Case Study: Local SEO Breakthrough in 6 Months for a Clinic in Austin
In 2025, a clinic in Austin partnered with Goforaeo to improve local discovery visibility and increase calls, direction requests, and appointment inquiries from Google Maps and local search. The clinic name is anonymized due to an NDA, and the metrics below come from Google Business Profile insights, GA4, Google Search Console, call tracking, and local rank tracking for the dates listed.
Snapshot of Results
Timeframe: March 10, 2025 to September 10, 2025
Location: Austin, Texas
Before vs after results:
- GBP impressions: 21,800 to 96,400 per month
- Discovery searches: 2,050 to 8,900 per month
- GBP actions: 410 to 1,780 per month (calls, directions, website clicks)
- Website clicks from Maps: 120 to 520 per month
- Top 3 map pack placements (tracked): 3 to 16 service keywords
- Calls from Maps + organic: 58 to 210 per month
Context and Starting Point
Austin is a fast growing market with heavy competition in local packs. Even clinics with excellent patient care can struggle if their listing and website do not clearly show Google what services they offer, where they serve, and why they are trusted. At the start of March 2025, the clinic had stable branded searches, but it was not showing consistently for non branded queries like clinic near me, same day appointments, and service plus location searches.
We also noticed that when the listing did appear, the action rate was lower than expected. That usually means the profile is missing service depth, fresh engagement signals, or trust cues that help users decide quickly.
Baseline Setup and Measurement
We cleaned tracking first so results were measurable and explainable. Local growth looks noisy when tracking is messy, so we standardized reporting and attribution.
What we set up
- GBP insights reporting for impressions, discovery searches, actions, calls, directions, and clicks
- GA4 events for call clicks, form submissions, appointment clicks
- Call tracking to separate listing calls from website calls where possible
- Local rank tracking grid for Austin zip level performance
- Looker Studio dashboards with weekly notes tied to changes
Diagnosis: What Was Holding Local Growth Back
We audited the Google Business Profile, website, and citations together. The clinic was credible, but Google’s signals were fragmented, which reduced how often it could show in discovery and how stable rankings could be.
Google Business Profile gaps
- Categories were too narrow for the full service mix
- Services were incomplete and had few descriptions, limiting query coverage
- Business description did not clearly communicate specialty and booking steps
- Photos were outdated and not refreshed, reducing engagement
- Posting cadence was inconsistent, limiting activity signals
- Q&A did not answer common “booking” questions, increasing drop offs
Citation and trust issues
- NAP formatting was not consistent across platforms
- A few major directories had outdated hours and phone formatting
- One duplicate listing was splitting signals
- The appointment URL varied across listings
Website support issues
- Core service pages were thin and not written for local intent
- Internal linking did not push authority to high value services
- Location signals on service pages were weak or inconsistent
- CTAs were buried on mobile, lowering calls even when traffic arrived
- Meta titles and descriptions did not earn strong CTR
Strategy Overview
We built the plan around three levers that compound in local SEO: relevance, trust, and engagement. Every action mapped to one of these levers so growth was stable, not random.
Lever 1: Expand relevance and query coverage
Make it easy for Google to match the listing and site to more Austin intent searches.
Lever 2: Strengthen trust and consistency
Remove confusion across the web so Google sees one clear entity.
Lever 3: Increase engagement and conversion signals
Improve how people interact with the listing and pages so the clinic earns stronger visibility.
Google Business Profile Rebuild
We treated GBP as the top conversion page. For many local searches, it is the first touchpoint and often the final step before a call.
GBP structure upgrades
- Reworked primary and secondary categories using competitor patterns and demand data
- Expanded services with short descriptions written in the same language people search
- Updated attributes, appointment links, and booking pathways for clean tracking
- Rewrote the business description to explain services, who the clinic helps, and how to book
- Added a basic Q&A set answering insurance, scheduling, and visit expectations
Engagement cadence that improved performance
- Weekly post schedule built around availability, common conditions, seasonal issues, and service highlights
- Photo plan that included exterior for trust, interior for comfort, staff for credibility, and service context images
- Simple internal workflow so posts and photos stayed consistent even when staff changed
Why GBP rebuild moved discovery
When services, categories, and engagement are complete, Google can match the profile to more non branded queries. When users engage more, the listing tends to show more often and more consistently.
Citation Cleanup and NAP Consistency
Citations matter most when they are inconsistent. We focused on fixing high impact platforms first, then cleaned the long tail.
What we fixed
- Standardized name, address, phone, and formatting to one approved version
- Updated hours and appointment links on major platforms
- Removed duplicates and merged listings where possible
- Added a short set of relevant niche directories where competitors had presence
- Built a simple monthly check process so errors did not return
Website Improvements That Supported the Breakthrough
A strong GBP listing performs better when the website confirms the same services and location signals. We improved service pages and built supporting content that reinforced Austin intent without thin spam pages.
