SEO Case Study: How an Interior Design Firm Increased Project Leads by 205%
In May 2025, an interior design firm in Laguna Beach, California partnered with Goforaeo because referrals were not giving them a steady flow of projects. Their website looked premium, but it was not showing up for enough local hiring searches, and people who landed on the site were not guided clearly toward an inquiry. We built a local SEO system that improved visibility, trust, and lead conversions without changing the brand feel.
This case study explains the full timeline from May 2025 to November 2025, with monthly actions and monthly results. The focus stayed on real project inquiries, not just traffic, so the growth remained consistent. By November 2025, organic project leads increased by 205% compared to the May 2025 baseline.
Project overview: dates, timeframe, location, and what counted as a lead
The campaign started on May 13, 2025, and the performance reporting below covers May 2025 through November 2025. The business serves clients mainly in Laguna Beach and nearby Orange County areas, so we structured SEO around local and near local intent.
We defined a “project lead” only as actions that show real hiring intent, and we tracked them with clean event setup. This kept reporting honest and helped the client understand what was truly working.
Project details:
- Location: Laguna Beach, California
- Timeframe: May 2025 to November 2025
- Campaign start date: May 13, 2025
- Baseline month: May 2025
- Lead definition: form submissions, click to call, click to email from key pages
Tools used for measurement:
- Google Analytics 4: lead event tracking and landing page performance
- Google Search Console: keyword queries, impressions, clicks, indexing checks
- Google Business Profile Insights: calls, direction taps, website clicks
Baseline: May 2025 numbers and the real problems
In May 2025, the firm had strong visual work and a clean website, but the site was not built around how clients search locally. Most pages were broad and did not mention specific services, styles, or nearby areas in a clear way. Portfolio pages looked beautiful but had minimal text, so Google had limited context to rank them for local searches.
We also found that leads were being lost because important pages were buried and CTAs were inconsistent. Mobile visitors especially needed clearer next steps because local searches are often done from phones.
Baseline metrics: May 2025
- Organic sessions: 3,100
- Project leads from organic: 44
- Organic lead conversion rate: 1.42%
- Keywords in top 3 positions: 3
- Keywords in positions 4 to 10: 19
- Google Business Profile actions: 62
Audit findings: what was blocking local SEO growth
The audit showed that the firm’s brand was premium, but the SEO structure was not aligned with local demand. People searching for an interior designer often include location, room type, style, or service type, and the site did not provide enough pages that match those searches. Google Business Profile also needed stronger support from the website and citations.
We prioritized issues that would unlock visibility quickly and create a base for compounding growth. The focus was on relevance, local trust signals, and removing friction that stops conversions.
Key problems identified:
- Service pages were too general and did not target specific project types
- Portfolio pages had thin descriptions and weak internal linking to services
- Google Business Profile categories and services were not fully optimized
- NAP consistency issues across directories: name, address, phone
- Mobile speed issues due to heavy image galleries
Strategy: how we increased project leads with practical local SEO
We used a simple plan built for interior design buying behavior. Local clients search with urgency and want proof fast, so we combined local visibility work with service focused content and portfolio improvements. We also made the inquiry path clearer, so more visitors became leads.
The strategy had four connected parts, executed in order. Each part supported the next, so results did not depend on one keyword or one page.
Core strategy pillars:
- Local SEO foundation: Google Business Profile and citations
- Service and style pages: match real hiring intent searches
- Portfolio SEO: turn project galleries into searchable assets
- Conversion improvements: make inquiry steps obvious and easy
Local SEO foundation: Google Business Profile and citation cleanup
We strengthened local trust signals first because they influence map pack visibility and local rankings. Categories were updated, services were expanded, and the website was aligned to reinforce the same signals. Listing inconsistencies that can reduce local trust were also fixed.
This helped the firm show up more often for Laguna Beach searches, and it increased phone calls and direction taps from Google Business Profile.
Local SEO actions completed:
- Updated Google Business Profile primary and secondary categories
- Added service list and service area accuracy updates
- Standardized NAP details across major directories
- Improved review response consistency and added simple review prompts
- Added regular Google Business Profile posts using real project highlights
On site content: building pages that match how clients search
Once the local base was solid, we built pages around the searches that show hiring intent. Instead of writing general blogs, we focused on pages that attract people ready to start a project. We also wrote in simple, natural words because interior design clients want clarity, not marketing language.
We built pages around service types, style preferences, and nearby locations where the firm already worked. This created more entry points for qualified traffic.
Pages created and improved:
- Service pages: full service interior design, remodel support, kitchen and bath design
- Style pages: coastal, modern, transitional, Mediterranean inspired interiors
- Location support pages: Laguna Beach plus nearby Orange County areas
- Process and pricing guidance pages: timelines, what to expect, consult steps
Portfolio SEO: making galleries rank and convert
Interior design websites often rely on images, but images alone do not rank well. We added short, meaningful project descriptions with room types, style notes, and design choices, so Google could understand the work. We also improved image SEO and added internal links to relevant service pages.
This helped portfolio pages pull in search traffic and also helped visitors trust the firm faster. People often land on a project first, then decide whether to inquire.
