SEO Case Study: How a Coaching Business Increased Consultation Bookings by 170%
In April 2025, a coaching business in Boulder, Colorado partnered with Goforaeo because Google was not sending enough consistent, ready to book prospects. The business had strong client outcomes, but the website did not explain the offer clearly, and it did not match what people were searching for in Boulder.
This case study covers the work from April 8, 2025 to November 25, 2025, with monthly actions and real tracked numbers. For privacy, the business name is not shared, but the dates, tasks, and metrics reflect the actual campaign setup and reporting process.
Campaign snapshot: Dates, timeframe, and location
This campaign focused on building steady organic visibility for high intent coaching searches, then turning that visibility into real booked consultations. We tracked both the traffic growth and the booking growth to make sure results were not just clicks.
Key details:
- Location: Boulder, Colorado
- Timeframe: April 8, 2025 to November 25, 2025
- Primary metric: Booked consultations from organic search
- Secondary metrics: Organic sessions, conversion rate, top landing pages, keyword movement
Before vs after proof:
- April 2025: 20 booked consultations from organic search
- November 2025: 54 booked consultations from organic search
- Growth: 170% increase, based on the change from 20 to 54
Starting point: What the business looked like in April 2025
When we started, the website looked professional, but it was not built for search intent. The service pages were broad, and they did not answer the questions that most prospects ask right before booking. The site also lacked a clear page structure, so Google did not know which page should rank for which topic.
We used April 8 to April 30, 2025 as the baseline after fixing tracking. This gave us a clean starting line, so later growth could be proven with confidence.
Baseline metrics for April 2025:
- Organic sessions: 1,100
- Consultation requests from organic: 32
- Booked consultations from organic: 20
- Booking page conversion rate: 1.8%
- Most important non branded terms: mostly outside top 10
Tracking and tools: How we measured real bookings
This case study is based on confirmed booked consultations, not just button clicks. We tracked the full path: organic visit to booking intent, then confirmed booking inside the scheduling system. We also kept a simple monthly reporting flow so the business could understand what was improving and why.
Tools used throughout the campaign:
- Google Search Console: queries, impressions, clicks, indexing, landing page CTR
- Google Analytics 4: organic landing pages, conversion events, user flow
- Screaming Frog: technical crawl, internal linking checks, metadata review
- Ahrefs and Semrush: keyword research, competitor gaps, ranking monitoring
- Calendly reports plus GA4 events: confirmed bookings vs booking clicks
- Looker Studio: monthly dashboard showing bookings and SEO performance
What we counted as a booked consultation:
- Confirmed booking inside the scheduling system
- Filtered out cancellations and clear no shows in monthly notes
- Focused on organic and local intent traffic, not referrals or paid
Strategy: The exact approach used from April to November 2025
The strategy was built around how people choose a coach. They search, compare, read outcomes, and look for proof before they commit. So we improved clarity, trust, and page relevance first, then scaled content and authority once the foundation was strong.
The work was split into five connected parts:
- Clear keyword and page map based on real buyer intent
- Technical cleanup so Google can crawl and trust the site
- Strong service pages that explain outcomes and process clearly
- Helpful content that supports service pages and captures high intent searches
- Trust building through proof, local signals, and safe authority links
Keyword and page mapping: April 8 to April 20, 2025
We started by mapping keywords to specific pages, so each important topic had one main page to rank. This reduced cannibalization and made it easier for Google to understand the offer. We also used competitor review to spot what content depth Google rewarded in Boulder.
What we built in this phase:
- A keyword map grouped by intent, not just volume
- A clear page plan for each offer and each main problem area
- A priority list for quick wins vs longer term pages
Examples of intent groups we targeted:
- Career coaching and career change coaching
- Leadership coaching for managers and founders
- Executive coaching and performance coaching
- Confidence, burnout, and decision making support for professionals
Technical SEO and structure cleanup: April 21 to May 10, 2025
Next, we improved site crawl clarity and mobile experience. Many coaching sites look nice but have weak structure under the surface. Once structure is fixed, every content update tends to work faster because Google can read and understand the site better.
Technical work completed:
- Cleaned duplicate titles and meta descriptions
- Fixed broken links and redirect chains
- Improved mobile speed by compressing heavy assets
- Simplified navigation so core pages were easier to reach
- Cleaned internal links to push strength toward main booking pages
Service pages rebuilt for clarity and trust: May 11 to June 20, 2025
This was the biggest turning point. We rewrote the core service pages using plain language, clear outcomes, and a simple explanation of what happens on the first call, and added proof in the right places so visitors felt more confident before booking.
We improved each core service page with:
- Who it is for, written in real human terms
- Common problems the client is likely feeling
- Outcomes, explained without hype
- Process and timeline, step by step
- FAQs based on real consultation questions
- Clear calls to action, with reassurance near the booking button
Content that matches booking stage questions: June 21 to November 25, 2025
After service pages were strong, we scaled content that answered high intent questions. We avoided random blogging and focused on topics people search right before booking. Every article linked to a relevant service page, and every service page linked back to supporting content.
Content approach we followed:
- Build topic clusters around one main service page
- Use Search Console to pick queries already showing impressions
- Write content that feels like a helpful guide, not a sales pitch
- Add a clear next step at the end of each piece
Common content themes we used:
- What coaching is like, and what to expect
- How long it takes to see results
- How to choose a coach in Boulder
- Coaching for burnout and stress at work
- Coaching for career clarity and leadership growth
Trust and authority building: July 1 to November 25, 2025
Coaching is trust based, so we treated proof and authority as part of SEO, not as extra marketing. We strengthened trust signals on site and improved external signals in a safe way. This helped rankings, but it also helped conversion rate.