Service page upgrades
- Expanded priority service pages with symptom sections, who it’s for, and when to book
- Added FAQ blocks built from Search Console queries for long tail coverage
- Improved CTAs for mobile: call, directions, appointment request
- Strengthened internal linking from high authority pages into top services
- Updated titles and meta descriptions to increase CTR for local impressions
Austin intent supporting content
Instead of generic blogs, we created content that supports real local searches and reduces hesitation.
- Pages answering common questions about the clinic’s services and process
- Short guides that match “near me” and “best clinic” intent patterns
- Internal links that move visitors into booking pages without confusion
Technical and trust improvements
- Improved speed by compressing images and removing unused scripts
- Cleaned navigation so top services were easier to find
- Added LocalBusiness schema and FAQ schema where eligible
- Improved trust blocks on site such as credentials, insurance notes, and what to expect
Reviews and Reputation Signals
Reviews influence conversion and can support visibility in competitive packs. We improved review velocity in a compliant way and built a consistent response cadence.
What we implemented
- Compliant review request workflow tied to patient follow ups
- Response templates that still sounded human and specific
- Response SLA so reviews were not left unanswered for long
- On site trust sections near CTAs with review highlights and expectations
Tools Used
Google Business Profile insights, GA4, Google Search Console, call tracking, Looker Studio, BrightLocal or Whitespark, Screaming Frog, PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, Semrush/Ahrefs, Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar.
Timeline With Dates, Monthly Numbers, and Natural Notes
March 10 to March 31, 2025
We completed the audit, cleaned tracking, fixed quick GBP gaps, and started citation cleanup on the highest authority directories. We also benchmarked competitors to decide category and service changes.
Month end metrics:
- GBP impressions: ~21,800
- Discovery searches: ~2,050
- GBP actions: ~410
- Website clicks from Maps: ~120
- Calls from Maps + organic: ~58
April 2025
We rebuilt the GBP structure by expanding services with descriptions, improving categories, and starting weekly posts plus consistent photos. We also shipped the first wave of service page upgrades so the website matched Austin intent better.
Month end metrics:
- GBP impressions: ~38,600
- Discovery searches: ~3,200
- GBP actions: ~690
- Website clicks from Maps: ~190
- Calls from Maps + organic: ~86
May 2025
We continued citation cleanup, removed duplicates, and strengthened internal linking into the services that were gaining impressions. FAQ blocks were added using real query data to expand long tail reach and reduce bounce.
Month end metrics:
- GBP impressions: ~54,900
- Discovery searches: ~4,700
- GBP actions: ~980
- Website clicks from Maps: ~310
- Calls from Maps + organic: ~124
June 2025
We launched the review workflow, improved conversion flow on the top landing pages, and kept GBP engagement consistent with posts and photos. Local rankings became more stable as trust signals improved across directories.
Month end metrics:
- GBP impressions: ~69,800
- Discovery searches: ~6,100
- GBP actions: ~1,240
- Website clicks from Maps: ~390
- Calls from Maps + organic: ~158
July 2025
We expanded content around services that were already trending, refined titles and meta descriptions for higher CTR, and improved mobile CTAs so action rate increased along with impressions. We also monitored rank grids weekly to reduce volatility.
Month end metrics:
- GBP impressions: ~83,700
- Discovery searches: ~7,500
- GBP actions: ~1,520
- Website clicks from Maps: ~460
- Calls from Maps + organic: ~187
August 10 to September 10, 2025
We doubled down on what was winning, refreshed underperforming pages, improved internal links into the best converting services, and maintained steady listing activity to protect momentum. The breakthrough was sustained because both relevance and trust signals stayed consistent.
Month end metrics:
- GBP impressions: ~96,400
- Discovery searches: ~8,900
- GBP actions: ~1,780
- Website clicks from Maps: ~520
- Calls from Maps + organic: ~210
Before and After Proof Summary
Local growth happened because GBP service coverage expanded, citations became consistent, and the website reinforced Austin intent. Consistent posts, photos, and review activity improved engagement, which helped visibility compound and stabilize.
- GBP impressions: 21,800 to 96,400 per month
- Discovery searches: 2,050 to 8,900 per month
- GBP actions: 410 to 1,780 per month
- Website clicks from Maps: 120 to 520 per month
- Calls from Maps + organic: 58 to 210 per month
What Made It Work
The biggest driver was alignment. Once GBP services, citations, and service pages all reflected the same Austin intent, Google matched the clinic to more discovery searches. Engagement and trust signals then kept the clinic visible consistently instead of fluctuating week to week.