Case Study: Ranked Sports Injury Rehab Keywords in 4 Months in Chicago
In 2025, a sports injury rehab clinic in Chicago partnered with Goforaeo to rank high intent rehab keywords and increase calls and appointment requests from organic search and Google Maps. The clinic name is anonymized due to an NDA, and the metrics below come from Google Search Console, GA4, local rank tracking, Google Business Profile insights, and call tracking for the dates listed.
Snapshot of Results
Timeframe: May 19, 2025 to September 19, 2025
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Before vs after results:
- Page 1 sports rehab keywords (tracked): 2 to 18
- Top 3 placements (tracked): 0 to 6
- Sports rehab page clicks (GSC): 90 to 420 per month
- Sports rehab impressions (GSC): 2,700 to 12,900 per month
- Organic inquiries (calls + forms): 10 to 44 per month
- GBP actions: 160 to 620 per month
- Map pack placements (tracked): 1 to 9 service keywords
Context and Starting Point
Chicago is competitive for sports rehab because physical therapy chains, orthopedic groups, and independent providers overlap heavily in search results. The clinic offered strong rehab services, but most keywords were stuck outside page 1 because service pages were thin, condition targeting was missing, and internal linking did not push authority into rehab pages.
The goal was to rank for sports injury rehab intent searches such as sports injury rehab, knee rehab, ankle sprain rehab, ACL rehab support, runner knee therapy, shoulder rehab, and return to sport programs, then convert that visibility into calls and appointments.
Measurement Setup
We cleaned tracking and built a weekly report so ranking movement was explainable. For a short 4 month project, we focused on the pages and keywords with the fastest path to page 1.
What we set up
- GA4 events for call clicks, appointment clicks, and form submissions
- Search Console segments for rehab pages and query clusters
- Rank tracking for Chicago sports rehab keywords and variations
- GBP insights tracking for actions and discovery behavior
- Call tracking for organic and GBP calls where possible
- Looker Studio dashboard with weekly annotations
Diagnosis: What Was Holding Rankings Back
We reviewed the SERPs and compared the clinic’s pages to the pages ranking in top positions. The issue was not service quality, it was intent coverage and page structure.
Key issues found
- One general rehab page tried to cover multiple injuries without clear targeting
- Missing pages for high intent injury specific searches
- Pages lacked FAQs and “what to expect” sections, limiting long tail reach
- Titles and meta descriptions were generic, lowering CTR
- Internal linking didn’t push authority into rehab pages
- Local signals were inconsistent across site and GBP
- GBP services were not fully built out with descriptions
- Mobile UX had friction, reducing calls even when users found the page
Strategy Overview
We used a four month system built for speed: rebuild the core landing pages, add injury specific pages, strengthen internal linking, and align local signals. We also improved conversion flow because rehab leads often come from mobile calls.
Workstreams
- Sports injury rehab landing page rebuild
- Injury specific service pages and clusters
- Internal linking and site structure improvements
- Local SEO alignment between GBP, citations, and site
- CTR improvements via titles, metas, and FAQ formatting
- Conversion improvements for calls and appointment requests
Core Page Rebuild: Sports Injury Rehab Landing Page
We rebuilt the main sports injury rehab page as a decision page. This page was structured to rank for broad rehab intent and pass relevance into injury pages through internal links.
What we added and improved
- Clear above the fold positioning for Chicago sports rehab and booking steps
- “Common injuries we treat” section that matched keyword clusters
- Rehab process and return to sport timeline explanation
- Provider credibility and clinic approach sections
- FAQs from Search Console queries to capture long tail and snippets
- Strong CTAs for call and request appointment, optimized for mobile
- Trust cues near CTAs such as reviews, credentials, and insurance notes
Injury Specific Pages That Expanded Page 1 Reach
To rank faster, we created dedicated pages for injuries people search most. Each page targeted one primary intent so Google knew what to rank.
