--- title: Avant Gardening — Google Ads Keyword Strategy type: article created: '2026-04-05' updated: '2026-04-05' source_docs: - raw/2025-10-13-avant-gardening-landscaping-kick-off-93688166.md tags: - google-ads - keyword-research - landscaping - avant-gardening - madison-wi - recruitment - natural-lawn-care - hardscaping layer: 2 client_source: null industry_context: null transferable: true --- # Avant Gardening — Google Ads Keyword Strategy ## Overview This article captures the keyword targeting direction established during the [[wiki/clients/avant-gardening/index|Avant Gardening]] kick-off meeting. It covers service-focused keywords, negative keywords, recruitment targeting, and geographic scope for Google Ads campaigns. At the time of kick-off, Avant Gardening had **no active Google Ads campaigns** and no defined ad budget. Google Analytics was already in place. The strategy should be built from scratch, informed by the keyword research questionnaire completed prior to the meeting. --- ## Service Categories & Keyword Focus Avant Gardening's business is roughly **50/50 maintenance vs. landscaping/construction**. Keyword strategy should reflect both pillars while prioritizing higher-margin services. ### Primary Service Keywords | Service Area | Example Keywords | |---|---| | Landscape design & installation | `landscape design Madison`, `landscaping company Madison WI`, `yard design Madison` | | Hardscaping | `patio installation Madison`, `retaining wall Madison`, `hardscape contractor Madison` | | Garden design | `garden design Madison`, `planting design Madison` | | Maintenance | `lawn maintenance Madison`, `landscape maintenance Dane County` | | Natural / organic lawn care | `natural lawn care Madison`, `organic lawn care Madison WI` | | Landscape lighting | `landscape lighting Madison`, `outdoor lighting installation Madison` | > **Note from Tim:** Natural lawn care is a differentiator but currently a small revenue share. It's worth targeting as a niche positioning play, especially given Madison's eco-conscious demographic. ### Profitability Guidance for Bid Prioritization Tim noted that **planting and design work carries higher margins** than hardscaping or pure labor jobs. Keyword bids should reflect this: - **Higher priority / higher bids:** landscape design, garden installation, planting, natural lawn care - **Medium priority:** patio, retaining wall, hardscaping (competitive space, lower margin) - **Lower priority / consider excluding:** labor-only queries (hauling, removal), cheap/budget-focused terms --- ## Recruitment Campaign Keywords Staffing is one of Avant Gardening's biggest operational challenges. A parallel recruitment-focused ad campaign was discussed and approved in principle. ### Target Recruit Profile Tim described their best hires as individuals early in their careers, looking for stability and a good work environment — not necessarily experienced landscapers. ### Recruitment Keywords - `landscaping jobs Madison WI` - `landscape crew jobs Madison` - `outdoor jobs Madison` - `lawn care jobs Dane County` ### Messaging Direction Ads should emphasize: - Positive work culture and work-life balance - Career growth opportunity - Stable, established local employer - Eco-friendly, values-driven company --- ## Negative Keywords The questionnaire identified terms to exclude to avoid low-quality or mismatched traffic: - `free landscaping` - `DIY landscaping` / `DIY lawn care` - `cheap lawn care` - `mobile lawn services` - Competitor brand names (unless running a conquest campaign — TBD) > **Content idea noted:** A blog post walking through DIY landscaping complexity ("here's everything that can go wrong") could serve as a soft conversion tool for users searching DIY terms — directing them toward hiring professionals. Flagged as optional depending on whether SEO/content is added to scope. --- ## Geographic Targeting - **Primary:** Madison, WI and Dane County - **Secondary:** McFarland, Sun Prairie, and east/southeast Madison suburbs - **Outer radius:** Southern Wisconsin within reasonable driving distance (Avant Gardening charges travel time, which naturally filters out distant leads) - **Exclude:** Statewide or national targeting Tim noted they are based in McFarland (southeast of Madison) and that proximity pricing makes east-side Madison jobs more cost-competitive for clients. --- ## Competitive Context Understanding the competitive landscape informs both keyword gaps and ad messaging: | Competitor | Notes | |---|---| | **Bruce Company** | Largest player in Madison; has a garden center; well-known brand; also does snow removal | | **Formecology** | Eco-focused competitor — overlaps with Avant Gardening's natural lawn care niche | | **Alston** | Small local firm | Avant Gardening currently ranks **#4 organically** for `landscapers Madison` (above Bruce Company), though this ranking is at risk while the website's lower-level pages are broken. See [[wiki/clients/avant-gardening/website-hosting|Website & Hosting Notes]]. --- ## Seasonal Campaign Rhythm Google Ads strategy should follow the natural seasonality of the landscaping business: | Season | Campaign Focus | |---|---| | **Winter** | Brand awareness / top-of-mind; begin building spring backlog | | **Spring** | High-intent service campaigns; push design, installation, maintenance sign-ups | | **Summer** | Maintenance, hardscaping, ongoing project work | | **Fall** | Maintenance wrap-up; early spring booking; potential recruitment push | Snow removal is **not** a target for advertising — Tim indicated existing accounts are sufficient and they prefer to keep that quiet. --- ## Ad Creative Direction - **Before/after project photos** — high priority for visual ads - **Staff spotlight content** — helps humanize the brand and supports both service and recruitment ads - **Messaging themes:** eco-friendly, personalized design, no cookie-cutter work, established local reputation --- ## Open Items - [ ] Chris to complete keyword research using the questionnaire as a foundation (note: research run from France may skew results — verify with US-based tools or VPN) - [ ] Confirm ad budget with Tim once recommendations are prepared - [ ] Determine whether to run service and recruitment campaigns simultaneously or phase them - [ ] Assess whether conquest bidding on competitor brand names is appropriate - [ ] Coordinate keyword strategy with any future SEO scope (currently not in contract) --- ## Related - [[wiki/clients/avant-gardening/index|Avant Gardening Client Index]] - [[wiki/clients/avant-gardening/kick-off-meeting|Kick-off Meeting Notes]] - [[wiki/clients/avant-gardening/website-hosting|Website & Hosting Notes]] - [[wiki/knowledge/meta-ads/avant-gardening-meta-strategy|Avant Gardening — Meta Ads Strategy]] - [[wiki/knowledge/email-marketing/avant-gardening-email-campaigns|Avant Gardening — Email Campaign Strategy]]