Most landscaping businesses lose potential customers before those prospects ever pick up the phone. The reason isn't your service quality or pricing. It's that those potential clients can't find you online when they're searching for landscaping services.
When landscapers take their online presence seriously and implement the right strategies, digital marketing brings them more calls than referrals alone ever could. With most buying journeys starting online, the businesses that show up for people as they're scrolling and searching online are the ones booking more jobs.
The good news is that you don't need a massive marketing budget or a landscaping marketing company to compete. What you need is a focused approach to the digital marketing strategies that actually generate leads. Here's what works.
A well-designed website shows visitors that you're a legitimate business they can trust. Your landscaping website needs to do more than just look professional. You need it to turn those visits into paying customers.
Google rewards websites that load quickly and deliver seamless mobile experiences. A mobile-friendly website design is important these days, since most prospects research on their phones. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load or doesn't work properly on mobile devices, you've already lost those potential clients to competitors with better websites.
Clear service descriptions that explain what you do and how you do it
Service area page showing exactly where you work
Project galleries with before-and-after photos that tell complete stories
Multiple contact methods (phone, form, text) that reduce friction in lead generation
Clear calls-to-action on every page that make it obvious how to get in touch
To attract local customers, your website needs to show up for location-based searches like "landscaping services near me." Search engine optimization ensures your business appears first for searches like "landscaper near me" - and this isn't optional anymore.
Your Google Business Profile is essential for being found online. Claiming and optimizing this profile is needed for local visibility and something you can't afford to ignore. Complete profiles with accurate contact details, service descriptions, service area information, and regular updates perform better in local search results than half-finished profiles that look abandoned.
Optimize your Google Business Profile: This is your most valuable local SEO asset - keep it complete, accurate, and regularly updated with posts and photos
Keyword placement matters: Use location-specific keywords naturally throughout your website content, page titles, and meta descriptions
Service pages for specific neighborhoods: Create dedicated pages that address the unique landscaping needs of different areas you serve
Consistent NAP information: Keep your Name, Address, and Phone number identical across all online directories and platforms
Use location tags and geo-specific terms throughout your website content and social media posts. This might include neighborhood-specific service pages, local project stories with before and afters, or content addressing regional landscaping challenges that prospective clients actually face. SEO requires thoughtful keyword placement and service pages tailored to specific neighborhoods. Landscaping is an all-local business. You can't serve customers you can't drive to. If your SEO partner says you don't need to focus on local, then you need to find a new partner.
Strong SEO increases your business's online presence and attracts customers in your service area. Consistent SEO efforts help businesses dominate local search results and capture more landscaping leads for their business before competitors even show up.
Creating blog content around common landscaping questions builds trust with potential customers. When homeowners search for answers about lawn care, landscape design, or maintenance tips, your content should be what they find.
Answer common yard and landscaping questions to become a trusted expert online. This is called marketing your expertise. Educational/informational content shows that your company is the local authority in landscaping and demonstrates your knowledge better than any advertisement. Creating detailed guides and seasonal tips provides value that leads to client attraction while keeping your business top-of-mind.
Your team members are your best content resources. Interview your crew to find out what they're seeing throughout the day. Ask your landscape designers to create guides on choosing plants for local conditions. Your installation crews can share insights about hardscape trends or proper drainage solutions. These experts already answer these questions for customers daily - turning those conversations into blog posts positions your entire team as knowledgeable authorities.
Seasonal maintenance guides ("Spring Lawn Care Checklist for [City] Homeowners")
Problem-solving content ("How to Fix Drainage Issues in Your Yard")
Design inspiration ("5 Patio Designs Perfect for [Region] Backyards")
Plant selection guides ("Best Shade Trees for [Local Climate]")
Cost and timeline expectations ("What to Expect During a Landscape Installation")
Use long-tail keywords like "affordable landscaper for patio installation in [city]" to capture more specific searches. Content marketing attracts specific, high-intent search traffic to your business. These visitors convert at much higher rates than general traffic because they're actively looking for solutions you can provide.
If you have concerns about oversharing your secrets, don't worry. Your customers might try to do their landscaping themselves, but they will likely realize that it's extremely hard work and still want to hire you just so they don't have to.
Social media is one of the best ways to show off landscaping projects while building real connections with your community. Use platforms like Instagram and Facebook to showcase your work with high-quality images that demonstrate the transformations you create.
Posting high-quality project photos on a regular basis generates up to 5x more engagement than promotional posts alone. Successful social media content for landscaping businesses includes:
Before-and-after project photos that showcase transformations
Seasonal maintenance tips that provide genuine value
Team introductions that help prospects feel connected
Behind-the-scenes content that humanizes your business
Customer testimonials with real project results
Using local hashtags and tagging your service area on social media boosts visibility among potential clients in your local community. The average social media user juggles multiple accounts, but your ideal customers are usually active in just a few key places. Focus your efforts on the platforms where your target audience actually spends time rather than trying to maintain a presence everywhere.
Consistent engagement with your brand via social media can keep your business top-of-mind for existing clients, encouraging repeat business and referrals. Engaging actively with your audience encourages conversations that can turn likes and comments into actual leads for your landscaping services.
Email marketing is a cost-effective, easy-to-implement tool with high engagement rates for landscaping companies. It supports scheduling, sharing content, and maintaining customer relationships at scale without requiring constant manual effort.