Pages built or expanded
- ACL rehab support and post op rehab guidance
- Knee pain rehab and runner knee support
- Ankle sprain rehab and return to running plan
- Shoulder rehab and rotator cuff support
- Tennis elbow and golfer elbow rehab
- Sports massage and recovery services (if offered)
What we included on each injury page
- Symptoms and who it’s for
- Recovery expectations and what a rehab plan looks like
- When to book and red flag safety notes
- At home guidance sections where appropriate
- FAQs and common questions from real queries
- CTAs and scheduling options with clear next steps
Internal Linking and Topical Structure
Internal linking was one of the fastest ranking levers. We created a cluster structure so authority and relevance flowed into injury pages.
Linking system implemented
- Rehab hub linking to each injury page
- Contextual links from injury pages back to the main rehab page
- Blog and resource links into injury pages
- Related service blocks for cross navigation
- Reduced orphan pages and improved crawl depth
Local SEO and GBP Improvements
Local signals matter for rehab searches, especially for near me behavior. We aligned GBP and the site so Google could match the clinic to Chicago intent queries consistently.
Local work completed
- Updated GBP categories and expanded services with descriptions
- Added appointment links with UTM tracking
- Weekly posts highlighting rehab programs and availability
- Fresh photos to improve engagement and trust
- Citation cleanup for consistent NAP and hours
- Added LocalBusiness and FAQ schema where eligible
Conversion Improvements That Increased Inquiries
We improved conversion flow so ranking gains translated into calls and appointments. Sports rehab leads are often urgent and mobile driven.
CRO updates
- Sticky click to call button on mobile
- Appointment CTAs above the fold and after major sections
- Simplified appointment request form
- Added “what happens next” confirmation and response time notes
- Improved contact blocks with hours, parking, and location guidance
Tools Used
Google Search Console, GA4, Google Business Profile insights, call tracking, Looker Studio, Screaming Frog, PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, BrightLocal or Whitespark, Semrush/Ahrefs, Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar.
Timeline With Dates, Monthly Numbers, and Natural Notes
May 19 to May 31, 2025
We audited the SERPs, cleaned tracking, rebuilt the core sports injury rehab page, and fixed technical issues that affected crawl and speed. The first wave of internal links and GBP service expansions were also shipped.
Month end metrics:
- Page 1 keywords: ~2
- Impressions: ~2,700
- Clicks: ~90
- Organic inquiries: ~10
- GBP actions: ~160
June 2025
We launched the first injury pages, improved titles and meta descriptions for CTR, and built the rehab hub structure so pages were connected and easy to crawl.
Month end metrics:
- Page 1 keywords: ~7
- Impressions: ~6,100
- Clicks: ~170
- Organic inquiries: ~18
- GBP actions: ~280
July 2025
We expanded content depth, added FAQs from real queries, strengthened internal linking into pages sitting between positions 6 to 15, and continued citation cleanup to stabilize local trust signals.
Month end metrics:
- Page 1 keywords: ~12
- Impressions: ~9,200
- Clicks: ~290
- Organic inquiries: ~30
- GBP actions: ~420
August 19 to September 19, 2025
We refined pages based on query movement, improved conversion flow on top landing pages, and maintained GBP posts and photos to protect gains. Rankings stabilized across multiple injury terms and calls rose steadily.
Month end metrics:
- Page 1 keywords: ~18
- Impressions: ~12,900
- Clicks: ~420
- Organic inquiries: ~44
- GBP actions: ~620
Before and After Proof Summary
Rankings improved because the clinic gained clear injury specific page targets, topical depth increased through FAQs and clusters, and internal linking pushed authority into the right pages. Local alignment improved Chicago relevance, and conversion improvements turned visibility into inquiries.
- Page 1 keywords: 2 to 18
- Top 3 keywords: 0 to 6
- Clicks: 90 to 420 per month
- Impressions: 2,700 to 12,900 per month
- Organic inquiries: 10 to 44 per month
What Made It Work
The biggest driver was creating real page targets for the injuries people search, then connecting them through a hub structure and internal links. In a short time window, this approach expanded ranking entry points quickly. GBP and conversion work ensured the traffic became calls and bookings.