SEO Case Study: How an Education Platform Increased Course Enrollments by 170%
In May 2025, a Boston based education platform partnered with Goforaeo because enrollments from Google were not consistent. They had strong courses and good reviews, but most new students still came from paid ads, referrals, and repeat learners. Organic traffic existed, yet it was not turning into enough course enrollments.
This case study explains the full SEO timeline, the Boston location focus, monthly actions, tools used, and a clear before vs after comparison showing how organic enrollments increased by 170% in 2025.
Client Snapshot: Boston, Massachusetts
The client is an education platform headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, offering online courses plus optional live cohorts and weekend workshops in Boston. Their popular categories were business skills, data analytics, project management, and beginner tech tracks. They also had strong demand from nearby areas like Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, and Quincy, which helped local SEO expand naturally.
Their website had many course pages, but the structure was confusing. Several pages targeted the same topics, some pages were thin, and the blog was not connected to enrollment pages. That meant Google did not clearly know which page should rank, and visitors often did not reach the right course page quickly.
What We Focused On
We chose SEO targets that are close to purchase intent and can lead to enrollments, not just pageviews.
- Course intent searches: “data analytics course Boston” and similar
- Comparison searches: “bootcamp vs course” and “best course for”
- Local cohort searches: “Boston weekend class” and “Boston workshop”
Dates and Timeframe: 2025 Campaign Window
This campaign ran on a structured timeline so progress could be measured and repeated.
Project start date: May 6, 2025.
Technical and tracking phase: May 6, 2025 to June 10, 2025.
Course page rebuild phase: June 11, 2025 to July 25, 2025.
Content cluster and local expansion phase: July 26, 2025 to September 30, 2025.
Conversion improvements and scaling phase: October 1, 2025 to November 30, 2025.
Proof window for before vs after: May 2025 compared to November 2025, with Boston as the main location focus.
How We Tracked Enrollments
We tracked enrollments as confirmed signups and purchases, not only button clicks. We also verified monthly totals using platform order logs so the numbers stayed clean.
Tracking and proof systems used:
- GA4 purchase and enrollment confirmation events
- Google Tag Manager to keep event tracking consistent
- Google Search Console for query growth and page performance
- CRM and payment logs for monthly verification
Baseline Before SEO: May 2025
In May 2025, the client’s site had decent visibility for brand searches, but non brand discovery was weak. Many course keywords were stuck on page two, and the pages that did rank did not always convert because they lacked clarity, FAQs, and trust signals. Some course pages also had similar descriptions, which diluted rankings.
We also saw problems in the user journey. Visitors landed on blog posts, learned something, then left without taking the next step because the site did not guide them clearly into relevant course pages. That is why we treated the campaign as a ranking plus conversion project.
Baseline Metrics: May 2025
These numbers are the “before” reference from May 2025.
- Organic sessions: 12,600
- Search Console clicks: 6,050
- Average CTR: 2.6%
- Keywords in top 10: 36
- Keywords in top 3: 7
- Organic course enrollments: 94
- Organic session to enrollment rate: 0.75%
Strategy: The SEO System We Built for Boston
We followed a clear step by step plan. First we fixed technical issues and clarified which pages should rank for each course topic. Then we rebuilt course pages to match search intent and answer real questions. After that, we expanded content clusters and built Boston local pages for cohort searches, and finally we improved conversions to lift enrollments faster.
We worked in layers, because publishing content without structure usually creates overlap. Each month had a clear focus, and every action was tied to an enrollment outcome.
Keyword and Page Mapping
We used one primary page per course track and built supporting pages that pushed authority and traffic into those primary pages. This reduced overlap and made it easier for Google to pick the right page.
Keyword groups we targeted:
- Boston course intent: “project management course Boston”, “data analytics course Boston”
- Local cohort intent: “weekend classes Boston”, “Boston cohort program”
- Decision intent: “course vs bootcamp”, “best online course for beginners”
- Nearby areas: Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline as secondary expansion
Tools Used
We used a tool stack that covered both SEO execution and proof reporting.
Tools used:
- Google Analytics 4: conversions, funnels, landing page results
- Google Search Console: clicks, queries, CTR, indexing
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting dashboard
- Screaming Frog: technical crawls, duplicate issues, internal link checks
- Ahrefs: keyword research, competitor gaps, content planning
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse: speed and Core Web Vitals checks
- Hotjar: scroll depth, drop off points, form behavior tracking
Month by Month Actions and Results: May to November 2025
Each month below shows what we did and what moved. Paragraphs are kept short and readable, with bullets where needed.
May 2025: Audit, Tracking Cleanup, and Quick Fixes
We started on May 6, 2025 by auditing crawl health, indexing, and course page overlap. We fixed key technical issues, cleaned up duplicate metadata, and set enrollment tracking properly in GA4. A clean course page map was also created so each topic had one main page.
Actions completed in May:
- Full SEO audit and crawl review
- GA4 enrollment event setup and verification
- Metadata cleanup for key course pages
- Course topic mapping to remove overlap
May results:
- Organic sessions: 12,600
- Organic enrollments: 94
- Top 10 keywords: 36
June 2025: Site Structure, Speed, and Internal Linking Rules
In June, we focused on speed and structure so Google could crawl and understand the site better. We improved navigation so course categories and key programs were easier to find. We also set internal linking rules so blog posts and guides pointed users into the correct course pages.
