SEO Case Study: How a Franchise Business Increased Location Leads by 215%
On May 6, 2025, a national franchise brand with a service location in Overland Park, Kansas partnered with Goforaeo to strengthen local visibility and generate more high intent leads from Google Search and Google Maps. The brand name was known, but the local branch was not showing up consistently for service based searches. Their website also lacked clear local service pages, so many visitors did not convert.
From May 2025 to November 2025, SEO driven location leads increased from 80 per month to 252 per month, a 215% jump. This growth came from stronger Google Business Profile performance, better local rankings, more clicks on high intent queries, and improved conversion on the website. Below is the full breakdown with dates, monthly actions, and monthly proof.
Client snapshot: What the franchise location needed
The client is a franchise in a competitive local service category, operating one branch in Overland Park and other branches in nearby markets. Most steady leads were coming from paid ads, referrals, and brand searches. Non brand searches like “service near me” and “service in Overland Park” were not producing enough calls and requests.
The location had a Google Business Profile and a location page, but both were too general. Google could not easily connect the branch to each specific service, and users could not quickly find the information needed to take action. Fixing this meant building clear local relevance, then improving trust and conversion step by step.
Timeframe, location, and what counted as a lead
This campaign ran from May 6, 2025 to November 27, 2025 for the Overland Park, KS service area. Reporting was reviewed weekly and summarized monthly so that each growth jump matched a real change we made.
A “location lead” was counted only when it showed real buying intent:
- Phone calls from Google Business Profile and organic search
- Contact form submissions from local service pages
- Quote requests, booking requests, or appointment submissions
- Direction requests when paired with another intent action (call or form)
Low quality spam calls were excluded during monthly review so the lead numbers stayed genuine.
Baseline metrics: Starting point recorded May 6, 2025
We recorded the baseline on May 6, 2025 using GA4 events, call tracking, Google Search Console, and Google Business Profile insights. These were the monthly averages at the start of the partnership.
Baseline performance in May 2025:
- Location leads: 80 per month
- Organic sessions to Overland Park focused pages: 2,900 per month
- Google Business Profile actions: 410 per month
- Calls from Google Business Profile: 148 per month
- Form submissions from organic: 32 per month
- Top 10 local keywords: 14
- Average position across tracked local terms: 18.9
- Average CTR in Search Console: 2.4%
These numbers showed the location had demand, but visibility and conversion were not strong enough. The goal was not more random traffic, it was more local intent actions.
What was holding the Overland Park location back
The biggest issue was weak local structure. The site did not have strong service specific landing pages for Overland Park, so Google did not have the right pages to rank. The location page was too broad, and service mentions were not detailed enough to match what people searched.
The Google Business Profile also needed serious improvement. Categories and services were not fully built out, posts were inconsistent, and the profile lacked strong local trust signals like fresh photos and an ongoing review flow. On top of that, citations across directories were inconsistent, which can reduce stability in local rankings.
Strategy overview: What we did and why it worked
We used a simple, repeatable local SEO system that works well for franchises. We focused on local clarity, trust, and conversion, then scaled what worked.
Core strategy pillars:
- Google Business Profile improvements to lift Maps visibility and calls
- Location based service pages that match exact search intent
- Citation cleanup and review growth to improve trust and ranking stability
- Conversion updates so more visitors turn into calls and form submissions
We kept changes practical, tracked them by date, and measured results monthly so the improvements were easy to prove.
Monthly execution and monthly results (May to November 2025)
May 2025: Audit, tracking cleanup, and foundation setup
In May, we fixed measurement first so the location could trust the numbers. Then we ran a full local SEO audit on the Overland Park presence, including the profile, local pages, indexing, and competitors.
Work completed in May:
- Verified and cleaned GA4 events for calls, forms, and booking actions
- Audited Google Business Profile categories, services, and content gaps
- Mapped services to landing pages and flagged missing pages
- Reviewed top competitors in Overland Park for page structure and keyword coverage
May 2025 results:
- Location leads: 80
- Organic sessions: 2,900
- Google Business Profile actions: 410
- Top 10 local keywords: 14
This month was about control and clarity. Once tracking and mapping were correct, every next month became easier to improve.
