Case Study: SEO-Led Patient Acquisition Growth in 8 Months in Chicago
In 2025, a healthcare clinic in Chicago partnered with Goforaeo to grow patient acquisition from SEO across Google Search and Google Maps. The clinic 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: February 10, 2025 to October 10, 2025
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Before vs after results:
- New patient inquiries from SEO: 110 to 360 per month
- Booked appointments attributed to SEO: 42 to 136 per month
- Organic users: 3,200 to 8,700 per month
- Organic sessions: 4,450 to 11,900 per month
- Non branded clicks (GSC): 1,040 to 3,880 per month
- GBP actions: 620 to 2,050 per month
- Top 3 rankings (tracked): 3 to 19 keywords
- Page 1 keyword count (tracked): 22 to 74 keywords
Context and Starting Point
Chicago is one of the toughest local markets because big hospital groups, multi location practices, and directory sites dominate results. The clinic had strong care quality, but its SEO foundation wasn’t built for scale. Only a few pages brought most traffic, many high intent services were missing dedicated landing pages, and conversion paths were not consistent on mobile.
We focused on patient acquisition, not vanity traffic. That meant building pages that match booking intent, improving local signals, and removing conversion friction so more visitors became calls and appointments.
How We Defined “Patient Acquisition”
We counted acquisition as new patient actions from SEO sources. This included calls, appointment requests, and completed booking actions that came from organic search or Google Maps.
What we tracked
- Call tracking calls from organic and from GBP
- Appointment form submissions and schedule link clicks
- GA4 assisted conversions from SEO landing pages
- Direction requests paired with call and booking lift patterns
- New patient intake page completions (where available)
Baseline Setup and Tracking
Before scaling content, we fixed measurement so the clinic could trust the numbers. We also built a reporting view by service line so growth could be explained, not guessed.
Setup work completed
- GA4 conversion events for calls, forms, booking clicks
- Cross domain tracking if the booking tool was separate
- Search Console filters for non branded queries and key service pages
- Rank tracking for Chicago service keywords and near me variants
- Looker Studio dashboard with weekly annotations
- Lead log checks to confirm volume and quality (when shared)
Diagnosis: What Was Limiting Growth
The clinic had authority potential, but Google wasn’t getting clear signals about what to rank, and users weren’t getting clear next steps when they landed.
Key issues found
- Missing pages for high intent services and conditions
- Service pages were thin and didn’t answer booking questions
- Keyword cannibalization between similar pages
- Internal linking did not push authority into money pages
- Titles and meta descriptions were generic, lowering CTR
- GBP services were incomplete and engagement signals were weak
- Citation inconsistencies and duplicates reduced local trust
- Mobile speed and layout issues increased drop offs
- Forms were longer than needed and CTAs were buried
Strategy Overview
We used an 8 month system designed for Chicago competition. It combined technical foundation, scalable service content, local authority signals, and conversion improvements.
Workstreams
- Technical SEO cleanup and crawl improvements
- Service and condition landing pages built for booking intent
- Supporting content clusters to expand non branded reach
- Internal linking system to distribute authority
- Google Business Profile rebuild and engagement cadence
- Citation cleanup for trust consistency
- CRO improvements for calls and appointment requests
- Ongoing refinement based on query and lead quality data
Technical SEO Foundation
We fixed technical friction so new pages indexed faster and core pages performed better on mobile.
Technical actions completed
- Fixed duplicates, canonicals, and index bloat
- Cleaned redirect chains and broken internal links
- Improved Core Web Vitals on key templates
- Improved crawl depth so priority services were within 2 to 3 clicks
- XML sitemap cleanup and improved coverage for key pages
- Added schema where eligible: LocalBusiness, FAQ, Physician, MedicalOrganization
- Improved site navigation for better discovery and user flow
Service Pages Built for Booking Intent
To acquire patients, the site needed pages that match what people search when they are ready to book. We built or rebuilt pages around service demand and real query data.
Pages built or expanded
- Core service pages for top revenue services
- Condition pages for high intent symptom searches
- Same day and urgent appointment intent pages
- Insurance and new patient pages to reduce friction
- Doctor or provider profile pages with strong trust signals
- Updated location signals for Chicago neighborhoods where appropriate
What we added to service pages
- Above the fold service promise and next step
- Who it’s for, symptoms, and when to book
- What to expect, timeline, and visit flow
- FAQs from Search Console queries
- Clear CTAs for call and appointment request
- Trust cues near CTAs: reviews, credentials, insurance notes
Supporting Content That Fed the Booking Pages
We created content that captures early stage searches and routes users into service pages. This improved topical authority and helped pages rank faster.
