SEO Case Study: Ranked 10 High-Ticket Service Pages to Page 1 in 4 Months for a B2B Consulting Firm in Chicago
In January 2025, a Chicago based B2B consulting firm partnered with Goforaeo to strengthen their organic presence for high value services. They already had a solid reputation offline, but Google was not rewarding their service pages with consistent visibility.
Over four months, we rebuilt their service page SEO from the inside out: clearer intent targeting, stronger page structure, better internal linking, and steady authority building. By the end of the sprint, 10 high-ticket service pages were ranking on page 1, and the leads coming in were far more qualified.
Project snapshot: Dates, timeframe, location, and scope
This was not a quick content push. It was a structured SEO campaign focused on service pages that directly impact revenue.
Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Project dates: January 7, 2025 to May 6, 2025
Timeframe: 4 months
Pages targeted: 10 high-ticket service pages
Primary channel: Organic search
Primary outcomes tracked: Page 1 rankings, qualified leads, booked consult calls
Supporting outcomes tracked: Organic clicks, impressions, CTR, service page engagement
We treated this like a revenue SEO project, not a blog traffic project.
What counted as a win for this project
We defined wins in practical terms that the client could feel in sales conversations.
- More page 1 rankings for commercial intent keywords
- More clicks to service pages from Google
- More inquiry forms and booked calls from organic visitors
- Better lead quality based on sales feedback
Where we started: The reality before the sprint
When we began in early January 2025, the website looked fine on the surface. But the service pages were not built the way Google and buyers expect in 2025.
Most of the pages were written like brochures. They lacked depth, proof, and clean intent signals. A few pages had decent impressions, but the rankings hovered around page 2 and page 3.
Baseline performance: January 1 to January 6, 2025
We pulled baseline data right before implementation started.
- Service pages ranking on page 1: 0 out of 10
- Service pages ranking in positions 11 to 30: 7 out of 10
- Average position across the 10 target pages: 18.4
- Organic clicks to the 10 service pages (monthly run rate): 410
- Organic sessions to the 10 service pages (monthly run rate): 1,120
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic (monthly run rate): 14
- Booked consult calls from organic (monthly run rate): 6
What we found in the audits
The problems were common for consulting firms, especially high-ticket ones.
- Keyword targeting was too broad, with mixed intent on the same page
- Headlines were vague and did not match search language
- Page sections did not answer buyer questions in order
- Internal links were weak, so Google had no clear path to treat services as priority pages
- Proof was thin: few case examples, few outcomes, limited trust signals
- Location relevance existed, but it felt forced, not natural
- Technical basics were okay, but there were indexing and cannibalization issues
Strategy overview: The simple plan that produced page 1 wins
Our approach was straightforward: build service pages that deserve page 1, then support them with the right structure and authority.
We worked in three layers:
- Page intent and on-page structure
- Site architecture and internal linking
- Authority building through relevant mentions and links
Layer 1: Intent cleanup and service page rebuilds
We started by mapping each service page to one clear primary intent. Many pages were trying to rank for everything and ended up ranking for nothing.
We did:
- One primary keyword theme per service page
- A shortlist of supporting terms based on real search patterns
- Rewritten page titles and H1s based on how buyers search
- A new section flow that matches how people evaluate consulting services
Layer 2: Internal linking that guides Google and users
Most service pages were buried. We made them impossible to miss.
We did:
- A cleaner services hub page that links to all 10 services
- Contextual internal links from blog posts and insight pages to relevant services
- Stronger navigation labels that match commercial intent
- “Related services” blocks to support cross discovery
Layer 3: Authority building without spam
High-ticket service pages usually need trust signals. We added authority in a clean, professional way.
We did:
- Thought leadership content that supports each service page
- Mentions and links from relevant industry sites
- Updated Google Business Profile and local trust signals
- Stronger E-E-A-T elements: team bios, proof, process clarity, outcomes
What we changed on the 10 service pages
After the audit, we rebuilt the pages using a consistent structure, but with custom positioning for each service.
We focused on clarity first, then depth, then proof.
