Client Overview
Industry: Landscape Design and Installation
Location: Metairie, LA and Greater New Orleans Area
Core Services: Sod Installation, Irrigation Systems, Drainage Systems, Landscape Design
Challenge: Low market visibility for high-value services
Agency: GBC Digital Marketing
The Challenge: Breaking Through in a Saturated Market
Our landscape design client near New Orleans faced a common but critical problem: they were getting jobs, but not the RIGHT jobs.
Despite years in business and exceptional work quality, they were stuck at just 17% local share of voice for their most profitable services.
The Greater New Orleans landscaping market presented unique challenges:
- Post-hurricane market saturation with contractors flooding the area
- Seasonal demand fluctuations affecting consistent lead flow
- Price-shopping customers seeking lowest bidder rather than quality
- Established competitors dominating search results for premium services
The company specialized in four high-value services that represented their best profit margins and expertise:
- Sod Installation – Complete lawn transformations
- Irrigation Systems – Smart water management solutions
- Drainage Systems – Critical for New Orleans’ unique water challenges
- Landscape Design – Custom outdoor living spaces
They needed visibility specifically for these services in Metairie and surrounding affluent areas where customers valued quality over price.
Our Strategic Approach: Blending AI Optimization with Traditional SEO
Understanding that the landscape industry was rapidly evolving in how customers search for services, GBC Digital Marketing implemented a three-pillar approach that leveraged both cutting-edge AI visibility and proven SEO fundamentals.
Pillar 1: AI Overview Domination
We recognized that homeowners increasingly use AI tools to research complex landscaping projects. Our AI optimization strategy included:
- Question-based content architecture targeting how people ask AI about landscaping
- Problem-solution frameworks for drainage and irrigation queries
- Structured data markup ensuring AI systems understood service offerings
- Local expertise signals positioning the client as the New Orleans area authority
Pillar 2: Content Strategy Focused on High-Value Services
Rather than generic “landscaping” content, we laser-focused on their four core services:
Sod Installation Content:
- “Complete Sod Installation Guide for New Orleans Climate”
- “St. Augustine vs. Bermuda: Best Grass for Metairie Lawns”
- Cost calculators and timeline expectations
Irrigation Systems Content:
- “Smart Irrigation Systems for Louisiana’s Unique Weather”
- Water conservation guides meeting local regulations
- ROI calculations for irrigation investments
Drainage Systems Content:
- “Solving Metairie’s Drainage Challenges: A Homeowner’s Guide”
- French drain vs. surface drainage comparisons
- Flood prevention strategies for low-lying areas
Landscape Design Content:
- Portfolio showcases of high-end projects
- Design trends for Southern outdoor living
- Virtual design consultation resources
Pillar 3: Traditional SEO Excellence
While pushing the envelope with AI optimization, we maintained strong traditional SEO:
- Local SEO optimization for “near me” searches
- Google Business Profile management with service-specific posts
- Strategic link building from local home improvement resources
- Technical SEO improvements for site speed and mobile experience
The Results: Market Share Nearly Doubled
From Invisible to Unavoidable. The numbers tell a powerful story:
Share of voice increased from 17% to 33% – and still climbing
Nearly doubled market visibility in less than a year
Dominated AI Overview responses for all four target services
Captured top organic positions for high-intent commercial keywords
Quality Over Quantity
More importantly, they’re “getting more of the types of jobs they want”:
- Higher average project values from customers finding them for specific services
- Better qualified leads who understand the value of professional installation
- Increased commercial contracts for irrigation and drainage systems
- Premium landscape design projects in affluent Metairie neighborhoods
Geographic Expansion
The improved visibility extended throughout the target area:
- Metairie (primary market)
- Kenner
- River Ridge
- Harahan
- Old Metairie
- Lakeview
- Surrounding New Orleans suburbs
Key Success Factors
- Service-specific optimization beats generic visibility
Focusing on four core services delivered better results than broad “landscaping” keywords. - AI Overviews provide competitive advantage
Being early to AI optimization captured territory competitors hadn’t claimed. - Local expertise matters in landscaping
Content addressing New Orleans’ unique climate and drainage challenges resonated. - Consistent growth momentum
The “still climbing” trajectory shows sustainable, compound growth. - Content depth drives authority
Comprehensive guides established thought leadership in each service category.
The Technical Achievement
Understanding Share of Voice Metrics
Growing from 17% to 33% share of voice represents:
- Appearing in twice as many relevant searches
- Outranking established competitors consistently
- Dominating multiple search intent types (informational, commercial, transactional)
- Capturing mindshare at every stage of the customer journey
The AI Overview Advantage
For searches like:
- “How to fix drainage problems in Metairie”
- “Best irrigation system for New Orleans climate”
- “Sod installation cost near me”
- “Landscape design ideas for Louisiana homes”
Our client now appears prominently in AI-generated responses, often before traditional search results.
Market Impact
This success story demonstrates several market shifts:
- Specialized services win over generalists
Customers seeking drainage solutions find a drainage expert, not just a “landscaper.” - Educational content converts
Homeowners educated about proper drainage or irrigation become better customers. - Local expertise trumps national chains
Understanding New Orleans’ unique challenges beats generic solutions. - AI visibility accelerates growth
Early adoption of AI optimization provides first-mover advantage.
The Compound Effect
As share of voice grew from 17% to 33%, secondary benefits multiplied:
- Referral quality improved as better customers recommended them
- Crew expertise deepened by focusing on four core services
- Pricing power increased as the recognized specialist
- Seasonal volatility decreased with steady demand for specialized services
Looking Forward
With share of voice “still climbing,” the trajectory points toward market leadership. The foundation built through AI optimization and content excellence positions them for:
Share of voice increased from 17% to 33% – and still climbing
Nearly doubled market visibility in less than a year
Dominated AI Overview responses for all four target services
Captured top organic positions for high-intent commercial keywords
The Bottom Line
Taking a landscape company from 17% to 33% share of voice – and continuing to climb – proves that strategic SEO can transform market position even in established industries. By combining AI Overview optimization with traditional SEO excellence, and focusing relentlessly on high-value services, this New Orleans-area landscaper has nearly doubled their market presence.
Most importantly, they’re not just getting more leads – they’re getting more of exactly the jobs they want. In the competitive New Orleans landscape market, where every contractor claims to “do it all,” becoming THE specialist for sod, irrigation, drainage, and design has made all the difference.
The results speak for themselves: when you own a third of the market conversation for your target services, growth isn’t just possible – it’s inevitable.
GBC Digital Marketing helps landscape and home service companies dominate their local markets through AI-first SEO strategies combined with proven traditional optimization. Whether you specialize in irrigation, drainage, design, or installation, we’ll help you capture more of the high-value jobs that grow your business. Contact us to increase your share of voice in your market.
