SEO Case Study: How a Garden Center Increased Seasonal Orders by 215%
On March 11, 2025, a Sacramento garden center partnered with Goforaeo because their in store reputation was strong, but their seasonal demand was not translating into steady online and phone orders from Google. They had great plants and helpful staff, yet local shoppers were finding big box stores first.
This case study shares the timeline, monthly work, and the real numbers behind a 215% increase in seasonal orders from organic search, driven by local content and product focused SEO.
Project snapshot: Location, dates, timeframe, tracking:
This campaign focused on Sacramento, California, with nearby service coverage based on delivery radius and real customer areas. The work ran from March 11, 2025 to October 31, 2025, covering spring, summer, and the start of fall planting season.
We reported monthly and reviewed weekly trends so improvements could be tied to actual changes on the website, product pages, and local visibility.
What we tracked to prove results:
We kept tracking simple and clear, because a garden center needs proof in orders, not just traffic.
- GA4: organic sessions, product page visits, add to cart actions, checkout starts
- Ecommerce order tracking: seasonal orders from organic traffic, revenue from seasonal categories
- Google Search Console: impressions, clicks, query movement for local and product terms
- Google Business Profile insights: calls, website clicks, direction requests, product views
- Call tracking: calls from Google that led to reservation, pickup, or delivery orders
Company background and what was holding growth back:
This client is a full service garden center selling seasonal plants, soil, mulch, fertilizers, pots, and gardening supplies. They also offered seasonal bundles like spring veggie starter packs, summer drought tolerant sets, and fall lawn and soil prep kits.
Their main issue was not product quality. It was how Google understood their products and how local customers found them when demand spiked.
What was limiting growth before the campaign:
The website had products listed, but many product and category pages were thin. Several categories were not clearly organized, and local content was not strong enough to compete with larger stores and marketplaces.
We found a few clear blockers:
- Important seasonal categories were hard to find from navigation
- Product pages lacked details that shoppers search for, like plant size, sun needs, and local use cases
- Many products had weak titles that did not match search terms
- Local content was minimal, so the brand did not show up well for Sacramento intent searches
- The Google Business Profile existed, but product highlights and posts were inconsistent
What we counted as a seasonal order:
We defined a seasonal order as an order containing at least one product from seasonal categories that change demand through the year. This kept reporting honest and helped the client see SEO impact on the products that matter most.
Seasonal categories included:
- Spring bedding plants, veggie starts, seed bundles, compost and raised bed soil
- Summer irrigation parts, mulch, pest control, drought tolerant plants
- Early fall lawn repair, soil amendments, planting mix, shrubs and perennials
Who the SEO work was for:
Sacramento garden shoppers do not all search the same way. Some want quick pickup today, some want delivery, and some want advice like “what to plant now in Sacramento.”
We built the plan around real searcher groups, because that is how rankings and sales move together.
Main customer groups we optimized for:
- Weekend DIY shoppers: searching for quick pickup terms like “mulch near me” and “garden center Sacramento”
- Homeowners planning seasonal projects: searching for “best soil for raised beds Sacramento” and “plants for full sun Sacramento”
- Serious gardeners: searching for specific plant types, sizes, and local growing advice like “tomato starts Sacramento” and “native plants Sacramento”
Tracking setup and baseline numbers:
Before changing pages or publishing content, we confirmed measurement so the numbers could be trusted. We cleaned conversion tracking, ensured organic orders were correctly attributed, and separated seasonal category performance from the rest of the catalog.
Baseline period was February 1, 2025 to February 28, 2025. This was right before the spring rush began, so it gave a clean “before” month inside 2025.
Baseline results for February 2025:
- Organic sessions: 4,980
- Seasonal orders from organic search: 68
- Add to cart events from organic traffic: 312
- Calls from Google Business Profile and site combined: 97
- Google Business Profile actions: 690
The business had demand, but search visibility and product discovery were not strong enough to capture it.
Strategy overview: Why this approach worked:
We did not try to chase every gardening keyword in California. We focused on Sacramento purchase intent and seasonal intent, then supported it with product SEO so shoppers found the exact item pages that convert.
The plan had five parts and we followed them in order. This helped us build momentum month by month without messy experiments.
The five part plan we followed:
- Fix technical issues and product indexing: so Google could crawl products and categories cleanly
- Rebuild category structure for seasonal shopping: so users could find seasonal items fast
- Improve product pages for search terms and conversion: so product pages ranked and sold
- Create local seasonal content for Sacramento: so the brand won local intent searches
- Strengthen local signals through Google Business Profile: so calls and directions increased with seasonal demand
Phase 1: Technical cleanup and product SEO foundation:
In March 2025, we started with a full site crawl and index review. We found duplicate titles across product variants, missing meta descriptions on key categories, and slow load times on collection pages with lots of images.
We also found that some out of stock products were still indexed in ways that confused Google, while some important seasonal categories were not clearly represented.
What changed on the website foundation:
We fixed the basics so product SEO could actually work.
