Arkadia Farm Campsite approached We Make Media looking for a website that better reflected the business and made it easier for guests to book a stay.
The existing website had been built on Wix and used a third-party hotel booking platform. While it worked, it never felt like a natural fit. Campsites and hotels operate differently, yet the software treated camping pitches much like hotel rooms. This created limitations in the booking process and made it difficult to tailor the system around the way Arkadia Farm actually worked.
Alongside the booking issues, the website wasn’t performing particularly well in Google search results and much of the content relied on the same generic language found on many campsite websites.
Our aim was simple: create a website that reflected the character of Arkadia Farm, simplify the booking process for both customers and owners, and build a stronger foundation for long-term growth.
Building a Booking System Around the Business
One of the biggest decisions was to replace the existing booking software entirely.
Rather than trying to force a hotel booking platform to behave like a campsite booking system, we developed a bespoke solution built specifically around Arkadia Farm’s requirements. Guests can check availability, select their dates, make a booking and pay online through a process designed around camping pitches rather than rooms.
This gave us complete control over how the system works. Instead of adapting the business to fit the software, the software was built to fit the business.
The result is a booking process that feels straightforward for customers and gives the campsite exactly the functionality it needs.
Keeping Things Simple
Claire and Terry were open from the start: technology isn’t their favourite thing. That shaped many of the decisions made throughout the project. Every part of the administration process was designed with ease of use in mind. Rather than filling the system with options and settings that would rarely be used, we focused on the features the campsite genuinely needed. The result is a system that is easy to understand, easy to manage and doesn’t require specialist technical knowledge to operate.
Improving the Message
Many campsite websites end up sounding very similar.
Arkadia Farm had a genuine story to tell, but it wasn’t coming across clearly on the original website.
The content was rewritten to focus more on the strengths of the campsite itself: the location, the atmosphere and the experience visitors can expect. Rather than relying on generic campsite language, the new copy gives potential guests a clearer picture of what makes Arkadia Farm worth visiting.
This not only improves the customer experience but also creates a stronger foundation for search engine optimisation.
Creating a Better Foundation for Google
Alongside the design and content work, we implemented a range of technical SEO improvements designed to help search engines understand the site more effectively.
Structured data (Schema markup) was added to provide clear information about the business, while Google Search Console and Google Analytics were integrated to provide insights into search performance and visitor behaviour.
The site’s structure, page hierarchy and metadata were also reviewed and improved, creating a much stronger platform for future search growth.
The Outcome
Arkadia Farm now has a website and booking system built specifically around the way the business operates.
Guests benefit from a straightforward booking experience, while the owners have a system that is simple to manage and designed around their day-to-day needs.
Just as importantly, the website does a much better job of communicating what makes Arkadia Farm special. Combined with improved SEO foundations and clearer messaging, the site is now positioned to attract more of the right visitors and support the business as it continues to grow.
