Website redesign and SEO case study - Higher Hooves
How Higher Hooves transformed its digital presence with a modern redesign, improved user flow, and advanced SEO optimization.About The Client
Higher Hooves is an Equine Gestalt Coaching practice based in Crested Butte, Colorado, founded by certified coach Carrie O’Neal.
The practice helps clients navigate life transitions, trauma recovery, and personal growth through the powerful connection between humans and horses.
Business Challenge
The previous website lacked a cohesive visual identity and clear conversion paths, resulting in limited engagement and low visibility in search results.
Key issues identified included:
- Dated design and unclear site hierarchy
- Slow page load times, especially on mobile devices
- Missing or inconsistent meta titles, descriptions, and header tags
- CTAs buried at the bottom of pages
- Limited internal linking and poor keyword focus for Gestalt-related terms
These issues hindered both user experience and organic reach, making it difficult for potential clients to find and engage with the brand.
Solution
We delivered a complete redesign and SEO optimization to elevate Higher Hooves’ brand presence and user experience.
- Modern, responsive redesign with clear visual hierarchy
- Streamlined navigation and page flow (Home → Services → Meet Carrie → CTA)
- Technical SEO cleanup: metadata, H-tags, schema, internal links
- Faster site performance: image compression, caching, lazy-load, script deferral
- CTA optimization: prominent “Meet Carrie” + “Request an Appointment” across key pages
- Content blocks explaining benefits/use cases to boost relevance and engagement
Pre-Update Data Analysis
Traffic Overview
Prior to the redesign, Higher Hooves’ traffic showed low engagement and poor visibility for target keywords.
- Organic sessions: 47 per month
- Average engagement rate: 22%
- Average load time: 5.9 seconds
- Event count (interactions): 180
User behavior data showed limited scroll depth and high drop-off rates, especially on mobile and the contact page.
Engagement and Conversions
User behavior data showed limited scroll depth and high drop-off rates, especially on mobile and the contact page.
Website Updates and Improvements
UI/UX Design
We introduced a visually immersive design using real photography from Crested Butte, modern typography, and balanced whitespace.
Content was rewritten to clearly communicate the Gestalt process, benefits, and outcomes, connecting emotionally with users.
SEO
CTAs and Flow Optimization
The redesigned layout strategically guides users from discovery to action, leading to a 60% increase in consultation requests.
Performance and Accessibility Enhancements
We improved site speed and engagement through asset compression, caching, and ADA accessibility updates. Page load times decreased by over 40%, directly correlating with longer user sessions and higher engagement.
Post-Update Data Analysis
Traffic Overview
Post-launch data revealed significant performance improvements:
- Organic traffic: +75%
- Engagement rate: +123%
- Average engagement time: +68%
- Lead form submissions: +60%
- Event count (interactions): +110%
Engagement and Conversion Performance
Visitors now spend more time exploring coaching services, engaging with calls-to-action, and completing appointment forms.
Heatmaps showed improved focus on CTA buttons and informational content.
Business Results
Enhanced Online Visibility
Improved technical SEO boosted keyword rankings for “Equine Gestalt Coaching Colorado” and “Crested Butte Gestalt Coach,” helping the site appear in both Google organic results and AI-generated summaries.
Higher Conversion Efficiency
Optimized CTAs and simplified navigation produced a measurable rise in consultation bookings and newsletter sign-ups.
Modern, Scalable Platform
The new design and technical foundation ensure long-term sustainability, with clean code, improved mobile responsiveness, and flexible content management for future updates.
