Case Study: 3X Patient Inquiries in 7 Months for a Medical Practice in Chicago
In 2025, a medical practice in Chicago partnered with Goforaeo to increase patient inquiries from organic search and Google Maps. The practice name is anonymized due to an NDA, and the metrics below come from GA4, Google Search Console, Google Business Profile insights, call tracking, and rank tracking for the dates listed.
Snapshot of Results
Timeframe: March 4, 2025 to October 4, 2025
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Before vs after results:
- Monthly patient inquiries: 65 to 198 (calls + forms + appointment clicks)
- Calls from organic + Maps: 44 to 132 per month
- Appointment form submissions: 16 to 48 per month
- Click to appointment actions: 5 to 18 per month
- Organic users: 1,240 to 2,980 per month
- Organic sessions: 1,860 to 4,220 per month
- GBP actions: 380 to 1,160 per month
- Top 3 map pack placements: 4 to 16 tracked service keywords
Context and Starting Point
The practice had strong care and steady branded demand, but inquiries from non branded searches were inconsistent. Rankings were spread across a few pages, and the booking path wasn’t clear enough on mobile. GBP visibility existed, but services were not fully built out and engagement signals were weak.
The plan focused on increasing inquiries first, then scaling traffic. We improved conversion flow on high intent pages while expanding service coverage and local trust signals.
Measurement Setup and Lead Tracking
Before changes, we cleaned tracking so every inquiry type was measured consistently. We also set clear attribution rules so calls and forms weren’t double counted.
What we tracked as inquiries
- Call tracking calls from organic and from GBP
- Appointment request form submissions
- Appointment scheduling link clicks
- Direction requests paired with visit and call lift patterns
What we set up
- GA4 events for calls, forms, appointment clicks, and key button clicks
- Call tracking with source level reporting
- Search Console segments for service queries and landing pages
- GBP insights reporting for actions and discovery searches
- Looker Studio dashboard with weekly annotations
- CRM or spreadsheet lead log validation (where available)
Diagnosis: What Was Limiting Inquiries
We audited the listing, website, and citations together. The practice was credible, but it wasn’t clear enough to Google or users what services to book, and where to go next after landing.
Key issues found
- High intent services lacked dedicated pages or had thin content
- Titles and meta descriptions weren’t written for booking intent
- CTAs were inconsistent and often below the fold on mobile
- Forms were longer than needed and created friction
- Internal linking didn’t push authority to the pages that convert
- GBP services lacked depth and some categories were too narrow
- Citations had minor inconsistencies and a few duplicates
- Page speed issues on mobile increased drop off
Strategy Overview
We used a system that improves inquiry volume through three levers: bring in more qualified traffic, guide users into the right service page, and reduce friction so calls and forms happen more often.
Workstreams
- Service page rebuild for high intent booking searches
- Local SEO alignment for Chicago discovery visibility
- Internal linking and topical cluster structure
- Conversion improvements on top landing pages
- Technical cleanup and speed improvements
- Review workflow and trust signal strengthening
- Ongoing optimization based on query movement and lead quality
Website Work That Increased Inquiries
We rebuilt pages as decision pages, not brochures. Each page had clear sections, trust cues, and a simple next step.
High impact page upgrades
- Rewrote above the fold sections to confirm service, location, and next step
- Added “when to book” and “what to expect” sections to reduce hesitation
- Added FAQ blocks from Search Console queries to capture long tail clicks
- Improved CTA placement: above fold, mid page, and end of page
- Added trust blocks near CTAs: reviews, credentials, insurance notes
- Cleaned internal links so related services connected logically
Pages built or expanded
- Primary care and urgent appointments page
- Same day appointment and walk in alternatives page
- Condition pages for high intent issues (based on real query data)
- Insurance and new patient visit pages
- Location and directions page improvements for Chicago neighborhoods
Local SEO and Google Business Profile Improvements
We treated GBP as a core conversion channel. Many patients discovered the practice from Maps even when they later booked through the website.
GBP updates
- Updated primary and secondary categories based on service demand
- Expanded services with short descriptions matching search language
- Added appointment links with UTM tracking
- Started weekly posts around availability, insurance, and seasonal care
- Rolled out consistent photo updates: exterior, interior, staff, service context
- Improved Q&A and added common booking questions with clear answers
Citation and trust cleanup
- Standardized NAP formatting and hours across key directories
- Removed duplicates and merged profiles where possible
- Updated healthcare specific directories relevant to Chicago
- Ensured appointment links and website URLs were consistent
Conversion Improvements That Drove the 3X Lift
We focused heavily on making conversion easy on mobile because most healthcare inquiries happen on phones.