Service page structure: The format we used
Every page got a strong structure that works for humans and search engines.
We added or improved sections like:
- Who this service is for, written in plain words
- Problems we solve, tied to business impact
- Our process, step by step, with simple explanations
- Proof: mini case snapshots and measurable outcomes
- FAQs based on Search Console queries and sales calls
- Clear CTA blocks that fit the page stage, not overly pushy
Conversion improvements: SEO traffic is useless if it does not convert
We also made sure service page visitors could take the next step easily.
We improved:
- CTA placement and wording
- Contact form friction, especially on mobile
- “What happens next” copy near the form
- Trust signals near conversion points, not only at the bottom
Monthly progress: What we did and what changed
Below is the month by month breakdown with real actions and measurable movement. The pages did not jump overnight. The results came from consistent work and clean execution.
January 2025: Fix the foundation and rebuild the pages
In January, we focused on setup, mapping, and rewriting the service pages with the right intent. This month created the base that made later ranking gains possible.
Work completed in January 2025:
- Keyword map created for all 10 services with one clear primary intent each
- Titles, meta descriptions, H1s rewritten for commercial search language
- Service page outlines created using real buyer questions
- Updated services hub page to link clearly to all 10 services
- Technical cleanup: canonical checks, thin pages flagged, index bloat reduced
- GA4 and Search Console reporting set up for service page tracking
End of January 2025 results:
- Page 1 service pages: 2 out of 10
- Pages in positions 11 to 20: 6 out of 10
- Average position across the 10 pages: 14.9
- Organic clicks to the 10 service pages: 520
- Organic sessions to the 10 service pages: 1,430
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic: 19
- Booked consult calls from organic: 8
February 2025: Internal links, supporting content, and trust upgrades
In February, we strengthened the internal linking and added supporting pages that made the service pages feel more complete in Google’s eyes.
We also improved proof signals because consulting pages often lack clear outcomes.
Work completed in February 2025:
- Built 10 supporting insight pages, one aligned to each service, targeting mid funnel keywords
- Added contextual internal links from insights to service pages using natural anchors
- Added “process” and “proof” blocks to each service page
- Added FAQ sections based on Search Console query patterns
- Improved local relevance naturally: Chicago references in context, not stuffed
- Added schema where appropriate: Organization, Service, FAQ
End of February 2025 results:
- Page 1 service pages: 5 out of 10
- Pages in positions 11 to 20: 4 out of 10
- Average position across the 10 pages: 10.8
- Organic clicks to the 10 service pages: 780
- Organic sessions to the 10 service pages: 2,010
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic: 28
- Booked consult calls from organic: 12
March 2025: Authority building and content refinement based on real data
March is when we leaned into what was working and fixed what was not. We used Search Console data heavily to adjust headings and sections.
We also started active authority building, focused on quality and relevance.
Work completed in March 2025:
- Search Console query review for each service page, then rewrote sub sections to match real phrases
- Added comparison and “why us” sections to pages that were stuck in positions 8 to 15
- Built a small set of linkable assets: one consulting framework page and one downloadable checklist
- Outreach to industry publications and local business org sites for mentions and links
- Updated internal linking again based on which pages were moving fastest
- Improved page speed and core web vitals on heavy pages
End of March 2025 results:
- Page 1 service pages: 8 out of 10
- Pages in positions 11 to 20: 2 out of 10
- Average position across the 10 pages: 7.2
- Organic clicks to the 10 service pages: 1,160
- Organic sessions to the 10 service pages: 2,840
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic: 41
- Booked consult calls from organic: 19
April 2025: Push the final two pages over the line and stabilize rankings
April was the month of finishing. The remaining pages needed deeper proof and clearer differentiation because they were in competitive spaces.
We also focused on keeping rankings stable, not just hitting page 1 once.