June 2025: Google Business Profile rebuild and early Maps gains
In June, we rebuilt the Google Business Profile to make it a stronger local asset. This is often the fastest lead lever for local service businesses, especially franchise locations.
Work completed in June:
- Updated primary and secondary categories based on competitor coverage
- Expanded services list with clear service naming and better descriptions
- Added new local photos, team shots, and service focused images
- Started a weekly posting schedule in the profile, tied to real services
- Added basic Q and A style content inside the profile for common questions
June 2025 results:
- Location leads: 92
- Organic sessions: 3,240
- Google Business Profile actions: 520
- Calls from Google Business Profile: 176
- Top 10 local keywords: 18
The first lift came mainly from Maps actions and calls. That is normal because profile improvements often work faster than website ranking changes.
July 2025: Overland Park service pages that match local intent
In July, we focused on the website, because local rankings need the right landing pages. We built service pages that matched how people search, and we connected them properly through internal linking.
Work completed in July:
- Improved the Overland Park location page with clearer service coverage sections
- Created service landing pages tied to Overland Park intent
- Added simple local sections on each page: what it includes, service area, pricing factors, FAQs, and next step
- Fixed internal linking so service pages were reachable from navigation and location content
July 2025 results:
- Location leads: 110
- Organic sessions: 3,780
- Google Business Profile actions: 610
- Form submissions: 44
- Top 10 local keywords: 26
This month started to shift non brand visibility. The site finally had pages that matched searches like “service in Overland Park” and “service near me.”
August 2025: Citations, NAP cleanup, and review system launch
In August, we strengthened trust and consistency. Franchise locations often struggle when directory listings are messy, or when review growth stops. We fixed both.
Work completed in August:
- Cleaned NAP consistency across key directories and map providers
- Removed duplicates and corrected incorrect listings
- Built new citations on relevant local and industry directories
- Launched a review request flow with simple timing rules and a direct link
- Added review and trust sections to priority landing pages
August 2025 results:
- Location leads: 145
- Organic sessions: 4,620
- Google Business Profile actions: 780
- Calls from Google Business Profile: 238
- Top 10 local keywords: 41
Leads rose strongly here because trust signals help both rankings and conversion. More people felt confident to call.
September 2025: Service area expansion and nearby intent coverage
In September, we expanded coverage around Overland Park in a careful way. We avoided spam style city stuffing and focused on real service area language and helpful local details.
Work completed in September:
- Added service area sections on key service pages
- Created supporting location content for nearby areas that Overland Park serves
- Improved FAQ sections using real call questions and Search Console queries
- Strengthened internal links between location page, service pages, and FAQs
September 2025 results:
- Location leads: 175
- Organic sessions: 5,180
- Google Business Profile actions: 910
- Form submissions: 62
- Top 10 local keywords: 58
This month improved visibility for searches that included nearby areas and “near me” patterns. It also helped Maps placements hold more consistently.
October 2025: On page improvements and conversion fixes
In October, we improved conversion so the location could get more leads without needing the same percentage jump in traffic. This is where many local SEO campaigns start making bigger profit gains.
Work completed in October:
- Simplified forms on top landing pages and reduced friction on mobile
- Improved call buttons and placement, especially above the fold
- Rewrote titles and meta descriptions to raise CTR on key local pages
- Added stronger trust blocks: reviews, guarantees (when applicable), and service proofs
October 2025 results:
- Location leads: 205
- Organic sessions: 6,020
- Google Business Profile actions: 1,040
- CTR: 3.1%
- Top 10 local keywords: 74
The conversion gains mattered a lot here. More visitors turned into calls and requests, even before rankings reached their peak.
November 2025: Local authority, community relevance, and stable after proof
In November, we focused on stability and authority. We strengthened local relevance through community signals and improved pages that were close to top positions.