CRO changes
- Sticky click to call button on mobile
- Shorter appointment request form with fewer fields
- Clear confirmation and “what happens next” message after form submission
- Better contact blocks with department routing and hours
- Added “book now” and “call now” CTAs depending on device
- Improved page speed and reduced layout shifts to keep users engaged
Technical SEO and Performance Work
Technical fixes helped pages index faster and reduced drop off. We focused on fixes that directly impact visibility and conversions.
Technical actions completed
- Fixed duplicates, canonical issues, and index bloat
- Cleaned redirect chains and broken internal links
- Improved Core Web Vitals on key templates
- Improved crawl depth so service pages were easier to reach
- Added structured data where eligible: LocalBusiness, Physician, FAQ, MedicalOrganization
Tools Used
- GA4 for traffic, events, conversions, engagement
- Google Search Console for queries, pages, clicks, CTR, indexing
- Google Business Profile insights for impressions, actions, discovery behavior
- Call tracking (CallRail or similar) for call attribution and recording review
- Looker Studio for dashboards with weekly notes
- BrightLocal or Whitespark for local rank tracking and citation audits
- Screaming Frog for crawling, duplicates, and internal linking checks
- PageSpeed Insights + Lighthouse for performance monitoring
- Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar for session recordings and heatmaps
- Keyword research tools: Semrush or Ahrefs
- UTM builder and tag manager for clean attribution
Timeline With Dates, Monthly Numbers, and Natural Notes
March 4 to March 31, 2025
We completed the audit, cleaned tracking, identified the highest intent services, and shipped quick CTA fixes on the top landing pages. GBP service gaps and citation issues were also mapped for cleanup.
Month end metrics:
- Patient inquiries: ~65
- Calls (organic + Maps): ~44
- Form submissions: ~16
- GBP actions: ~380
April 2025
We rebuilt priority service pages, improved titles and meta descriptions for CTR, and strengthened internal linking so traffic flowed into booking pages. GBP categories and services were expanded with descriptions.
Month end metrics:
- Patient inquiries: ~82
- Calls: ~56
- Form submissions: ~20
- GBP actions: ~520
May 2025
We launched supporting content for high intent conditions, added FAQs from real queries, and simplified appointment forms to reduce friction. Citation cleanup started on major platforms to strengthen local trust.
Month end metrics:
- Patient inquiries: ~108
- Calls: ~70
- Form submissions: ~26
- GBP actions: ~690
June 2025
We improved page speed on key templates, expanded GBP posting and photos for engagement, and refined CTAs for mobile users. Internal links were strengthened to push authority into top converting services.
Month end metrics:
- Patient inquiries: ~132
- Calls: ~86
- Form submissions: ~31
- GBP actions: ~840
July 2025
We scaled the service and condition page system, improved trust cues near CTAs, and used session recordings to remove remaining friction. Local rankings became more stable across multiple services.
Month end metrics:
- Patient inquiries: ~156
- Calls: ~102
- Form submissions: ~38
- GBP actions: ~980
August 2025
We refined pages based on query movement, improved routing to the right service pages, and expanded review workflow and response cadence. Snippets were improved to attract better fit clicks.
Month end metrics:
- Patient inquiries: ~176
- Calls: ~118
- Form submissions: ~43
- GBP actions: ~1,080
September 1 to October 4, 2025
We doubled down on the pages closest to top positions, improved conversion flow for mobile, and maintained consistent GBP engagement to protect gains. Lead quality remained stable while inquiry volume reached a new baseline.
Month end metrics:
- Patient inquiries: ~198
- Calls: ~132
- Form submissions: ~48
- GBP actions: ~1,160
Before and After Proof Summary
Inquiries tripled because the practice gained more ranking entry points through stronger service pages and condition targeting. GBP became more complete and active, citations became consistent, and conversion friction was reduced, especially on mobile.
- Patient inquiries: 65 to 198 per month
- Calls: 44 to 132 per month
- Forms: 16 to 48 per month
- GBP actions: 380 to 1,160 per month
What Made It Work
The biggest driver was aligning intent with action. Once service pages matched what people searched and the next step was easy, inquiries rose consistently. Local consistency and steady GBP engagement helped visibility compound without volatility.
Disclaimer
The practice identity and identifying details are anonymized due to NDA and healthcare privacy considerations. Metrics are accurate for the timeframe stated, but results vary based on competition, seasonality, proximity factors, and ongoing execution consistency.