This article captures the keyword targeting direction established during the [1] 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.
Avant Gardening's business is roughly 50/50 maintenance vs. landscaping/construction. Keyword strategy should reflect both pillars while prioritizing higher-margin services.
| 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.
Tim noted that planting and design work carries higher margins than hardscaping or pure labor jobs. Keyword bids should reflect this:
Staffing is one of Avant Gardening's biggest operational challenges. A parallel recruitment-focused ad campaign was discussed and approved in principle.
Tim described their best hires as individuals early in their careers, looking for stability and a good work environment — not necessarily experienced landscapers.
landscaping jobs Madison WIlandscape crew jobs Madisonoutdoor jobs Madisonlawn care jobs Dane CountyAds should emphasize:
- Positive work culture and work-life balance
- Career growth opportunity
- Stable, established local employer
- Eco-friendly, values-driven company
The questionnaire identified terms to exclude to avoid low-quality or mismatched traffic:
free landscapingDIY landscaping / DIY lawn carecheap lawn caremobile lawn servicesContent 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.
Tim noted they are based in McFarland (southeast of Madison) and that proximity pricing makes east-side Madison jobs more cost-competitive for clients.
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 [2].
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.