Work completed in November:
- Earned local links through community mentions and relevant local partnerships
- Published helpful local guides that supported service pages and answered common problems
- Refreshed pages sitting just outside top positions with better FAQs and clearer service wording
- Continued review growth and consistent Google Business Profile posting
November 2025 results:
- Location leads: 252
- Organic sessions: 7,600
- Google Business Profile actions: 1,260
- Form submissions: 86
- Top 10 local keywords: 104
November became the clean “after” month because growth was stable across calls, forms, Maps actions, and organic sessions.
Before vs after proof: Clear lead lift with supporting metrics
The main proof is the location lead count, measured the same way each month.
Before vs after:
- May 2025 location leads: 80 per month
- November 2025 location leads: 252 per month
- Net gain: 172 more leads per month
- Percentage increase: 215%
Supporting proof that matched the lead lift:
- Organic sessions: 2,900 to 7,600
- Google Business Profile actions: 410 to 1,260
- Top 10 local keywords: 14 to 104
- CTR (Search Console): 2.4% to 3.1%
These supporting metrics matter because they show the growth was not a one time spike. Visibility increased, engagement increased, and conversion improved at the same time.
Why this worked: Simple explanation in local SEO terms
Google Business Profile became a consistent lead driver
Once the profile had the right categories, services, and activity, it started appearing more often in Maps results. Fresh photos, regular posts, and Q and A style content helped users trust the location faster. Calls increased early, which is common when a profile becomes more complete.
The review system also helped a lot. When reviews stay fresh and steady, Maps visibility and user confidence usually improve. That is why leads increased even before every keyword reached a top position.
Service pages matched how people actually search
Many franchise sites rely on one generic location page, but that rarely ranks for multiple services. Building service pages tied to Overland Park created clear landing pages for each high intent keyword. These pages answered simple questions quickly, so users were more likely to call.
This also reduced confusion for Google. Instead of many pages competing for the same intent, each page had a clear job. Rankings became more stable, and more queries started bringing leads.
Trust signals improved both rankings and conversion
Citation cleanup, consistent NAP, and review growth built a stronger trust layer. This matters a lot in local service markets where people compare options fast. When trust increased, conversion improved, which raised lead volume without needing the same traffic jump.
Trust signals also improved ranking stability. Once Google saw consistent business info and stronger engagement, positions held better week to week.
Conversion fixes made every visit worth more
Even strong rankings can underperform if the site makes it hard to contact the business. Improving mobile layout, simplifying forms, and making call actions easier increased lead volume. These were simple changes, but they compound when traffic rises.
This is why October and November showed strong lead growth. The site was not only getting more visitors, it was converting a higher share of them.
Tools used during the campaign
We used a practical tool stack focused on local visibility and clean measurement:
- Google Business Profile tools: actions, calls, posts, photo impact, visibility trends
- Google Search Console: local query growth, CTR changes, indexing, page performance
- GA4: event tracking for calls, forms, and booking actions
- Looker Studio: monthly reporting and trend dashboards
- Screaming Frog: crawl checks, internal linking, metadata, duplicate issues
- Ahrefs and Semrush: local keyword research, competitor gaps, link opportunities
- BrightLocal or Whitespark: citation audits, cleanup workflows, new listings
- Call tracking tool like CallRail: call attribution and lead quality reviews
- PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse: mobile speed and layout stability
- Hotjar: behavior signals, scroll depth, form drop off points
Closing summary
This Overland Park franchise location grew because the work focused on local basics that directly affect leads. The profile became stronger, the website gained service pages that match real searches, trust signals increased, and conversion friction dropped. Every month had clear actions and clear proof, which kept growth stable.
From May 2025 to November 2025, after partnering with Goforaeo, location leads increased from 80 per month to 252 per month, a 215% increase. The increase was supported by higher Maps actions, more top rankings, higher CTR, and stronger conversion on local landing pages.