About the Landscape Juice Network

Founded in 2008. The Landscape Juice Network (LJN) is the largest and fastest growing professional landscaping and horticultural association in the United Kingdom.

LJN's professional business forum is unrivalled and open to anyone within within the UK landscape industry

LJN's Business Objectives Group (BOG) is for any Pro serious about building their business.

For the researching visitor there's a wealth of landscaping ideas, garden design ideas, lawn advice tips and advice about garden maintenance.

PRO
I was having a chat with Craig McGinty this morning and we got on to discussing the site's activity and how there's barely time to draw a breath when a new topic replaces one on the activity feed. When I told Craig about the projected traffic for October he said wow!, you should tell the LJN members about this - it is such a positive thing for the community. September saw just over 57,000 visitors over the two Landscape Juice sites reading just over 237,000 pages (although the record number of pages read in a month is still March 2010 at 275,000). The end of September 2010 and beginning of October has hotted up (longer evenings?) and I estimate unique visitors to be in the region of 65-80,000 for this coming month and page impressions are on target for 325-425,000. Last Monday, Gary enquired how many members were online and what the record was so I took a screenshot there and then and as you can see, there were 77 people perusing the site at 20.45 GMT.

(there were 88 people on the site just a few minutes earlier but I failed to take a screenshot). Of the 77 people, about 35 of them were logged in as members. So what are people looking for? We can assume that members are logging in to catch up on the latest activity but there is also a high percentage of visitors who are actually searching for something using a search engine. Here's a sample: Devon Bank stone http://www.google.nl/search?hl=nl&safe=active&q=devon%20bank%20stone&meta=&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= landscape marketing associations norfolk http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CCIQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.landscapejuicenetwork.com%2Fprofile%2FNickiJackson&rct=j&q=%20landscape%20marketing%20associations%20norfolk&ei=Jpi1TNT-BYPl4Aa6n-mgDQ&usg=AFQjCNGmzTDtwPZlKM6otB9Rd4Yu_kAp Moss killer for tarmac http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.landscapejuicenetwork.com%2Fforum%2Ftopics%2Fbest-moss-killer-on-tarmac&rct=j&q=moss%20killer%20for%20tarmac&ei=M421TPuxGsyQ4gaOlPT5DQ&usg=AFQjCNH6iIWcxnWzdZYV9Vq026Fh4MEM Camon c80 http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&q=camon%20c80&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB&btnG=Google%20Search Henrietta Murray-Wicks http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CBkQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.landscapejuicenetwork.com%2Fprofile%2FHenriettaMurrayWicks&rct=j&q=henrietta%20murray-wicks&ei=j5e1TLroFM6OjAftjdS_Aw&usg=AFQjCNHtL4LJe7s6IHoji_EjppK872qr4w Phil Evans marketing http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1651&bih=910&q=phil%20evans%20marketing&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= The growth of the network is due to the shift in usage from directory/paper based marketing to online and especially social hubs. I spoke to both our sponsors, Marshalls and Green-tech last week and both have told me that they are experiencing strong growth in visits through the use of the internet. Green-tech have just recorded a record financial year and Chris Harrop says that this year has brought record visitors to the Marshalls' website. Whilst Landscape Juice cannot take all of the credit for their respective success, I'm confident that their presence on here, referrals through Twitter and newsletters and search related referrals through the site, have contributed massively - remember, each time a link is added, it is considered to be a point or two towards the recipient's SEO. We are also seeing successes in terms of contracts won, Donny Bryan told me yesterday that he won a contract in Liverpool (sent out in July 2010) that was sent out through the LJN leads group another LJN member won a contract in France through a partnership made through this site. A LJN member also won the Southwark tree job through George. Well done everyone and thanks for making LJN such a success for us all and the whole of the industry. Can you add something? Did you win a contract, make a contact, find a product or benefit from information you couldn't get elsewhere?

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  • As far as I am concerned, LJN is my office base! Working alone for most of the week can be very lonely, and to be able to log in here and catch up on all the latest news, as well as share information (and have a bit of a moan if necessary!), is invaluable, and also therapeutic. I have learnt so much from people, and hopefully have been able in some small part to give back in areas that I consider myself confident in.
  • I agree with Sarah, its an excellent site, great commuity happy to give out advice when needed, hints and tips, its also a good site for using as reference, great people, Ive had a few new clients passed over by Geoff which has been great. Would be great if we could all meet up as well.
  • PRO
    Hi Karl

    I'm delighted you had a successful '100% Design Show' - those are impressive sales.

    All of LJN sponsors are important and that is why, unlike any other service you'll find anywhere else, I feature them for free in the weekly newsletter [this service would cost a considerable amount of money on other sites].

    I also regularly thank sponsors - you won't find this personal touch on any other website or advertising service: http://www.landscapejuicenetwork.com/forum/topics/thank-you-to-our-...

    I also feature articles and interviews about our sponsors and regularly tweet or feature their content.

    Here's an example of Exterior Decking's content we've covered recently:

    Karl's high flying business: Harrison Gardens
    http://www.landscapejuice.com/2010/07/karls-high-flying-business-ha...

    Network members go face to face at Karl Harrison organised meet up:
    http://www.landscapejuice.com/2010/10/network-members-meet-up-.html

    I have limited resources and a very limited budget.

    I'm sure, as a sponsor and someone who cares about the network, you'd be keen to see continued development of additional features - like the ability to develop a mobile application for on-the-road access to LJN for all our busy members?

    All the time I'm working hard on the site and building the membership, LJN sponsors continue to benefit from this extra exposure from members of the landscaping and horticulture community.

    Feel free to write a blog post about your experience at the 100% Design Show.

    Thanks for your continued support, I'm sure network members really appreciate it.







    Karl Harrison said:
    "I spoke to both our sponsors, Marshalls and Green-tech last week and both have told me that they are experiencing strong growth in visits through the use of the internet."

    Thats right you only have 2.......sponsors

    Are we advertisers not even worth a mention?

    "Can you add something? Did you win a contract, make a contact, find a product or benefit from information you couldn't get elsewhere?"

    In answer to your question, yes I can add somthing, I did win a contract infact many and I did find a benefit from information I couldn't find else where - the 100% Design Show - this show was amazing, I developed many projecs and managed to turn over in the two weeks after the show almost 75% of what I turned over for the entire of last year.

    A brilliant show, full of garden designers and not a mention on the juice..........
  • PRO
    Good question Colin

    I can get stats from Ning but they are difficult to suck out in a report format - I wouldn't want to share everything either ;-0)

    Google Analytics has a range of tools. Here's a screenshot showing the top ten locatgions (individually coloured) and there are 1,045 separate names thereafter. The two seperate entries for London are inner and outer (I believe).

    Yo have to take a view though - for example, Belfast is number 47 showing 1,119 visits for the year. These might include visits from people within 50-100 miles of Belfast.

    I've had to cut the end off the graphic otherwise it would go on too long but it gives LJN members the gist. The 50%'ish grey section on the pie chart is places that make up less than 1% of unique visits in a year.





    colin said:
    does the ning give a pie chart as to the areas/regional locations the searches and page views come from? maybe that would help members understand the areas that could be worth advertising in or keyword pushing for those areas.
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