Work completed in April 2025:
- Expanded two stuck service pages with stronger proof and clearer scope boundaries
- Added more internal links from high performing blog posts to the remaining service pages
- Continued authority outreach, but only to relevant business and industry sites
- Improved CTR by testing better title formats and meta descriptions
- Added new FAQ entries to match new queries appearing in Search Console
- Cleaned cannibalization where a blog post was stealing a service keyword
End of April 2025 results:
- Page 1 service pages: 10 out of 10
- Average position across the 10 pages: 5.9
- Organic clicks to the 10 service pages: 1,520
- Organic sessions to the 10 service pages: 3,430
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic: 53
- Booked consult calls from organic: 24
May 2025: Confirm performance, protect rankings, and improve lead quality
By early May, we had achieved the page 1 target across all 10 service pages. The focus shifted to quality and consistency.
We made small refinements that increased qualified conversions.
Work completed in May 2025:
- Lead quality review with sales: which pages drove best fit leads
- CTA wording adjusted on two pages to filter out low fit inquiries
- Added “ideal client” sections to reduce mismatched leads
- Strengthened internal links from top traffic insight pages
- Built a plan for the next quarter: expansion keywords and new service support pages
May 1 to May 6, 2025 results snapshot:
- Page 1 service pages: 10 out of 10
- Average position across the 10 pages: 5.4
- Early May organic clicks pace to service pages: 1,600 plus monthly run rate
- Early May organic sessions pace to service pages: 3,600 plus monthly run rate
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic pace: 55 plus monthly run rate
- Booked consult calls from organic pace: 26 plus monthly run rate
Before vs after proof: The clearest performance comparison
Here is the clean comparison from the start of January 2025 to early May 2025 after page 1 rankings were achieved and stabilized.
Before: January 1 to January 6, 2025 baseline
- Page 1 service pages: 0 out of 10
- Average position: 18.4
- Organic clicks to service pages: 410 monthly run rate
- Organic sessions to service pages: 1,120 monthly run rate
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic: 14 monthly run rate
- Booked consult calls from organic: 6 monthly run rate
After: May 1 to May 6, 2025 stabilized results pace
- Page 1 service pages: 10 out of 10
- Average position: 5.4
- Organic clicks to service pages: 1,600 plus monthly run rate
- Organic sessions to service pages: 3,600 plus monthly run rate
- Consult inquiry form fills from organic: 55 plus monthly run rate
- Booked consult calls from organic: 26 plus monthly run rate
What that means in plain words
- Rankings moved from mostly page 2 and page 3 to page 1 across all target services
- Clicks and sessions roughly tripled, but more importantly, conversions increased sharply
- Calls grew because traffic became more intent matched, not just larger
Tools used: The exact stack behind the campaign
We kept the tool stack practical and consistent, so reporting stayed clean and actions stayed fast.
Research and tracking:
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics 4
- Google Tag Manager
- Looker Studio for monthly reporting
SEO research and competitive review:
- Ahrefs for keyword research, link gaps, and competitor checks
- Semrush for SERP tracking and keyword grouping
Technical and on-page audits:
- Screaming Frog for crawl issues, metadata, and internal linking checks
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse for performance checks
Content production and workflow:
- Google Docs for content briefs and drafts
- Asana for task tracking and deadlines
- Loom for quick feedback videos to the client team
Outreach and authority work:
- Hunter and Gmail outreach workflows for contact discovery and follow ups
- Digital PR style pitching for relevant mentions
Why this worked: The real reasons the pages reached page 1
The biggest shift was not a trick. It was alignment.
Google wants to rank pages that clearly match intent, show proof, and feel trustworthy. High-ticket consulting pages have to earn that.
Key reasons this worked:
- Each page had one clear purpose and one clear keyword theme
- The content answered buyer questions in the right order
- Internal linking made it obvious which pages were most important
- Proof and process clarity reduced uncertainty
- Authority work was relevant and consistent, not spammy
What you can learn from this SEO Case Study if you sell high-ticket services
If your service pages are stuck on page 2, it is usually one of these issues.
Common fixes that move the needle:
- Rewrite the top section to match real search language
- Add proof that feels specific and believable
- Improve internal linking so your services are not isolated
- Use FAQs to capture long tail queries and remove objections
- Build authority in your niche with real mentions and links