- Cleaned duplicate metadata and improved category titles
- Improved internal linking so seasonal categories were not buried
- Adjusted index handling for out of stock and discontinued items
- Compressed images and improved category page load time
- Added structured data where it fit, including product signals and FAQ on key guides
Phase 2: Category structure built for seasonal shopping:
In late March and April 2025, we reorganized product categories based on how customers shop during peak season. Garden center shoppers do not browse like they are in a big marketplace. They want fast choices like “raised bed soil,” “mulch,” “tomato starts,” or “native plants.”
We created clear seasonal collections and improved navigation paths so users could go from a local search to a category and then to the right product in fewer clicks.
How we chose which categories to build first:
We prioritized categories with strong local intent and clear seasonal demand, especially ones already showing impressions in Search Console.
We started with near win categories first:
- Categories with impressions but weak clicks were updated to lift CTR
- Seasonal categories that frequently sell out were improved early to capture peak weeks
- High margin categories like mulch, soil, and bundles were prioritized because they drive revenue
Phase 3: Product page upgrades that increased rankings and sales:
From April through August 2025, we improved product pages to match how people search and how they decide. In gardening, product detail is not optional. People want to know plant size, exposure, watering needs, and whether it fits Sacramento conditions.
We upgraded product pages in batches so changes were measurable and repeatable.
What we added to product pages:
- Clear product titles that include common search words
- Short summaries that answer the buying question fast
- Details like size, coverage, bloom season, sun needs, and planting tips
- Local use notes like “works well for Sacramento full sun yards” where accurate
- FAQs for common purchase questions like delivery, pickup timing, and care
These upgrades improved rankings, but they also improved conversion because shoppers felt confident.
Phase 4: Local seasonal content for Sacramento:
Local content was the difference maker, because it helped the garden center compete against bigger stores that have generic national pages. Sacramento searches often include timing and location. People search “what to plant now in Sacramento” or “best mulch for Sacramento summer heat.”
From April to October 2025, we published local seasonal content that naturally supported product pages and seasonal categories.
Local content themes that performed best:
- Planting calendar style guides for Sacramento by month
- “Best plants for” guides, written for local climate and sun exposure
- Soil and mulch selection guides tied to products and bundles
- Simple project guides like raised beds, lawn repair, and drought friendly yards
Each guide had clear internal links to the most relevant seasonal products and categories.
Phase 5: Google Business Profile improvements for seasonal demand:
A garden center gets a large share of high intent traffic from the map results. Many customers call to check stock or ask about pickup, especially on weekends.
We treated the Google Business Profile like a weekly marketing channel, not a one time setup.
What we improved on the profile:
- Updated services and categories to match real offerings
- Added seasonal product highlights and consistent photos
- Posted weekly updates during peak months
- Used simple Q and A content based on real store questions
- Improved local consistency so the same info appeared across key listings
This helped increase calls, direction requests, and website clicks during seasonal spikes.
Monthly execution and performance data:
Below is the month by month view from March 2025 to October 2025. Each month includes what we shipped and the outcomes from organic search. All numbers are organic only, verified in analytics and ecommerce tracking.
March 2025: Fix tracking and remove technical blockers:
March was foundation month. We focused on crawl clarity, site speed, and making sure product and category pages were easy for Google to understand.
Work shipped in March:
- Crawl and index review, cleanup of duplicates
- Speed improvements on category pages
- Navigation cleanup for seasonal categories
- Basic product structured data checks
- Tracking verification for seasonal orders
March results:
- Organic sessions: 5,360
- Seasonal orders: 79
April 2025: Rebuild seasonal categories and improve top product pages:
April is when local gardening demand starts rising fast. We built the first seasonal category structure and improved the product pages most likely to convert.
Work shipped in April:
- Two seasonal category hubs published and linked from the main menu
- Top 25 seasonal product pages upgraded with better titles and details
- Collection page copy added to match real search terms
- First Sacramento seasonal guide published with product links
- Google Business Profile posts started weekly
April results:
- Organic sessions: 6,140
- Seasonal orders: 97
May 2025: Local content expansion and product SEO batch updates:
May was about visibility and conversion at the same time. We expanded local content and improved product pages in a repeatable way.
Work shipped in May:
- Two local guides published: planting and soil selection for Sacramento
- Second batch of product page upgrades focused on bedding plants and starters
- Internal linking added from guides to product collections
- Meta title testing on categories with high impressions
- More photos and product highlights added to Google Business Profile
May results:
- Organic sessions: 7,480
- Seasonal orders: 128
June 2025: Summer demand content and stronger product discovery:
June searches shift toward heat, watering, and maintenance. We leaned into these topics and connected them to products like mulch, irrigation, and pest control.
Work shipped in June:
- Local content for summer care and drought friendly planting
- Seasonal bundles promoted through category hubs
- Product filters and internal links improved for faster browsing
- FAQ sections expanded on high traffic products
- Continued weekly profile posts and photo uploads
June results:
- Organic sessions: 8,260
- Seasonal orders: 156
July 2025: Mid season refresh and conversion improvements:
July traffic was strong, but we wanted to improve the percentage of visits turning into orders. We reviewed mobile shopping behavior and simplified key paths.
