Website Strategy (JLF Integration)

1. Overview & Current Status

The Goal

Combine two separate Cargo Collective sites into a single unified web presence:

• jasonlewisfurniture.com (the furniture line) + jlfprojects.com (the custom studio) → one site under jasonlewisfurniture.com
• The core move: rework jlfprojects.com content into a "Custom" page or pages on the JLF site
• jlfprojects.com redirects to jasonlewisfurniture.com/custom (or similar)
• offcut.shop stays on Shopify separately

Timeline & Constraints

This is not on hold — it's on Jason's timeline. The site rebuild requires Jason's direct involvement for visual design decisions, image curation, and layout work in Cargo's editor. Claude assists with strategy, content/copy, and code editing.

Platform Decision (Jan 8, 2026)

Cargo 3 (cargo.site). Familiar platform, $9/mo paid plan (unlimited pages, advanced CSS/HTML editing). Jason already has a test site created ("Wireframe P091 copy") and 218 curated images staged for upload.

2. Two Projects, Two Approaches

Project A: JLF Site Rebuild (Jason-Led)

The main jasonlewisfurniture.com site is a design-forward portfolio. It needs to look and feel like Jason's work — clean, considered, confident. This means Jason drives the visual decisions in Cargo's editor, and Claude supports with:

• Content strategy and page structure recommendations
• Written copy for each section (drafts for Jason to edit)
• HTML/CSS refinements via Cargo's Code View
• Photography curation and sequencing suggestions
• SEO fundamentals within Cargo's constraints

Project B: goodwoodtable.com (Claude-Led)

A standalone content/SEO microsite focused on the "good wood table" search intent. This is a fundamentally different kind of site — content-first, optimized for search and AI discovery, not a portfolio showcase. It could be built ground-up by Claude on a platform with full SEO control (Shopify, Squarespace, or even static HTML). More on this in Section 6.

3. Proposed Site Structure

The current two-site structure creates confusion. The combined site should tell one clear story: Jason Lewis makes modern wood furniture, both as a catalog line and as custom work for designers and homeowners.

Recommended Pages

| Page | Content | Notes |

|------|---------|-------|

| Home | Portfolio overview, latest work, studio hero shot | First impression — must be strong |

| Furniture | The JLF catalog line by category | Seating, Tables, Storage sub-pages |

| Custom | Custom fabrication work | This is the big new addition — the jlfprojects.com content |

| About | Bio, story, Dwell 24, 25 years | Career arc, philosophy |

| Process | How projects work, from inquiry to delivery | For designers and serious buyers |

| Studio | Workshop photos, space | Reinforces craft credibility |

| For Designers | Trade program, capabilities, lead times | Targeted landing page for design firms |

| Contact | Inquiry form, studio visit option | Simple, direct |

The "Custom" Page Challenge

This is the hardest page to get right. jlfprojects.com currently has separate Residential, Commercial, and Custom Fabrication pages. Options:

• Single long-scroll page with sections (residential, commercial, hospitality) — simplest
• Custom landing page + sub-pages by project type — more organized but more to build
• Case study format — 3-5 deep project stories instead of a gallery grid

The right approach depends on how Jason wants to present the work. A conversation about this would be productive before building.

4. Content Inventory

What's Ready

• 218 curated images in 7 categories, staged in `Website Build/Images to Upload/`
• 20 product descriptions with alternate rewrites
• Brand guidelines (Fuzzco) with typography and color specs
• Existing copy from both current sites (exportable)
• Press coverage and Dwell 24 credential for About page

What's Needed

• Updated project photography for recent custom work (Jason)
• Written copy for the Custom page — the biggest content gap
• Decision on how to present commercial vs residential vs hospitality
• Updated bio incorporating 25th anniversary framing
• Current pricing for the furniture catalog (if displaying publicly)

5. Cargo 3: What It Can and Can't Do

Strengths for This Project

• Clean, design-forward templates that match JLF aesthetic
• Visual editor Jason already knows
• Custom CSS editing with real-time preview
• Supplementary HTML/JS injection via Site Settings
• Custom domain support, unlimited pages on paid plan
• Fast, mobile-responsive out of the box
• Low cost ($9/mo or $66/year)

SEO Limitations

• Basic meta tags only (title, description, keywords)
• No XML sitemap generation
• No schema/structured data markup (can't tag products, reviews, local business)
• No robots.txt customization
• Can't modify underlying HTML structure — only add supplementary code
• No native e-commerce with SEO optimization

What This Means

Cargo is the right choice for the portfolio/showcase site. It's beautiful, Jason knows it, and the JLF site is primarily a visual experience for designers and potential clients who already have some intent. The SEO limitations are real but acceptable here — this site wins on aesthetics and credibility, not search rankings.

For search-optimized content (the goodwoodtable.com play), a different platform is needed.

6. goodwoodtable.com — The SEO Play

Why a Separate Site

The JLF site on Cargo can't be optimized for modern search and AI discovery. But there's a real opportunity: "good wood table" and related search terms represent high-intent buyers looking for quality furniture. A purpose-built content site could capture this traffic.

What This Site Would Be

• Content-first: articles on wood types, joinery, furniture care, buying guides
• Product-adjacent: links to the JLF catalog and custom inquiry page
• AI-discoverable: structured data, schema markup, optimized for Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT Shopping
• SEO-optimized: exact-match domain advantage (EMDs need ~60% lower Domain Rating to rank)

Why Claude Can Build This

Unlike the JLF portfolio site (which needs Jason's design eye), goodwoodtable.com is a content and SEO project. It needs:

• Well-written articles with genuine woodworking expertise
• Proper technical SEO setup (schema, sitemaps, structured data)
• Clean but functional design (not portfolio-level aesthetic)
• Regular content updates

This is squarely in Claude's capabilities. Platform options: Squarespace (easiest), Shopify (if adding e-commerce later), or static HTML (cheapest, most control).

Potential Impact

AI referral traffic converts at 14.2% vs Google organic's 2.8% — roughly 5x more valuable per visit. A site optimized for AI discovery could drive meaningful traffic to JLF with relatively modest content investment.

7. Recommended Approach

For the JLF Site Rebuild

1. Have a 15-minute conversation about the Custom page structure (single page vs sub-pages vs case studies)

2. Jason creates the page skeleton in Cargo 3 — blank pages in the right order with the right names

3. Upload the 218 staged images to the appropriate pages

4. Claude drafts copy for each page, Jason edits to voice

5. Iterate page by page using the HTML export/edit/reimport workflow

6. Start with Home + Furniture (most straightforward), then tackle Custom (hardest)

For goodwoodtable.com

1. Decide if this is worth pursuing — it's a separate project with its own time investment

2. If yes: Claude builds a basic site with 5-10 foundational articles, proper SEO setup, and links to JLF

3. Ongoing: Claude writes 1-2 articles per month, monitors search performance

4. Timeline: Could have a basic site live in a single session if Jason gives the green light

Priority Order

The JLF site rebuild comes first — it's the main business presence. goodwoodtable.com is a strategic add-on that can happen whenever there's bandwidth, and it doesn't need Jason's time the way the main site does.

SOURCES & REFERENCES

• Cargo Collective — Website platform for JLF sites
• Shopify — E-commerce platform (Offcut, potential goodwoodtable.com)
• Squarespace — Website platform alternative
• Fuzzco — Brand guidelines designer
• Dwell — Design publication (JLF featured)
• Schema.org — Structured data vocabulary for SEO
• Google AI Overviews — AI-powered search results