Some marketing channels deliver higher ROI than others, and email marketing consistently ranks at the top for landscaping businesses. Regular engagement through email marketing can keep your business top-of-mind for existing clients while nurturing prospects through their decision-making process.
Segment your mailing list by service type or customer needs for targeted campaigns. Targeted emails can address residential lawn care clients differently than commercial maintenance prospects, increasing relevance and response rates. Customer retention emails maintain relationships with current customers through maintenance reminders, seasonal service opportunities, and appreciation messages that often generate additional service requests.
Paid ads help landscapers quickly reach the top of Google search results when prospects are actively searching for services. While organic SEO takes time to build momentum, paid advertising through Google Ads and social media platforms can generate immediate visibility for competitive keywords.
Local Service Ads appear at the very top of Google search results with the "Google Guaranteed" badge, providing instant credibility that standard ads can't match. Utilize local service ads to target potential clients in your service area with high intent. These prospects are actively looking for landscaping services right now and are more likely to convert than general traffic.
Google Ads (PPC) - Start with small ad tests on Google to find what converts best for your business. Track ad performance and scale successful campaigns for more leads once you identify which messages and targeting options work best. PPC ads can target specific demographics, interests, and geographic areas with precision that traditional advertising can't achieve.
Facebook and Instagram Ads - These platforms allow precise targeting based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. Businesses can reach homeowners in specific neighborhoods who are most likely to need services. Visual ad formats work well for showcasing work quality and results that prospects can immediately evaluate.
Respond promptly to leads generated by paid ads to secure bookings. The faster you follow up with prospects who click on your ads, the more likely you are to convert those leads into paying customers before they contact competitors.
Online reviews are the new word-of-mouth, building trust, boosting search rankings, and influencing potential clients. Customer testimonials drive landscaping sales more effectively than any advertisement because prospects trust what other homeowners say about your work more than they trust what you say about yourself.
The more reviews you collect, the more your reputation does the selling for you. Multiple review platforms maximize visibility across different customer segments since some prospects check Google reviews while others look at Facebook or Yelp first. Reviews are often the deciding factor for potential clients when selecting a service provider.
Encouraging satisfied clients to leave reviews enhances your credibility in the crowded market for landscaping services. Follow-up communications sent after projects are completed (while satisfaction is high), direct review requests worked into your procedures, and review links provided via email and text all make it easier for happy customers to share their experiences.
Track key performance indicators (KPIs) like website traffic, lead generation, and conversion rates to understand which marketing efforts are working best. Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor online performance and see which pages on your website generate the most contact form submissions and phone calls.
Measure marketing efforts to identify what strategies are delivering the best return on investment. Data-driven analysis supports informed decisions to improve marketing ROI rather than just guessing which tactics might work. Understanding customer acquisition cost helps landscaping companies evaluate the effectiveness of different lead generation methods.
Success in landscaping marketing relies on a combination of digital and traditional methods that work together. Your marketing strategy should identify your unique selling proposition to differentiate your landscaping business from competitors who offer similar services.
Develop a strong brand identity, including a logo, slogan, tone, and website design that remain consistent across all marketing materials. Professional branding communicates quality before customers ever experience your services. Investment in professional design pays dividends through improved close rates and customer retention.
Define clear marketing goals, like increasing brand awareness or generating leads in specific service areas. Choose marketing channels that best reach your target audience rather than spreading your efforts too thin across platforms where your ideal customers don't spend time. Creating ideal customer profiles shapes every marketing decision and helps you focus your digital marketing efforts where they'll generate the best results.
components of a complete digital marketing strategy include:
Website optimization: Fast-loading, mobile-friendly site with clear calls-to-action
Local SEO: Google Business Profile optimization and location-specific content
Content marketing: Regular blog posts that answer customer questions
Social media presence: Consistent posting on platforms where your customers spend time
Email marketing: Nurture campaigns for prospects and retention emails for existing customers
Paid advertising: Strategic use of Google Ads and local service during peak seasons
Review management: System for collecting and responding to customer reviews
Digital marketing is essential for landscaping businesses to compete and attract potential clients in today's market. A strong online presence, combined with effective marketing strategies, helps landscapers grow their business while building a loyal customer base that generates referrals and repeat work. By utilizing the right marketing channels and tactics, landscaping companies can increase visibility, generate more leads, and build sustainable growth that isn't entirely dependent on word-of-mouth referrals or seasonal fluctuations.
Led by Marty Grunder, The Grow Group is a premier coaching and education firm for landscape professionals. We provide innovative events like our annual GROW! Conference, peer groups, and real-world resources to help landscaping business owners and their teams succeed. Everything we teach is based on what we know works because we test it ourselves at our "living laboratory" - Grunder Landscaping Company, the business Marty began as a teenager and still leads today.
We don't just share theories and ideas. We share tactics we used at our own landscaping company this week that we know still work. Our team brings more than 95 years of combined field experience to everything we do. Whether you're trying to grow your landscaping business or get better control over it, we can help get you where you want to go.
Not sure where to start? Sign up for our weekly Great Idea to get free strategies, tips, and tactics for running your landscaping company delivered to your inbox each Sunday. Listen to episodes of The Grow Show podcast for practical advice you can implement right away.
Or join us at our annual GROW! Conference to learn alongside hundreds of landscape professionals committed to building better businesses.