHY
The System Overview
Great Outdoors serves high-end customers in the Ann Arbor, MI area. We designed a brand-new website and implemented our industry-specific SEO strategies that resulted in higher search engine results rankings. Our creative team skillfully produced videos for which Great Outdoors has received high praise. They enjoy a close partnership with HALSTEAD and a dedicated project manager. There’s a sense of relief knowing that HALSTEAD will consistently monitor and optimize the Great Outdoors' digital presence so they can focus on their landscape industry business during the busy months.
Website
Great Outdoors came to HALSTEAD with a website that was, in their words, “too busy” and packed with an overwhelming amount of information on each page. As a growth-oriented company, Great Outdoors wanted that to be reflected in its website design and copy. We were consistent with this theme throughout the website, demonstrating their commitment to growing relationships, expanding their team, and helping landscapes thrive. The new website design is clean, concise, and functional.
Search Engine Optimization
Great Outdoors started with 66% of their keywords ranking within the first 10 Google search engine results. Today, HALSTEAD has brought that number to 97%—a massive transformation that has led to growth. Almost 30% of their keywords rank within the top three Google search engine results, compared to just over 10% less than a year ago. We’ve accomplished this by optimizing keywords with internal linking from blogs and landing pages and incorporating manual backlinks from high-quality, relevant sites to generate authority. Building local landing pages also helps us finely target desirable communities for Great Outdoors’ customer base and relevant keywords to the business.
Google Ads
In 2021, the click-through-rate (CTR) was 2.46%, and since HALSTEAD has taken over, it has increased to 4% on average. We have strategically earned a CTR of nearly 5% on the most recent residential Great Outdoors campaign. Since Google searchers are searching to click, these clicks are more likely to lead to sales. A more targeted approach has led to significantly more conversions.
Facebook Ads
By retargeting keywords with a high CTR (words that tend to elicit clicks from users), we’ve earned a CTR of over 6% on a recent Facebook Ads campaign targeting their service area. We targeted affluent homeowners to reach Great Outdoors’ target customers. Targeting included a high education level, high net worth, and an interest in varied outdoor living activities, among other strategically targeted attributes. With the addition of videography in Facebook ads that feature new projects with landing pages, the project pages are performing well with a CTR between 2-3.5%.
Videography
We worked with Great Outdoors to produce several videos, including culture videos, to improve recruiting efforts. These videos serve to tell the Great Outdoors story, who they are, what they stand for, and the high-quality work they do.
For example, one video includes testimonials from 7- and 16-year veteran crew members, sharing how much they enjoy working for Great Outdoors and the opportunities for development that they receive. The video shows team members at work on a job site where you can clearly see how happy the employees are based on their smiling faces.
HALSTEAD produced a video featuring their all-battery-powered fleet, videos that showcase their completed exceptional landscape construction projects, and another video provides testimonials from the superintendent who regularly relies on Great Outdoors for landscape work.
We handled everything throughout the videography project, from the logistics to identifying the perfect sites to shoot the videos and editing and producing the final videos. Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including drones, we shoot professional-quality videos that are ideal for use in digital marketing via social media and the Great Outdoors website.
TESTIMONIALS
More Words From the Client
“We hired Halstead to make some videos for us. They flew in Nikolai, who was amazing. He met with my team, brought all the equipment, interviewed my whole staff, and was able to piece together some beautiful videos for us. … If we’re doing our own videos, they just don’t look like what Halstead is doing for us.”
— Mike Kowalski, President, Great Outdoors
CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Strategic Optimization Using Professionally Produced Content
We used our industry-specific, proven strategies to optimize Great Outdoors’ online presence—on their website, social media, and beyond. With professionally produced videography, website content, and blogs written by experienced writers, the results have been stellar, and we look forward to further growth as we continue our partnership.
TESTIMONIALS
More Words From the Client
“Our leads became a lot more efficient. … We’ve gotten a lot of new contracts for next year already, we’re getting a lot of new projects, and it’s really helping with the hiring process, too.”
— Becca Rose, Plant Health Care Specialist, Great Outdoors
“I enjoy seeing what they come up with. I enjoy seeing the Facebook ads and Instagram posts. I like seeing what they’ve done with our website, and I’m just not capable of coming up with that kind of stuff; it’s not my thing.”
— Mike Kowalski, President, Great Outdoors
“With HALSTEAD, I have that constant discussion with them—how’s it going, do we want to change anything, are we marketing to the right people. For me, they’re like the marketing arm of my business.”
— Mike Kowalski, President, Great Outdoors
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“I was instantly impressed at the current and cutting edge ideas they brought to the table.”
— Erich Mueller, Northern Lights Landscaping
“Halstead delivered a professional, easy to navigate website upgrade for us at a reasonable cost. Their staff was attentive, detailed, on their game, friendly and helpful. Highly recommend their services for any landscaper looking to level up their business.”
— Briana Horlings, Premier Landscaping
“Excellent service and quality! Would highly recommend!”
— Sam Gembel, Atlas Outdoor