SEO Case Study: Increased Calls 3X in 6 Months for a Primary Care Clinic in Virginia Beach
In 2025, a primary care clinic in Virginia Beach partnered with Goforaeo to improve local search presence and turn more “ready to book” searches into phone calls. The clinic name is anonymized due to an NDA, but the metrics below come from Google Business Profile insights, call tracking, GA4, and Google Search Console for the dates listed.
Snapshot of Results
Timeframe: April 7, 2025 to October 7, 2025
Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Key outcomes measured at the end of the period versus the start baseline:
- Inbound calls from organic and maps: 3X increase
- Google Business Profile calls: 140 to 430 per month
- Total GBP actions: 520 to 1,610 per month (calls, direction requests, website clicks)
- Appointment requests from organic: 28 to 83 per month
- Top 3 map pack placements: 4 to 17 tracked service terms
Starting Point and What Was Limiting Call Volume
The clinic had strong patient retention, but new patient acquisition from search was inconsistent. Rankings fluctuated, and many searches that should have driven calls were going to competitors in the map pack. The website also made calling less frictionless than it should have been, especially on mobile.
What we found in the audit
- Google Business Profile was missing service depth and did not fully reflect what the clinic offered.
- Inconsistent citations and an older phone number on a few directories reduced trust signals.
- The website had service information, but core pages were thin and did not match high intent queries.
- Mobile UX buried the phone CTA, and call tracking was not set up cleanly, so attribution was blurry.
- Reviews existed, but review velocity was low and responses were inconsistent.
Strategy Overview
We focused on improving map visibility for primary care intent searches, removing call friction on mobile, and making sure each service had a clear local landing page that supported both rankings and conversions.
Workstreams executed
- Tracking and call attribution: reliable call measurement, event setup, and reporting
- Google Business Profile upgrades: categories, services, content, photos, and engagement cadence
- Local landing pages: intent focused service pages tied to Virginia Beach searches
- Citations and trust: NAP consistency, review workflow, and trust content
- Conversion improvements: faster calls from mobile, better appointment flow
Call Tracking and Measurement Setup
Before scaling anything, we cleaned up measurement so the clinic could trust the numbers and see what was driving calls.
Changes made to tracking
- Implemented call tracking with dynamic number insertion where appropriate
- Set up GA4 events for click to call, appointment form submissions, and key page actions
- Built a Looker Studio dashboard with weekly call trends and annotations
- Separated calls from Google Business Profile versus website calls for clearer insights
Google Business Profile Improvements
Most primary care calls start in Google Maps. We turned the listing into a complete, consistent conversion asset and improved engagement signals.
Updates applied to the profile
- Corrected and refined primary and secondary categories based on local intent
- Added and expanded services with clear descriptions and appointment keywords
- Updated business description for clarity, insurance mentions, and patient expectations
- Added booking links and UTM tracking to attribute actions correctly
- Published regular posts to highlight services, same day availability, and seasonal needs
- Built a photo plan including exterior, waiting area, staff, and exam rooms
Review workflow and trust building
- Introduced a compliant review request system tied to patient follow ups
- Improved response consistency to boost trust signals and engagement
- Highlighted frequent questions in review responses where appropriate
Local SEO and Website Improvements
We rebuilt pages so the site matched how patients search in Virginia Beach. Primary care searches often include intent modifiers like near me, same day, walk in, new patient, and insurance accepted, so we structured pages to support those without keyword stuffing.
Service and intent pages improved
- Primary care and family medicine core page expansion
- New patient page with clear steps, hours, insurance, and what to bring
- Same day and urgent appointment style landing section where applicable
- Preventive care and annual physical pages with FAQs and local relevance
Technical and on page updates
- Improved page speed by compressing images and reducing unused scripts
- Cleaned internal linking so key services received consistent authority
- Updated titles and meta descriptions to improve click through from local searches
- Added LocalBusiness and medical schema where appropriate, plus FAQ schema on key pages
Conversion Improvements That Increased Calls
Many rankings improvements were amplified by reducing friction for mobile users, who tend to call rather than fill out long forms.
Changes that directly increased calls
- Made the phone CTA persistent on mobile with click to call
- Added call CTAs above the fold on top landing pages
- Simplified appointment forms and reduced unnecessary fields
- Added trust blocks near CTAs like reviews, accepted insurance, and provider credentials
- Improved contact page structure with map, parking notes, and hours clarity
Tools Used
- Google Business Profile insights: calls, actions, impressions, engagement
- Google Search Console: local queries, clicks, page performance
- Google Analytics 4: click to call events, form conversions, landing pages
- Call tracking platform: source level call attribution and reporting
- Looker Studio: dashboard with weekly annotations
- BrightLocal or Whitespark: map pack rank tracking and citation audits
- Screaming Frog: crawl checks, internal linking, duplicate issues
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse: performance monitoring
Timeline With Dates
April 7 to April 30, 2025
- Full audit, tracking cleanup, call attribution setup
- Quick GBP fixes for categories, hours, links, and services
- Mobile CTA improvements started
May 2025
- Citation cleanup and NAP consistency work completed
- First wave of service page expansions published
- Review workflow launched and response cadence standardized
June 2025
- Added FAQs based on real local queries and call themes
- Improved internal linking and page structure
- Ongoing GBP posts and photo cadence continued
July to October 7, 2025
- Scaled service pages based on what was ranking and converting
- Continued reviews and listing engagement to support map presence
- Conversion refinements on pages bringing the most calls
Before and After Proof
Measured at the start of the work versus the final month of the period:
- Inbound calls from organic and maps: 3X increase
- Google Business Profile calls: 140 to 430 per month
- Total GBP actions: 520 to 1,610 per month
- Appointment requests from organic: 28 to 83 per month
- Top 3 map pack placements: 4 to 17 keywords
Why It Worked
The clinic began receiving more calls because the listing became more complete and active, the website matched local search intent more accurately, and mobile users could call instantly without friction. When citations and reviews became consistent, the map pack presence stabilized and calls continued rising month over month.
Key takeaways
- Primary care growth is often driven by Google Maps, not just website rankings
- Call volume rises faster when mobile UX makes calling effortless
- Reviews and citation consistency can be a major ranking lever in local healthcare
- Service pages built around local intent convert better than generic clinic pages
Short Client Testimonial
“We went from getting occasional calls to having a steady daily flow from Google. Patients told Goforaeo they found Goforaeo easily and could call right away.”
Front desk lead, Virginia Beach primary care clinic
Disclaimer
The clinic identity and identifying details are anonymized due to NDA and healthcare privacy needs. Results are accurate for the timeframe stated but vary depending on competition, location factors, seasonality, and consistency of implementation.