Trust work included:
- Stronger testimonials placed near key decision points
- Clearer “how it works” sections and process explanations
- Local citations cleaned for consistent business info
- Relevant profile links and local mentions, kept natural and low risk
Monthly execution and results: 2025 growth breakdown
Below is the month by month progress, showing what we worked on and what changed in the numbers. Each month includes both action and measurable impact, so the growth is easy to follow.
April 2025: Tracking, audit, and first clarity fixes
In April, we finalized GA4 and Search Console setup and validated booking tracking through the scheduling system. We also completed the full audit and created the keyword map that guided the next months. This month was about clean data and removing obvious friction.
Actions completed:
- Tracking setup for consultations and booking path
- Site audit and keyword to page plan
- Quick metadata improvements on top pages
Results:
- Organic sessions: 1,100
- Booked consultations from organic: 20
- Booking conversion rate: 1.8%
May 2025: Technical cleanup and first major service page update
In May, we cleaned technical issues that slowed crawling and made navigation confusing. We rebuilt the main service page to match the top intent group and added clearer sections on outcomes and process. We also improved the booking path with simple reassurance and clear next steps.
Actions completed:
- Mobile speed fixes and crawl cleanup
- Main service page rewritten for intent matching
- Internal links updated to support the booking page
Results:
- Organic sessions: 1,260
- Booked consultations from organic: 24
- Booking conversion rate: 2.0%
June 2025: Service page expansion and stronger on page proof
In June, we created and rebuilt additional pages for specific coaching needs, so the site had better relevance and more entry points. We added FAQs based on real consultations and expanded proof sections where prospects usually hesitate. Rankings started improving for long tail searches.
Actions completed:
- Two additional service pages built for specific intent groups
- FAQs expanded using real prospect questions
- Proof sections improved with testimonials and clear examples
Results:
- Organic sessions: 1,540
- Booked consultations from organic: 29
- Booking conversion rate: 2.1%
July 2025: Content engine starts and internal linking becomes stronger
In July, we began publishing booking stage content and connected it properly to service pages. This helped bring in better informed visitors who were closer to booking. We also refined internal links so Google and users could move naturally through the site.
Actions completed:
- High intent articles published and linked to money pages
- Internal linking tightened across service and support pages
- Titles adjusted to improve click through rate
Results:
- Organic sessions: 1,920
- Booked consultations from organic: 34
- Booking conversion rate: 2.2%
August 2025: Local relevance improvements and better click through rates
In August, we improved local relevance in a natural way, especially in titles and page openings. We also updated content sections that were getting impressions but weak clicks. This month helped both visibility and trust, which increased booking consistency.
Actions completed:
- Local intent tuning for Boulder searches
- Meta titles refined for stronger CTR
- Testimonial sections refreshed and expanded
Results:
- Organic sessions: 2,380
- Booked consultations from organic: 40
- Booking conversion rate: 2.3%
September 2025: More content for real pain points and better lead quality
In September, we published content focused on burnout, confidence, and career decision making, because these were strong intent areas. We also improved internal links from those posts to booking focused pages. Lead quality improved, with fewer low intent requests.
Actions completed:
- Content published around pain points and outcomes
- Internal links added from top posts to booking pages
- Booking page copy tightened for clarity and trust
Results:
- Organic sessions: 2,860
- Booked consultations from organic: 46
- Booking conversion rate: 2.4%
October 2025: Competitive gap wins and stronger authority signals
In October, we reviewed competitors and found topic gaps they were ranking for that we did not cover well. We created targeted pages to fill those gaps, then strengthened trust and authority signals. This helped rankings move up for several important non branded terms.
Actions completed:
- Two new targeted pages built from competitor gap research
- Proof sections expanded using real client outcomes
- Local citations cleaned and relevant profile links added
Results:
- Organic sessions: 3,140
- Booked consultations from organic: 50
- Booking conversion rate: 2.5%
November 2025: Refinements, peak performance, and final proof
In November, we used Search Console data to refine pages that had high impressions but weaker clicks. We improved headings, expanded key sections, and simplified the booking path again. This was the strongest month, showing clear proof of compounding SEO impact.
Actions completed:
- CTR focused updates on top landing pages
- FAQ expansions based on search queries and consultation notes
- Booking path simplified to reduce friction
Results:
- Organic sessions: 3,420
- Booked consultations from organic: 54
- Booking conversion rate: 2.6%
What caused the 170% increase: The biggest drivers
The main driver was clearer service pages built around specific intent, not broad messaging. Once each page spoke to a real problem and a clear outcome, rankings improved and conversions improved at the same time. This is where most coaching sites fall short, and where the biggest gains usually come from.
The strongest drivers in this campaign:
- Service pages matched real search intent, with clear outcomes and process
- Booking stage content answered questions that stop people from booking
- Internal linking pushed authority to the pages that convert
- Trust signals reduced hesitation and improved conversion rate
- Technical cleanup made every later change work faster
Final before vs after proof: Simple and clear
This Boulder coaching business partnered with Goforaeo on April 8, 2025, and by November 25, 2025 organic SEO became a steady source of booked consultations. The growth was not just traffic based, it was confirmed through scheduling data.
Final proof:
- April 2025: 20 booked consultations from organic search
- November 2025: 54 booked consultations from organic search
- Increase: 170% growth in booked consultations through SEO in Boulder