Actions completed in June:
- Template speed improvements and image optimization
- Navigation update and category structure cleanup
- Internal linking rules across blogs and course pages
- Fixes for duplicate content across similar pages
June results:
- Organic sessions: 13,900
- Organic enrollments: 106
- Top 10 keywords: 44
- CTR improvement: 2.6% to 2.9%
July 2025: Course Page Rebuild for Trust and Intent
In July, we rebuilt core course pages so they matched what people search and what they need to know before enrolling. We simplified language, improved page layout, and added sections that answer common doubts. We also added FAQs based on Search Console queries to improve relevance and conversions.
Actions completed in July:
- Rebuilt top course pages and category pages
- Added FAQs, outcomes, and “who this is for” sections
- Improved mobile CTA placement and page scanning
- Added trust signals like instructor info and support details
July results:
- Organic sessions: 15,700
- Organic enrollments: 125
- Top 3 keywords: 11
- Enrollment rate improvement: 0.75% to 0.80%
August 2025: Content Clusters That Support Enrollments
August focused on building supporting content that naturally leads to course enrollments. Instead of writing random blogs, we created guides, career roadmaps, and beginner resources tied to each main course track. Each supporting piece linked back to one relevant course page, so traffic moved into enrollment pages.
Actions completed in August:
- Published cluster content tied to each course track
- Updated older content to match new internal linking
- Created comparison pages to capture decision searches
- Improved snippets and titles for higher CTR
August results:
- Organic sessions: 17,900
- Organic enrollments: 142
- Top 10 keywords: 63
- CTR improvement: 2.9% to 3.4%
September 2025: Boston Local Pages and Cohort Search Growth
In September, we leaned into the Boston location, because local cohort searches can convert strongly. We built Boston cohort pages that included real schedules, formats, and FAQs, plus nearby pages for Cambridge and Somerville where demand was strong. We kept these pages useful and specific, not generic location swaps.
Actions completed in September:
- Built Boston cohort and weekend workshop pages
- Added local FAQs and event style schema where relevant
- Expanded into nearby areas: Cambridge and Somerville pages
- Strengthened local signals across the site
September results:
- Organic sessions: 19,800
- Organic enrollments: 165
- Top 10 keywords: 82
- Several Boston course pages entered top 5 positions
October 2025: Conversion Improvements to Lift Enrollment Rate
In October, we focused on conversion, because some pages were ranking well but still leaking enrollments. Hotjar showed drop off points, and we simplified forms, reduced friction, and improved clarity around pricing and schedule. Small changes here made a big difference because traffic was already improving.
Actions completed in October:
- Simplified enrollment forms and checkout flow
- Added clearer pricing, schedule, and time commitment sections
- Improved CTA placement near key decision points
- Added trust signals near checkout and on mobile
October results:
- Organic sessions: 22,300
- Organic enrollments: 205
- Enrollment rate improvement: 0.92%
- Higher lead quality reported by support team
November 2025: Stabilization and Final Proof Month
In November, we focused on stability and protecting rankings. We refreshed the highest traffic pages, expanded FAQs to match new Search Console queries, and fixed any new overlap that appeared as content grew. We also continued local page updates so Boston pages stayed current and credible.
Actions completed in November:
- Refreshed top course pages with updated sections and FAQs
- Fixed content overlap and improved internal linking
- Continued Boston local page updates and cohort improvements
- Weekly Search Console review for quick fixes
November results:
- Organic sessions: 24,900
- Organic enrollments: 254
- Top 10 keywords: 112
- CTR: 3.9%
Before vs After Proof: May 2025 vs November 2025
We used the same tracking rules in both months to keep the comparison fair. The baseline month is May 2025 and the proof month is November 2025, both in the same year.
Before in May 2025:
- Organic enrollments: 94
- Organic sessions: 12,600
- CTR: 2.6%
- Top 10 keywords: 36
- Enrollment rate: 0.75%
After in November 2025:
- Organic enrollments: 254
- Organic sessions: 24,900
- CTR: 3.9%
- Top 10 keywords: 112
- Enrollment rate: about 1.02%
Proof of 170% growth:
- Increase from 94 to 254 enrollments per month
- Net increase: 160 enrollments per month
- Percentage increase: 170%
Why This Worked: Simple and Real Explanation
This worked because we stopped doing SEO in pieces and built a connected system. Google understood the website better because each course topic had one clear main page, and supporting pages pointed to it. Rankings improved because overlap was removed and internal links made topic relationships clear.
Enrollments improved because pages were rewritten to answer decision questions and reduce hesitation. When traffic comes in but people do not buy, the problem is often clarity, trust, and friction. Once we fixed those, the same traffic started producing more enrollments, and the extra rankings multiplied the impact.
Key Takeaways for Education SEO in Boston
If an education platform wants more enrollments from SEO in Boston, it needs course pages built for intent, content built in clusters, and local pages that are real and specific. Technical health matters, but the biggest improvements often come from removing overlap and improving the path from learning content to enrollment pages.
From May 2025 to November 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts, this approach increased organic course enrollments from 94 per month to 254 per month, delivering a clear 170% increase supported by monthly tracking and verified enrollment logs.