iLights Modern: WordPress migration, local SEO and a booking platform
iLights Modern installs landscape lighting and outdoor audio in Orange County, California. We moved its WordPress site onto static and server-rendered pages, added an in-browser editor, built an admin and booking platform, and expanded its city pages for local search. Visit ilightsmodern.com.
A landscape-lighting company moved off WordPress hosting, with server-rendered pages, an on-site editor and a booking admin.
What we built
Migration off WordPress hosting, keeping the original theme, with server-rendered pages
In-browser editor for page copy and images, locked to admins
10 new city pages, the original 12 rewritten, and technical SEO fixes
Self-booking form with a status workflow for consultations and installs
Next.js
PostgreSQL
Netlify
Fly.io
The starting point
This project kept the look of the client's original WordPress theme, and many of its original assets are still in use. Our work was underneath: getting off WordPress hosting, making edits go live instantly while staying crawlable, and giving the team proper tools for bookings and leads.
Migration and on-site editing
We moved the site in two steps, so it stayed online the whole time.
Moved the WordPress site to Netlify as static pages
Server-rendered the homepage and marketing pages from a Next.js app, so admin edits go live instantly and stay crawlable
An in-browser editor for page copy and images, locked to admins
Trade-partner signup, contact and lead-capture forms, plus a site chat widget
Local SEO: city pages and technical fixes
We added 10 new city landing pages and rewrote the original 12 with copy specific to each city. After reviewing the Search Console findings, we fixed the technical issues behind them.
Corrected H1s across the site
Collapsed duplicate homepage URLs with 301 redirects
Removed third-party font and CDN calls
Added llms.txt, an RSS feed and a sitemap
Admin and booking platform
Customers can book a consultation or an install directly from the site. Each request enters a status workflow the team manages in the admin, which also covers the rest of the business.
Bookings and scheduling, clients and call logging
Services and product catalog
Reviews moderation and service-area pages
A blog engine and marketing automation
Inbox and conversations, tasks, team and an SEO panel
Stack and services
A Next.js app with a PostgreSQL database. Netlify serves the public domain and passes pages through to the Next.js app on Fly.io.
Can I keep my current design and still move off WordPress?
Yes. That's what this project did. The public pages keep the client's original theme, while the hosting, editing, SEO and admin underneath are new.
Why server-render the marketing pages?
So edits made in the admin appear on the live site right away, while search engines still receive complete HTML they can crawl.
How many city pages should a local business have?
One for each area you actually serve, each with copy written for that city. Copies of the same page with only the city name swapped add little. Here we rewrote the 12 existing pages and added 10 new ones.
Can customers book directly on the site?
Yes. The self-booking form creates a consultation or install request, and the team moves it through a status workflow in the admin.
