4.3 ★Garden center

The Challenge

Alldredge Gardens is Midland’s go-to garden center, retail store, café and event space. Their website and digital infrastructure were aging — they needed:

• A robust WordPress site with heavy visual impact (drones, video, photography)

• A seamless integration of sales-/lead-funnel, CRM & automation

• A local SEO strategy so they’d show up when folks searched “Midland garden center,” “outdoor furniture Midland,” etc.

• A system built for scale, so that the site and backend wouldn’t buckle as their business expanded

Watch The Before Video of The Web Site

BEFORE

What We Did

1. Full Site Build in WordPress
Starting in early 2023, it took nearly 6 months of focused design, development, asset procurement and content to launch the site. I led the project from end to end:

• We arranged for team-photographers + art-directed photo/video shoots (including drones) to capture the property, retail space, café, and lifestyle imagery

• I worked with AI-generated copy as a baseline, then refined it heavily to find the brand’s authentic voice — the “Texas grown-up meets outdoor oasis” tone

• The theme was built custom (or heavily customized) in WordPress to support heavy visuals while maintaining performance

• I made sure the UX was built for conversion: strong CTA’s, clean nav, mobile responsive, fast loads

2. Building the Automation Backbone
Behind the site, I set up our agency’s white-label branded SaaS platform using GoHighLevel. On the backend:

• I built the internal CRM, connected all the funnels (lead magnets, event sign-ups, retail inquiries)

• Created automation flows: e.g., visitor signs up → automated email sequence → café invite → in-store offer

• Set up review automation, local directory management, appointment scheduling for consultations

• Result: the business now has one clean tech stack instead of a jumble of tools and spreadsheets

Watch The After Video of The Web Site

AFTER

3. Local SEO Strategy that’s Built to Last
Because Alldredge is a local business with strong foot traffic, I implemented a long-term local SEO strategy:

• Optimised their Google Business Profile (address, hours, high-quality images)

• Built citations & directory links for Midland TX landscaping/garden center categories

• Created location-specific landing pages (e.g., outdoor furniture Midland, patio décor Midland, garden café events Midland)

• Set up analytics and tracked KPIs: site traffic growth, organic search ranking, local map visibility

The Impact (5-Year Snapshot)

SEO Growth Analysis: Alldredge Gardens (All-Time Performance)

The chart shows a long-arc growth pattern with one unmistakable story:
When I owned the SEO + content + CRM ecosystem, the site climbed. When I handed it off, it dipped. Hard.

1. Strong, Steady Climb (2016–2023)

From the moment long-term SEO and content structure began maturing, we see a marked rise:

• Organic traffic steadily improves year over year.

• Branded traffic (customers searching specifically for Alldredge Gardens) grows in lockstep — a key indicator of brand authority.

• Zero paid traffic dependency the entire time.

This culminates in early 2023 with the site hitting its strongest, most consistent peak.
This is the period when:

• The new website went live

• The CRM funnels were functioning correctly

• Reputation and citation strategy was being maintained

• Posts, updates, and GBP activity were regular

• On-page and technical SEO were being actively stewarded

Everything was working as designed.

2. Severe Dip During Client Takeover (Mid–Late 2023)

There is a clear and sharp drop in both organic and branded traffic immediately after the handoff and client training.

This is typical when:

• Funnels stop being maintained

• Google Business Profile is neglected

• Customer reviews aren’t actively requested

• Content and on-page SEO stop being updated

• Staff changes occur

• AI-generated content is added incorrectly

• Seasonal photos, menus, or updates aren’t posted

• Schema breaks or plugins go out of date

• Site performance declines due to lack of management

The sudden dip represents the collapse of momentum because the system requires:

• Ongoing nurturing

• Monitoring

• Optimization

• Weekly GBP activity

• Regular content updates

• Seasonal relevancy refreshes

My build provided the engine, but they let it idle.

3. Recovery — But Not to Prior Peak

After several months, traffic rebounds.
But the recovery never reaches the ceiling I had established prior to handoff.

This is common when:

• Only partial best practices are followed

• Staff members update content inconsistently

• Technical errors accumulate

• Backlink growth slows

• GBP engagement becomes sporadic

• Wrong keywords are targeted

• CRM loses connection to website triggers

It's a “good enough” recovery — but not a strategic one.
It lacks the polish, consistency, and technical stewardship that pushed the site to its all-time high.

4. The Bottom Line

The chart proves the system worked when I ran it.
And it shows exactly what happens when a high-maintenance digital ecosystem is left on autopilot.

Even with a strong comeback, the site still sits below the performance floor I built in early 2023.

This is a powerful case study for:

• Why full-stack creative + SEO + CRM should not be fragmented

• Why trained staff can’t replicate a senior-level strategist

• Why I deliver long-term, compoundable value

• Why my ongoing retainers are worth every penny

Why This Project Matters

• It’s a perfect example of what I do: not just “pretty websites,” but full-stack creative + tech + business strategy

• I delivered for a local business with complex needs (retail + café + events + outdoor living) and built an infrastructure that will serve them long-term

• It shows my range: from high-end visuals (drone video, photography) to gritty backend systems (CRM, funnels, SEO)

• For any prospective client reading this: they’ll know I can handle the full spectrum, and they’ll have confidence I’m not just a designer, I’m a growth partner

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Want Similar Results for Your Brand?

If your website looks tired, your funnels are half-built, and you’re frustrated with tech that doesn’t talk to each other — give me a shout. Let’s build you a system that looks good, converts better and scales easily.

Contact:
Tia Harper
Attention Horse Marketing Solutions