Work shipped in July:
- Simplified add to cart and pickup messaging on product pages
- Improved internal links from high traffic guides to best selling products
- Updated category copy for mulch, soil, and irrigation collections
- Added clearer delivery and pickup notes on product pages
- Continued local posts focused on weekend shopping needs
July results:
- Organic sessions: 9,140
- Seasonal orders: 178
August 2025: Authority building and near win page upgrades:
August was about lifting pages that were close to top positions. Many of these pages needed stronger local context, clearer headings, and better product linking.
Work shipped in August:
- Content refresh sprint for pages ranking in positions 5 to 15
- Improved titles and descriptions for high impression categories
- Local partnership mentions and resource links where relevant
- Added internal links between related seasonal guides
- Strengthened stock messaging to reduce frustration on sold out items
August results:
- Organic sessions: 10,420
- Seasonal orders: 198
September 2025: Fall seasonal content and peak order month:
September is when fall planting, lawn repair, and soil improvement start to peak in Sacramento. The site had enough depth by this point that Google began ranking across many seasonal and product searches.
Work shipped in September:
- Fall planting and lawn prep content published for Sacramento
- Category hubs updated to feature fall seasonal products
- Product pages expanded for soil amendments and lawn repair items
- Internal linking reinforced from fall guides to product collections
- Google Business Profile posts focused on fall weekend projects
September results:
- Organic sessions: 11,980
- Seasonal orders: 214
October 2025: Sustain rankings and improve repeat seasonal shopping:
October was about holding strong positions, improving shopper experience, and setting up pages for the next seasonal cycle. We focused on cleaning, updating, and reinforcing internal links.
Work shipped in October:
- Updates based on the last 90 days of Search Console query data
- Refinements to category navigation for faster seasonal browsing
- Additional FAQs added to top converting product pages
- Local guide updates to keep them current for Sacramento timing
- Continued posts, photos, and Q and A on the profile
October results:
- Organic sessions: 12,640
- Seasonal orders: 205
Before vs after proof: Seasonal orders increased by 215%:
Baseline month was February 1, 2025 to February 28, 2025, and seasonal orders from organic search were 68. The peak comparison month was September 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025, and seasonal orders from organic search were 214.
That change from 68 to 214 is a 215% increase in seasonal orders, measured through ecommerce order tracking and verified inside analytics.
Supporting proof that explains the order growth:
Orders grew because visibility improved and product pages converted better.
- Organic sessions: 4,980 in February to 11,980 in September
- Add to cart events from organic traffic: 312 in February to 970 in September
- Calls from Google and the site: 97 in February to 214 in September
- Google Business Profile actions: 690 in February to 1,780 in September
What drove the growth: The real reasons, not vague advice:
The biggest driver was building a clear connection between local searches and product pages. When someone searched for mulch, soil, or plants in Sacramento, they found pages that actually answered the question and made it easy to buy.
The second driver was local seasonal content. Bigger stores often have generic pages, but local shoppers want local timing and local advice. When the content matched Sacramento conditions, rankings improved and trust improved.
The third driver was site structure and internal linking. Seasonal category hubs made it easy for Google to understand what the garden center sells during peak season, and internal links pushed authority toward the products that drive orders.
Simple examples of how the strategy worked:
- Local guides brought visitors searching “what to plant now in Sacramento”
- Those guides linked to the exact seasonal collections people needed
- Product pages answered care and use questions that stop purchases
- The Google Business Profile helped capture weekend calls and directions
Tools used by Goforaeo in this campaign:
We kept the tool stack practical and used it to make clear decisions each month.
Tracking and measurement tools:
- GA4: organic sessions, add to cart, checkout starts, seasonal order attribution
- Google Search Console: impressions, clicks, query insights, CTR improvements
- Ecommerce tracking: product performance, seasonal category revenue, conversion rate
- Google Business Profile insights: calls, direction requests, website clicks
SEO and auditing tools:
- Screaming Frog: technical crawls, index checks, metadata issues, redirects
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse: speed checks and Core Web Vitals improvements
- Ahrefs and Semrush: keyword research, competitor gaps, link monitoring
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting dashboards
- Microsoft Clarity: behavior review on mobile product pages and category pages
What other local retailers can take from this:
If you sell products that spike seasonally, SEO works best when local content and product SEO support each other. Local content pulls people in at the research moment, and product pages close the sale.
This model works especially well for garden centers because local climate, timing, and trust matter as much as price.
Practical takeaways:
- Build seasonal category hubs that match how people shop
- Upgrade product pages with details shoppers actually search for
- Publish local guides tied to your inventory, not generic blog posts
- Use Search Console monthly to refresh near win pages
- Keep Google Business Profile active during peak weekends
Closing summary: Where the garden center stood on October 31, 2025:
By October 31, 2025, the Sacramento garden center had built a stronger local presence and a cleaner product SEO foundation. Seasonal orders from organic search increased from 68 in February to a peak of 214 in September, which is a 215% jump.
The results came from steady monthly work: better category structure, stronger product pages, local Sacramento seasonal content, and consistent local visibility through Google Business Profile.