The project with Finger Lakes Wine Country stands out as one of the most comprehensive website collaborations I’ve been part of, spanning everything from early-stage planning and strategy to web design and ongoing SEO optimization.
I was actively involved in composing and submitting the URL redirect list, shaping the site’s strategic direction, and executing key components of the build, all while keeping user experience and long-term organic traffic performance top of mind by using SEMRush metrics.​
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Local SEO Strategy for Each Region
To support the site’s long-term performance, I developed a localized SEO strategy that targeted key counties across the Finger Lakes region and surrounding areas. The site was built to serve as a central resource for both community members and tourists, optimized around high volume regional search queries.
In addition to content and on-page SEO, I launched a targeted link-building campaign, securing placements in high-value local business directories and regional travel listings, an area that had previously gone untapped by the client, but proven effective among their competitors.
Performance Tracking & Growth
Post-launch, I contributed to ongoing performance analysis through Google Analytics by tracking KPIs aligned with tourism goals: organic traffic, user engagement, and contact form submissions. With these statistics, I compiled monthly performance reports in which I would update the client on notable highlights as time went on. These insights helped inform future improvements and validated the strategy’s impact.
Results
In the first six months after launch, the Finger Lakes Wine Country website saw:
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17% increase in organic traffic, reflecting stronger regional search visibility
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7% increase in contact form submissions, supporting deeper user engagement and tourism-related conversions
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This project reflects the power of combining intuitive design with hyper-local SEO strategy to elevate regional visibility. In growing up around this region, it was a meaningful opportunity to create a digital platform that not only promotes exploration, but also supports the economic and cultural vitality of the Finger Lakes region.