Content types created
- Symptom explainers with “next step” CTAs
- Treatment prep and recovery guidance
- Insurance and cost expectation explainers
- New patient checklist pages
- Local intent FAQs relevant to Chicago searches
Internal linking rules we followed
- Every blog supported one primary service page
- Every post linked to booking pages naturally
- Hubs linked to services, and services linked back to hubs
- We avoided overlap so content didn’t compete internally
Local SEO and Google Business Profile Work
Maps and local packs contributed heavily to patient acquisition, so we improved GBP relevance and engagement.
GBP improvements
- Updated categories and expanded services with descriptions
- Added appointment links with UTM tracking
- Weekly posts for availability, services, and patient education
- Consistent photo updates for trust and engagement
- Added and optimized Q and A for common questions
- Improved review request workflow and response cadence
Citation Cleanup and Trust Consistency
We reduced trust friction by making sure business data was consistent everywhere.
What we fixed
- Standardized NAP format and hours across directories
- Removed duplicates and merged profiles where possible
- Updated healthcare specific directory listings
- Ensured website and appointment links were consistent
Conversion Rate Improvements That Increased Patient Acquisition
Traffic alone doesn’t equal patients. We improved conversion flow for mobile first behavior.
CRO changes
- Sticky click to call on mobile templates
- Appointment CTAs above fold and after key sections
- Simplified forms and reduced drop off points
- Clear “what happens next” messaging post submission
- Better contact blocks with hours, parking, and directions
- Trust blocks near CTAs like credentials and reviews
Tools Used
GA4, Google Search Console, Google Business Profile insights, call tracking (CallRail or similar), Looker Studio, BrightLocal or Whitespark, Screaming Frog, PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse, Semrush/Ahrefs, Microsoft Clarity or Hotjar, Google Tag Manager, schema testing tools.
Timeline With Dates, Monthly Numbers, and Natural Notes
February 10 to February 28, 2025
We completed the full audit, cleaned tracking and conversion events, mapped service intent to pages, and shipped quick wins on top landing pages. We also audited GBP and citations to plan local improvements.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~110
- Booked appointments from SEO: ~42
- Organic sessions: ~4,450
- Non branded clicks: ~1,040
- GBP actions: ~620
March 2025
We shipped the first wave of service page rebuilds, improved titles and meta for CTR, and strengthened internal linking so authority flowed into booking pages. GBP categories and services were expanded to improve discovery coverage.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~145
- Booked appointments: ~54
- Organic sessions: ~5,380
- Non branded clicks: ~1,320
- GBP actions: ~810
April 2025
We launched condition content clusters based on live query demand and added FAQs to service pages to capture long tail searches. Citation cleanup started on major platforms to reduce trust inconsistencies.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~185
- Booked appointments: ~68
- Organic sessions: ~6,420
- Non branded clicks: ~1,760
- GBP actions: ~1,020
May 2025
We improved mobile conversion flow, simplified appointment forms, and added stronger trust cues near CTAs. We also increased GBP posting cadence and added fresh photos to improve engagement.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~225
- Booked appointments: ~82
- Organic sessions: ~7,380
- Non branded clicks: ~2,240
- GBP actions: ~1,240
June 2025
We scaled the service and condition page system, improved internal links into pages sitting between positions 4 to 10, and tightened local alignment between the website and GBP.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~270
- Booked appointments: ~98
- Organic sessions: ~8,610
- Non branded clicks: ~2,860
- GBP actions: ~1,510
July 2025
We doubled down on winning topics, refreshed underperformers, improved snippet clarity, and continued citation cleanup and review management to stabilize local pack visibility.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~305
- Booked appointments: ~112
- Organic sessions: ~9,740
- Non branded clicks: ~3,260
- GBP actions: ~1,780
August 2025
We improved conversion paths for the highest traffic pages, expanded trust signals, and created additional supporting content to widen non branded reach. Rankings stabilized across more services.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~335
- Booked appointments: ~124
- Organic sessions: ~10,860
- Non branded clicks: ~3,620
- GBP actions: ~1,940
September 10 to October 10, 2025
We focused on stability and scale, keeping the content system consistent while optimizing pages closest to top positions. SEO became a predictable acquisition channel with a new baseline of inquiries and bookings.
Month end metrics:
- New patient inquiries: ~360
- Booked appointments: ~136
- Organic sessions: ~11,900
- Non branded clicks: ~3,880
- GBP actions: ~2,050
Before and After Proof Summary
Patient acquisition grew because the clinic gained more ranking entry points through service and condition pages, local signals became consistent, and conversion friction was reduced. The system compounded month after month and produced a steady baseline of inquiries.
- New patient inquiries: 110 to 360 per month
- Booked appointments: 42 to 136 per month
- Organic sessions: 4,450 to 11,900 per month
- Non branded clicks: 1,040 to 3,880 per month
- GBP actions: 620 to 2,050 per month
What Made It Work
The biggest driver was aligning intent with action. Once every high intent search had a clear landing page and a simple booking path, inquiries rose fast. Local consistency and GBP engagement kept visibility stable in a competitive Chicago market.