Portfolio SEO improvements:
- Added 150 to 250 words of context per key project page
- Improved headings and project naming for clarity and search relevance
- Added internal links from projects to the right service pages
- Updated image file names and alt text in a natural way
- Improved gallery loading speed for mobile visitors
Conversion improvements: turning more visits into project inquiries
Traffic alone does not create leads if visitors do not see a clear next step. We improved CTA placement, made mobile click to call easier, and clarified what happens after someone reaches out. The goal was to reduce hesitation and make the inquiry feel simple.
We did not redesign the site, we made practical edits that kept the brand look intact. These changes helped raise the number of leads even when traffic growth was gradual early on.
Conversion changes implemented:
- Clear primary CTA on service pages: book a consult or start a project inquiry
- Proof near CTAs: short testimonials, project outcomes, local trust signals
- Improved contact page clarity with a short project fit section
- Stronger mobile click to call visibility on key pages
- Reduced distractions from too many buttons and mixed CTAs
Month by month actions and results: May 2025 to November 2025
Each month below includes what we completed and what changed in the numbers. Paragraph length is kept tight so it stays readable, while still being detailed and genuine.
May 2025: audit, tracking setup, and local fixes
We started on May 13, 2025 with a full site audit and local audit. GA4 lead tracking was validated so form submissions, call clicks, and email clicks were recorded correctly. We also corrected key NAP inconsistencies and updated Google Business Profile categories and services.
May 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 3,100
- Organic project leads: 44
- Google Business Profile actions: 62
June 2025: service pages rebuilt and mobile speed improved
In June, we rewrote core service pages to target real search phrases used by local clients. We improved headings, added clearer CTAs, and linked services to relevant portfolio work. We also compressed gallery images and improved mobile performance where users were dropping off.
June 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 3,780
- Organic project leads: 56
- Google Business Profile actions: 78
July 2025: portfolio upgrades and style pages launched
In July, we upgraded key portfolio pages by adding short project context and improving internal links. We also launched style based pages like coastal and modern interiors because those searches are common in Laguna Beach. This created more entry points for qualified visitors.
July 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 4,620
- Organic project leads: 73
- Google Business Profile actions: 96
August 2025: location support pages and stronger Google profile activity
In August, we created location support pages for nearby areas where the firm already served clients. We posted fresh content on Google Business Profile using real project photos and service highlights. We also added FAQ sections to service pages to answer process and timeline questions.
August 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 5,980
- Organic project leads: 92
- Google Business Profile actions: 118
September 2025: high intent content that answers hiring questions
In September, we created content that matched hiring intent, like what clients should expect during a remodel design process. We also improved the inquiry flow by clarifying next steps and setting expectations. This reduced low quality inquiries and improved lead relevance.
September 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 6,730
- Organic project leads: 105
- Google Business Profile actions: 136
October 2025: local authority, reviews, and ranking expansion
In October, we focused on local authority signals through consistent reviews and local mentions where possible. We also updated pages based on Search Console queries, adding missing sections that users were searching for. This helped push more keywords into page 1 results.
October 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 7,940
- Organic project leads: 121
- Google Business Profile actions: 158
November 2025: conversion refinement and scaling what worked
In November, we refined the top landing pages that were already producing leads. We tightened CTAs, improved mobile click to call visibility, and added proof elements near inquiry sections. We also consolidated overlapping content so pages did not compete with each other.
November 2025 results:
- Organic sessions: 8,750
- Organic project leads: 134
- Google Business Profile actions: 173
Before vs after proof: May 2025 vs November 2025
The tracking method stayed the same throughout, so the improvement is easy to verify and not inflated. The growth came from more qualified entry points, stronger local signals, and a clearer inquiry journey.
May 2025 compared to November 2025:
- Organic sessions: 3,100 to 8,750
- Organic project leads: 44 to 134
- Lead growth from organic: 205% increase
- Google Business Profile actions: 62 to 173
Tools used: SEO tools and how each helped
We used tools for clarity and speed, not complexity. Google tools were the source of truth for results, and SEO tools helped us find gaps and opportunities. Behavior tools helped us understand why visitors were not converting.
Tools used in this campaign:
- Google Analytics 4: conversion events and landing page lead tracking
- Google Search Console: query data, page performance, indexing checks
- Google Business Profile Insights: local actions and discovery signals
- Screaming Frog: technical crawl, metadata checks, internal linking review
- Ahrefs or Semrush: keyword research, competitor gap analysis, link opportunities
- BrightLocal or Whitespark: citation consistency and local rank tracking
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse: mobile speed and Core Web Vitals
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting dashboard
- Hotjar: scroll and click behavior on high traffic pages
Why this campaign produced more leads, not just more traffic
The leads increased because we aligned pages with local hiring intent and made the next step obvious. Service pages and style pages attracted visitors who were already looking for a designer. Portfolio pages built trust quickly because they became easier to find and easier to understand.
Local SEO improvements also raised high intent actions from Google Business Profile. Many people searching locally want to call or request a consult quickly, so strengthening map visibility and mobile experience played a direct role in lead growth.
Closing note for Goforaeo website visitors
If you run an interior design firm and want predictable inquiries, SEO works best when it is built around real services, real locations, and a portfolio that ranks. This Laguna Beach campaign grew organic project leads by 205% by combining local SEO, content built for hiring intent, portfolio optimization, and conversion improvements, all executed month by month in 2025.